Itinerary Include flights Expand all London to London Day 1 Fly to Amman, transfer to hotel. Day 2 To Wadi Rum; meet the Bedouin team and venture into the desert After breakfast there is an opportunity to exchange money and purchase snacks for the upcoming desert trek. We then transfer by bus to Wadi Rum (4 - 5hrs). Before embarking on our desert trek, we visit Wadi Rum visitor centre and take in the sight of The 7 Pillars of Wisdom’, a spectacular rock formation with seven fluted turrets. It is a short transfer to the start of our introductory walk where we walk to Um Al Bdoun, a private campsite run by the local Bedouin people. In the evening, we enjoy a dinner prepared in a traditional way known as a zarb. A cooking pot is dug into the sand and left for most of the day to slow cook meats and vegetables. Full-service Camping Meals included: Breakfast Dinner Day 3 Traverse Siq el Barrah, a magnificent desert canyon with immense rock walls We continue our trek from our campsite to traverse across Siq el Barrah, a magnificent desert canyon with immense rock walls. The trek is through open desert and there is a tangible sense of wilderness as we pass sandstone mountains and rocky outcrops. We set up the camp beneath the cool shade of two rocky mountains, Rakaa and Mharrak.Basic Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 4 Trek to the arch of Burdah with optional climb We begin today by heading to Jebel Burdah. Burdah Bridge is a striking rock formation that arches from one rock mass to another. The route has sections of scrambling and some of them involve the use of ropes, especially the optional ascent to the top of the bridge. There are panoramic views throughout the trek. In the afternoon, we continue our trek through the desert. Our next campsite is atop sand dunes nearby Jebel Umm Fruth in the south east corner of Wadi Rum Desert. Basic Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 5 To Um Fruth rock-bridge following Khor el Ajram to the Wadi Khashkhasheh Today we head to Umm Fruth Rock Bridge. The rock bridge is situated just a short walk away from our campsite. Umm Fruth requires some easy level scrambling. The ascent is steep and short and the sandstone is firm with good underfoot grip. We continue our trek to the ruins of Lawrence House. In the afternoon, we traverse across remote red sand dunes with spectacular views throughout. There is an opportunity to see historic rock inscriptions before we set up camp tonight in the crook of a desert mountain.Basic Camping Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Dinner Day 6 Leave the desert for Petra. Our last morning in the desert starts with a walk or optional camel trek through Wadi Umm Al Ishrim. We transfer to Petra at approximately lunchtime. In the afternoon, we have the option to visit Little Petra, a smaller but still impressive version of the main Petra site. Duration of walk: 3-4 h.Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Lunch Day 7 A fascinating day visiting Petra, one of the world's foremost ancient sites; to Amman This morning the excitement mounts as we set off to explore the ancient city of Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage site famed for its astonishing scale and bound to be a highlight for many. Following in the footsteps of Burckhardt down the narrow siq, you finally catch a tantalising glimpse of El Khazneh - the Treasury - revealed in all its splendour as you come out into the open. The work involved in carving this immense façade out of solid rock defies belief. You have a full day to explore the site and see its many other splendours. In the centre of the city you will pass the houses and tombs of the more affluent citizens and also a Roman amphitheatre, preserved in remarkable condition. Beyond the city centre is El Deir, the Monastery. Its superb façade is carved into the rock and topped by a huge urn. After our visit we transfer back to Amman. Comfortable Hotel Meals included: Breakfast Day 8 Fly to London.
Jordan Visas are required by most nationalities, including British, and can be obtained at the border or Amman airport. At time of print, visa fees (usually 40JOD) have been waived for all nationalities travelling to Jordan with a tour operator and spending a minimum of 2 nights in country. Our airport representative will meet and assist you with obtaining the free visa on arrival in Jordan at Customs & Immigration. He will be carrying an Exodus sign. For more information on the free Jordan Visa, please see the link below:http://international.visitjordan.com/MediaCenter/News/JordanianGovernmen...
Jordan There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid.
Hotels, Full-Service Camping & Wild Camping We spend 2 nights in a 4-star hotel in Amman, 1 night in a standard hotel in Petra, 1 night at a permanent camp and 3 nights wild camping. Some hotels have more facilities than others however it is always good to keep in mind that the star rating in Jordan is quite different to what you may expect at home. Sometimes we use less centrally located hotels in the interests of comfort. Accommodation in Petra is limited and demands on the infrastructure are high; this creates occasional problems with hot water and general plumbing for all hotels. In general, the hotels in Petra are older style and more basic in comparison with the rest of Jordan. Four nights will be spent in the desert, of which 3 nights will be in wild camps without toilets or wash facilities. One night will be in our private permanent camp, where traditional tents are equipped with basic beds, sheets and blankets. There are plumbed toilets and basins, and simple shower facilities with (limited) hot water. Single supplements are available for this trip however cannot be guaranteed at the permanent camp in Wadi Rum. Please enquire at the time of booking for details and up-to-date prices.
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Reviewed November 2019 William Denning Trip: Petra & Wadi Rum Trek Wadi Rum & Petra Booked this trek at the last minute and was not disappointed, the time of the year meant that the weather was ideal and made the days trekking that much more enjoyable. The first day was the minibus drive from Amman down into he Wadi Rum area which ended with a short trek to the night camp in the Bedouin village tents. The evening meal was a traditionally cooked meal that that had been covered and buried in the hot sand on top of hot charcoal. a good nights sleep ensure we were ready for a good full day trek on the next day. The remaining days covered a lot of ground and sand and the group was a good mixture of different nationalities (2 Irish, 3 Scottish, 2 Netherlanders, 1 French, 5 English ) we all soon gelled soon enjoyed each others company this made good getting the background about what and where we had been and done. Whilst the trekking was not overly difficult, a fair level of fitness is required not only for the distance to be covered, but to take into account the hot weather and the trekking up to 8 hours on the longest day mainly over sand. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Each day brought something special and inspirational from the trek across the desert and traverse of Sig el Barrah canyon, climbing up to the Burdah Arch which is quite spectacular but does require a head for heights. Ascending up some of the great red sand dunes for which Wadi Rum is quite famous for. The day spent seeing the amazing area and buildings of Petra and Little Petra. Being able to sleep under the open sky and to see the night sky as it should be seen and not spoiled by the the light pollution we suffer from in the built up areas of the UK What did you think of your group leader? Our guide Abdullah (wanted to be known as Ab) was truly amazing and so knowledgeable certainly made the trekking a true history lesson. His passion, history and his manner in which he put it across ensured he had all of our attention when he spoke. He has a great sense of humour which was greatly appreciated by all and brought many a laugh. He had a great re- pore with everyone in the group and he ensured all understood what the days trek included and assisted those to achieve the most of the days events. The rest of the local team obviously also enjoyed working with Ab the camping and meals where always a pleasure Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Although not the hottest time of the year in Jordan the importance of keeping hydrated cannot be understated and a minimum 2 water bottles should be carried there is always ample opportunity to topping up your bottles with clean drinkable water. A day sack is all you will be required to carry each day for what you choose to carry. You will meet up with you main baggage at the end of each day. Also a good 4 season sleeping bag as it does get cold!! in the desert in the evening/night Is there anything else you would like to add? I found it a great trek and enjoyed each day, my only regret was not to extend the trip by a couple of days to be able to take in a trip to the 'Dead Sea' which a few of our group had planned.
Reviewed October 2019 Fred Swaine Trip: Petra & Wadi Rum Trek Excellent time in Jordan An excellent way of seeing parts of Jordan. The trek in Wadi Rum was wonderful; a great way of taking the area in at a pace that allows one to appreciate its natural beauty. Scrambling up Burdah to the stone arch was fun and was a change from the daily trekking. Support worked well, particularly enjoyed the omelettes that were made for breakfast one morning. Petra is magnificent and appreciated our guide Mohammed leading us to the less crowded areas, explaining how the city developed and managed its water. Little Petra was fascinating and only has a fraction of the crowds at Petra itself. Would highly recommend. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The desert nights were warm enough to sleep outside the tent under the stars - starry sky was splendid - it was a quiet highlight of the trip for me. What did you think of your group leader? Mohammed Abdul Aziz was a great group leader; engaged with all members of the group and a source of history and understanding of the surroundings. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Trekking was relatively easy and should not deter people from doing the trip. We did pause in the early afternoon after lunch so we were not hiking at peak temperatures. Is there anything else you would like to add? A fine means of experiencing parts of Jordan.
Reviewed May 2019 Malcolm Mahony Trip: Petra & Wadi Rum Trek Fascinating and beautiful country The desert landscape and Petra are stunning. The scrambling is exciting. The archaeology is outstanding. The culture is fascinating. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? See above. What did you think of your group leader? Abdullah worked hard to make the trip successful and enjoyable. He was totally unflappable! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? You should be aware that the trekking area is heavily used by 4-wheel drive vehicles taking tourists on day trips. This compromises the wilderness feel. Unfortunately they also leave behind a lot of plastic litter. Is there anything else you would like to add? I was very impressed by the generally tolerant and supportive attitude of Jordanians towards the 3 million plus refugees who live there. What a contrast to most other countries! Excellent service by Exodus staff.
Reviewed May 2019 Suzanne Kane Trip: Petra & Wadi Rum Trek title is good and reflects the event I very much enjoyed this trip, the desert, scrambling, company and guide. As expected the tent accommodation was basic but fine. The food was adequate but the ingredients a bit repetitive but I suppose that this is what one should expect in the desert. The main problem I had was the fact that the desert is a very popular day outing for tourists in open trucks, of which there were many. The high number of trucks etc mitigated against the feeling of being in the desert/wilderness. We had to jump off the track many times and at one point had a couple of open vans careering down a steep slope towards us. A bit disconcerting. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The fact of being in a desert, which I had not experienced before, and the scramble up the hill which I very much enjoyed. What did you think of your group leader? Abdulla was an exceptionally good guide. Knowledgeable, honest especially when he did not know something, humorous, and very diplomatic when required. Attentive and fun. Is there anything else you would like to add? I enjoyed being in a very nice group who all got on well.
Reviewed May 2019 D Metronome Trip: Petra & Wadi Rum Trek Check small print +wadi rum trekking awesome -felt obliged to tip -dietary medical needs not conveyed to chef - sleeping bag provided was broken & not suitable season - Mena & Petra palace less than suitable abodes + Guide Abdullah was awesome - chef & Tool did well despite resources in dessert What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Final camp realising last time needed to assemble own tent What did you think of your group leader? Good but aware / keen to keep us together even in last 48 hours Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take: Gaitors Ear plugs Eye mask Head torch Dead Sea neoprene booties Compeed & variations Buy Arab scarf in event of sand storms Take Jordanian dinards £150 circa. Expect to spend £100. Dessert freezing at night. Is there anything else you would like to add? See above
Reviewed March 2019 Tony Rose Trip: Petra & Wadi Rum Trek In a trail of the Middle East A fantastic experience, trekking through Wadi Rum, camping with the Bedouins, walking in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia. The jewel in the crown of this trip was A full day in Petra ,The red rose city. The people of Jordan were warm and friendly adding to an all round enjoyable trip. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? First sight of The Treasury, amazing. We set off at 6 am to beat the crowds, and was not disappointed, as we were one of the first groups there and managed to get some photos without anyone in the background What did you think of your group leader? Our leader Abdallah, was passionate, knowledgeable with a wicked sense of humour and a cheeky grin. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take a hip flask, it is a job to get a drink outside of Amman Is there anything else you would like to add? I thoroughly recommend this trip
Reviewed March 2019 MARY-ANN PRESTON Trip: Petra & Wadi Rum Trek Amazing! I have just returned from this wonderful week. It was such a different experience to anything I have every done - slogging daily through loose deep sand (so glad I spent those weeks beforehand training hard!), wild camping in completely remote desert locations, sitting round a camp fire drinking hot thyme infused black tea, eating delicious feasts produced as if by magic by Youssef, and much much more. Our delightful guide Abdullah gave us such detailed and enlightening information about Jordan and in particular about the Bedouin people and culture who lived in this area and the ancient Nabataeans who created the spectacular site that is Petra and ruled there for hundreds of years. Thank you Exodus for this amazing experience. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Those wonderful morning and afternoon snacks and hot lunch and evening meals conjured up as if by magic by Youssef. His kitchen was discreetly hidden behind the trucks and he and his helper brought it all out ready assembled on their fold up table. Wonderful! What did you think of your group leader? Abdullah was so charming and an amazing leader. So knowledgeable, his descriptions of the culture and history of the Bedouins and Nabataeans was inspirational. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? I found I'd taken all the wrong clothes for this time of year. Although it warmed up in the day, I didn't have enough warm layers for the evenings and at night camping. Take a really good sleeping bag. Mine was a 3/4 season one but I was not nearly warm enough.
Reviewed October 2018 Vicky Harper Trip: Petra & Wadi Rum Trek Trip of a life time! I had wanted to visit Jordan and Petra for a long time and I finally got around to booking, choosing exodus. We are an active couple and wanted a trip that would challenge us but we could also see the sites. This trip had everything we wanted and it did not disappoint. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Wadi Rum desert is an incredible landscape. Nothing like I have ever seen. From waking up and seeing the view from your tent to sitting around a campfire with your new found friends looking at the most insane starry sky. I never thought it was possible to see the Milky way so clearly, in wadi rum it is. Petra. The whole day was amazing. Its so much more than The Treasury. We walked for 10 miles that day and loved every minute! What did you think of your group leader? Issa our group leader was great, he loved telling us stories and explaining the history of the area. He was so organised, so organised that every looked so easy. There was no issues. I would also like to mention the brothers who looked after us from the moment we stayed at their Bedouin camp to wild camping for the next few days. Great hospitality and company. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If I were to do this trip again. Id pack half of what I took. I would also use an exodus sleeping bag and take a sleeping bag liner with me instead. I found that it was warm enough not to use a sleeping bag. We went in early October. Wet wipes are a must as long as long as you don't litter and a head torch is deffo handy when you have a call of nature at 4am in the morning. Ooo and a battery pack for your camera when you are out in the desert, forget your phone theres no signal, enjoy the break! Blisters: Take blister plasters with you. I had a couple put plasters on straight away and no issues or discomfort. Catch them straight away! Is there anything else you would like to add? The hotel in Amman was not good and have reported this to Exodus. On a fitness front: I am not a walker. I went on a few long 3 hour walks before I went and found the trip not too challenging. The challenges are the soft sanded areas and heat. Take a hat and you will be fine. Don't be put off you can do it!
Reviewed October 2018 Saeah Briggs Trip: Petra & Wadi Rum Trek Amazing country Jordan was like no other country on earth, the trekking on sand was challenging but the routes seemed to be planned to take break points just at the point I felt I couldn’t do anymore! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? ? Do you have any advice for potential travellers? I’d dressed more conservatively than I needed to - girls are ok in respectable length shorts and short sleeved tops in the desert and at Petra.
Reviewed May 2018 Ailsa Watson Trip: Petra & Wadi Rum Trek AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!! I knew before I even left for this trip that it was going to be something special, but I didn't realise just how special that would be. The scenery is breathtaking throughout the desert and in Petra it's easy to see why it is a World Heritage Site! we spent 4 nights, 5 days wild camping in the desert with the beduoin and it really was a beautiful experience in so many ways. Sleeping under the stars or in our tents, we were looked after in every aspect and they really could not do enough for us and always with a smile on their faces. Our Guide Issa was knowledgeable, friendly and approachable I learnt an awful lot from him as we walked and chatted along with way. Jordan is a strikingly beautiful country with so much history it really is worth a visit, I can guarantee you will 100% not regret it. Take me back!!! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The beautiful desert scenes that we woke up to every day. The sunsets over the sandstone rocks every evening. Money is of no consequence in the desert. What did you think of your group leader? Issa was a fabulous tour guide there was nothing he did not know and he handled every situation (some unexpected) we came across with ease, confidence and a friendly nature.
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