A brief overview of the tour
From the airport or your hotel you will be taken to the border where you cross from Eilat to Jordan and then you will travel the scenic ‘desert way’ to Petra, entering through the narrow Siq to explore the magnificent sites carved into the red mountain. Return to Aqaba and cross back to Eilat.
This package includes a day tour to Petra (tour no' 370) plus an overnight in Eilat.
Important and useful notes
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Rates include: one night at tourist class hotel per person in a double room on B&B basis, pick-up and drop-off, meeting and assistance at border crossing in both directions, transport, tour guides, entrance fees to Petra for one day tour, lunch.
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Single room supplement $50, High Season supplement $50, per night.
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Rates do not cover: $125 for border fees, visa to Jordan, pick up and assistance at the border ($65 if you have already issued a visa to Jordan in advance), gratuities, personal expenses, personal insurance.
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Valid passport required on day of travel.
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50% cancellation fee for cancellations within 24 hours of departure. No refund on no-
show or cancellation less than 24 hours in advance.
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Visa and voucher are usually issued at border crossing but certain passports require
advance issue of visa.
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Visa, voucher, tax and tips payable in cash only, $US, GB pound, Euro and Israeli shekels.
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Lunch will be late and no food or drink, including bottled water, are allowed across the
border into Jordan so eat a hearty breakfast.
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Good walking shoes, head covering and cool clothing in summer, very warm clothing in
winter.
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Insurance companies do not insure for accidents related to horses or any other animals.
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Hotel stay either night before the tour or on return from Petra.
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Option for extended stay in Eilat before and/or after Petra tour.
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Option for flights to and from Eilat at $100 each direction.
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Other languages available in Petra for additional 100 USD per booking and advance notice.
A detailed description of the tour
After an early departure from Eilat and crossing into Jordan we travel 2 – 3 hours along the scenic mountain route, the desert way, to Petra, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, briefly stopping for an overview.
After passing the Obelisks in front of the cave tomb we enter the narrow, 1,200 meter long canyon, the Siq, with an option to ride for the first few hundred meters. As we walk through the gorge with the towering red stone on either side we marvel at the incredible sites carved into the red mountain.
The magnificent façade of the treasury with its Corinthian columns is particularly well-preserved as it is deeply carved into the rock and protected by rock overhang. To give you an idea of the height, the funeral urn alone, tucked away up in the heart of the façade is eleven feet high.
The colossal Deir (temple, monastery) which dwarfs us is over forty meters high, its columns reaching more than two storeys. At the Roman theatre we can but wonder who filled the seats. We marvel at the numerous tombs, each uniquely designed, and the sacrificial altar.
After a late lunch we return to Aqaba where, time permitting, we will do a short tour prior to crossing to Eilat.
