Introducing: Jordan
“Receive without forgetting. Give without remembering”
(Ancient Bedouin proverb).
The Treasury, Petra
When Jordan is mentioned, many people could perhaps be forgiven for thinking of biblical references or the impressive long-abandoned desert city of Petra. And whilst the location of Jesus’ baptism and Petra are both UNESCO World Heritage sites, Jordan boasts many more, including the enchanting desert of Wadi Rum. For some time, Jordan has remained one of North Star Adventure’s favourite adventure destinations; packed with ancient ruins, unique natural wonders and the warmest of welcomes. Jordan is a safe country to travel in and you soon realise why the warm Bedouin hospitality is so renowned.
The Arch Of Hadrian, Jerash
Petra and beyond
Petra needs little introduction. Known as the Rose City, this incredible archaeological gem was carved out of red sandstone cliffs over 2,000 years ago by the Nabataean people, seeking to control the camel caravans navigating the spice trade routes traversing the desert. It fell into decline as maritime routes became established and was eventually forgotten and lost to the world until 1812 when it was rediscovered by the Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. As impressive a draw as Petra is, Jordan has far more to offer to the inquisitive traveller. The Roman city of Jerash is often described as the ‘Pompeii of the Middle East’ and one can wander down colonnaded streets and visit its hippodrome and numerous temples. The capital of Amman boasts the ancient citadel whilst all long the King’s Highway, there are numerous crusader castles waiting to be explored.
The rolling green hills of the Ajloun Nature Reserve
Natural wonders
Although a desert kingdom, the north of Jordan boasts a Mediterranean climate. In the Ajloun Nature Reserve, you can explore trails that wind through olive groves, pistachio forests and rolling green hillside. Wadi Mujib is a spectacular deep sandstone canyon that curves and twists its way through the landscape and is a adventure playground for those wanting to abseil down waterfalls and wade, swim and plunge into natural pools. The canyon eventually ends at the Dead Sea, which is a must-visit to experience the strange sensation of floating in the mineral-rich waters A little further south is the renowned Dana Biosphere Reserve, situated on the edge of the Great Rift Valley. A haven for rare wildlife, it is also the start of our sought-after Dana to Petra trek, widely touted as the ‘Inca Trail of the Middle East’. Further south still lies the other-worldly desert landscapes of Wadi Rum. Once the hideout of Lawrence of Arabia , fighting an insurgency against the Ottoman Empire, this place is more recently known as the film backdrop for films such as Aladdin, The Martian and Dune. You haven’t seen a star-lit sky quite like the one you’ll experience from one of our Bedouin desert camps.
A traditional Jordanian mezze spread
Jordan on a plate
At North Star Adventure, we are big fans of eating our way around the world! We have never been disappointed with the typical Middle Eastern cuisine on offer in Jordan. Breakfasts often consist of fuul (a fava bean puree), hummus and savoury pastries. During the day, one can snack on the freshest falafel or tasty shawarma kebab as part of a mezze, a widely available and popular social way to eat. The national dish is mansaf which consists of slow-cooked lamb served over rice with yoghurt and flatbreads and is a must-try whilst in Jordan. If staying with the Bedouin, there is a fair chance your hosts with prepare a zarb. This consists of a pit dug into the soft sand and filled with wood embers. A tray of wrapped marinated meat and vegetables is lowered over the embers and the pit is covered back over with sand for several hours and the food is ready…. Delicious! The stalls in the street markets positively groan under the weight of fresh dates, sweet grapes and tangy pomegranates, all locally produced and harvested. Alcohol is available, despite Jordan being a Muslim country, but only in tourist hotels, restaurants and bars. The national drink of choice is sweet black tea, often flavoured with locally foraged herbs. We particularly enjoy the Turkish coffee, aromatically flavoured with cardamom.
Bedouin tented camp, Wadi Rum
Visit Jordan
Although Jordan is a Muslim country, it is quite moderate. That said, we recommend men and woman both dressing respectfully in accordance with local norms and covering your arms and legs when in cities and in the desert. This is just as much to do with protecting yourself from the sun as anything else. You can find alcohol in tourist bars, restaurants and hotels and can purchase it in most large supermarkets.
The best time of year to go is outside the summer (hotter) and winter (wetter and colder). Late spring is a great time to visit with amenable temperatures and wild-flowers in full bloom.
Getting to Jordan couldn’t be easier. Royal Jordanian offer the speedy convenience of direct flights from London to Amman for just over £300. For those who are happy to use a low-cost carrier, it is possible to get flights for under £100.
Visas are required but are available online (we recommend getting the Jordan Pass instead).
Visit Jordan with one of North Star Adventure’s adventure holidays. Come and join our Dana to Petra trek, the ‘Inca Trail of the Middle East’, one of National Geographic’s top 25 treks in the world or join our multisport adventure to explore, canyon, cycle and trek your way through the best of Jordan.
