Have you ever been to a destination so amazing that it took weeks, even months, to process? That was my experience with Jordan. It’s been a month and a half since I returned from Jordan, and I’m just now realizing that I did, in fact, travel to the Middle East.
Before I left, family and friends seemed genuinely concerned about my safety traveling to a country that is bordered by Syria, Israel, Iraq and Saudi Arabia. And I didn’t arrive without my own fears about traveling to the region. But the opportunity to visit Petra, one of the Seven Wonders of the World (on my birthday no less!), spend the night in Wadi Rum, ride a camel through the desert, and float in the Dead Sea was too great to pass up on. Remember, to travel is to live!
It turned out, all of my anxieties were for nothing. Once I arrived in Jordan, many of my concerns were eased. Amman, the capital city, was bustling with people and more modern than I ever imagined. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, I met was friendly. I had read on other blogs prior to my trip that Jordanians were some of the friendliest people in the world, and now I can confirm that this was my experience as well.
It’s really amazing that there’s this peaceful, hospitable country in the middle of so much unrest. If I ever have another opportunity to return to Jordan, I would do so in a heartbeat. I would even bring my family along for the ride — that’s how confident I am with the country and its people.
My journey to Jordan included so many once-in-a-lifetime experiences, it’s really hard to even comprehend everything I saw and did. But the trip really happened … and I have thousands of photos to prove it!
Here’s a look at my itinerary, which started and ended in Amman via Royal Jordanian airlines. Over seven days I traveled from nearly the top to the bottom of Jordan, visiting all of the major highlights – yet I left feeling like I only scratched the surface of, what is currently, the most beautiful and diverse country I have even been to.
Day 1 - Amman & Jerash
Day 2 -Â Dana Biosphere Reserve & Feynan Ecolodge
Day 3 – Petra
Day 4 – Camping at Wadi Rum
Day 5 – Aqaba & Red Sea Snorkeling
Day 6 – Dead Sea
Day 7 – Madaba & Mount Nebo
I will be sharing more about my experience in Jordan over the coming weeks, including more amazing photos. It’s been very hard to sort through them all when each picture is more breathtaking than the next.
Special thanks to the Jordan Tourism Board for hosting my stay. All opinions are my own.
