Private Tour: Baptism Site of Jesus & UNESCO As-Salt City from Amman

Meet your driver at your Amman hotel, and travel by private, leisure air-conditioned vehicle to the River Jordan with your own private English-Speaking Driver who doubles up as your guide. On route, soak in views of Jordan’s landscapes, and pull up at Bethany Beyond the Jordan River, known as “Al-Maghtas” in Arabic for the Baptism site, the place on the eastern bank of the river where it’s believed Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist.

Meet up with a local guide, and take a tour of the riverbanks and key excavated ruins, learning how the site was sanctified as the place of Jesus’ baptism by the Vatican and a visit by Pope John Paul II in 2000. Drink in the powerful sense of spirituality, and see the remnants of Roman and Byzantine churches, caves, wells, and baptismal pools. As you walk, listen as your guide explains why archaeologists believe that it was here that John the Baptist lived, preached, and performed baptisms. Hear more about this famous Christian pilgrimage spot and how it is held holy in all three major religions - Judaism, Christianity, and Islam for being the believed site of the Prophet Elijah’s ascension to heaven. Afterward, reconvene with your driver and return to Amman, where your tour ends with a hotel drop-off. Please note: the Bethany in this trip should not be confused with Bethany in Jerusalem, where it's believed that Mary Magdalene lived and Lazarus rose from the dead.

Depart for the city of As-Salt (UNESCO World Heritage), where your guide will lead you on a walking tour of the Harmony Trail. Visit Jordan first ancient capital’s highlights such as Abu Jaber house and As -Salt Museum. Al-Khader Orthodox Church, the Great Mosque, the English Evangelical Hospital Complex, Al-Ein Plaza, and the Dormition of the Virgin Mary Orthodox Church. Learn how the lives of local residents who follow both Christian and Muslim faiths are intertwined. Optional lunch at a local restaurant: City Balcony, Al Gherbal or Beit Aziz; or home-made visit experience for an authentic meal. Your tour concludes with a hotel drop-off in Amman. Tour with Lunch: Upgrade after your city tour, savor a mouth-watering lunch at a local restaurant.