View from the Inside: Jordan Tours

Written by Tom Bourne, Sales Consultant at Voyages Jules Verne who recently travelled on a Jordan tour.

"Visiting Jordan you could be forgiven for thinking you were being thrust into the crossroads of the world.

Nowhere is this sense more apparent than in Aqaba, the point of entry for our tours. Not only are you a short hop over the border from Eilat in Israel but on a clear day you can also make out Taba in Egypt, and you are no more than 20 miles north of the Saudi border.

Aqaba is a fantastic introduction to Jordan tours and can also serve as a great base from which to explore further inland if you are after a more relaxing stay. Ideally situated at the northern apex of the Red Sea, Aqaba offers both beach for those who want to relax and coral for those with an interest in snorkelling.

Though the big draw of a Jordan tour for me would be the diversity of its historical sites coupled with the relatively short distances between these places of interest.

Jerash could be said to be a watermark of Roman expansion in the region and is considered to be one of the best preserved Roman cities outside of Europe. Walking under the shade of Hadrian's arch and down the colonnaded street it is easy to slip back in time, being able to see and feel the ruts in the paving stones caused by chariots almost two millennia ago.

Then there are those sites within Jordan from the Bible's depiction of the Holy Land. You can visit the still relatively newly discovered site at Bethany upon the river Jordan where Jesus was baptised, and gaze from atop Mount Nebo westwards, the direction from where Moses was said to have first laid eyes on the 'promised land'.

And of course the Jewel in Jordan's crown is Petra, the rock cut capital of the Nabataean civilisation. This city hewn from the very hill sides used to hide the wealth accumulated by its occupants is at the same time mysterious and enthralling, and the sheer scale accompanied with unique architecture means you could happily lose yourself for days. Its labyrinthine gorges coupled with constantly changing light mean that even amateur photographers might need to pack a spare memory card or two!

This topped off with the truly unique experience of floating in the Dead Sea, or perhaps even getting yourself coated with its mud after a long days sightseeing will make a Jordan tour quite unforgettable." (March 2010).

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