0 Nights / 1 Days
4th Jun to
4th Jun, 2023
A Middle Eastern Sojourn: Jordan
6–13 April 2019 (7 nights / 8 days)
(Amman – Madaba – Petra – Wadi Rum – Dead Sea)
Jordan has got to be the most underrated, undersold tourist destination for the Indian tourist.
Why the discerning Indian traveller does not fling herself headlong into this beautiful, charming, and historic land, even as hordes of her countrymen make a nuisance of themselves in Bangkok, Singapore, and Switzerland, has got to be one of the mysteries of the outbound tourism industry.
Jordan is the kind of country where if you go with few expectations and an open mind, you are sure to come back delighted and enriched. I didn’t really know what to expect and didn’t really have an open mind (having been a bit suspicious of the reviews I had read before going), but Jordan has surely been one of the most stirring experiences of my life.
Jordan is where Arabia meets the Levant and can be considered a melting pot of Middle Eastern culture. Its history predates the Bible, its architectural relics are as old as Rome and Damascus, and its landscape is simply stunning; moving from the lowest point on Earth, the Dead Sea, to desert and thence to mountains whose colours are reminiscent of Ladakh, all in the course of a two-hour drive.
And to top it all, there is Petra….
But first our itinerary begins in the charming and laid-back city of Amman, the capital of Jordan. A highly underrated city because it compares well with the stars of the region such as Jerusalem, Beirut (errr … before the Civil War), and Damascus (errr … ditto).
It is the kind of place which makes you want to stroll the streets and the bazaars, stopping every now and then for coffee, sheesha, or delicious kebabs.
Next is Jerash, one of the best preserved Roman cities in the Eastern Mediterranean, conquered for Rome by Julius Caesar’s nemesis, Pompey the Great.
Add to it a night in a true Arabian desert – Wadi Rum.
And two days at the magical and ancient Nabatean city of Petra, with its legendary approach (immortalized in countless films) through a high-walled wadi that twists and turns before reluctantly revealing the exquisite entrance to the city chiselled out of pink-hued cliffs. Definitely a wonder of the world!
And finally the Dead Sea, where the salt-laden waters ensure that even the most nervous non-swimmer will float!
The hotels we stay at have been carefully selected to ensure that we are centrally located as well as in charming environs and, most importantly, without spending a bomb. While the hotel at Amman is a service apartment in the heart of town, those in Petra and Dead Sea are 4-star hotels. The desert camp is a good campsite.
We have been to Jordan a few times in the past, and this is a new and improved itinerary. So plan your leaves and join us for this Middle Eastern sojourn.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Enjoy a full day at Petra
- Experience stay in the Arabian desert
- Local family lunch en route Jerash
- Unique experience of preparing your own dinner at Petra Kitchen
