Lost Ancient High Technology & Metaphysics of JORDAN
April 19-23, 2019
5 DAY TOUR – FEATURING VISITS TO THE DEAD SEA & PETRA
Join Brien Foerster, Suzan Moore, Patricia Awyan Lehman and Yousef Awyan when they return to Jordan to continue their exploration into the ancient mysteries of Petra
Day 1 Friday, April 19th: Arrival Amman Airport & continue to the Dead Sea
After lunch together, we will embark on our journey to the Dead Sea. Also called the Salt Sea, it is a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the west.
The deepest hypersaline lake in the world, the Dead Sea has attracted visitors from around the Mediterranean basin for thousands of years. It was one of the world’s first health resorts (for Herod the Great), and it has been the supplier of a wide variety of products, from asphalt for Egyptian mummification to potash for fertilizers. People also use the salt and the minerals from the Dead Sea to create cosmetics and herbal sachets.
The Dead Sea is actually not a sea at all, but a lake that’s made up of about 30 percent salt. It is the lowest place on earth at 417 feet below sea level. Known for its healing properties, these waters have been known to cure skin conditions and help with respiration, and its mud is used in spa treatments worldwide. You definitely want to plan to take a dunk (one does not ‘swim’ in this salt laden lake) and make use of the many amenities offered here. As steeped in religious heritage as it is salty, the Dead Sea is reputed to be the place where King David sought refuge from King Saul, where Abraham fought a war, and where Ezekiel had prophecies. We will check into our rooms at the spectacular s-star Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea. Overnight: Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea Resort (B,L)
Day 2 Saturday, April 20th Day of Rest and Relation to Enjoy Hotel Amenities
“Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea invites you to explore Jordan, a place
steeped in history, culture and natural beauty. Whether you stay with us
or transfer to another Mövenpick Hotel & Resort, there is plenty to see and
do: from charming arts and crafts, to inspiring outdoor adventure, authentic
eating and bazaar-style shopping.”
Mövenpick’s Zara Spa is one of the most advanced spa complexes in the Middle East and unique in Jordan, featuring 6,000 square meters dedicated to pampering the senses, relaxing, revitalizing and refreshing the mind.
A professional team of therapists will guide you through the extensive facilities, offering hydro-pools, whirlpools, pools with varying saline concentration, steam rooms, tropical scent showers, 31 treatment rooms, a VIP royal therapy suite and up to 70 à la carte treatments and massages.
(Entrance and treatment fees apply. Entrance to the spa is not allowed for guests below 18 years of age.)
Overnight: Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea Resort (B,L)
Day 3 Sunday, April 21st : Little Petra
After an early breakfast we will travel in an air-conditioned motor coach on the King’s Highway to the ancient and magnificent site of Petra, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
We will have lunch and check into our rooms at the fabulous 5-star Mövenpick Resort Petra
Afterwards we’ll leave to visit Little Petra, also known as Siq al-Barid, located north of Petra. Its name, literally “cold canyon”, comes from its orientation and its high walls preventing the entry of most available sunlight. The modern name “Little Petra” comes from its similarities to the larger site to the south—both must be entered via a narrow canyon, and consist primarily of Nabataean buildings.
Archaeologists believe that Little Petra was established in the 1st century C.E., when the Nabataean culture was at its peak in the region. It was probably a suburb of the larger city to the south, perhaps where its more successful merchants lived, and entertained their visiting counterparts. The location may have been chosen because of the nearby older settlement of Beidha, inhabited since the earlier Neolithic era. Overnight Mövenpick Resort Petra (B,L,D)
Day 4 Monday, April 22nd: Visit Petra
After Breakfast we leave to visit the magnificent site of Petra. “Inhabited since prehistoric times, this Nabataean caravan-city, situated between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea, was an important crossroads between Arabia, Egypt and Syria-Phoenicia. Petra is half-built, half-carved into the rock, and is surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges. It is one of the world’s most famous archaeological sites, where ancient Eastern traditions blend with Hellenistic architecture.”
“The Outstanding Universal Value of Petra resides in the vast extent of elaborate tomb and temple architecture; religious high places; the remnant channels, tunnels and diversion dams that combined with a vast network of cisterns and reservoirs which controlled and conserved seasonal rains, and the extensive archaeological remains including of copper mining, temples, churches and other public buildings. The fusion of Hellenistic architectural facades with traditional Nabataean rock-cut temple/tombs including the Khasneh, the Urn Tomb, the Palace Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb and the Deir (“monastery”) represents a unique artistic achievement and an outstanding architectural ensemble of the first centuries BC to AD. The varied archaeological remains and architectural monuments from prehistoric times to the medieval periods bear exceptional testimony to the now lost civilisations which succeeded each other at the site.” UNESCO
In ancient times, Petra might have been reached from the south on a path leading across the plain of Petra, around Jabal Haroun or Aaron’s Mountain, where the burial-place of Aaron, brother of Moses, is located. Another approach was possibly from the high plateau to the north. We will approach from the east most visitors do today, through an impressive entrance that leads steeply down through a dark, narrow gorge called the Siq (shaft), a natural geological feature formed from a deep split in the sandstone rocks and serving as a waterway flowing into Wadi Musa. At the end of the narrow gorge stands Petra’s most elaborate ruin, Al Khazneh better known as The Treasury, hewn into the sandstone cliff. You’ll have time to explore the area on your own. Afterwards we will have lunch.
Overnight Mövenpick Resort Petra (B,L)
Day 5 Tuesday, April 23rd : Amman Airport for departure
After breakfast, we will drive to the airport in Amman for our International flights home or on to Beirut for the Lebanon Extension (for those joining us).
With a minimum of 10 guests the details are as follows:
Price per Person, double occupancy: $2,625.00 USD (Including flight from Cairo to Amman)
OR
Price per Person, double occupancy: $2,400.00 USD (Land Only)
Registration Form found at this link: 
Your reservation is confirmed when you send your $500.00 Deposit.
(Payment in full is required by March 1st, 2019 for all participants)
Optional Single Room Supplement: $ 350.00 NOTE: This is the additional amount you will pay if you choose to have your own private room throughout the journey.
ROOMMATES: If you’re not traveling with anyone you know, we would be happy to assist pairing you with a fellow traveler.
Per our Terms and Conditions, we will hold the registration open until 30 days before the tour begins (or later if possible) in order to try to match you with someone. If by that date we have not been able to do so, you will be responsible to pay for the single supplement. Please try to register early if you would like to be matched with a roommate
INCLUDES: –Assistance upon arrival and departure
– All transportation by A/C private motor coaches
– Accommodation 2 nights in Petra with Breakfast at Movenpick Hotel or similar
– Accommodation 2 nights at Dead Sea with Breakfast at Movenpick Hotel or similar
– 3 lunches at very good local restaurants
– Professional English speaking guide
– All entrance fees
– Water on-board the bus
Does not include:
–Entry Visa which is approximately $56.00 USD for most travellers
Please check the requirements for your nationality at this link:
http://international.visitjordan.com/generalinformation/entryintojordan.aspx
– Tips for Guide , driver , horse man in Petra
– Personal Expenses
– International Flight tickets to Amman if you are not coming with the group from Cairo.
–Travel & Health Insurance
– Personal items such as laundry, beverages during meals, internet service on the cruise ship and telephone calls or any item not listed on the itinerary.
TRAVEL DOCUMENTS
All travelers need a passport valid for at least six months after the date of entering the country.
Reservation and Cancellation Policies
Reservation and Payment
A non-refundable deposit of $400.00 per person will be required at the time of booking. To insure your reservation, final payment will be due 45 days prior the departure dates from your Country. It is the responsibility of the traveler (or agent) to determine that final payment reaches us on time. Bookings made within 30 days of departure date, will require full and final payment immediately upon booking. No booking will be considered until final deposit is received by the Tour Operator. Payments are to be made via Bank Transfer. Any fees charged will be the responsibility of the sender. Please inquire about this before you make your bank transaction.
Cancellation and Refunds
Due to high preparation costs, cancellations must be received in writing within 45 days of travel date. Cancellations received more than 30 days prior to departure will have a penalty of $500 per person; those received between 30 and 25 days will have a penalty of 50% per person; those received between 25 and 20 days will have a penalty of 75% per person. Cancellations received 20 days or less before departure will receive no refund. No refund will be made for transfers, city tours or any other services (including meals, accommodations or transportation) voluntarily not taken.
Changes
This itinerary is subject to changes in sequence in order to adapt to unforeseen circumstances. The content will remain the same, barring any unanticipated complications.
INSURANCE:
We recommend that all participants obtain Travel Insurance. Travel Insured International offers insurance for trip cost, trip cancellation & interruption, and pays for loss due to unforeseen circumstance, death, injury, or illness to you or a member of your family. It also includes coverage for missed connections due to weather, pays for lost deposits due to the financial default of the airline, the tour operator, or cruise line. It pays for baggage delays, travel delays, medical expenses, emergency assistance and
WAIVER OF RESPONSIBILITY: By signing up to the tour you agree to our terms, deposit conditions and waiver. The Khemit School, its agents and our Tour Facilitators have worked diligently to make all of the arrangements for our journey together in Egypt, however, The Khemit School, its agents and our Tour Facilitators will not be held liable for delays, theft, damage, injury, or any other irregularities that may occur during the course of the journey. We will not be held liable for any changes or delays in airline schedules or missed connections; injury, loss, or damage to persons or property; additional expenses resulting from changes in exchange rates, tariffs, or itinerary; any transportation issues or problems with vehicles utilized on the tour; additional expenses incurred due to illness, weather conditions, protests, war, terrorism, quarantine, or other causes; and losses due to cancellations not subject to our terms and conditions
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