Family Adventures
Jordan has no shortage of places to discover and explore for families. During holidays or weekends I head out with my wife and two children to new places. We have taken our children from when they were a few months old on our adventures. We especially enjoy meeting the families of our Bedouin friends in Wadi Rum for some camping and hiking. Or walks in the north of Jordan in the spring with the hills carpeted with flowers. Or taking friends with children on a donkey trek in the mountains around Petra. Or having a day out in a natural ‘water park’ – one of the Dead Sea Rift wadis and canyons with hot springs and a stream through it.
These activities bring us closer together as a family, stimulate interesting conversations with our children, and encourage them to explore and question our world. It is a real life education for our children and us. We encourage you to experience the country “en famille”.
We can customize a program which caters to the needs of a specific age group and fitness level. On certain hikes we can organize a donkey or camel to help with transporting either the children or the luggage and supplies. Below is a sample program. We have many more programs or we can customize an itinerary to your specific requirements. Contact us for details.
Sample Program
This program is a multi faceted family adventure for all: it includes Crusader Castles; a 4x4 jeep safari in Wadi Rum; gorges with cascading water and hanging fern and date plants; the rose red city of Petra; and finally a day diving or snorkelling with the colourful fish of the Red Sea. In all the best of Jordan.
Day 01: Arrival
Arrive and transfer to your hotel in Madeba.
Day 02: Madeba, Hike wadi Ibn Hammad, Kerak
We start with a visit of Madeba to see the ancient mosaic map of the Holy Land. We also see the remains of Byzantine church with their mosaic floors. Then on to Mount Nebo where Moses viewed the Promised Land. You can see the Jordan Valley, Jericho and the Judean hills beyond; also the remains of Byzantine church with their mosaic floors. We head towards Kerak for a beautiful and dramatic hike. We start at the hot spring of Ibn Hammad and enter a narrow sandstone siq or gorge. Many springs feed into the gorge resulting in a sparkling river and abundant vegetation and hanging gardens.
Overnight near Kerak.
Day 03: Kerak, Shobak, Little Petra
We spend the day visiting a couple of Crusader castles – the impressive Kerak Castle and the less visited Shobak Castle. Both castles guarded the edge of the Crusader Kingdom. Then onto to Little Petra or Biehdah where we get a taste of the Nabatean carvings and city and take a short walk. Onto Petra for our overnight.
Day 04: Petra
A full day to explore the magnificent Red Rose city of Petra. You have the choice to walk to the site or to take a horse ride to the dramatic "ciq" or canyon. See the Treasury, carved in the pink stone, and continue past the Roman theatre, the Corinthian Tomb and Palace Tomb to the Roman road. For those who have the energy, leave most of the tourist behind to take the 60-minute walk to the Monastery they will be rewarded with one of the best sites in Petra. We return to the entrance siq by the way of the High Place of Sacrifice.
Day 05: The Bedouin and camping in Wadi Rum
We leave Petra to head to the desert landscape of Wadi Rum, of T.E. Lawrence fame and described by him as “Vast, echoing and God-like”. Once we arrive at the visitors centre we leave our coach with 4 wheel drive jeeps with the local Bedouins for a day of exploration. We will have a short walk through a canyon and over a sand dune, enjoying the desert scenery and quiet. Overnight under the stars in a Bedouin camp.
Day 06: Aqaba
Leave Rum to head to Aqaba on the Red Sea. You have a variety of options to spend the day – snorkelling, diving, swimming, windsurfing, and much more.
Day 07: Dead Sea
Transfer in the morning to the Dead Sea for a float in the lowest place on earth. Overnight at Hotel.
Day 08: Depart