This was our original and still the most
exciting business. Whether you want to tour by camel, horseback, jeep or
hiking, Jordan's combination of splendid natural beauty and unspoiled
wilderness areas studded with archaeological remains make camping in Jordan
an unforgettable pleasure. Our staff includes experienced trek leaders and a
first-rate chef to make sure that you have the energy to keep going!
Throughout history Jordan has occupied a
strategic position along important trade routes. The commerce in spices and
silks between the Orient and Europe ran through Jordan. Even today, the
highway connecting the Red Sea port of Aqaba to Syria, Turkey and
eastern Europe is still the single most important
overland route for goods being shipped between Asia and Europe. One of the
dividends of making a trekking trip through Jordan is the chance to re-trace
part of one of antiquity's key trade routes.
You may decide to combine an adventure
excursion with a more 'classical' tour which allows you to see more of
Jordan's wonderful sites. Many of the adventure tours can be expanded or
collapsed as you like, from a simple day trip or an evening's Bedouin party
in the wilderness to as many days of camping as you want.
All overnight camping programs include
full camp services--tents, sleeping bags, full board (3 meals a day
including non-alcoholic beverages), camping equipment and support staff.
Petra on the Spice Road
On foot or by camel, explore some of the outskirts of Petra. Caravans en
route from the Arabian Peninsula, from India, from China, from Damascus,
from Gaza and from Egypt all converged on the capital city of the
Nabatean trading empire…..it is exciting to
re-discover some of the ancient roadside features.
The countryside around Petra has a surprising number of natural springs and
hidden orchards, unexcavated antiquities sites and modern Bedouin
tent-dwellers. The glorious whorls and bands of colors in the
sandstone mountains create a feast for the eyes
as you traverse the hilly terrain. On foot, you can make a complete circuit
around the outskirts of the Petra park in about 4
days, with 3 nights' camping along the way.
Wadi Rum Treks
Tell us how much time you have available and we'll custom-design a trekking
program through one of the world's most famous deserts, Wadi Rum.
By jeep
you
can cover most of the Wadi Rum desert area in a couple of days. If you
can't afford the time or would prefer spending the night in a hotel, we will
devise a single-day visit including some of the most famous sights including
the Khazali Mountain with its mysterious rock
inscriptions, the Lawrence Spring and the towering rock formation knows as
the Seven Pillars of Wisdom.
On foot
you can explore the area at a pace more in keeping with the timeless face of
the desert. Wadi Rum hiking programs of 3-4 days are ideal if you're
looking for an experience totally removed from your daily routine. In the
vast uncluttered heart of the desert, you will find yourself pondering the
Big Questions modern life leaves no time for…….and understanding why desert
dwellers produced are credited with introducing the zero, coffee, the
Tusi couple and three of the world's great
religions.
By camel
you can retrace the desert trade routes as they've been traveled for
millennia. A camel can carry enormous loads through the desert for 3 days
without feeling the faintest bit of thirst. Their feet look like a
Michelin-man version of bovine hooves—a quality you can appreciate after
trying to walk comfortably through the desert sands. The dizzying lurch as
they kneel and then rise again is like riding a roller-coaster—but at the
top of the arc, you'll have a commanding view of the land around you.
Wadi Araba
Trek
Make a one-day jeep trip or 5-day hike
from the ancient copper mines of Wadi Finan to
Petra.
Dhana-Petra
hike
Spend four days walking the scenic route
from the Dhana Nature Reserve to Petra.
Baidha
Excursions
Baidha,
the wilderness area just to the north of Petra, contains a staggering number
of archaeological sites including a Neolithic settlement believed to be one
of man's oldest agricultural villages. It's also a beautiful landscape, and
seasonally dotted with the black hair tents of Bedouin families. Its
proximity to Petra makes Baidha an ideal spot
for short excursions by horse, jeep, camel or on foot.
East of the Dead Sea
Hikers in the great
wadis emptying into the Dead Sea are rewarded by the colorful terrain
and pleasant streams and waterfalls. The mountain tops above the Dead Sea
contain remains of Edomite and Moabite
settlements familiar to Biblical scholars, and can be explored in a variety
of ways. There are a number of challenging one-day hikes from the mountain
highlands to the shores of the Dead Sea, and a few
wadis which can be enjoyed by almost everyone.
