Belad Al-Sham Treasures (Jordan, Syria and Lebanon)

Day one:   Amman Airport – Amman
Upon arrival you will be met by Dahlan tours representative who will assist you through immigration and customs then you will be transferred to your hotel at Amman for overnight.

Day two:   Amman – Madaba – Mt. Nebo – Kerak – Petra
You will be driven after breakfast to Madaba, Madaba and its hinterlands were repeatedly mentioned in the Old Testament. Then it was known as Medeba and it featured in narratives related to Moses and the Exodus, David’s war against the Moabites, Isaiah’s oracle against Moab and King Mesha of Moab’s rebellion against Israel. Between the 4th and 7th centuries AD, the prosperous ecclesiastical centre of Madaba produced one of the world’s finest collections of Byzantine mosaics, many fine examples of which are well preserved. Several church floor mosaics can be seen in their original locations Madaba’s real masterpiece, in the Orthodox Church of Saint George, is the 6th century AD mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land – the earliest religious map of the Holy Land in any form to survive from antiquity.

Continue to Mt. Nebo, from Mount Nebo’s windswept promontory, overlooking the Dead Sea, the Jordan River Valley, Jericho and the distant hills of Jerusalem, Moses viewed the Holy Land of Canaan that he would never enter. He died and was buried in Moab, "in the valley opposite Beth-peor". His tomb remains unknown. After consulting the Oracle, Jeremiah reportedly hid the Ark of the Covenant, the Tent and the Altar of Incense at Mount Nebo. Mount Nebo became a place of pilgrimage for early Christians from Jerusalem and a small church was built there in the 4th century to commemorate the end of Moses' life. Some of the stones from that church remain in their original place in the wall around the apse area. The church was subsequently expanded in the 5th and 6th centuries into the present-day large basilica with its stunning collection of Byzantine mosaics.

Proceed to Kerak, the fort itself is a dark maze of stone-vaulted halls and endless passageways. The best preserved are underground, and to be reached through a massive door The castle in itself is more imposing than beautiful, though it is all the more impressive as an example of the Crusaders' architectural military genius. Karak's most famous occupant was Reynald de Chatillon, whose reputation for treachery, betrayal and brutality is unsurpassed. When Baldwin II died, his son, a 13-year-old leper, sued for peace with Saladin. The Leper King, however, died without an heir, and in stepped Reynald, who succeeded in winning the hand of Stephanie, the wealthy widow of Karak's assassinated regent.. Reynald and King Guy of Jerusalem led the Crusader forces and suffered a massive defeat. Reynald was taken prisoner and beheaded by Saladin himself, marking the beginning of the decline in Crusader fortunes. The castle was enlarged with a new west wing added by the Ayyubids and Mameluks.uares and plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates.
Arrival to Petra, overnight at Petra hotel.

Day three:   Petra visit – Amman
After breakfast at the hotel you will be transferred to Petra site for full day visit. The giant red mountains and vast mausoleums of a departed race have nothing in common with modern civilization, and ask nothing of it except to be appreciated at their true value - as one of the greatest wonders ever wrought by Nature and Man although much has been written about Petra, nothing really prepares you for this amazing place. It has to be seen to be believed. Petra the world wonder is without doubt Jordan’s most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction. It is a vast, unique city, carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled here more than 2000 years ago, turning it into an important junction for the silk, spice and other trade routes that linked China, India and southern Arabia with Egypt, Syria, Greece and Rome. Entrance to the city is through the Siq, a narrow gorge, over 1 kilometer in length, which is flanked on either side by soaring, 80 meters high cliffs. Just walking through the Siq is an experience in itself. The colors and formations of the rocks are dazzling. As you reach the end of the Siq you will catch your first glimpse of Al-Khazneh (Treasury). This is an awe-inspiring experience. A massive façade, 30m wide and 43m high, carved out of the sheer, dusky pink, rock-face and dwarfing everything around it. It was carved in the early 1st century as the tomb of an important Nabataean king and represents the engineering genius of these ancient people.
Proceed to Amman, overnight at Amman hotel.

Day four:   Amman –Amman City Tour – Jerash – Ramtha Border – Bosra - Damascus
After breakfast at the hotel you will enjoy a panoramic Amman city tour. The Jordanian capital, Amman, and its surrounding regions is referred to in the Bible as Ammon, or the Ammonite Kingdom, and was famous for its springs and citadel. This is the place where the Biblical story of David and Goliath (Uriah the Hittite) took place. The massive fortifications, where David, an ancestor of Jesus, brought about Uriah’s death so that he could marry his widow Bathsheba, are still standing.

Continue to Jerash. The ancient city of Jerash boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years. The city's golden age came under Roman rule, during which time it was known as Gerasa, and the site is now generally acknowledged to be one of the best preserved Roman provincial towns in the world. Hidden for centuries in sand before being excavated and restored over the past 70 years, Jerash reveals a fine example of the grand, formal provincial Roman urbanism that is found throughout the Middle East, comprising paved and colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, handsome theatres, spacious public sq.

Proceed via Ramtha Border & Bosra to Damascus.
Overnight at Damascus hotel

Day five:   Damascus – Damascus City Tour – Palmyra

After breakfast at the hotel, full day Damascus city tour, visiting the National Museum, Tekkieye Mosque, Hamidiye Souq, Umayyad Mosque, Azem Palace, Saladin’s Mausoleum and the Christian quarters of Bab Touma and Bab Sharqi, with the St. Ananias Chapel and St. Paul’s Window.

Continue to Palmyra, Overnight at Palmyra hotel.

Day six:   Palmyra – Aleppo
After Breakfast at hotel, transfer to Palmyra.Palmyra (Tadmor in Arabic) is in the heart of Syrian Desert, and is often described as the bride of the desert. Its magnificent remains tell of a heroic history during the reign of Queen Zenobia. The Oasis, as it is sometimes called, is located near a hot-water spring called Afqa, which make it an ideal halt for caravans moving between Iraq and Al-Sham (present day Syria, Lebanon, Holy Land and Jordan), trading in silk from China to the Mediterranean. This strategic location made Palmyra prosper in a well-established kingdom from the 2nd century BC.

Proceed to Aleppo, Overnight at Aleppo hotel.

Day seven:   Aleppo City Tour – St. Simon - Aleppo
After breakfast at hotel, transfer to Aleppo – City Tour. This is the second capital of Syria 350 km north of Damascus, and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in history. Abraham (pbuh) is said to have camped on the acropolis which, long before his time, served as the foundation of a fortress where the Aleppo citadel is standing now. He milked his grey cow there, hence Aleppo's name "Halab Al-Shahba".Ever since the 3rd millennium BC, Aleppo has been a flourishing city, with a unique strategic position. This position gave the city a distinctive role from the days of the Akkadian and Amorite kingdoms until modern times. Aleppo is the city of Architecture. One can find various styles in it like the caravanserais, coranic schools and Hammams (so called Turkish baths).

Proceed to St. Simon. The most beautiful and significant monument to religious building between Roman period of the 2nd century and northern European Christian masterpieces of the 11th century AD. The layout was original, centering on the famous column from which St. Simeon used to preach. Four basilicas, arranged in the shape of a cross, opened into an octagon covered by a dome, in the center of which stood the holy column. A simplicity and harmony combine to make ruins of the Basilica of St. Simon a masterpiece of pre-Islamic art in Syria.

Back to Aleppo, Overnight at Aleppo hotel.

Day eight:   Aleppo – Apamea – Hama – Crack Des Chevaliers – Damascus
After breakfast at hotel, transfer to Apamea. Apamea is an ancient city located on the right bank of the Orontes river about 55 km northwest of Hama, Syria. It overlooks the Ghab valley and is notable for its exceptionally long Roman street, lined with classical columns. Apamea was founded in 300 BC by Seleucus Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals and the first king of the Seleucids in Syria. He named it after his Bactrian wife, Apame.

Continue to Hama. Hama has many distinctive features, the two most prominent features is its citadel and its ancient Norias (waterwheels). The Norias have been scooping water from the Orontes (Aassi) River and pouring it into irrigation canals. The groaning sound of the Norias adds a certain mystique to this ancient city. The sounds are quite relaxing and soothing to the mind. Hama is a very clean and conservative town where modern buildings meet the ancient past.

Continue to Crack des Chevaliers. The castle Krak des Chevaliers (Krak of the Knights), described by T.E. Lawrence as "perhaps the best preserved and most wholly admirable castle in the world" is the easternmost of a chain of five castles sited so as to secure the Homs Gap. From the outside this fortress is intimidating in its grandeur and power. The south side of the Krak was the most vulnerable and Sultan Baybars added a strong bastion to it. The western side is quite ordinary with its curtain wall and five cylindrical towers strengthening it. The northern wing has a postern which is situated between two square shaped towers.

Proceed to Damascus, Overnight at Damascus hotel.

Day nine:   Damascus – Anjar – Baalbek – Damascus
Breakfast at hotel, then transfer to Anjar. Anjar, 58 km from Beirut, is completely different from any other archaeological experience you will have in Lebanon. Anjar has a special beauty. The city's slender columns and fragile arches stand in contrast to the massive bulk of the nearby Anti-Lebanon Mountains - an eerie background for Anjar's extensive ruins and the memories of its short but energetic moment in history.

Continue to Baalbek. Baalbek (ancient Heliopolis), town, eastern Lebanon, between the Lîþânî and Asi rivers. Situated atop a high point in the fertile Bekaa valley, the ruins are one of the most extraordinary and enigmatic holy places of ancient times. Long before the Romans conquered the site and built their enormous temple of Jupiter, long even before the Phoenicians constructed a temple to the god Baal, there stood at Baalbek the largest stone block construction found in the entire world.

Back to Damascus, Overnight at Damascus hotel.

Day ten:   Damascus – Damascus Airport
After breakfast transfer to Damascus international airport for departure.