Experience Jordan and Syria

The Real Deal: Ten nights' accommodations, activities and guided tours, some meals, and transportation within Jordan and to and from Syria, from $1,559 per person.

When: Depart Feb. 16, Mar. 1, 15, 22, Apr. 12, 26, 2008.

The Fine Print: Breakfast daily, two dinners, hotel taxes, transfers, sightseeing tours, and most activities are included. Visas are required for U.S. citizens, and it's best to get them in advance through the Jordan and Syrian embassies. Entrance fees are approximately an additional $80 per person. Based on double occupancy; single supplement $359. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.

Book By: No deadline; based on availability.

Contact: On the Go Tours, 866/377-6147, onthegotours.com.

Why It's a Deal: Britain-based On the Go Tours provides the convenience and reassurance of traveling to a less familiar region with an experienced tour operator and English-speaking guides. The company also negotiates rates with the hotels it uses resulting in slight savings off the standard rack rates.

Trip Details: The Arabian Highway ten-night escorted trip begins with two nights in the capital, Amman, and ends there as well. In between, you're in for some truly uplifting and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. There's a day trip to check out the forum and the amphitheater of Jarash and to visit Gadara, an ancient Roman city with stunning views of the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights.

After a morning float on the mineral-rich Dead Sea, you'll continue south to Wadi Musa, the modern name for Petra. (As throughout the trip, transportation is by private air-conditioned van.) The Petra Palace Hotel will most likely be your base for two nights while you wander through the local tombs, temples, and one of Petra's best known landmarks, the al-Khazneh (the treasury).

The next stop is Wadi Rum, a sandy desert with striking rock formations, where you'll spend one night sleeping two to a (pre-constructed) tent under the stars; shower and toilet facilities are shared. Before bedtime, you'll feast on traditional Jordanian barbecued treats.

The following morning, you'll stop at an ancient desert city, Umm ar-Rasas, on the way to the town of Madaba, where you'll pass a night at the Madaba Inn (or a similar property) and gape at mosaics in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. You'll make a detour to biblically significant Mount Nebo, from which you can make out the towers of Jerusalem, and then you'll drive north to the Syrian border.

While spending three nights at a modest Damascus hotel, you'll spend a day on a guided tour of the Old City and Martyrs' Square and have a day to explore on your own.

The final leg of the trip takes you south to the Syrian town of Busra, home to a Roman theater, and across the border for a one-night stay back in Madaba. You'll return to Amman, where you have the option to extend your stay for about $49 per person per night.

One note of caution: The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, a constitutional monarchy, has been the target of terrorist plots in the past and, as usual, travelers should gauge their own comfort levels, use their best judgment, and maintain a low profile.

This guided trip, for one, stays far from Jordan's eastern border with Iraq. If you're not keen on entering Syria, you can find On the Go Tours' Jordan-only packages here. For more background and safety information, consult the State Department's Jordan page.

Getting There: International airfare is not included. A recent search on Kayak yielded round-trip fares to Amman in early March 2008 starting at $861 from New York City (U.S. Airways), $988 from Chicago (U.S. Airways), $1,112 from L.A. (U.S. Airways), and $1,175 from Miami (multiple carriers).

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