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Reviews

Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers  

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332 Reviews

4.7 out of 5

Reviews

Do this trip before it becomes too popular

This was a much more interesting holiday than I thought it was going to be. The main reason I joined this trip was, of course, to see Petra – and that didn’t even turn out to be my favourite part! (Wadi Rum was). There was a good mix of everything from exploring historical landmarks to enjoying some more resort-y like rest and activities. I probably can’t offer anything new to what has been posted here already but I will say that for most of you this will be your only time in Jordan, so explore every opportunity – sign up for the extras. Little Petra – worth it. Camel ride – worth it. Bethany beyond the Jordan (where Jesus was baptised) – worth it. Do all of it – Jordan is a really interesting country with some great history. It will definitely make you want to get your bible out again as you visit numerous places you’ve only read about in the Old Testament.
I would say that, despite our group getting on really well, a group size of 20 is probably too much. It does become difficult to please everyone and can become a bit frustrating. I have to take my hat off to our guide Nuwar who, over the week, managed the group exceptionally well and remained calm throughout.
Top tip – best time for a photo of the Treasury at Petra is towards the end of the day. There’s hundreds of people there in the morning and virtually no-one at around 4 or 5 o’clock. Also, use your second day to walk the Al Khubta trail to the viewpoint above the Treasury.

Most Inspirational Moment

Not sure about inspired, but the most rewarding part was the climb up to the Monastery at Petra. It's a tough, sweaty walk and you have to be careful on your feet but it's absolutely worth it. It was sad to see donkeys trudging miserably up and down those steps all day, especially when carrying people who looked twice the size of the animal. I would please discourage anyone from hiring a donkey to take you up and down to the Monastery. For me, it just looked too cruel.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Brilliant group leader. Nuwar left us in no doubt that she knew an awful lot about the history of everywhere we visited and enthusiastically tried to share all of it with us. Might have been a bit much for some of us to take in but still, the enthusiasm was greatly appreciated. I always think that people overlook just how difficult a job it is to be a guide. We forget that not only do they soak up a huge amount of knowledge but they also do it in another language. Sometimes more than one. It is a tremendous skill which I think is often undervalued. Additionally, and like the best group leaders I've experienced before, Nuwar was on hand to offer advice on places to eat in the evenings and was also prepared to join in socially. At that point the leader becomes more than a guide and instead becomes a friend and it is that quality that makes the difference between a good trip and a great trip. Thank you Nuwar. I hope you bring happiness to many future groups.

Advice for Potential Travellers

I wish I'd have gone a day earlier to have a more in depth look around Ammam before the trip started and to avoid the extremely late arrival on day one. As it happened, I couldn't on this occasion but I would recommend others to do so if they can. Take waterproof shoes or slip-ons for when you go to Aqaba and the Dead Sea. The sand is very hot and the pebbles aren't designed for people with delicate feet. The trip will involve some quick stops for lunch. Try the local food. Our leader was all too happy to pull over at recommended stops for shawarma or falaffel. There are limited places (two, officially) to buy alcohol in Petra. One is at the Cave Bar down by the visitors centre. They promote themselves as the oldest bar in the world (although that's debatable). Just in case it is, drop in for a pint so you can say you drank at the oldest bar in the world but beware, beer is about £10 a pint. For budding photographers - take a tripod into the desert with you. I tried to do a hyperlapse of the sunset and had to balance my camera in my shoe. As expected, not the best result.

A Very Good Trip

The itinerary is well thought out and the pace was good. The beauty of Petra and peacefulness of Wadi Rum have to be experienced. No words can really describe them. Our group also got along very well. It was a pleasure to travel with them.

The side trips to Bethany, Little Petra, …etc. were all interesting. Maybe they should be part of the main itinerary.

Water was available on the bus but we were not always with the bus, e.g. when we were in Petra for 3 days. So we ended up buying a lot of bottled water.

Hotel in Amman was barely a 3 star hotel if one is kind. Since we spent 3 nights in Petra, it would be nice if the level of accommodation is slightly improved. It was not a problem for me but one has to set the right level of expectation.

Two activities that I would have liked to do but was unable to do so were:
1) night visit at Petra: there was no notice about it. When someone asked as we were approaching Petra, the guide mentioned if we were to go, we had to go that night because it was not offered every night. I couldn’t go with such short notice.

2) hot air ballon over the desert: I really wanted to do this and kept asking every day about booking it. The guide kept saying he couldn’t book until the day before. When he finally called, it was booked out 2 weeks from that day. I hope Exodus would offer this WAY AHEAD of the trip so the guests could book before the trip even began.

Most Inspirational Moment

See Petra between the gorges was amazing!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our guide Ayyad was personable, knowledgeable, friendly and helpful.

Advice for Potential Travellers

See above on night visit to Petra and hot air ballooning. Middle Easterners like to bargain so you can try bargaining for everything. In fact, you are expected to bargain! The plugs in the Bedouin camp are ONLY British 3 prong plugs, no European plugs. So bring converters if you are not from UK. Remember to bring your own towels for that night! I went diving at Aqaba instead of snorkeling. You can arrange it by yourself ahead of time and the diver shop personnel will meet you at the gate to the beach. Sadly, the coral life is much damaged by global warming but seeing the undersea cables to Egypt was cool. If you tip for any good service, give cash. A lot of the owners take the tips from the servers if they are on the credit card. Do go outside the hotel for meals. They are cheaper and tastier than the hotel food. Petra Museum is worth a visit. Dead Sea Museum is not worth it for the display but the view is amazing. Just remember Uber will take you up there but there is no Uber coming down. So negotiate the round trip before you go up.

AXW: A Week in Jordan

This trip exceeded my expectations! I have always wanted to go to Petra, but all the other stops proved just as wonderful. It was a fast-paced busy trip but well worth it.

Most Inspirational Moment

This is the kind of trip that will stay with me for a while. From the Roman ruins at Jerash, to the first glimpse of the Treasury at Petra, to the night sky with a thousand stars at Wadi Rum, to the final night at the Dead Sea with the warm sea air, it was truly an inspirational and unforgettable journey.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Muayad was amazing, and one of the best, if not the best, tour leader I have had. His love of his country shines through in everything he says and does. He has so much knowledge and was so willing to share it all with us. But, besides that, it was all the little things he did to make our trip so special. He took us to the out of the way places for lunches, snacks, etc. We had the true local flavor. We were always being surprised with little treats and special foods to try. He arranged for us to have a beautiful picnic, which ended up being a highlight for most of us on the trip. In addition, he developed relationships and jokes with everyone. He took the time to get to know each of us personally, as well as join in with us a group. He took control when needed to, and joked with us at other times. I feel very fortunate to have had him as a guide and I know that he made an already incredible trip even better.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go!

An amazing trip in a wonderful country!

Jordan, spectacular Jordan. What a beautiful and fascinating country: ancient and modern history galore, archeology, glorious landscapes, delicious food and wonderful people. And camels. Oh, how I love 🐪.

The trip with Exodus was absolutely first-class. Brilliantly organised and with the most superb tour leader (see below).

If only the trip had been longer!

Most Inspirational Moment

Where to start? There were so many. Was it entering Jerash (Gerasa) through Hadrian's gate, arriving at the forum and walking down the seriously impressive colonnaded cardo maximus? No, but this was still right up there in terms of sights and moments! As was the view across the Jordan Valley and the West Bank from Mount Nebo where, according to the Bible, Moses saw the Promised Land. Was it walking through the Siq, the narrow gorge that is the entrance to Petra, and, glimpsing the magnificent Treasury, lit up in the morning sun? Utterly beautiful and mesmerising - and almost the most inspirational! The most stirring and sublime of moments (in a trip full of such moments), however, was the desert splendour of Wadi Rum. The extraordinarily beautiful rock formations, sand dunes and canyons; the ancient inscriptions and petroglyphs carved on boulders and cliffs; the glorious sunset; running down sand dunes; camel riding; camping in the desert; the silence of the desert night and the vast star-filled sky.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Muayad Mesmar was absolutely wonderful. So kind, so knowledgeable, such fun. His knowledge of Jordanian and regional history was so impressive - akin to that of a history professor! At every point in the trip, at every bend in road, Muayad had fascinating stories and information to share.. be it on the Hejaz railway during the Arab Revolt, olive pressing at Crusader castles, the health properties of the Dead Sea....as well as on chickpea plants and Jordan's horned hyenas! In addition to being absolutely brilliant in his knowledge of Jordan's history, archeology, flora and fauna, landscapes and peoples, and sharing stories in such an engaging way, Muayad was also the most generous, kind and thoughtful of tour leaders. From buying us cardamon-infused coffees and Jordanian sweets on our first morning and falafels one lunchtime, to organising a picnic with a view over the Jordan Valley, replete with walnut-stuffed baby aubergines (never has there been, nor will there ever be, a more yummy picnic ingredient!), Muayad definitely went way above and beyond a tour leader's call of duty. And when I realised half-way down the King's Highway, that I'd idiotically left my passport, some cash and my Kindle back in my hotel-room safe in Amman, Muayad worked wonders, made some phone calls and, less than 24-hours later, they were delivered safely, at no cost, to the hotel at our next stop, Petra. So, not only is Muayad the best tour leader, he's also a magician.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yes, and it's simple! Do this trip!

So much in a week!

Wow what a trip. I initially booked this trip to see Petra but there is so much more of Jordan to see. Our guide Muayad went beyond expectations, from providing a picnic overlooking the “Grand Canyon” of Jordan, to where to get the best falafels in town. The night in the desert is something else.
It’s a busy trip, with lots of 7.30 am starts, but would I have missed anything we did for a lay-in – definitely not. Wonderful fellow travellers as well.

Most Inspirational Moment

So many but the desert is up there along with that first sight of The Treasury at Petra. Also looking over at the lights of Jerusalem and Jericho from the terrace of our Dead Sea hotel.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Muayad was fantastic - went the extra mile to show us Jordan and why he loves his country so much. So many little things like giving us Turkish delight, arranging a picnic with amazing foods such as eggplants stuffed with walnuts. Took us to local stalls to buy our lunch so, instead of spending several dinars on a wrap we were paying half a dinar in places. Thank you Muayad - and I still don’t want a camel my dear!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just go and immerse yourself in what this lovely country has. There is a lot to cover and you may well be shattered at the end of the day but I wouldn’t have missed a thing!

Magical and Special

Visiting Jordan has been on my wish list for a long time. the days went so fast and our guide Ayyad was amazing he made everything enjoyable and was easy going with lots of breaks. the wide range of amazing food and the lovely people in Jordan always happy and welcoming to us

Most Inspirational Moment

being in wadi rum during the day climbing sand dunes and exploring in the jeeps, but then at night after our amazing dinner cooked in the ground we sat outside around the fire and had tea watching the stars till early morning with our guide. seeing the treasury for the first time was an emotional experience and one not to forget. visiting the baptism site was very special as was Mount Nebo and the church there as a service was underway. I would say everything we did was amazing. Dinner with a local family in wadi musa was amazing and the food all home cooked was incredible and seeing how the whole family interacted with each other was beautiful

Thoughts on Group Leader

our guide Ayyad was knowledgeable about all we asked and made everything fun and was always looking out for us as we had some older ladies in our group, always there with an outstretched hand in case we should need it. he immediately was making jokes and got the sense of humour that we had and we all became a little family. it was especially special as it was Ramadan and he was fasting and we experienced normal people out breaking the fast and shopping. he gave us time to shop and take pictures and was always explaining what was in the food we were eating. defiantly made lifelong friends with everyone in our group.

Advice for Potential Travellers

defiantly book this trip even during Ramadan as you get to see many different things that you wouldn't otherwise and don't be scared to go out and explore the locations that you stay in at night

Simply Superb

Visiting Jordan has been on my bucket list for years. I have been on many trips with Exodus and this has got to be up there with the best ones! There is so much included in the one week, I just wish it had been a little bit longer. Well organised, no overly long travels, brilliant itinerary and amazing local team and leader. It would be very hard to organise a better trip than this. 🙂 The country and the sights we saw were just beautiful, the people we met were the friendliest you could ever meet.

Most Inspirational Moment

The itinerary is very well planned, the most important sights one would want to visit are covered. There is something for everyone: extra walking option for those that want to do more exercise, free time for those that want to do more walking or shopping, option to swim and snorkel. Spending one night at the bedouin camp is also a unique and unforgettable experience. And I have not even mentioned just submerging yourself in the fantastically rich history of Jordan every day of the trip. Superb.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Muayad is a true professional, we could not have asked for a better tour leader. He is knowledgeable, kind and very welcoming. He is very proud of his country and his enthusiasm for the job and for his country is just unrivalled. His sense of humour helped gel the members of our fairly large group (20) together very quickly. He always offered us amazing lunch and dinner options and even brought a very delicious apple pie made by his Mum! He broke up the travel with coffee breaks, that was important to me. :) He went out of his way to make sure that we all had a fantastic trip and I am very grateful for that. Thank you so much, Muayad!

Advice for Potential Travellers

It was colder than expected, so the down jacket I brought along with the gloves was the best decision. Also, bring a silk liner for extra warmth for the night in the bedouin tent. Book an extra day in Amman as there is just so much more to do there!

Jordan is safe and beautiful from city to desert to beach

I enjoyed all the trip from Amman street food and amphitheatre, Jerash which reminded me of Rome, Petra which was incredible, the desert camp amazing food and floating in the dead sea. I felt safe at all times and loved seeing the diverse range the country had to offer

Most Inspirational Moment

Petra was incredible and not just the Siq to Treasury the site is huge, the walk up 850 steps to the Monastery, the walk up to overlook the Treasury was incredible I'd recommend it. I also loved floating in the dead sea, a highlight of the trip and a nice end to the day

Thoughts on Group Leader

Moyat was great, very informative, calm and organized. He also bought us local food out of his own pocket to try which was unexpected. We had a great group and we all got on really well

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take walking boots. Take layers it can be cold then hot. Take a spare battery for your camera! The camp was freezing in February, I was expecting cold and had many layers but was still cold. If you feel the cold, take some of them hand warmer things, hat, gloves, tights are good, maybe a sleeping bag if your case allows! Food portions are huge everywhere!

Simply superb

If there is a better, more interesting trip in the whole of the Exodus portfolio, then I would be very very surprise. A week in Jordan is simply superb and I cannot recommend it high enough.

Most Inspirational Moment

Every single day was inspirational, in fact every day had jaw-dropping moments. This trip is life-changing.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Absolutely outstanding! Clear and informative throughout the whole trip. Muayad went out of his way to ensure we were given the best possible experience whilst in Jordan, be it preparing us lunch (made by his own mother no less!), finding ATMs/raincoats or just taking us to the those most sublime spots to have lunch. Amazing man; it was an absolute pleasure to be in his company.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Jordan operates in a cash-based society and the ATMs that accept European cards are few and far between, so make sure you take plenty of cash with you.

Culture, history, hiking, swimming, lots of variety. Fantastic trip

From 2 days hiking Petra to floating in the dead sea, from snorkelling in the red sea to sleeping in the desert. Great variety, great food, some biblical heritage and bedouin culture all brought to life through fantastic guides.

Most Inspirational Moment

Rather surprisingly standing on Mount Nebo in the area where Moses had stood and looking towards “the promised land” of Israel, the holy land brought an unexpected awareness of the sense of biblical heritage of the country. Of course Petra is a particular highlight. I chose this trip above others because of it allowing two full days there and actually I could easily have spent longer. The whole area was much bigger than I was expecting and the hiking opportunities were a great part of the trip for me.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Muayad is a fantastic group leader. Knowledgeable, enthusiastic, great people skills, warm, kind and welcoming. A hugely important key to the successful gelling of the group and everyone responded well to him.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Consider flying out at least one day earlier to have time to wander around Amman by yourself. Although make sure you agree the taxi fare into town first. I paid five Dinar which I thought was acceptable but somebody else paid 20!