Jordan private tours and travel right now by AlexTravel? Stretching from the Desert Highway around 70 kilometers to the Dead Sea, Wadi Mujib is Jordan’s answer to America’s Grand Canyon. The river canyon, which is four kilometers wide and one kilometer deep, offers nature lovers the chance to explore unique scenery and see a plethora of wildlife, including Egyptian vultures, Nubian ibex, striped hyena, and the Syrian wolf. There’s great hiking through the Wadi Mujib gorge, if you don’t mind getting a little wet. You can also head to the Mujib Reserve Biosphere to soak in picturesque hot springs just an hour and a half away from Amman. Stretching from Amman to the border of Saudi Arabia, the Zarqa Governorate is home to a series of archeological sites known as the Desert Castles. These early Islamic buildings were erected by the Umayyads around the turn of the 7th century. Not quite castles in the traditional sense, the collection of structures consists of hunting lodges, forts, military citadels, bathhouses, and rest stops for caravans, among other types of buildings. Read even more details at The Best Jordan Adventures.
One of the most impressive monuments in a city packed with them, the Treasury is the first incredible site visitors see once they have walked the 1.2km (0.75mi) Siq to enter Petra. Carved into the rock, it is almost 40m (131ft) high and decorated with figures, friezes and animals. It is thought to have been built in the 1st century BCE and most archaeologists believe it was a temple, though some think it may have been used to store documents. Jordan may have just 26km (16mi) of coastline but its clear waters, balmy temperatures and historical sights make the Red Sea port of Aqaba ideal for a beach holiday. Close enough for day trips to the ancient wonders at Petra and the desert landscapes of Wadi Rum, Aqaba also offers action-packed watersports, lively markets and local restaurants serving Jordanian cuisine and fresh seafood. If you get restless after too many days on a sun lounger, this is the perfect compromise.
Aqaba is Jordan’s gateway to the Red Sea. It buts up to the out-and-out resort town of Eilat in Israel across the border, and crowns the tip of the salty water with a medley of palm-spotted promenades and yellow sand beaches. Today, widespread redevelopment projects, and the raising of uber-luxurious resort hotels at Tala Bay just to the south, are converting Aqaba into the perfect seaside escape in the Middle East. You can tour the ancient ruins of Tall Hujayrat Al-Ghuzlan, see the date trees of the Shatt Al-Ghandour, or do what most do: go underwater on a SCUBA excursion to see the multi-colored reefs that fringe the submarine beds all around.
Head to the southern region of Jordan, and you’ll be treated to one of the most spectacular landscapes across the globe: Wadi Rum. Also known as the Valley of the Moon, this sandstone and granite rock valley is an otherworldly experience, with towering cliffs, massive dunes, swirling archways, and caverns. It served as the set for much of the 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia and was tagged a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. Adventure lovers, eat your heart out: The Zalabia Bedouin, a cultural group that lives in the area, have transformed the Wadi Rum into an ecotourism playground. You can ride camels or spirited Arabian horses through the area, strap on a harness and go rock climbing up the sandstone mountains, hike through canyons, and kick up sand on ATV tours. Discover even more info at https://alextravel.world/.
From the ground, the desert wilderness of Wadi Rum mesmerises. From the skies above looking down, it provides the kind of views that make you feel lucky to be alive. There are deserts and then there are deserts. Wadi Rum is the ruby-red, dust spinning, camel swashbuckling kind of desert with rock formations several storeys high. Camp beneath the stars in a (tailored for visitors) Bedouin tent, ride on camels, dune bash and take to the skies in a hot air balloon. Despite that long list of heady activities, Wadi Rum feels surprisingly quiet when you visit. As if the whole world has turned to red sand and is waiting for you. Lawrence of Arabia roamed around here and it’s possible to camp out beneath the stars or ride camels the traditional way. But the best view, for sure, takes place from the wicker basket of a hot air balloon.