A Week In Jordan

Our Clients’ Reviews

Here at Exodus we thrive on feedback from our customers. It's the only way we can ensure our trips continue to be the best they can be. So, for the real tales, twists and turns of the trip you're interested in, look no further than the reviews from our previous travellers. Any feedback collected (Good or bad) from Exodus clients is posted straight onto our website - totally unedited. Read more...

Average Review Rating: from 158 reviews.

Helen Ralphs

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written July 2009
This was a great week with a fantastic group of people. The itinerary was well planned to cover most of the highlights of Jordan. Having travelled with Exodus before we had high expectations and we were not disappointed.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There were so many......
The 2 days at Petra enabling us to walk to the Monastery and High Places, floating in the Dead Sea, snorkelling in the Red Sea, the 4x4 trip through Wadi Rum to name a few.
What did you think of your group leader?
Mo was very friendly, knowledgeable and gave the group all the advice we needed. He also helped by booking restaurants for the evening meals and gave us the option to change the tour timings slightly to enable us to spend longer in Aqaba.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Don't get water in your eye at the Dead Sea and take ear plugs so that the morning call to prayer does not wake you! Also, don't be put off from visiting during Summer - although it was hot it was bearable and meant that there were less other tour groups at Petra so it never felt too crowded.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
It would have been nice if the hotel in Amman had a pool or some outside space to relax in.
Gina Browse

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written May 2009
A most beautiful and amazing country, incredibly friendly people. We did so much I've forgotten half of it already! I will definitely be returning later in the year.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
The first glimpse of the sunlit Treasury from the shady siq.
The Dead sea....what fun!
The view from Mount Nebo. I'm not religious in any way but to see the promised land first hand was rather cool.
But the best of the best was, without a doubt, Wadi Rum. I MUST go back, it is just indescribibly wonderful!
What did you think of your group leader?
Most excellent. Very smart and knowledgeable.
I'm sure being a guide must be very trying at times; constant questions that one has answered a thousand times before.
'I need to go to the toilet' cropped up quite a bit too from various people.
Thanks for everything Yousef, especially your patience!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
- Like the sign at Amman beach (the Dead sea) says, 'Do not get water in your eyes!' I was fooling around (like a... well...fool) for a photo and ended up going completely upside down under the water, both my eyes and my nose filled with water, I have rarely experienced so much pain. Do not, under any circumstances, try and grab hold of your own ankles, it will only end in tears....literally!
- The Mount Nebo red (wine of the Holy land) is not at all bad.
- If you go to the Cave Bar (near Petra Visitors' centre). Be aware of the extra taxes that will be added to your bill (26% I believe).
- Take rehydration sachets and Immodium plus.
- Wadi Rum - Don't pack too much for the night in Wadi Rum, you won't need it. Do take lots of water (especially as you may feel a bit worse for wear the following morning). If you take wine make sure you also take a corkscrew and some plastic cups. Oh, and there is nowhere to keep drinks cold. The desert makes for a very bumpy ride, the open top 4x4s are perfect for the job but it is obviously not going to be the air conditioned luxury that some people are used to.
- Smoke a Hookah (water pipe)!! I thoroughly recommend the cherry flavour tobacco.
- Have a Turkish bath in Wadi Musa afer a hard day's walking in hot, dusty Petra. Be prepared however to not be prudish! No sarongs (or even bikinis) allowed here! Actually they do let you keep your bikini bottoms on, but that's it.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
So much to say, so litte time. I just loved it. One of the best holidays I have ever had (and I've been around).......
The group was just brilliant. Eveyone (and I mean everyone) was so utterly nice. We were freely discussing our bowel movements by the end of the trip! I don't think it would have been the same if the group hadn't been so lovely. It might be worth asking Exodus about the group composition before you book (they can't give out details but I believe thet can tell you age ranges etc).
If I had one minor criticism it would be the last day. We went to a weird craft place in the middle of knowhere, drunk some tea and got shown a small factory where local women make pottery. Why?
Oh, one other small thing, it would have been lovely to go to Mount Nebo to watch the sunset on the way back to Madaba from the dead sea (as we were passing right by). That would have freed up part of the next day to visit somewhere else. Having said that, maybe it is not even open at that time of day.
Also, it might have been nice to visit Bethany beyond the Jordan (the baptism site) too but hey, we did far too many good things to worry about that,
Anyway, enough ramble; suffice it to say that, if you are in a position to, just go. You may think 'Oh, I'll do it next year' but who knows what next year may hold....... JUST DO IT!
Anne Bonanno

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written April 2009
Excellent trip, highly recommended! Jordan is a wonderful country with many things to see and do. Petra, Wadi Rum, Madaba, Jerash, Mount Nebo and the Dead Sea are all must-sees!
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Petra
What did you think of your group leader?
Very good
frances mcdonagh

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written March 2009
It was my fifth trip with Exodus. hadnt travelled with you since Turkey in 2005.And boy it was good to be back. I wont leave it as long again! Exodus just pitch a holiday right . Plenty to see and do without overdoing it. Group size just right at @16
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Petra and thanks for giving us 2 full days in it. Sheer magic and the Bedouins were imps!
What did you think of your group leader?
Calm, knowlegeable, courteous, personable without being personal, efficient and good looking!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Dont get Dead Sea water in your mouth or eyes!
Dont walk around open mouthed at all the good looking Jordanians
Eat felafel sandwiches and drink their tea!
Go snorkeling in Aqaba
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I loved Jordan and its people I felt safe and welcome. I appreciated their ancient built environment and their modern- We drove across a new dam on the River Jordan which was most impressive but doesnt even get mentioned in the trip notes there are so many other fine things to talk about. Mount Nebo was last on my list of impressive places and yet on another itinerary it would have been way up there such was the plethora of wonderful places we visited
Annmarie Gray

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written January 2009
Jordan was a great destination. The people were extremely friendly and welcoming, and I didn't feel hassled or intimidated like I had in Egypt and it is a lot less chaotic. The sites are extraordinary and the trip very well organised. The experience camping at Wadi Rum was great I never slept better though not everyone in the group did. I would recommend Jordan as a destination.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
Petra was incredible, mainly because it was much bigger than I had expected. I enjoyed hiking around the site and getting some exercise expecially on day two when we had outrun most of the other tourist groups. All the temples were just so incredibly impressive. Wadi Rum was fantastic too,I loved the desert safari even if you had to wrap up warm in the back of the 4 x 4. I enjoyed climbing the bridge rock. Jerash was also great and much bigger than I had expected.
What did you think of your group leader?
Dougan was excellent. Incredibly well organised, full of knowledge and information. He really got the singing and games around the camp fire going. I loved his little jokes. He was also a star when I had left my camera behind on the bus at Petra, it was no trouble for him to organise contacting the bus and getting a taxi to bring it back to me. He also did his best to arrange for us to be able to buy alcohol on New Year's Eve. Your guide can be the making of your holiday and Dougan certainly did that.
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
If you are going to Jordan at this time of year, it is quite pleasant in the shelter and the sun, but the wind was biting at times and it was very very cold at night. Make sure you have enough layers. It was too cold in Aqaba to snorkel and the glass bottom boat trip suffered because of this even if the water was warm. Bring earplugs some of the hotels are very noisy , along with the early morning wake up call from the local mosque. Make sure you go to Little Petra, the optional excursion, I really enjoyed it, though we were virtually the only ones there. The glass bottom boat trip is probably only worthwhile doing if you can get out and snorkel and early January was too cold.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I had a great time. As far removed as you can be from the Christmas and New Year chaos of home. Perfect. Our group of 18 all got on really well. I loved the food, even as a vegetarian there was plenty to eat, but nothing better than those yummy falafel sandwiches.
Sian Parry-Jones

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written November 2008
A wonderful trip, with a new highlight every day.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
There were lots of memorable moments, none of which I'd describe as "inspirational", however the experience I'll savour most perhaps was one that no-one else shared.
I walked just 10 minutes from the camp in Wadi Rum to watch the sun rise over the wilderness. The only other signs of life were a few camels trotting across the sand, and some rose finches and grackles waking up. It felt as if I had the whole desert to myself.
What did you think of your group leader?
Dougan is great, hugely knowledgeable about the history of his country and very engaging. And you'll never spend too long at any one time on the bus - he'll need a cigarette stop sooner or later!
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
Ladies' dress code: t-shirts are fine, but stick to long trousers/skirt. Even on the beach in Aqaba no women are in shorts - most were covered head-to-toe, even in the water. We were all a bit embarrassed seeing other tour groups (mainly Italian, Spanish and Eastern European) dressing insensitively, in strappy tops and skimpy shorts (men and women!).
You'll have to leave your main luggage in a store room when you go to Wadi Rum, so make sure you take a day sac or foldable holdall to take your overnight things in the 4WDs to the camp.
Take plenty of hand gel, and use it. And stick to bottled water, even for cleaning your teeth.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
I wasn't prepared for the hordes of other tour groups we met at almost every stop until we got to Aqaba. Perhaps I should have been - but at least you will be now! Dougan was a star at making sure we avoided the pinch-points and there seemed to be an unspoken agreement between the guides not to get in each others' way, so we didn't miss anything.
Be warned: the toilets in Wadi Rum were minging the night we were there. There were only two toilets between about 40 people staying in the camp that night, and there was no water to flush them with. No need to describe the state of them with a few people suffering from the Wadi Runs ...
Also, if you're staying in the Shepherd Hotel, be aware that it's next door to a mosque - you'll get a very loud wake-up call to prayer in the early hours, but it's all part of the experience.
All in all it was a wonderful experience, which opened the door on a whole new culture to many of us, and I wouldn't have missed it for anything.
Nevzat Meric

A WEEK IN JORDAN

Written November 2008
Entirely cultural tour.If you are not interested in history that one is not for you.I really liked that in spite of being like hop on and off.
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What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?
It was wandering around Petra.Especially walking alongside Al-Siq.Another thing is to snorkelling in Red Sea.
What did you think of your group leader?
He was like what he should like to be when you condiser about organisation.
The most important thing that he was not able to enthuse us .
Do you have any advice for potential travellers?
When you are in Aqaba, take all day trip to dive ,snorkelling.Nothing else to do in Aqaba.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
It would be much better not to choose standard hotel.Especially in Aqaba choose a hotel which has private beach.
The most important part of the trip was Petra but the worst hotel was in there.

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Our Clients’ Reviews

A WEEK IN JORDAN

A WEEK IN JORDAN

A WEEK IN JORDAN

A WEEK IN JORDAN

A WEEK IN JORDAN

A WEEK IN JORDAN

A WEEK IN JORDAN