Mount Nebo / Moses’ Mountain
Mount Nebo is an elevated, rocky outcrop in the Kingdom of Jordan, 9 km northwest of Madaba and approximately 26 km from the Dead Sea. The mountain is known as the biblical site where Moses stood and looked out over the Promised Land, which he was never to set foot in. The Bible recounts that Moses died on Mount Nebo after seeing the Promised Land. The 1,000-meter-high ridge offers breathtaking views of Jericho, the Dead Sea, the West Bank, the Jordan River, and—on very clear days—even as far as Jerusalem. The two peaks of Mount Nebo are called Siyagha and al-Mukhayyat. At the summit stands the Church of St. Moses and the ruins of a Byzantine monastery and church.
After a fairly steep climb (which also took a toll on our diesel consumption…), we reach the lookout point and enjoy the incredible view. We then continue on toward Madaba, where we spend the night at a very quiet campsite.
Madaba, March 12, 2024 🇯🇴
After a very peaceful night on the outskirts of Madaba, we set out on our guided tour of the “City of Mosaics.” Madaba owes this nickname to the countless mosaics from the early Christian era. Hundreds of images dating from the 5th to the 7th centuries can be found throughout the city in private homes and churches. The most famous attraction is undoubtedly the mosaic map—unique in the world—located in front of the apse in the Greek Orthodox Church of St. George. This is a cartographic representation of the Holy Land dating from the mid-6th century, which originally covered an impressive area of about 94 square meters. A quarter of the image remains today; it is considered the world’s first geographical floor mosaic. St. George’s Church in Madaba was built in 1896 on the ruins of a Byzantine church. During construction, workers discovered this fascinating work of art, which serves as an important tool for archaeologists in locating and verifying biblical sites.
After our guided tour, we head to Jordan’s capital, Amman. And here, too, the drivers do not disappoint us… it’s a challenge.
Jerash, March 13, 2024 🇯🇴
After a somewhat noisy night right next to the main road, we’re heading to the archaeological site today. Jerash is one of the largest and best-preserved late-antique cities in the Middle East. Magnificent colonnades, gates, and squares; two imposing temple complexes and a theater; and the remains of numerous early Byzantine churches and Umayyad structures nestled in the unique hilly landscape make our guided tour a truly fascinating experience. From Hadrian’s Arch to the magnificent amphitheater and on to the Temples of Jupiter and Zeus, we marvel at the well-preserved structures and listen to our guide, Atif, as he provides detailed explanations. After three hours, though, we’ve had enough history—we wrap up with a fruit drink and move on.
Today’s plans include some shopping and driving to our new campsite. It’s the shortest drive of our trip, though, and after 7.5 km, we’ve already reached today’s destination: the Olive Hotel. We’ll be staying here for the next few days, exploring Amman, and celebrating the end of our official trip together.
Amman, March 14, 2024 🇯🇴
So here it is—the day of our official farewell dinner. For a long time, it seemed as though the trip would never end.
But it’s not over yet! First, we’ll take a look at Jordan’s capital, Amman. With 4.5 million residents—about one-third of Jordan’s population—this vibrant city is densely populated and nestled within a very hilly landscape. After visiting the Blue Mosque, we’ll head up the hill to visit another archaeological site. Afterward, we’ll visit the old market—a very noisy place. We’ll use the three hours of “free time” to explore the old part of Amman a bit. Unfortunately, not many restaurants are open because it’s Ramadan in the Islamic world.
In the evening, we’ll have our farewell dinner—traditional Jordanian cuisine, of course. The official closing ceremony will take place tomorrow.
Afterward, we’ll have a few days “off” before the final leg of our journey begins… the return trip via Baghdad and Kurdistan to Turkey.
Amman, March 16, 2024 🇯🇴
We’re enjoying our “free” days in Amman. It’s nice to take advantage of the comforts of a city every now and then. Good food, a little shopping…and all this during Ramadan. All restaurants and cafes are closed during the day, of course, stores have reduced hours, but in the evening the restaurants really come alive. We still manage to have a good meal in the evening; for lunch, we just have American gourmet fare at “The Golden Arch” restaurant.
The city has a lot to offer—the murals and fantastic candy shops are especially spectacular.
Desert Castles March 17, 2024 🇸🇦
On the way to today’s campsite, we stop by two desert castles. They’re very interesting and well-preserved. Their exact origin and purpose are apparently still a matter of debate among archaeologists, so we’ll just enjoy these fascinating buildings and let the past be the past.
Iraqi Border March 18, 2024 🇯🇴
Today’s leg of the journey mostly features rather barren landscapes, and even though it’s only 220 km, we’re still pretty tired when we arrive at today’s campsite. We’re parked in a large parking lot about 5 km from the border, because tomorrow our adventure begins as we enter Iraq. In the evening, we’re treated to a beautiful sunset, but other than that, not much is going on. So tonight’s plans include a cozy dinner, watching a movie, playing SkipBo, and eating dates.
Al Mafraq, March 19, 2024 🇯🇴
Crossing the border from Jordan into Iraq… that’s where the adventure finally begins. It’s something you have to experience—and during Ramadan, no less. Full of confidence, we line up in front of Jordanian customs at 8:00 a.m. First “setback”: customs doesn’t open until 9:00 a.m. Oh well, guess we’ll just be here an hour longer… if only we’d known what was still in store for us.
We’re done with Jordan by noon, and then it’s on to Iraq. And that’s where things get interesting. We’d rather not go into details (we’ll save those for a fun evening), but at 7:30 p.m. we receive our export papers, because the sun is setting and now we’re allowed to eat again. So the staff leaves, and the rest of our group will go through after dinner. Since the road is closed at night, we’re spending the night at the customs compound… Good night.
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