Jordan (Picture: Getty Images/Metro.co.uk/Myles Goode)

When you think of adventure holidays, Jordan may not be the first country to come to mind.

But in the heart of the Middle East, Jordan, or as it is officially known The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country filled with wonders waiting to be explored.

Whether you decide to go via a tour group or hire a car and make the trip as an intrepid traveller, there are a number of treasures to be discovered – and there’s one heck of a beach experience waiting for you at the end.

So here are 13 reasons why Jordan should be your next adventure trip – and it can all be done in one week.




1. Petra

Named one of the new seven wonders of the world, Petra is an ancient city famed for its rock-cut architecture and an impressive water conduit system.

It’s hard to believe quite how vast the site is until you get there; it can take up to two weeks to explore the entire site so give yourself at least one full day to wander down and back through one of the main routes.

The Facade of the Treasury (Picture: Jordan Tourism Board)

Petra is a four-hour road trip from the capital city of Amman, where all flights arrive.

If it looks familiar it’s because Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade was filmed here.

But it’s more than just spotting where Indy rode out his horses – just wait until you get about about an hour’s walk into the site.

You’ll discover the Facade of the Treasury, the first main port of call for visitors.

It’s a stunning ruin, carved into the sandstone, that sits at the end of a narrow gorge.

As it comes into view it is breathtaking.

The Urn tomb, part of the Royal tombs (Picture: Getty)

The face of the structure is marked by hundreds of bullet holes made by the local tribes that hoped to dislodge riches that were once rumored to be hidden within.

Qasr al-Bint temple (Picture: Getty)

Further on in to the site, there are plenty of archaeological digs still being undertaken as historians try to understand more about the site and how it was used by the Bedouin tribe, who once upon a time lived in the caves.

A group of camels stand in front of the ancient carvings in Petra

Although they have now been moved off the site, the Bedouin still live and work in the area, and many of the young boys and men will attempt to charm you into buying their wares.

But do speak to Marguerite van Geldermalsen, a New Zealand backpacker who in the 1970s met Mohammed Abdullah, a Bedouin in Petra and fell in love, settling down in the caves of Petra and raising a family.

It’s an incredible story. Five decades on she remains living with the tribe.

2. Star gaze in the desert

Nothing beats sitting under the stars with friends and loved ones.

Down in Wadi Rum – it’s English translation is Valley Of The Moon – there are numerous camp sites offering all kinds of accommodation from the basic to your luxury, and it offers some of the best night sky views I’ve ever seen.



Just make sure you pack a warm jacket as it gets chilly out in the middle of nowhere. #mum

The stars at Wadi Rum (Picture: Getty)

Wadi Rum is about an hour’s drive south of Petra and Captain Camp also offer camel rides as well as exhilarating jeep trips across the dunes.

And you do not want to miss their entertainment.

3. Camel racing

You read that right. It’s one of the craziest things you may ever see – grown men in trucks screaming at herds of camels who are racing for their lives around a track – but it’s also absolutely brilliant.

Camels really aren’t all that elegant.

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Alternatively, you could always just take a camel ride to watch the sunset.

4. Amman

The capital city of Jordan, all flights land in Amman so you may as well kick off your trip with a visit to one of the most stunning spots in the city – the Citadel.

With great views across the city, it is also the perfect spot to watch the sun rise or set, and to sit and listen to the city-wide call to prayer.

The view of Amman from the Citadel (Picture: Getty)

This area is thought to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world, with the Roman, Byzantine, and Umayyad periods all leaving their trace on the place.

Make sure you visit the Temple of Hercules, a Byzantine church, and the Umayyad Palace.

Temple Of Hercules (Picture: Getty)

5. The Dead Sea

The infamous Dead Sea is bordered by Jordan and Israel and it has to be experienced to be believed.

You really do float and it really does sting if you have any cuts.

The Dead Sea in Jordan (Picture: Getty)

A place of refuge for King David in the Bible and one of the world’s first health resorts for King Herod, it is the lowest elevation point of Earth.


It’s also the deepest hypersaline lake in the world with a salinity of 34.2% – it is 9.6 times as salty as the ocean.

The Dead Sea (Picture: Getty)

This is also where you can cover yourself in mud to your heart’s content – and it’s really good for you.

Because of the high content of salts and minerals in the mud, several studies have claimed there are health benefits for the skin.

It’s also just really, really fun.

Dead Sea (Picture: Getty)

It’s best to save the Dead Sea for the end if your trip.

Not only is it positioned about an hour outside of Amman but with spa hotels dotting the coast and making the most of the local mud, it’s the ideal place to relax around the pool after a week of the dusty desert.

6. The people

You don’t know kindness until a complete stranger spends 15 minutes chasing a harmless lizard around a tent for you because you’re too scared to sleep with it in your room.

As we traveled across the country we encountered nothing but kindness, and locals who love to introduce visitors to their customs and traditions.

Never was this made clearer than when our tour guide decided it would be a good idea for us to gatecrash a group of Bedouin men setting up for a wedding celebration.

Bedouin elders preparing for a wedding (Picture: Aine O’Connor)

As the young boys spoke, eager to show off their English skills, the elders sat silent as Mohammed our guide translated our questions with regards to the celebrations – where was the groom? (Being groomed in the salon (this may have been a joke), where were the women? (In another tent – the men and women remain separate until the groom visits the bride later in the evening.)


Then there were the tribesmen in Wadi Rum who put on an evening of traditional music and dancing for us to enjoy, and then revealed the secrets of how they cook their lamb to perfection.

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Under the sand is the key.

Arabic coffee Coffee is always offered to guests as soon as you enter someone’s home or event, and it is rude to turn it down. Sorry tea drinkers. Although black, it is sweet and offered in such small quantities that it remains manageable and you just need to shake the cup to indicate that you would not like more.

7. The houmous

The houmous, oh the houmous.

You haven’t tried houmous until you’ve eaten it in Jordan.

Houmous (Picture: Getty)

From restaurants in the capital of Amman to dishes of the spread on a buffet table in the desert, the houmous is freshly-made and deliciously creamy, and when paired with any of the numerous breads also on offer, it can easily be too late before you’ve realised you don’t have any room left for the main course.

Jordanian food is very similar to other Levantine food, so you can expect lots of olives, tabbouleh, and baba ghanoush, all of which is readily available for every meal.

Including breakfast.

Fattoush (Picture: Getty)

Fattoush, a bread salad made from fried pieces of pitta combined with mixed greens and veggies such as radishes and tomatoes, is another firm favourite, along with of course kebab, shawarma, and falafel.

Traditional Jordanian lentil soup recipe At Petra Kitchen you can learn how to make local dishes including fried tomatoes and lentil soup. Ingredients 6 cups water 1 onion, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon of cumin A dash of pepper 61 cup of brown lentils 1/2 teaspoon of salt 1/4 cup of olive oil or ghee 1/2 cup chopped parsley Croutons to garnish Method Rinse the lentils and drain before placing in a saucepan over a medium heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes before removing the pan from the hob and straining the lentils. Return the pureed lentils to the pan and add cumin, salt and pepper – cook over a medium heat. Brown the onion in your oil or ghee, and then add to the pan, cooking the lentils and onions for a further five minutes. Sprinkle your soup with parsley and croutons.

8. The shisha

Alcohol is rarely drunk in Jordan but EVERYONE smokes the shisha – or the hubbly bubbly as many of them like to call it.

Shisha lounge in Amman (Picture: Getty)

Shisha lounges can be found 10 to the dozen in Amman – visit Rainbow Street for the best shisha nightlife – but even out in the desert it is widely available.

Try the Two Apples.

9. This view from inside Petra

The view from inside Petra (Picture: Rebecca Lewis)

10. This view of the Holy Lands

A view of the Holy Land from Mount Nebo.

Taken from Mount Nebo where the prophet Moses was apparently given his first view of the promised land.

11. And this one of Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum (Picture: Jordan Tourism Board)

12. And look at this one of the old town of Amman

Old Amman (Picture: Jordan Tourism Board)

13. There is a high threat from terrorism, but I felt as safe as I do in London

Yes, Jordan is bordered with Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, and Israel, but it prides itself on basically being the Switzerland of the Middle East.

You are not allowed to get any closer than 3km from the Syrian border (but why would you want to anyway?), all the big hotels have security check points for people and luggage before you can even enter the lobby, and there are security police at all major landmarks.

London, Paris, Brussels, Orlando, Istanbul – all have been affected by terrorism in recent years but we shouldn’t let terrorists win by scaring us away from some of the most gorgeous and fun places on Earth.

Jordan is one of those places.

British Foreign Office advice The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) advise against all but essential travel to within 3km of the entire Syrian border. This is due to the risk of small arms fire, stray mortars, or other attacks in the area. There is a high threat from terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places frequented by foreigners like large hotels, shopping malls and supermarkets. There is considered to be a heightened threat of terrorist attack globally against UK interests and British nationals, from groups or individuals motivated by the conflict in Iraq and Syria. You should be vigilant at this time.

Jordan dos and donts Do stand when greeting others Do accept Arabic coffee when it is offered to you Do round up your taxi bill to the nearest tenth and tip your waiter 10% gratuity Do haggle when shopping in the markets Do dress conservatively when exploring Jordan – keep your shoulders covered and men and women should both wear trousers, shorts or skirts longer than the knee Do feel free to drink alcohol – but not in public outdoor places Don’t interrupt or pass in front of a Muslim who may be praying in public Don’t feel uncomfortable about the outrageous amount of food that may be offered to you – Arabs tradtionally view food as a symbol of hospitality and generosity. Don’t feel like you must tip a taxi driver although it is always appreciated

How to get there

British Airways and Virgin both fly to Jordan, however Royal Jordanian flies daily from London Heathrow to Queen Alia International Airport, Amman.

Return fares start from £501pp inclusive of taxes.

Where to stay

In Amman – double rooms at the Grand Hyatt Amman start from £224.00 per night

In Petra – double rooms at Movenpick Hotel & Resort start from £45.00 per night

In the Dead Sea – large double rooms at Crowne Plaza Dead Sea start from £85.00 per night

In Wadi Rum – a private tent at Captain Camp starts from £98.00 per night

Guided tours

Cox & Kings offer group tours starting from £1,475 per person including return flights from the UK.

The tour includes Mount Nebo, Wadi Rum, Petra and other highlights including Aqaba.

Abercrombie & Kent offer group tours starting from £1,495 per person including return flights from the UK.

The tour includes the above highlights as well as the well-preserved city of Jerash, Madaba and Kerak’s Crusader castle.

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