Situated in West Asia lies the magnificent country of Jordan. Filled with culture, history, and stunning landscapes, Jordan is stunningly beautiful and a true jewel of the Middle East.
With its Mars-like appearance--which has often been used for filming locations for space movies— exploring the spectacular area of Wadi Rum in southern Jordan is the experience of a lifetime. The gradient warm hues of vivid red-orange sand and massive rock formations are something to behold. This desert area is best experienced by staying overnight at a Bedouin camp. Even if it’s just for a night or two, spending time out in this vast desert area is a truly incredible experience. Driving out to the camp on a bench in the back of a pickup truck is a wild adventure in itself—especially for those who choose to include a stop to give sandboarding a try—as the landscape seems to stretch on forever. The windows in the simple tents of these Bedouin camps have million-dollar views, but are usually extremely affordable, costing less than $50 a night. The only thing more beautiful than the views is the welcoming hospitality of the people who operate them. As they invite visitors to experience their culture, staying in a Bedouin camp can include homemade meals of the most delicious local cuisine. A traditional Zarb dinner of meat and vegetables is placed on a metal rack and cooked in a dug-out hole and enjoyed around a table with new friends from around the world.
The surreal desert landscape is almost even more magical at night as stories are shared, and games are played as a form of after-dinner entertainment in the caves in the nearby rock formations. Music and dancing around a campfire are the purest form of connection regardless of language barriers as the warm glow of the firelight illuminates smiles and brings out laughter and everyone’s best selves under skies of stars.
A trip to Jordan wouldn’t be complete without a stop in Petra, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This ancient civilization carved into rock is so unbelievably well preserved and is incredible to witness. With many trails to hike to different areas such as the monastery, treasury, and tombs, multiple days can easily be spent taking in this archeological marvel.
Driving to the Dead Sea is a juxtaposition from Wadi Rum and Petra, as the warm hues of the desert transition to the cool blue of the water. Being the lowest point on earth, the Dead Sea is a stop that should be on any Jordan itinerary. With such a high salt content, floating in this water is almost a bizarre experience, since swimmers have to practically work to keep their feet on the ground because of how easy it is to float.
With so much beauty, history, and culture, one could easily spend weeks enjoying this incredible country by adding time in the mountains and exploring all of the areas Jordan has to offer. But for those who only have a few days, this country can easily be added on to a trip to Egypt as it is a relatively short flight of just a few hours from Cairo to Amman. Covering Petra, the Dead Sea, and Wadi Rum can be done in a four-day trip, so be sure to add it to your bucket list and enjoy everything this beautiful country has to offer.
Photo One: If you stay overnight in a desert camp, don’t miss the amazing colors of the sunrise and sunset! The sunlight combined with the warm hues of the desert is simply enchanting!
Photo Two: A trip out to Wadi Rum wouldn’t be complete without giving sandboarding a try! While it may feel similar to snowboarding, trading in fresh white powder for smooth orange sand creates quite a different experience.
Photo Three: Jordan’s Wadi Rum has been used as a filming location for many movies set in outer space because of its Mars-like appearance.
Photo Four: The ancient civilization of Petra— one of the Seven Wonders of the World— is a must-see stop on any trip to Jordan.
