Jordan has for long been on my bucket list. The country has much more than just the much acclaimed Petra. A very welcoming country- most tourists do not need a prior visa. Despite being in a troubled region of the globe with neighbours tormented by war, Jordan is a peaceful and safe country to visit.
On our arrival at Amman airport, we hired a car from Sixt. Then we drove straight down to Ajloun castle and on to Jerash. Both Ajloun and Jerash are to the north of Amman. If you have time, then you can visit Umm Qais further north.
Ajloun castle is a well preserved castle built on a monastery. There are some great views from the top. This region is well known for its olives and one can see vast stretches of olive groves. A visit to Ajloun castle will take about an hour’s time.
From Ajloun, we headed to Jerash. The ruins of Jerash have been estimated to date back to the Neolithic Age and is a must visit site. Jerash is one of the largest and most well-preserved Roman sites outside Italy.
From Jerash, we drove down to our resort in the Dead Sea area. It is a long drive but the roads are more or less good. The lowest point on Earth – the Dead Sea is another highlight of my Jordan tour. Luxurious resorts line the Dead Sea area. We stayed at the Kempinski which is a really beautiful property. Next morning we visited the baptism site of Jesus Christ.
The Baptism site of Jesus Christ is in a military zone so one has to go only through tours (included in the ticket price) from the ticketing office. The site opens at 8:30 in the morning and there are tours every half an hour. We were taken to the Baptism site itself and the Jordan River. On the other bank is Jerusalem. Since the river is very narrow, we could see some people being baptized on the Jerusalem side.
We headed back to our hotel in the Dead Sea. And it was time to experience the Dead Sea itself. So yes, we smeared the mud that is renowned for its healing properties. And we did float in the Dead Sea.
We then headed to two other places – Madaba and Mt.Nebo, before reaching Petra.
Mt.Nebo is the site mentioned in the Hebrew bible where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land. On a clear day, one can get a view of Jerusalem and Jericho from here.
Madaba is a small town and renowned for mosaics. The mosaics in St.George’s church are to be seen to be believed. The St.George’s church is also very well known for the 6th century mosaic map of the Holy land.
From Madaba, we drove down to Petra through the Desert Highway. It was a long drive but barring a few stretches, the roads are more or less good.
We stayed at the Movenpick Resort in Petra. Next morning we had a sumptuous breakfast and started on the trail of the much awaited Petra. The visitor centre of Petra is just opposite the Movenpick hotel which is why we chose this hotel. Petra tickets include a mule ride to the Treasury but we chose to walk instead. Walking is a much better option as you can stop on the way to take pictures when you like and you can rest while reading the plaques on the way. There are horse carts too but I feel horse carts on a rough surface will give your bones a churn! So walking it was…The trek through the Siq and to the famed Treasury is about 3 km. The Siqs of in all hues of red, just doesn’t seem to end – winding and turning every few steps. And at the end of the Siq, there is light- in all its grandeur there stands the famous Treasury- the sandstone temple from Indiana Jones! You can opt to come back from the Treasury which many tourists do. But to get a more holistic view of Petra, you must do at least one trail. We did the main trail up to the monastery. Views from the top are gorgeous. Rugged mountains eroded through the years welcome you through a 2 km trek and 800 steps up to the monastery. There is a nice café opposite the monastery where we sat sipping coffee while admiring the beauty of the monument. Then we started on our trek down. The trek from the Treasury to the visitor centre has a gentle gradient uphill. With aching calf muscles and bruised and tired feet we finally made it back to the exit.
Next morning we headed to the Wadi Rum. Well, this is another must visit place in Jordan. Wadi rum is in southern Jordan, to the east of Aqaba. We didn’t go to Aqaba which is a place on the Red sea because we had visited Hurghada, another similar resort area in the Red sea region in Egypt.
We took a guided tour of Wadi Rum for 4 hours from the visitor centre there. Our Bedouin guide arrived with his 4-wheel drive and took us through Rum village and into the Wadi Rum area. The Bedouins have been living in the Wadi Rum for long. Now many of them are tour guides.
The Wadi Rum is a valley cut into granite and sandstone rock formations which has been inhabited since pre-historic times. Some civilizations such as the Nabateans have left their marks through rock paintings. Due to its peculiar Mars-like landscape, Wadi Rum has been a setting for many movies such as ‘The Martian’, Lawrence of Arabia, The Red Planet and Krrish3. So there we were, climbing rocks and exploring the place with our Bedouin guide. Another fantastic day in Jordan!
We drove back in the evening to our Petra hotel just in time for our Petra by night experience. We assembled at the visitor centre around 8:15 pm and started again for the Treasury. This time we knew the route but in spite of it, Petra showed up in a very different way. Candle lights guided us all the way to the Treasury building through the Siq. Once we reached the Siq, we were given places to sit on mats laid out on the ground. The entire show is managed by Bedouins. They played the flute and the rabab. And then they asked us to close our eyes. When we opened our eyes we saw the magic - the Treasury lit up with different colours! It was gorgeous! For me, it was a very satisfactory experience that gave me confidence that I could still make it to the monastery despite my bones being more than a half century old!
Our return flight next day was at 4 pm. So we made use of the morning and visited the Amman citadel. The main sites are the temple of Hercules, the Umayyad palace and a Byzantine church. The Roman amphitheatre is also visible from the citadel.
The citadel is in downtown Amman and the traffic in Amman is very chaotic. We made our way through to the airport in time for our flight back. Our Jordan trip came to an end but it will always be in my heart for trekking on one of the new Seven Wonders of the World – Petra, the Dead Sea float and mud bath, the awe of the Baptism site, the Wadi Rum climbs and the warmth of the Jordanian people.
Tips:-
1. Buy the Jordan Pass before you travel. The Jordan Pass includes tickets to most tourist sites including Petra but not Petra by night. The visa fee is waived if you buy the Jordan pass before arriving in Jordan.
2. Buy a SIM card from the airport. They have packages for local calls and data which will be very useful. Wae bought a SIM card from Zain and the coverage was quite good.
3. You can buy the Petra by night ticket from the visitor centre or from your hotel or any tour agency.
4. It is better to do Petra by night before the day trip. Petra by night takes place only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
5. If you plan to drive in Jordan, then be aware that they have left hand drive. Be careful of bumpers on the roads, some of which are obscure. If you don't intend to drive, then you can hire taxis from point to point. There are buses between the major sites but I would suggest hiring taxi.
6. The currency of Jordanian is Jordanian dinar which may not be available in your home country. A few hotels and tourist sites accept USD. You can carry USD and change it to Jordanian dinar at the airport or in Amman.
7. The Movenpick hotel in Petra is just opposite the visitor centre. So at the end of the long trek, you just have to cross the road to get to your hotel. Be aware that there is another Movenpick hotel which is 6 km away from the visitor centre.
8. Wadi Rum tours from the visitor centre are of various durations. You can choose one depending on the time you have.
9. You can find more information on Jordan here.
10. Find timings of the tourist sites here.