Treks and Trails of Jordan: Wadi Rum

"A few thoughts of Jordan"

Wed, 03 Dec 2008 16:23:00 GMT

Feedback on Jordan Dynamic - a 9 day adventure holiday.

By Elizabeth Shoreland

"On touching down in Amman my perception of Jordon - somewhat naively - was one dominated by deserts, the Rose City and bobbing up and down in the Dead Sea. Granted, some activity would be needed to conquer these well known tourist sites, but on discovering that I was going on an "Active Jordon" trip I certainly felt some trepidation: was I going to be able to master cycling, hiking and camel riding in two short weeks? On reflection this was the best way to get a glimpse into the heart of Jordon: while ensuring that we did not miss the more well known tourist attractions the trip took us off the beaten track and exposed us to different aspects of the country and Jordanian life.

The trip was all go from the begining. We toured the Roman city of Jesrah before taking to our bikes in order to cycle through the northern part of the Jordan Valley with its fertile fields and ancient olive trees. We then headed to the Dead Sea where - just like in the posters - we were able float around, before heading to the Dana Nature Reserve. Our hike in the Dana Nature Reserve provided a great insight in the huge variety of ecological systems that exist in the area and dashed any remaining thoughts I had about Jordon being all deserts.

It was then onto Petra where we were able to marvel at the sheer scale of this city carefully carved into the rock, Petra, however, was full to the brim with tourists, and while it was amazing, it was also fantastic to make our escape to Wadi Rum. I never imagined that a desert could hold so much beauty. The Jebels provided an amazing playground and our host, Salam showed us that life in Wadi Rum was action packed: hiking, rock scrambling, camel riding and not to mention crazy antics by the fire at night.

On leaving Wadi Rum we continued our journey south to the Red Sea. I knew the Red Sea was famous for its technicolour marine life: I was not disappointed. Tropical fish and corals were easily spotted during snorkeling excursions during our lazy afternoon on the beach. The next morning we motored north back to Amman. As we were travelling during the holy month of Ramadan we had decided to head into the city to experience Iftar (the breaking of the fast). In the late afternoon the city appeared to have come to a standstill as people attempted to make it home for Iftar. The temporary noise and chaos of those finally few hours however were worth it simply to experience the evening meal in a local restaurant.

All too soon our trip was over. It had been nine actioned packed days that saw us conquering all sorts of transport modes (even run-away camels) and seeing some of the many beautiful sights of Jordon. More importantly though we had meet a number of Jordanians who had, with unrivalled enthusiasm, shared their country and experiences with us: while I have no photos of that experience, it is inevitably the one that I will remember most vividly."

Thank you for the great trip

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:48:00 GMT

by Mark and Kristel
Hi there at Terhaal, We would like to thank you for the great trip we’ve experienced by doing the Terhaal Jordan Remote trip with Salem. We’ve seen the most beautiful places, stayed in the most scenic places (like the Romana camp site and the Feinan Ecolodge) and hiked really flabbergasting routes. Thanks for a great week! Mark and Kristel

Active Jordan - April 2007

Sun, 22 Apr 2007 02:25:00 GMT

Click here to view the photo collection.

To Mette, Ruth, Sarah, Tanya and Eric, I would like to say thank you for your visit to Jordan. We hope you have enjoyed this trip as much as we have enjoyed running it! Also, thanks for all the constructive feedback and tips that you have given us throughout this trip. We have certainly learnt alot.

Special thanks to Sarah and Mette for all the nice photos!

Active Jordan is an 11 day tour around Beautiful Jordan. What makes this trip special is all the fun activities (mountain biking, camel riding, camping, hiking/scrambling and canyoning) along the diverse lanscape of the country, mixed with spentaneous cultural interaction and all the sighseeing and unique heritage sites. For more information please Click here.

Wadi Rum: A Second Impression

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 12:39:00 GMT

Photos by Nada

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By Nada Momani

Wadi Rum for me wasn't a totally new place, I had been there once before on a school trip, although going with Tala and Rakan was a totally different experience. It came as a surprise to me that I hadn't noticed all these magnificent sites on my first visit to Rum.

It had totally another meaning this time, the sand, the mountains and the never-ending supply of tea.

We reached Wadi Rum at around noon; it was really hot and it was suggested that we go to 'Al-Khazaly' mountain as it would be the best place to go to at that time. We arrived there and found plenty of places in the shade to lie down and have a little nap (though the flies were a little bit annoying).

The night was magnificent; the cold sand, the dinner and the stars! The sky was extravagantly lit with dozens of twinkling stars. I had never seen so many stars before in my life!

Every time when I visit a new site in Jordan I immediately understand why I have this big love for our country. There are some things that you never forget and I know that this trip will be one of the unforgettable events of my life.

Thank you, Tala and Rakan, for this lovely trip. Hopefully you enjoyed our company :).

Abu Zhayer of Wadi Rum

Sat, 24 Jun 2006 00:23:00 GMT

Photos by Daniele

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By Rakan Mehyar

His name is Salem Zalabia, better known as Abu Zhair or Abu Zhayer; a 24 year old Bedouin guy from Rum.

Salem was born in the desert of Rum and has been living there ever since. He literally knows every mountain, sand dune and grain of sand! While his family still lives the traditional Bedouin life,in a goat-hair Bedouin tent grazing goats and herding camels, Salem works in the local tourism industry as a desert guide.

To me, he is more than just a desert guide; he is also a good friend and the best host you can ever have. He's not much of a morning guy as he seldom talks then, but once the sun starts to set Salem starts getting in the mood; the best times I had there were around a little fireplaceafter dinner, chatting with Salem over an endless supply of sweet Bedouin tea.

If you're bored, he entertains you and tells you exciting desert stories spiced up with his wonderful sense of humour. If you're hungry, he prepares the best food you can ever have. If it's cold at night, he makes sure you have enough blankets to keep you warm. If you're in need of a friend, he's there for you; an absolutely genuine and sincere host.

My Jordan Holiday - Spring 2006

Sun, 11 Jun 2006 03:09:00 GMT

Photos by Ulli & Claudia

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By Ullrich Kastner

Claudia and I stayed for two weeks in beautiful Jordan and the number one on a list that is full of spectacular places is definitely Wadi Rum. There can hardly be a place in the world that has such a fine combination of tranquility, back to the roots, culinary top spot and local ( Jordan) culture.

We stayed for 3 days and 2 nights (clearly not long enough) in a bedouin tent right in the middle of the Wadi. You can feel the wideness and endless features of huge rocks and sandy deserts. From here we explored the surroundings, had fantastic hikes and an extremely funny camel ride through the desert (it was actually more a race, with lot's of yalla, yalla and shouting!).

Hiking is obviously the most practical activity in the Wadi as you could do it for a complete year around and still would have space left to discover. Anyway, having some fantastic local bedouin guide and a little time, we were able to capture the best locations in the most efficient way, without running stressed from one place to the other. A clear advantage of our tour was that it was organized by Rakan, who definitely knows the right guys around. We actually had the exclusive treatment of being the only couple with the local team and therefore had a very personalised experience.

The evenings especially were always close to being perfect. We had local Bedouin BBQ, with lamb grilled under the earth and chicken made over an open fire. It was, honestly, the best meat I ever had! No five star restaurant in Europe could do any better. Sitting in a tent with an open fire and devouring the feast with your fingers is the real experience. Having some sweet tea afterwards (bring some brandy along if you wish) and falling asleep under the stars was heaven on earth.

It is hard to capture in words what the feeling of peace is like when you are out in the desert and it is best to find out yourself anyway. Just make sure you take your time (3 days is minimum) as you will need it to leave all your troubles behind. Try to get a personalised tour with somebody like Terhaal, so you don't get sucked in by a commercialised tour group that can be found at other places. Only that way can you experience the true Jordan.

And by the way, don't think you can get a shower or anything else you are used to from five star hotels. There is nothing like it in the Wadi. But amazingly the sand on your skin keeps you dry and clean...

Ullrich Kastner
Online Distribution Manager
Hilton International
ullrich.kastner@hilton.com

Rambling in Green Ajloun

Wed, 24 May 2006 16:15:00 GMT

Photos by Tala & Rakan

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By Ahmad Hallak

It was 9pm on a cold Thursday night and I was at my sister's house about to be served dinner when my phone rang. It was Tala, suggesting...no...ordering me to go home and pack my things because we were going to the green hills of 'Anjara - Ajloun to stay at an Eco-Lodge for the night and go hiking the next morning. She wanted us to check it out along with the local hiking trails for especially during this time of year when the weather would be wonderful! To make a long story short, Rakan, Tala and couple of friends and I arrived at the Ajloun Eco-Lodge at 11pm that night and I must admit I was pleasantly surprised.

The Eco-Lodge was designed to blend in with the natural environment and it did that perfectly. There were several wood and canvas cabins facing each other on a plain in a heavily wooded area and what added to the allure was that no landscaping whatsoever had been done. It was like walking through a forest and stumbling upon a long ago forgotten settlement reclaimed by nature. Every cabin had four comfortable beds and the Lodge staff supplied us with warm blankets.

The next morning we got up bright and early, washed up in the communal bathrooms and trooped of to get something to eat. Breakfast was a very Spartan affair with Labneh (a kind of yoghurt spread), jam, boiled eggs and lots of tea!

Then we went hiking which was wonderful! Walking along well-trodden trails we walked through past densely packed trees, bushes and boulders on the hillside just below the Lodge. The weather was perfect, the scenery beautiful and the local wildlife fascinating. All kinds of strange little insects and birds flew about busy at work while I saw flowers and plants I had never before seen sporting magnificent colours. It was an exhilarating experience and I was now truly glad that Tala had called me when she had!