Jordan, Lebanon & Syria

The King’s Highway – one of the oldest highways on Earth leads you to Petra, the magnificent rose-red city that is described as “half as old as time”. Walking through the narrow ‘siq’ hundreds of feet high you will discover a city that has been elaborately carved out of solid rock. Petra, built in the 3rd Century BC is considered one of the most magnificent sights in all of the Middle East – don’t miss it! 

Travel North of Amman for a day trip and you will find yourself in the beautifully preserved Roman city of Jerash – Jordans second major attraction. Visit the unusual oval shaped Forum, the Temple of Zeus and the Temple of Artemis. For spectacular desert scenery a visit to Wadi Rum is well worthwhile. This is where many scenes from the movie, Lawrence of Arabia were set. For something different you could hire a camel and do a great day trip from Wadi Rum to Aqaba.

The ruins in Syria are considered some of the best in the world and remain relatively untouched by tourist masses – unlike Europe which is inundated!! If you want to step back in time to visit ancient civilisations Syria is the place. Damascus is claimed to be the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world – since 5000BC. Later it was a Persian capital, then a Greek capital, then a Roman City before falling to the Muslims and then the Ottomans before the French took control. Independence was finally gained in 1946. You will need a couple of days to see the amazing contrasts Damascus offers.