 |
 Last week I returned from a whirlwind trip to Jordan with Bestway Tours & Safaris in conjunction with Visit Jordan and Royal Jordanian Airlines. Although I was only there for a week, the trip was absolutely amazing. I was in awe of this country and not only how beautiful it is, but how safe, clean and welcoming it is. Here are some of my highlights.  Since I was on a culinary trip with Bestway Tours, my itinerary included some great food and cooking classes. Beit Sitti, translates to “my grandmothers house” and was created by three girls who wanted to keep their grandmothers recipes and traditions alive. The cooking class is set in a gorgeous old house that is decorated with their grandmothers memorabilia. The kitchen is set to hold about 10 people for a cooking class, and you’ll proceed to make several recipes with a local. The food was delicious, and the experience was incredibly fun!  Hashem Restaurant in Amman has been serving some of the best falafel in the city for years. The restaurant is open 24 hours a day is overflowing with tourists, and locals. The reason this restaurant has built such a great reputation in the city is because the King gave it his stamp of approval, and it’s centrally located in the city centre. I tried some falafel, hummus, msabbaha, and foul with pita—all of which were delicious.  You can’t go to a desert without riding a camel, and I couldn’t get enough of these cute creatures. I went on a two hours camel ride through Wadi Rum desert and it was amazing. Of course, the desert was peaceful and quiet, and the scenery was incredible.  The Citadel in Amman is a historical site in the middle of the city and is important because of its long history from as far back as the Middle Bronze Age (1650-1550 BC). Many parts of the buildings are still visible at this site. Although the ruins are amazing, what really impressed me is the panoramic view of the city of Amman.  I heard good things about my hotel in Petra, the Petra Panorama Hotel, but I didn’t expect my view to be this amazing. The hotel itself was a bit dated, but to be honest, it didn’t matter to me because I was tempted to sleep under the stars on my large balcony that overlooked the amazing scenery.  Known as the “Pompeii of the East,” the old area of Jerash is known for its Greco-Roman ruins. The ruins include places of worship, theatres, and other buildings, and you can seriously roam around this area for hours on end as it’s so fascinating. When you’re visiting, you can hardly believe you’re in Jordan, the ruins feel like they’re straight out of Europe!  This was definitely an experience and one that isn’t for everyone. When I first got a glimpse of my tent I wondered how I was going to ever fall asleep. The tents had little single beds in them, lots of blankets to keep me warm during the cold desert night, and a door that was just a flap of material that didn’t close. I definitely didn’t get much sleep, but it was fun to “camp” in the desert—I mean, how often do you really get to do that?  The Dead Sea has around nine times the amount of salt as a regular ocean, and because of that, you float when you go “swimming” in it. You walk in so the water is around your thighs and then just lay back and float around. The Dead Sea also has several minerals which are known to be excellent for your skin, and it’s common to soak in the Dead Sea, and then cover your body with the special mud from the Dead Sea, to get the ultimate soft skin.  Petra is one of the gems of Jordan and often what many people flock to the country for, and it definitely doesn’t disappoint. You can seriously walk around this old city for days, but I only did for five hours and was absolutely exhausted. The large colourful cliffs that border the pathway that lead to the famous treasury, are absolutely breathtaking. This is definitely a highlight of any trip to Jordan and it’s pretty hard for anything else to compare!  Mentioned in the Hebrew bible, Mount Nebo is said to be where Moses died and was buried. Although it’s religious significance, it wasn’t necessarily that what attracted me to Mount Nebo. Again, the panoramic view of the Jordan Valley was breathtaking. Can you tell by this list I have a thing for panoramic views of places? Overall my trip to Jordan was incredible and I can’t wait to share more from my adventures in the next few months. Also, if you’re interested in doing a similar trip through Jordan, you can use this fancy (okay, not so fancy) promo code with Bestway Tours & Safaris: JOC16/LM
|
|
Sign up for our Bestway Club newsletter and be the first to know about special discounts, new tours and travel updates!
Posted by Lauren Marinigh, Blogger & Adventurer at