Departing from London Heathrow terminal 3 we checked-in for Royal Jordanian flight RJ112 to Amman. The aircraft was a Dreamliner – comfortable, new and with a great selection of in-flight entertainment. After being able to board ahead of the other passengers for a viewing of the Crown Class cabin, (business) we departed to arrive on time into Queen Alia International airport, Amman.
Upon arrival, we were fast-tracked through immigration with a meet and greet service. Along with single entry visas issued upon arrival into Jordan, this fast-track service was provided and I would highly recommend you book with a company that includes this. By now, it was gone midnight so we transferred straight to our city centre hotel for the night, the 5* Amman Marriott. This hotel is a typical city centre Marriott. There is wide selection available for breakfast, outdoor pool and attractive décor in the public areas. Rooms are average but perfectly adequate. Wi-Fi is payable.
Amman has it’s fair share of history and archeological interest points, however it is also modern in part when we stopped to visit the 5* Boulevard Arjaan by Rotana – a very new hotel, open for business but still under construction (6 identical accommodation blocks each with their own restaurant, rooftop pool and gym. One of these blocks is complete and fully functioning). The hotel is situated next door to a brand-new shopping mall with all the typical western and designer brands. The Rotana is a very large, contemporary style hotel offering fully equipped self-catering accommodation as an alternative to other board options. The management informed us, the property is proving popular for long-stays and business travellers more so than holiday guests. This is set to be a great location once development of the area is fully complete though. One to watch!
The drive to Petra, the highlight of our visit to Jordan is 3 – 4 hours dependant on the chosen route, we had stops at Madaba and mount Nebo for sightseeing and to learn more about the history and culture, however it was very hot, lots of walking and whilst as a fit and healthy adult I enjoyed the experience for the elderly or small children the fastest route might be more appropriate!
We were lucky enough to be staying in the 5* Movenpick Resort, Petra – home for the next 2 nights. This hotel occupies the best location for visiting Petra as it’s right outside the gate and trust me, after walking around all day in the heat, you don’t want to be trekking any further than necessary to get back to your hotel! For a slightly cheaper option, the 3* Petra Moon is just around the corner. Another popular choice amongst Cyplon Holidays guests. Both hotels have pools and roof bar terraces with stunning views. Further out (approx. 15 mins drive) is the 5* Petra Marriott Hotel. This hotel offers a very high level of accommodation, outdoor pool, and amazing views for those of you who would prefer to stay slightly out of town.
Petra is the most well-known archaeological site in Jordan. Located in the south west of the country, it dates back to around 300 B.C and was the capital of the Nabatean Kingdom.
Today it’s a UNESCO world heritage site. Accessed via a narrow canyon called the ‘Siq’, Petra contains tombs, temples, and houses which were all carved into the soft pink sandstone cliffs – thus earning its nickname, the ‘Rose City’. The most famous structure, seen all over travel brochures, is the 45m-high Al Khazneh, temple known as ‘The Treasury’. When the Siq opens up at the end of the canyon, the treasury is revealed, and THAT is a proper ‘wow’ moment! It’s breath-taking!!!
To visit Petra properly, 2 days would be ideal. We only had one day and did manage to get back in the evening to include the ‘Petra by Night’ experience. Our day was rushed though. The night show is rather simple but the experience of seeing the site lit up by hundreds of candles and sitting on the sand listening to traditional Bedouin music is well worth it and a memory I’ll treasure forever. I would also highly recommend the hiking trails.
My top tip for Petra would be to get off the main visitor’s path and see some of the lesser visited parts of Petra as well as the Siq and the treasury. We hiked to what’s known as ‘the monastery’ (trail no. 4) and discovered for ourselves another breath-taking temple, the best views and a gorgeous little café (must needed rest point) carved into the rock.
After breakfast, we checked out and set off in our coach for the Wadi Rum desert where we would enjoy a jeep safari (4×4 pickup trucks) through the desert to a traditional Bedouin camp for a quick tea break, then onto the Sun City Camp for lunch. Wadi Rum is a UNESCO world heritage site growing popular with adventure travellers and thrill seekers for activities such as rock climbing, paragliding, and trekking. The desert was also made famous by movie, Lawrence of Arabia and more recently, The Martian staring Matt Damon.
Of course, remember the sea is incredibly salty and cannot be used for swimming in the same way a ‘normal’ sea can be!
The Dead Sea hotels we visited are true 5* resort style hotels – all new, modern hotels with excellent facilities. They all lend themselves to different clientele and we can happily talk anyone through the suitability of each resort. From here you can also visit the ruins of the Roman City, Jerash, very well preserved, much of the city was discovered buried below sand and still today, parts are being excavated and restored. A half day is required to see the site in full. Very interesting and according to others, comparable on scale to Pompeii.
One evening, we chatted to our guide about the trip, discussed everyone’s high and low points of the week, and how tourism in Jordan is really suffering due to the troubles in the middle east. Tourism levels have dropped dramatically since the political uprising in Egypt and now together with the current problems in Syria, which borders to the north, Jordan’s tourism industry is really struggling. Jordan itself is stable despite its location sandwiched between some troubled neighbours. I felt very safe throughout the trip and would recommend visiting on a pre-organised tour and taking in as much of the country as possible. It’s a small country – small enough to see all the major sites in one visit. Journeys throughout our trip ranged from 1 – 4 hours by coach with the longer distances broken up by stops along the way for more sightseeing, photo opportunities and extraordinarily good and very clean services in the middle of nowhere (a random game of table tennis in the middle of the desert was one of my highlights of the trip haha)!!
I love the contrast a holiday to Jordan can provide between the city (Amman), activities and adventure (Wadi Rum), the history/ culture (Peta/ Jerash/ throughout) and the relaxation (Dead Sea Resort/ Aqaba). It’s a destination which can provide a number of different holiday types all wrapped up in one amazing trip!
