Jordan – Lawrence of Arabia Expedition – 7 days

Arrive in Amman from the UK and be greeted at the airport for a convenient transfer to Amman centre. Check-in at a 4* Hotel in Amman. Sites relating to Lawrence which we can seen are:

The iconic Citadel which provides an excellent insight into the history of Jordan, The Royal Tank Museum and it's Arab revolt exhibition amd the Amman Hejaz railway museum of the Ottoman railway. We find coffee shops and a diversity of artisan shops along Rainbow Street.

Sites relating to Lawrence which we can seen are:

The iconic Citadel which provides an excellent insight into the history of Jordan, The Royal Tank Museum and its Arab revolt exhibition, the Amman railway museum of the Hejaz railway Ottoman railway. We find coffee shops and a diversity of artisan shops along Rainbow Street.

Day 2 : A long and rewarding journey slotting in key points where Lawrence was based or used

Journey to Wadi Rum via Azrak Castle, Bayir fort and Abu Lissan near Ma'an. This journey takes us out west to the Azraq, the austere lego block style castle in which T E Lawrence found himself during the winter of 1917/18 and later in 1918. We travel down past Bayir fort where Lawrence and ihe Arab insurgents used it as a base for miilitary operations. During the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire in 1917, all four wells at the site were dynamited by the Turks. The reactivation of two of them allowed the Arab insurgents and T. E. Lawrence to use Bayir as a base for military operations.  Auda Abu Tayi and Lawrence's 50 became the 300 at Bayir and the battle of Ma'an. We continue past Abu Lisson to Wadi rum eating lunch en route. The journey to Wadi rum takes 6 hours so we will make an early start.

We will stop at Wadi Rum station and the Hejaz railway before entering Wadi Rum meeting our jeeps and desert team at Wadi Rum Visitors centre and take lunch in the desert. We see the 7 Pillars of Wisdom and Lawrence Spring, seeing Nabatean inscriptions on the way. We will feel the sand and explore carvings!
Visit the 7 Pillars of Wisdom, Lawrence Canyon, and ancient Nabatean inscriptions. Trek through Burrah (meaning "fertile ground" in Arabic) Canyon to Mushroom Rock.

We have a fixed desert camp in Wadi Rum. Here we will look at the satellite map and go through our plan and explanations of where our bedouin hosts believe Lawrence went. There is a washroom available this evening. (5km / 2hrs trekking) Desert Camp 1 in Wadi Rum (B,L,D)

The adventure continues as we do a circuit of the white desert to red side taking a 2 hour walk in the morning and 3hrs after lunch following a route our Bedouin hosts think their relatives would have taken towards Aqaba supported by an off road 4x4. This morning, we awaken in the heart of the desert. Our journey begins as we trek from camp to the majestic Um Fruth bridge, spanning around 10km of pristine desert sands. We see a view of Jebe Qattar en route. Red dunes, Sand dunes and Canyons. Along the route we will pay tribute to one of Lawrence's most strategic missions – sabotaging the Ottoman railway. We stay near Um Fruth camp site next to the mountainside underneath the stars.

5-8hrs trekking. 22km to the camp or 11km and jeep ride. Matresses and blankets provided and a mibile kitchen.

We hike towards Um Ghada through mountains and multi-coloured dunes. In the afternoon, we head towards our campsite, passing a small arch and enjoying a magnificent view of Jebel Al-Qattar, a majestic sandstone mountain. The trail leaves Jebel al Qiddar and its wadi to head west down Wadi Waraaqa, passing a number of cisterns dotting the route to the Bedouin village of Titen. We will travel further north on a more direct route to Aqaba with our Bedouin support team.
It was at the foot of this massif, which has perennial springs, that Lawrence of Arabia's troops gathered before the attack on Aqaba. Jebel Al Qattar has several perennial springs where Lawrence of Arabia was able to replenish his supplies for his troops before organizing the attack on the fort of Aqaba. Turning west we settle into the campsite for the night near the spring of Jebel Al Qattar.

17km, +200 - 300m and - 200 -300m. 4 to 5 hours of walking. Accommodation: cave campsite. Meals (B,L,D)

Walk out to Aqaba

At first light after breakfast we take the jeep to see Jordan’s highest peak Jebel Um Aadami (1,854m) and can climb up there if we have time and the party is in good shape. Then we recommence our challenge of continuing to meander through wadis to reach Aqaba. If good progress is made we will reach the viillage of Titen on foot. From Titen, the trail follows old shepherd paths, weaving its way west across desert wadis and over granite mountains striated with basalt dyke intrusions. At the last pass, we suddenly gain their first view of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba, beyond which are the mountains of Sinai. The descent from the pass leads down to long sandy wadis reaching all the way to the welcoming and warm waters of the Red Sea. From the red desert we continue to the nearest road directly which wasn’t there at the time of Lawrence but is now used for the transfer of animals. The road access to this track is compulsory on the way Amman to Aqaba near the Customs check point. There is a bar by the check point before we continue by vehicle to Aqaba in a taxi arranged by our Bedouin hosts. We will visit Aaba fort and museum this evening

Aqaba Fort was the scene of a great Arab victory in July 1916 when this heavily defended Turkish stronghold fell to a daring Arab camel charge. Lawrence rode triumphantly from here to Cairo to report the good news to an astonished General Allenby. The port of Aqaba became a major supply base for the advancing Arab Revolt.

Aqaba 4* Hotel.

(B,L,D)

In the morning we leave Aqaba and head to Petra for lunch. Lawrence visited the stunning site of Petra before and during the war and was enamoured by it's beauty. We will takee an archeologial expert to visit the ‘Treasury’, Royal Tombs and ‘Monastery.’ After enjoying the magnificence of Petra we travel to the northen tip of the dead sea for the final evening. (B,L) Accommmodation: Dead Sea Marriott Resort 5*

The transfer from Dead Sea Marriott Resort & Spa, Sowayma takes approximately 1 hour.