A WEEK IN JORDAN

9 days from GBP1,169 to GBP1,349 including flights
Tripcode: AXW

Countries Visited: Jordan

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Our Clients’ Reviews

Average Review Rating: from 91 reviews.

Amanda Timms

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written January 2012
An amazing sightseeing trip - lots of busy days and walking, there isn't much free time. Lots of hightlights for me - practically everything on the itinerary.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Seeing the Treasury at Petra for the first time. We did Petra by Night, which whilst quite pricey, is well worth doing for the magical experience. It is also amazing to see it during daylight for the first time, as well as the high climb on the second day in Petra where you get such a good persepctive on the whole city form up high.
What did you think of your group leader?
Excellent - Kheled was very informative and helpful.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Take bath plugs - most of the hotels don't have them and sometimes the pressure in the showers isn't always great.
It is easy to change money over there
Most hotels have UK plug sockets so you don't need to worry about adaptors.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I was also really surprised by Jerash, I wasn't expecting it to be so well preserved.
Sean Patterson

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written December 2011
A great trip. I wouldent want tghis level of organisation all the time but having given in to it I felt we got a lot done in a relatively short space of time. The pacing was good so that just as we got used to one amazing aspect, another came along.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Walking on our own in Petra and watching the sun go down in Wadi Rum.
What did you think of your group leader?
Very professional. He gave a close and personal tour whilst keeping personal thoughts on sometimes tricky political matters secret. His knowledge was rounded and excellent and his specialist architectural knowledge very useful.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Not really. I think the trip notes are pretty comprehensive. But take a plug!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
It feels pretty safe so the policeman seems redundent but maybe there was more going on than we knew. It might have been nice to go to non dry restaurents more often and something a bit special for Xmas day would have been nice.
zannatul islam

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written December 2011
Jordan is a charming country and I would definitely recommend a visit. The people are so welcoming (always saying 'welcome to Jordan'!), friendly and speak a good level of English, even children as young as 6. I travelled with a very good tour firm, Exodus, and we were a group of 19, ranging from 24-65. There were solos, siblings, friends and couples. We felt like we had known each other for years by day 4! I definitely enjoyed travelling alone and highly recommend it.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Petra is obviously the highlight of Jordan yet it is difficult to explain in words and I doubt my pictures could justify the range of colours and stonework that was on display. The striated rocks of red, pink, chocolate looked even more radiant once the sun had calmed down in the late afternoon.
The Treasury is Petra's most famous feature, depicted in the Indian Jones & the Last Crusade film, and is situated at the end of the narrow entrance, which itself has carvings and 'statues' lining its path.
There was a lot of climbing and hiking to reach some of Petra's many tombs, dodging camels, donkeys and horses en route and you need to be prepared for thatm, but it's worth doing.
What did you think of your group leader?
I was very fortunate to have an amazing guide for the whole tour, who brought Jordan alive with his humour and vast knowledge and love of his country. I was also lucky with my lovely tour group.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
You need about 200 GBP to take with you as spending money.
Go to Little Petra.
This is unfortunately a place that is often forgotten by the tourists so it was quite deserted when we arrived. Again, fantastic views and I purchased many of my goods from the poorer Bedouins who ply their trade at the entrance.
Food was very good though there wasn't so much variety. The mezze were addictive and the national dish is mansaaf (lamb with rice and yogurt). They love lamb and chicken. And rice. Lots of rice. If you have meze you dont need a main. Massive portions. In Aqaba there is more choice of fish and seafood.
Don't pay more than 4JOD for a scarf!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Book it -it is worth it and good value. Some of the hotels need to sort out their aircon and the brekki isnt up to much , so make sure you ask the guide to take to to a fruit market.
Victoria Mance

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written December 2011
A busy week's sightseeing, taking in all the highlights of Jordan. A full itinerary, but still plenty of R&R and "downtime" for people wanting to chill out as well as taking in all the sights.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
I think everyone books to go to Jordan because they want to visit Petra. It doesn't disappoint. You walk for the best part of three or four kilometres before, as the path (carved out from an old river gulley) winds its way yet again through yet another twist between rose red vertical cliffs, you catch that first glimpse of the Treasury between the walls of the Siq. And stop to take at least one photo before walking on to gaze up - necks crooked - at the heights of the Treasury and the facing cliffs.
Being there in the week before Christmas in the year of the Arab Spring, there were just no crowds - and very few other people - there with us; the moment was magical.
What did you think of your group leader?
Ala was informative, interesting, and hilarious in equal measure. A large chap, he created quite a splash with the locals wherever we went, being personally known to almost everyone everywhere we stopped - including the boat crew, who forgave him when he divebombed into the Red Sea and drenched the back of the boat including the BBQ with lunch being prepared! What they don't tell you in the brochure is that every tour involving American, English or Aussie tourists must - by order of the Jordanian government - be accompanied by a tourist policeman. That is usually a spotty 18 or 21 year old, newly recruited to the Jordanian police service, who will sit at the front of the bus and fall asleep on long bus journeys. Ala - bless him - ended up guiding the Exodus tourists in English, and the tourist policemen in Arabic (we had a changeover of policemen mid-trip), with a big smile on his face as he said everything at least three times (some of the tourists were a bit hard of hearing!)
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Travel with a smile, and see where the tour takes you. Be open minded. Compared to other places in the middle east - or indeed around the world - you really do get "no hassle" in Jordan, Petra aside. You can't help but smile at Petra as the boys see if you'd like a donkey or camel ride - "air condition taxi, miss?" In a country where people dress relatively conservatively, follow their customs and you don't get any hassle on the streets and do get a friendly welcome wherever you go.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Just do it. I'd been looking at this tour for several years, and am so glad we went. The week before Christmas was ideal - I think we saw only two other tour groups all week - but we were exceptionally lucky with the weather everyone said; apparently it isn't always sunny and hot in December ...
John Aubrey

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written December 2011
A well organised, hassle free week in Jordan. Excellent leader and a happy group . Jordan is an interesting country with good infrastructure and of course has 'star' attractions like Petra and Jerash
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
has to be Petra - much bigger than you would expect and was very quiet in December! You are able to get away to unfrequented parts of the site with only a bit of effort .
What did you think of your group leader?
He was good fun and as you would expect very knowledgeable on his country and region
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Jordan is as expensive as Uk for meals and general expenses so don't expect a cheap economy
Is there anything else you would like to add?
no hesitation in recommending this trip
Paul McCann

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written November 2011
A well put-together trip with a good selection of the jewels of Jordan.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
7 Pillars of Wisdom in the Wadi Rum, Petra - the Treasury and the Monastery, Petra by night - walking through the Siq and seeing the treasury for the first time, Floating in the Dead Sea, Snorkelling in the Red Sea - coral wildlife and a submerged American anti-aircraft vehicle under the waves, Jerash, sleeping around a camp fire in the desert... the whole trip was good in beautifully eroded landscapes...
What did you think of your group leader?
Khaled was perfect for the job. Good knowledge, of course, but he interacted very well and professionally with the entire group, has a great sense of humour and kept us on track with the Petra walks and selecting local restaurants for dinner. Can't recommend him highly enough.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Amman: round 2-pin plug (European style). Petra+Aqaba: 3 pin plug (UK style) but not sure about the voltage (phone seemed to be charging for hours longer than normal).
No kettles in any hotel room. Take a bath plug.
Bobble hat and gloves for the desert night - esp if sleeping under the stars.
ATMs or Cash Exchanges everywhere we went (in towns), travellers cheques taken nowhere(!), $ welcome.
Lack of alcohol in most places (except Aqaba) - food and bar bills often have 10% service charge and 16% tax added on top of the price shown - this drops to 10% plus 7% tax in Aqaba ('tax-free zone').
Walking boots recommended for Petra, some places - viewpoints etc - might need a head for heights (but they're not too bad generally).
November holiday = early starts, dark by 5.00pm so antiquities etc close about 4pm.
Desert was cold - November nights, it actually gets even colder first thing in the morning before heating up again. Can be cold in the shade everywhere - take a fleece if you'll be out all day/in the canyons etc, even whilst walking (unless you're Scottish and can handle the cold).
Is there anything else you would like to add?
Go. Simply, Go.
Jordan currently has about 10% of the normal level of tourists, which is great for us (not crowded) but no good for the country. Sure, in Aqaba you're 5 mins from Israel and 20 minutes from Saudi by fast camel, have other borders with Syria and Iraq BUT you really wouldn't know it whilst there. Lovely place, nice people no trouble of any kind anywhere, they value tourism and tourists everywhere.
There are people (sometimes bedouins) selling touristy stuff in most places - but all you have to do is say no once, and that's it, they leave you alone - if they bother you in the first place - there are no pushy hawkers anywhere, unlike some other countries. Gifts are more expensive 'inside' Petra (the same items are cheaper outside - even just at the entrance!). Captain Jack Sparrow lookalikes akimbo in Petra (a bit freaky actually!). Cave Bar is nice at Petra.
No problems with the local cuisine or water (used for brushing teeth and I had ice cubes in drinks in Aqaba and Petra) - but bottled water drank during the trip.
Need ~£250 total for the trip for lunch, dinner, tips, nick-nacks etc.
Flip flops/water shoes would be good for the dead sea - salt ridges (some sl. sharp) and stones embedded in the salt are 'foot hazards' so walking carefully into the sea is a good idea.
The early starts were from the first morning - after a delayed flight and late to hotel (1am local time) we were on the road to Jerash about 8am - get some sleep on the plane if you fly in the evening.
I had an excellent holiday with a great bunch of people in a beautiful country.
Brian Smith

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written October 2011
A good trip, with the choice of sights in the country exactly what we wanted. A lot was covered - don't expect lots of lie-ins on this trip! Petra was the star attraction when we booked and the trip spent a good amount of time here with excellent coverage and options.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The first sight of the Treasury at Petra was awesome. We did it by night, as recommended by the tour guide, which was an excellent tip. The whole experience of Petra exceeded the high expectations we had!
What did you think of your group leader?
Enthusiast, knowledgeable, engaging - although he sometimes struggled with time management.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Jordan is an excellent country full of interesting sights and deep history, and the people are very friendly and welcoming. It would be best to have some Jordanian currency on you at arrival and not rely on local facilities. Our flight times also meant that as a week off from work there was little downtime on returning. If you get motion sick, come prepared with tablets for the Red Sea and desert 4x4s. Finally, have a great time!
Is there anything else you would like to add?
This is an excellent trip and good value. This was our first group tour on land, and this added the convenience of having things arranged and local insight from the guide. The way Exodus operates was excellent, as usual. Petra was handled very well and the option of staying in the desert was a big appeal - but make sure you are comfortable with the 4x4s!