PETRA MARATHON DETAILS SEPTEMBER  10, 2011

Basic Package – 6 days/5 nights

Day 1 – September 7th
Upon arrival at Amman International Airport you will be met by a local guide who will assist with the visa procedure and take you to your hotel in Amman. No meals are included this day.

Day 2 – September 8th
We check out from our hotel in Amman in the morning and go south by bus via the beautiful Kings Highway – a significant historical and religious road. Over the last 3000 years it has been traversed by the Israelites on their way to the Promised Land, Nabateans to and from Petra, Christian pilgrims to Moses’ memorial at Mt. Nebo, Crusaders to their castle fortifications, Muslim pilgrims heading to Mecca and during the time of the biblical kings caravans would travel from Egypt to Syria along this way.
On the Kings Highway lies the city of Kerak – famous for its Crusader Castle that dominates the city. The crusaders build many fortifications stretching from Aqaba in the south to Turkey in the north, but the one in Kerak is one of the best kept and stands as a great symbol of the massive efforts the crusaders put in to their invasion of the Middle East. We make a stop at this impressive castle and eat lunch at a local restaurant before we explore the fortification and hear about the history that unfolded here.
From Kerak we drive straight to Petra and check in at our hotel where a buffet dinner is set up for us.
All meals are included this day.

Day 3 – September 9th
After breakfast we drive to Petra Visitors Centre where we will go on a guided walk through Petra to see what awaits us for the first couple of kilometres of the route tomorrow.
After a short walk from the entrance we reach the 1,2 kilometre (almost 4000 ft) long “Siq” - an astonishing gorge that ends at “Al-Kazneh” or “The Treasury” as it is translated. It was at this location Steven Spielberg filmed the closing scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
We continue past the marvellous tombs and caves carved out of the red sandstone cliff and our guide will tell us about the old Nabateans who created the city. After some time to explore the area on our own we head back to the Visitors Centre and the Movenpick Resort hotel where our buffet lunch is prepared. After the lunch all runners meet for the information briefing of the Petra Marathon 2011 given by the Race Officials and Medical Team. Back at our hotel a Pasta Dinner will be served in the evening.
All meals are included this day.

Day 4 – September 10th
The day we have all been waiting for!
After an early wakeup call all runners gather at the start area just outside the entrance to Petra. At 6:00 all participants walk through the Siq to the start area in front of the Treasury. At 6:30 am the race is started for both full and half marathon runners. Although regarded as an official marathon with time taking, medals and finishing certificate for all, it is important to remember that it is first and foremost an Adventure Marathon in which the experience, scenery and satisfaction in completing is more important than winning or setting a personal record. For a detailed description of the marathon day and route, please go to The Marathon.
A light continental breakfast, packed lunch at the Finish and dinner is included today.

Day 5 – September 11th
This day is without program in order for each runner to recover his/her own way.
In the evening a bus will take all participants, runners and spectators alike, from the hotel to Little Petra where we will celebrate our strenuous achievements of yesterday with a big Gala Dinner. After the dinner shuttle busses will take participants back to the hotel.
Breakfast and Gala Dinner included this day.

Day 6 – September 12th
The Basic Tour is over and participants now have the choice of either continuing on one of the Optional Tours or be transported back to Amman airport for a flight home.
Breakfast is included this day.




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Optional Package A – 4 days/3 nights

Day 1 – September 12th
After breakfast we check out from our hotel in Petra and drive to the Dead Sea. We will use the facilities of a hotel to take a swim in the Dead Sea and relax at the hotel pool. Lunch will also be served at the Dead Sea.
In the afternoon we continue by bus to Amman where we check in to our hotel and enjoy a buffet dinner.
All meals are included today.

Day 2 – September 13th
After breakfast we go on a short city tour around Amman before heading north through olive fields to the ruin city of Jerash. These well preserved ruins were once the ground pillars of a Roman Decapolis city build approximately 330BC. In its peak the city flourished from trade with the Nabateans from Petra and was one of the most important cities in the Roman province. In 747AD Jerash was hit by an earthquake and slowly the city was abandoned. As the years went by sand covered the columns and buildings, which is why everything was so well preserved when a Russian expedition excavated the city in 1878.
We eat lunch in Jerash and have a guided tour around the ruins before heading back to our hotel in Amman where we can enjoy a buffet dinner.
All meals included this day.

Day 3 – September 14th
From Amman we head south in the morning for the historic city of Madaba famous for the ancient “Mosaic of Jerusalem” – one of the oldest pictured testimonies of the Holy City. A church has now been build up around the mosaic to protect this historical site. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant and afterwards we continue to Mount Nebo, the mountain where Moses was given a view of the Holy Land before finding his final resting place on the mountain.
Back in Amman we will enjoy a traditional dinner at a local restaurant.
All meals included today.

Day 4 – September 15th
Optional Tour A is over and participants now have the choice of either continuing on their own or be transported to Amman airport for a flight home.
Breakfast is included this day.




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Optional Package B – 4 days/3 nights

Day 1 – September 12th
After breakfast we check out from our hotel in Petra and drive to the magnificent and vast desert Wadi Rum, which was made world famous in the movie “Lawrence of Arabia”. It was in Wadi Rum that the British army officer T. E. Lawrence played an important role during the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Turkish rule during World War I.

From the Wadi Rum Visitors Centre we change our bus for jeeps and go on a tour in the desert past sand dunes and incredible rock formation. The tour ends back at the Visitors Centre from where our bus will take us to Aqaba – Jordans number one holiday destination that offers great beaches at the Red Sea, snorkelling, shopping, boat trips and much more. We check in at our hotel resort and the rest of the day and evening is without program for each participant to enjoy the hotel facilities his/her way. In the evening a buffet dinner at the hotel is served.
All meals included this day.

Day 2 – September 13th
Today we have a full day to relax by the sunny beaches of Aqaba or the hotel pool.
Breakfast and dinner included this day.

Day 3 – September 14th
At noon we check out from our rooms and go for lunch at the hotel restaurant. We then depart for Amman. After check in at our Amman hotel we go for a traditional dinner at a local restaurant.
All meals included this day.

Day 4 – September 15th
Optional Tour B is over and participants now have the choice of either continuing on their own or be transported to Amman airport for a flight home.
Breakfast is included this day.
 

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