In October, I attended the Adventure Tourism Conference in Jordan to find out exactly what this remarkable destination has to offer in the way of family adventure holidays. I was on a quest for ideas to inspire a new Families Worldwide multi-activity adventure!
I gladly accepted the chance to go to Jordan. It would be my first time there, and being a lifelong fan of a certain famous fictional archaeologist, how could I not? As the days ticked away before my departure, my excitement and anticipation grew. Looking through my itinerary again - for about the millionth time, just to check I wasn’t dreaming - there it was in black and white. I would get to fulfil one of my childhood dreams!
I was going from an oasis, across the desert and down the Canyon of the Crescent Moon. I did have to make my peace with the fact that I probably wasn’t actually going to find the Holy Grail or face ‘three devices of such lethal cunning’ which only the penitent man would be able to pass, or follow in the footsteps of the word of God, or have to prove my worth in leap of faith from the lions head. But still, I thought ‘Jordan here I come!’
I flew out from London’s Heathrow Airport on a Saturday evening, taking the Royal Jordanian’s daily direct flight to Amman, though other airlines are available. The four-to-five hour flight was comfortable, with a good selection of in-flight movies, and I was well-fed (a common theme throughout Jordan I was to quickly to find out). On arrival, I was met by a representative who helped me to sort out a free visa – all travellers who book with Families Worldwide will also be met in this way – and then whisked off to my hotel in Amman. The following morning, the adventure began …
I met my guide, Bader, and the rest of the group I would be adventuring with at breakfast. After our meal, we set out on a hike through, up and across Wadi Hora - a very picturesque area which had some thrilling scrambles along the way, until we reached a waterfall. The only way to get down was to abseil. Leaning back on my rope at the top of the 20-metre drop, it came to me … ‘I can do most of this descent in big commando jumps and therefore, in my mind anyway, tick off my leap of faith!’
From the bottom of the waterfall, we had a cool and refreshing walk through Wadi Bin Hammam’s green surroundings and along the river which carves its way through the rock towards the Dead Sea. The night was spent wild camping in the desert in a quiet protected area. The only sounds were the conversations being had amongst the group and the camp crew, and the campfire crackling away.
The following morning was a treat. The sunrise over the camp was spectacular, as was breakfast, and then it was onwards for a hike into the back entrance of Petra! This was frankly, and I don’t use the term loosely, truly awesome!
The trailhead starts at the foot of the mountains, and you follow a well-marked and distinctive trail along the side of the mountain, with superb views out across the surrounding desert. There are regular little stalls where you can get more water if needed, and the mountain above you protects you from the heat and glare of the sun. The trail finishes at Petra’s Monastery, which is built high up on the mountain, overlooking the desert, as a mark of respect to the only Nabotean King not to be laid to rest in the city of Petra.
From there, you walk down about 800 steps (though there are side trails that could be done instead) to the main site of Petra’s ancient city. We walked through the city, taking in the ancient ruins and then, yes, I eventually turned a corner and there it was … Petra’s treasury. The same place that holds the Holy Grail in ‘Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade’ … my jaw dropped.
Childhood dream achieved, I walked out down the canyon and ticked off yet another dream. I may not have walked a path in the footsteps of the word of God, but I certainly walked in the footsteps of history, and for me, that was close enough!
After Petra, it was off into the rocky and sandy surroundings of Wadi Rum and an authentic Bedouin camp. The Bedouin camp is a permanent camping site, and they lay on a real-big spread for dinner and breakfast. The meals were needed, as soon we were off again on a climb in Wadi Rum after a thrilling drive across the desert. The climb was amazing, again spectacular views across the desert, fun scrambles to go up and down and, if we didn’t want to do that, we had the option to go sport climbing instead, or enjoy a longer 4x4 desert tour, each option as exciting as the next!
From Wadi Rum, it was down to Aqaba on the Red Sea’s coast. Awaiting us were beautiful coastal resorts, wonderful seafood restaurants and, of course, let’s not forget the mesmerising underwater world of the Red Sea. We went out on a boat, and a very nice one it was, to one of the local reefs, where some of the group snorkelled and the rest of us went scuba diving.
The adventure was winding down now, so we started our journey back north to Amman, but not before spending a night at the Dead Sea. You can’t really go to Jordan without having a float in the Dead Sea, after all.
The rest of my time in Jordan was spent meeting with different local suppliers and activity operators, during which time I learned some important things. The first was that, following a big training programme, all the activity guides are fully trained and accredited either by French or English training bodies in canyoning, climbing, mountaineering, trekking and cycling. Therefore, all the activity guides are specialists in all the activities they're trained in.
I also learned that there are plenty of different places to go canyoning or climbing, so whilst I found the activities we did thrilling and exciting, there are also less challenging options available which may suit some families better.
Another discovery was that in 2024, Royal Jordanian will be introducing new direct flights to Amman from Stansted Airport and a direct service to Amman from Manchester Airport, making Jordan that much more accessible for families all over the UK.
So to sum it all up for you, from one adventurer to another, Jordan is amazing I was blown away, humbled if you will. I certainly ticked off the penitent man challenge! It's such a friendly, welcoming and hospitable place. My personal dreams were met, but do I think Jordan is a suitable place for a family multi-activity adventure? You’d better believe it! Our new multi-activity Jordan family holiday offers all this and more.
Find out more about our NEW Active Jordan trip, or you can speak to our team today to book your place.
