Agree with PureLuxury. We went in October 2018 and it is indeed a truly amazing trip. Every experience from the first days at the Tel Aviv Intercontinental which is a short walk from the Med to the last days in Petra were astonishing!
Hi! We are on the 4/30 departure! Arriving on the 28th from Cairo and the Jewels of the Nile itinerary! We hail from AZ and are travellling with another couple from NJ. Look forward to meeting you!
Debbie and Jim
Anyone heard an update on this trip now that Israel is basically shut down to all foreign travelers? I also read that the border between Israel and Jordan is completely closed to all tourist.
I just returned home from this trip last night, one day early. First of all, I have to give a shout-out to our wonderful Tour Director, Carmine. He kept us completely informed of all of the Tauck deliberations as we faced numerous challenges. We started out with a group of 17, then gradually lost people. No one was sick, but people were concerned about being able to get back to the States . By the time we got to Petra, there were 9 of us hardy souls left. The West Bank was closed, so we were not able to go to Bethlehem. The land border between Israel and Jordan was closed to everyone except people who had a flight out of Amman within a limited number of hours (I forget how many), and because the road to Masada went through the West Bank, we missed out on that, as well. Tauck got us all on a Royal Jordanian flight from Tel Aviv to Amman, and the journey continued in Jordan. We made it to the hotel in Petra (really Wadi Mousa), which was right across the street from the entrance to the ruins. We were supposed to visit the Petra ruins on Saturday, but Friday night there was a huge rainstorm (the civil defense sirens woke me during the night), and the ruins were closed Sat. morning. We were not sure whether they would open later in the day, because more rain had been forecast. We had a group meeting and decided to adjust the schedule to allow us to visit the ruins early Sun. morning (when sunshine was forecasted), and forego the camel ride before heading to Amman. What we hadn't planned on was the Jordanian government's decision to close all tourist sites as of Sat. afternoon. So we never made it to the ruins. (On the way to Petra, we did visit Mt. Nebo, where Moses could look out onto the Promised Land, but was told he wouldn't be able to get there. I felt like Moses...right across the street from the ruins, but we couldn't get there!) We also hadn't planned on the Jordanian government's decision to close its borders on Tuesday. Although we had flights scheduled out of Amman on Monday, Carmine suggested that if we could get out on Sunday, we do so. We did not stay the second night in Petra (no great loss), but headed to Amman immediately after the farewell dinner, which no one really cared about, because we were all trying to reschedule flights. (The dinner was in the hotel, not the "Bedouin dinner" that was planned because it was too cold and windy to do it outside.) Three of us were able to get out on Sunday. The remaining 6 were not able to reschedule, so they'll be coming home today -- inshallah! Lest you think that the trip was a dud...it really wasn't. My motivation for going was to see the Petra ruins, but I was really pleasantly surprised by all that we did in Israel. Our local guides were the best I've ever had in my 8 Tauck trips and 1 competitor's trip. I learned so much! I also met lovely travel companions. I'm very glad I went.
Oh my what an odyssey you had. We were on this very same trip last year and so loved it. I'm truly sorry the rain squelched Petra for you. Nesbo was wonderful and you bring home a good memory of that, and also of many other things. Thanks for your post.
Found your experience very helpful and fascinating. Thank you so much. Looking forward to also hearing from others scheduled on this trip for May 19th. Anyone else arranged to stay one extra day in Jordan?
Comments
Just recently returned....it is an amazing trip!
Agree with PureLuxury. We went in October 2018 and it is indeed a truly amazing trip. Every experience from the first days at the Tel Aviv Intercontinental which is a short walk from the Med to the last days in Petra were astonishing!
Hi! We are on the 4/30 departure! Arriving on the 28th from Cairo and the Jewels of the Nile itinerary! We hail from AZ and are travellling with another couple from NJ. Look forward to meeting you!
Debbie and Jim
Anyone heard an update on this trip now that Israel is basically shut down to all foreign travelers? I also read that the border between Israel and Jordan is completely closed to all tourist.
I just returned home from this trip last night, one day early. First of all, I have to give a shout-out to our wonderful Tour Director, Carmine. He kept us completely informed of all of the Tauck deliberations as we faced numerous challenges. We started out with a group of 17, then gradually lost people. No one was sick, but people were concerned about being able to get back to the States . By the time we got to Petra, there were 9 of us hardy souls left. The West Bank was closed, so we were not able to go to Bethlehem. The land border between Israel and Jordan was closed to everyone except people who had a flight out of Amman within a limited number of hours (I forget how many), and because the road to Masada went through the West Bank, we missed out on that, as well. Tauck got us all on a Royal Jordanian flight from Tel Aviv to Amman, and the journey continued in Jordan. We made it to the hotel in Petra (really Wadi Mousa), which was right across the street from the entrance to the ruins. We were supposed to visit the Petra ruins on Saturday, but Friday night there was a huge rainstorm (the civil defense sirens woke me during the night), and the ruins were closed Sat. morning. We were not sure whether they would open later in the day, because more rain had been forecast. We had a group meeting and decided to adjust the schedule to allow us to visit the ruins early Sun. morning (when sunshine was forecasted), and forego the camel ride before heading to Amman. What we hadn't planned on was the Jordanian government's decision to close all tourist sites as of Sat. afternoon. So we never made it to the ruins. (On the way to Petra, we did visit Mt. Nebo, where Moses could look out onto the Promised Land, but was told he wouldn't be able to get there. I felt like Moses...right across the street from the ruins, but we couldn't get there!) We also hadn't planned on the Jordanian government's decision to close its borders on Tuesday. Although we had flights scheduled out of Amman on Monday, Carmine suggested that if we could get out on Sunday, we do so. We did not stay the second night in Petra (no great loss), but headed to Amman immediately after the farewell dinner, which no one really cared about, because we were all trying to reschedule flights. (The dinner was in the hotel, not the "Bedouin dinner" that was planned because it was too cold and windy to do it outside.) Three of us were able to get out on Sunday. The remaining 6 were not able to reschedule, so they'll be coming home today -- inshallah! Lest you think that the trip was a dud...it really wasn't. My motivation for going was to see the Petra ruins, but I was really pleasantly surprised by all that we did in Israel. Our local guides were the best I've ever had in my 8 Tauck trips and 1 competitor's trip. I learned so much! I also met lovely travel companions. I'm very glad I went.
Oh my what an odyssey you had. We were on this very same trip last year and so loved it. I'm truly sorry the rain squelched Petra for you. Nesbo was wonderful and you bring home a good memory of that, and also of many other things. Thanks for your post.
MCD Welcome Home!
Found your experience very helpful and fascinating. Thank you so much. Looking forward to also hearing from others scheduled on this trip for May 19th. Anyone else arranged to stay one extra day in Jordan?