Dhanya Damodaran

Dec 8, 20193 min read

Mesmerizing Jordan

Updated: Feb 12, 2020

Visited in May' 2013

Marhabaan bikum fi Al'urdun!!

The middle eastern country of Jordan has so much of history in every corner of it. The country shares its borders with Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Israel. There is plenty to explore from valleys to mountains to seas to deserts and of course world wonders and UNESCO heritage sites. What more is needed to fulfill a traveler's thirst?

Our itinerary of 4 days visit was to cover

1) Madaba

2) Mt Nebo

3) Baptism Site of Jesus Christ

4) Dead Sea

5) The Great Rift Valley

6) Petra

7) Wadi Rum

We hired a taxi from Amman airport to Madaba and then decided to continue the entire trip in the same taxi. Since public transportation wouldn't be an ideal choice, it is recommended to hire a private taxi by agreeing the fare to cover the trip.

Madaba has rich history with the remains of mosaics from centuries ago. We explored the small town, its churches, followed by a visit to the historical Mt Nebo, which is referred in Bible. You can see plenty of olive orchards on the way.

Our next destination was the Baptism Site. It was a very special feel to see the Jordan River and the site where Christ is believed to be baptized. One can see the pilgrims from Israel on the other side of the river taking a dip in the holy river. There is a lot to walk and explore the site

The next was one of the most exciting leg of the trip - a visit to the Dead Sea. The salt and mineral content is so high that anything would float in its water. The therapeutic mud from the sea bed is of very high demand and popularity for skin care. It would be a good idea to take care of the young travelers with you to avoid getting the dead sea water in contact with their eyes.

Petra - Al Khazneh - Wonder of the World. We traveled along the desert highway and were so excited reach Petra by evening. The next day was dedicated to explore the wonder carved in red sandstone. The narrow Siq, the first views of the Al Khazneh (Treasury), the Bedouin lifestyle, the hike around the monastery, the amphitheater... Petra is indeed a great treasure for explorers. One can imagine the Romans trading with the Arabs, the rich merchants living in the stone palaces, the caravans crossing the markets, the air and sand in Petra has a thousand stories to tell about the history of human civilization. The more time you spend there, the more you fall in love with this place...

The final leg of our trip was to Wadi Rum - a UNESCO World Heritage site. The vast spread of crimson red sand, the huge rocks amidst the desert, and a jeep drive to explore the site is very interesting. During the jeep safari, we can visit the Bedouin desert camp where we are offered the Arabic tea and snacks. We also get to see the stone carvings and writings from medieval ages.