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Mystical Jordan…time to go is now  

 Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan

The world is a book, & those who do not travel read only one page.” – Saint Augustine

The Middle East is a grand epic, a cradle of civilisations & a beautiful, complicated land that is home to some of the planet's most hospitable people. Quite simply extraordinary, one of the world's most fascinating & rewarding travel destinations.

The word is out: as far as off-the-beaten-path destinations go and if you fancy travelling somewhere different Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is the place to go. A safe haven in a region of conflict, Jordan has delighted visitors for centuries with its world heritage sites, friendly towns and inspiring desert landscapes. More than ever, intrepid travellers are making their way to Kingdom and there’s little wonder why. Come……experience Jordan with us………

The Middle East is quite simply extraordinary, one of the world's most fascinating & rewarding travel destinations.

In the Middle East, history is not something you read about in books. Here, it is a story written on the stones that litter the region, from the flagstones of old Roman roads to the building blocks of ancient Egypt & the delicately carved tombs & temples from Petra to Persepolis. This is where humankind first built cities & learned to write. It was here that some of the most significant civilisations of antiquity rose & fell and where the 3 great monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity and Islam - were born.

Wherever you find yourself, the past is always present because here, perhaps more than anywhere else on earth, history is the heart & soul of the land. Left behind is an astonishing open-air museum of ancient cities & historic buildings, the stones of which still resonate with the sounds of the faithful.

The region is home to some of the world's most significant cities - Jerusalem, Cairo, Damascus, Teheran, Baghdad & Istanbul. The ruins of the once similarly epic cities of history - Petra, Persepolis, Ephesus, Palmyra, Baalbek, Leptis Magna & the bounty of ancient Egypt, also mark the passage of centuries in a region where the ancient world lives & breathes.

The landscapes of the region are equally spellbinding, from the unrivalled seas of sand dunes & palm-fringed lakes in Libya’s Sahara desert to the stunning mountains of the north and the underwater world of the Red Sea.

It was here that some of the most significant civilisations of antiquity rose and fell and where the 3 great monotheistic religions - Judaism, Christianity & Islam - were born. Left behind is an astonishing open-air museum of ancient cities & historic buildings, the stones of which still resonate with the sounds of the faithful.

The landscapes of the region are equally spellbinding, from the unrivalled seas of sand dunes & palm-fringed lakes in Libya’s Sahara desert to the stunning mountains of the north and the underwater world of the Red Sea.

Above all else, however, your most enduring memory of the Middle East is likely to be its people. Their gracious welcome, many kindnesses and boundless hospitality speak of an altogether more civilised age. At some point on your visit to the Middle East, you will be sitting in a coffeehouse or looking lost in a labyrinth of narrow lanes when someone will strike up a conversation &, within minutes, invite you home to meet their family & share a meal. Or someone will simply approach & say with unmistakable warmth, ‘Welcome’. These spontaneous, disarming & utterly genuine words of welcome can occur anywhere across the region. And when they do, they can suddenly (& forever) change the way you see the Middle East.

From the gravitas of the Sahara to the blue tiles of Esfahan, this is a region for discerning travellers, for those looking for the story behind the headline, and where the bridges between ancient & modern civilisations are everywhere evident. If you believe what the media tells you and decide not to visit, you would be missing out on the journey of a lifetime.

And now let us discover Jordan, a tiny desert kingdom wrapped in history.

Ancient Antiquity | Desert Landscape | Cultural Dynamism

Welcome to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan founded by King Abdullah I & currently ruled by King Abdullah II, son of the late King Hussein. Over the years, Jordan has grown into a stable, peaceful & modern country.

Once an important trading center of the Roman Empire & straddling the ancient Holy Land of the world's three great monotheistic religions, Jordan is a tiny desert kingdom wrapped in history & continues to enthral a whole new generation as a modern, vibrant nation.

Jordan, which once captivated ancient travellers, is one of those places that most North Americans know nothing about. We remember that it was mentioned was in the Bible & we think that the one scene from Indiana Jones & the Last Crusade was shot there, but that is about all we have. We also have a vague notion that Jordan & the Middle East as a whole, really isn’t a great place for travelers.

A safe haven in a region of conflict, Jordan has delighted visitors with its World Heritage Sites, friendly towns & inspiring desert landscapes.

Jordan has a tradition of welcoming visitors: camel caravans plied the legendary King’s Highway transporting frankincense in exchange for spices & Nabataean tradesmen, Roman legionnaires, Muslim armies & zealous Crusaders all passed through the land, leaving behind impressive monuments. These monuments, including Roman amphitheatres, crusader castles & Christian mosaics, have fascinated subsequent travellers in search of antiquity & the origins of faith. The tradition of hospitality to visitors remains to this day.

An Arab nation on the east bank of the Jordan River, it is defined by ancient monuments, nature reserves & seaside resorts. It is home to the famed archaeological site of Petra - the ancient Nabataean city dating to around 300 B.C.E, locked in the heart of Jordan’s sandstone escarpments, is the jewel in the crown of the country’s many antiquities.

Set in a narrow valley with tombs, temples & monuments carved into the surrounding pink sandstone cliffs over 2000 years ago, Petra earns its nickname, the "Rose City”. Ever since explorer Jean Louis Burckhardt brought news of the pink-hued necropolis back to Europe in the 19^th century, the walk through the Siq to the Treasury (Petra’s defining monument) has impressed even the most travel weary of visitors. With sites flung over a vast rocky landscape & a mood that changes with the shifting light of dawn & dusk, this is a highlight that rewards a longer visit.

Jordan might just be the perfect Middle East travel destination. An outward-facing country that welcomes visitors with true hospitality, it is a place keen to show off its attractions. And what treasures it has, from the dramatic, cliff-cut masterpiece of Petra & the epic Roman ruins of Jerash to the soaring desert sands & mountains of Wadi Rum & the impossible saltiness of the Dead Sea. All are part of an offering of nature and history that surpasses even the wildest dreams of any Tourism Board.

Stand on Mt Nebo & survey the land promised to Moses; unwrap a scarf or two at Mukawir, where Salome cast a spell over men in perpetuity; float in the Dead Sea, beside a pillar of salt, reputed to be Lot's disobedient wife; go just about anywhere in Jordan & you will find every stone bares a tale, and those of Madaba's legendary Mosaics tell more tales than most.

From the haunting, primeval starkness of Wadi Rum, to the teeming centre of urban Amman; from the majestic ruins of bygone civilizations to the timeless splendour of the Dead Sea, Jordan is unveiled as a unique destination offering breathtaking and mysterious sights, high standard accommodations, exquisite cuisine & countless activities that can provide visitors with inspiration, motivation & rejuvenation.

Take a ride through Wadi Rum at sunset & it is easy to see why TE Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) was so drawn to this land of weathered sandstone & reddened dunes.

But Jordan's desert landscapes are not confined to the southeast: they encompass a salt sea at the lowest point on earth, canyons flowing with seasonal water, oases of palm trees & explosions of springtime flowers scattered across arid hills.

Marvelling at herds of Gazelles & Oryx and migrating birds, camping amidst the grandeur of Wadi Rum or Dana Reserve, trekking the ancient caravan trails from the highlands of Moab & Edom, hiking the wooded hills of biblical Gilead, or experiencing the unique, cleansing mud baths of the Dead Sea are just a few examples of the treasures awaiting visitors to this unique kingdom. There is no mistaking the fact that Jordan is a Kingdom steeped in history & culture.

Despite contending with large numbers of tourists who are often insensitive to conservative Jordanian values, rural life in particular has managed to keep continuity with the traditions of the past. While Jordan faces the challenges of modernisation & growing urbanisation, it remains one of the safest countries in which to gain an impression of the quintessential Middle East.

Ultimately it is the sensual delights of daily life in the Middle East that you will hanker for longest after you return home; the bittersweet taste of cardamom coffee or the smell of a richly scented nargileh (water pipe); the intoxicating swirl of Arabic pop sliding out of an Amman doorway and the deafening silence of the desert.

Jordanians are a passionate & proud people and the country truly welcomes visitors with open arms. Despite being squeezed between the hotspots of Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel & the Palestinian Territories, Jordan is probably the safest & most stable country in the region. Regardless of your nationality, you will be greeted with nothing but courtesy & hospitality in this gem of a country.

From the moment you arrive, you get a sense of its rich heritage, all around are remnants of ancient civilizations long since past, yet they still remain, stamped into the very fabric of this amazing Kingdom & etched into the soul of the people who live here.

From the moment you arrive, you get a sense of its rich heritage, all around are remnants of ancient civilizations long since past, yet they still remain, stamped into the very fabric of this amazing Kingdom & etched into the soul of the people who live here.

A unique experience is just the beginning……. Take the plunge now and yep….Jordan is waiting. Spectacular, affordable & still often uncrowded. A warm welcome awaits you and The Journeys is ready to take you on well, a journey (or journeys) of discovery.

Come…be inspired & experience the World……