Jordan is a country steeped in history with dramatic landscapes, memorable excursions, and fringing reefs offering unspoilt diving. Why not float in the Dead Sea and explore the ancient city of Petra on your way to the gulf in Aqaba? There you can dive canyons, walls and drop offs without worry of over-crowding or over-diving. We put together the “Jewels of Jordan” week-long itinerary based on the most popular request of clients who want to see the best of Jordan.

All of our holidays are tailor-made to your specification, so please just use this tour as a guide. Please contact our Dive Travel Consultants for availability, single supplements, or changes to this itinerary so that we can put together the perfect bespoke holiday to the deserts and dive sites of Jordan for you.

The ancient city of Petra is about two hours North of Aqaba. 2000 years ago Petra was a refuge for nomadic Nabateans who travelled North from Arabia. From a few caves in a rocky outcrop they created Petra as a concealed fortress city. To reach the city you will travel through the awesome 'siq', a winding, kilometre long fissure between overhanging cliffs.

At the end of the Siq, towering in the brightness appears Petra's most impressive monument El Khazneh,'The Treasury'. This massive royal tomb was carved into the side of the mountain out of the solid rock. Beyond El Khazneh there is a complete city carved from the rock. Soaring temples, elaborate tombs,a Roman theatre and paved streets are there for you to explore.

But Petra, with its multi-hued pink rock, is not only about the Nabateans. There are Roman settlements on the same site and, within 15 minutes drive of Petra, there are 8,000 year old excavated stone age villages at Beidha and Basta.

The vast area is truly awe-inspiring, with island jebels (hills) rising 800m or more from the desert floor. There are deep hidden ravines and soft sandstone hills carved by nature into spectacular and often weird formations. Much of the Eastern desert is virgin and untouched by tourism. In earlier times this was a major route for the Nabatean civilisation, whose amazing rock carvings and drawings can still be seen. In recent history, Wadi Rum has become famous as the starting point for T.E. Lawrence's attack on the coastal town of Aqaba. Many scenes from the film were shot in Wadi Rum with local Bedouin families taking part. A journey through Wadi Rum will take you away from the hectic bustle of modern living and back to the basics of life. In his book 'Seven Pillars of Wisdom' Lawrence declares; "Rum the magnificent - vast, echoing, godlike- a processional way greater than imagination."

If your time is limited, a half day 4-wheel drive excursion is all you need to capture the beauty of Wadi Rum. If you linger for a full day you can explore a Bedouin village and go into the desert by camel. If you stay overnight you can experience true tranquillity - sleep in a Bedouin tent under a blanket of stars.