Officially called the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the country on the east bank of the Jordan Riviver is neighbour of Palestine, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Despite its position in a highly disputed and conflicted land, Jordan has always been an oasis of peace and safety, where many people have moved to start a new life seeking for a better future.
I visited Jordan with my family in January 2020. We landed in the airport of Eilat, located on the Israeli part of the Red Sea shore. From there, we took a bus to reach the border and by foot we crossed it to reach Jordan.
Aqaba
Aqaba is the most Southern city in Jordan. It’s speciality is due to its position on the shore of the Red Sea, just some miles from Sharm-el-Sheik. For this reason, it enjoys a temperate climate all year round. The best period to visit this place is from mid-February till late May and from September to November, to enjoy the perfect climate and have the opportunity to plunge into the sea. We went there in the end of January and despite the sun, there was a little breeze of wind which made it feel like European spring. I think I was too positive when I arrived there, because I was expecting a summer weather and I got disappointed when I felt cold and had to wear a light jacket!
Jordan flag on the rocks of Petra
In the city of Aqaba, you can visit the Souq in the centre and the Sharif Hussein bin Ali Mosque, dedicated to the Arab leader who fought against the Ottoman Empire.
Even with the 20 degrees outside, you can easily enter in the warm waters of the Red Sea. By wearing a combination the cold is only felt at the very beginning, but your body rapidly acclimatises. I followed the instructor towards the water carrying the oxygen on my back.
It was my first time breathing through a tank of oxygen. If you have always dreamed of being a mermaid as a kid, this activity really feels like that: swim underwater without having to worry about having to breath outside, and approach to every coral of the Japanese Garden to look attentively at every fish that populated it. The guide can take some photos of you under the water, and show the most beautiful sights of that amazing reef.
Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum is the name of a desert located in the South-Eastern part of the country. It is reacheable from Aqaba in around two hours by car. It is not a completely sandy desert, it is instead characterized by rocks, which make it a very fascinating place. In order to properly visit Wadi Rum, I would recommend to spend one night there. There are lots of bedouins camps in which you can book a place to sleep easily on Booking.com. The program is organised with a meeting point in the village of Wadi Rum where you will be able to leave your rented car and be driven in the desert by their jeep.
Afterwards, a traditional Jordan dinner is served and the night is spent in a wonderful sky full of stars. For the following day, the Bedouins offer you different tour with activities to do in the desert. We chose to see the Natural Springs of Lawrence of Arabia and the sandbord activity on the dunes!
Petra
Petra is the archecological site most popular of Jordan, and has been ranked one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern world. We slep ovenight in the city of Wadi Musa, five minutes drive from the place where the entrance of Petra is located. The archeological site has a cost of 50 JOD for the whole day, but is really worth the visit! I recommend you to have a guidebook with you, or to follow a touristic guide in order to better understand the meaning and the explaination of the tombs.
Generally, if you arrive there early, you can visit the most important parts in one day, even though many people enjoy it for several days, buying a pluri-entrance ticket. The site of Petra is said to have been the capital of the kingdom of the Nabateans during the II century before Christ. All the archeological beauties that you will observe are tombs and mausoleums were the kings of the Nabateans were interred.
The most famous and elaborate temple, called The Treasury is situated just few minutes walking after the entrance. This will be very easy to reach and you will be astonished by its beauty and charm. But don’t loose too much time taking pictures, because the Monastery is much further, and you’ll have to climb the rocks in order to reach it. But if you happen to be lazy or too late for that, you can always take the shortcut riding a donkey!
Riding donkeys with my family
From the monastery the view on the site is amazing, even though it is not possibile to enter inside the tombs.
After the excursion, come back by walk at the entrance, and go enjoy the special characteristics of the Dead Sea, where your body will float without the necessity to swim.
Are you already willing to go to Jordan? Go fast check the flights on Skyscanner, and let me know if you have any doubts in the comments below!
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