Name: Sri Lankan Highlights
Brand: Exodus Travels
SKU: N/A
Price: 1470 USD
Availability: LimitedAvailability
Rating: 4.6 (46 reviews)

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Highlight was night in the desert. Trek round Petra also very good. Trip to 
Aqaba seemed a bit superfluous. Maybe cancel that and have two nights in 
desert camp instead?
Plumbing in hotels variable in efficiency. Likewise air-conditioning on 
buses.
Attempt to reduce use of plastic bottles laudable but unfortunately we found 
that we needed more than our own flask-full of water when leaving the coach 
for expeditions which meant we ended up buying plastic bottles as well. Could 
suggest having water 'on tap' in the hotel foyers as well as on the coach?
Night in the desert


He was very conscientious, considerate and polite.


Take lots of loose, comfortable long-sleeved garments, not your best clothes!

A Week in Jordan

A great week with a great bunch of people This was the trip just as I 
expected it - Petra being the highlight, but Wadi Rum coming a close second. 
Or maybe Jerash? Mount Nebo? Two disappointments - firstly Madaba where we 
rushed through the town to see only the Ma’daba Map (well worth it)  
because we had stopped off at a ceramic centre for adults with learning 
difficulties which turned out to be a large shop with less than half of the 
items being ceramics and the rest the usual ‘stuff’ you could find 
everywhere but here the assistants were very pushy. Secondly, Aquaba where, 
because we couldn’t get into our rooms, we went straight to the private 
beach for snorkelling, swimming etc. which is supposed to be an additional 
option but we were told to pay the JD20, with no options. A bit annoying as 
many of our group were not interested in sunbathing and swimming on a private 
beach overlooking Palestine on the other side of the Red Sea.a -
Inevitably, the two days in Petra, particularly starting early on the second 
morning (7am), walking through the Siq and reaching the Treasury almost on 
our own.


Isaa was very helpful, a little earnest to begin with but loosening up by the 
end. He imparted an enormous amount of information, perhaps too much so! I 
would have preferred if we had not had to go around as a group at each site. 
This was particularly annoying at Kerak where we, and other large groups, 
prevented easy movement of couples or small family groups. Our driver, Jamal, 
was an amazing driver with a big friendly smile at all times. However much of 
a character Mohammed was, it was a bit disconcerting having a gun-totting 
policeman walking around with the group!


Do make the effort to make the early start on day 2 at Petra. Do have a torch 
and wet wipes for the camp - it gets dark very early and the loo block, where 
you won’t want to spend too long, is a bit of a walk away! Do make sure you 
not only have your swimming costumes but also your water shoes for the 
private beach at Aquaba - the sand is far more uncomfortable here than at the 
Dead Sea.


If you plan to spend an additional day in Amman, before or at the end of the 
tour, be aware that we get an awful lot done in the last afternoon namely the 
Jordan Museum (Dead Sea Scrolls), the Roman theatre plus 2 little museums, 
the Citadel, a rush through the downtown market and lunch at Hashem’s. We 
found Darat-al-funun (Little House of the Arts) just north of Downtown - 
it’s a very small art centre with peaceful, shady terraces where you can 
have iced coffees, smoothies etc and walk through the gardens to the ruins of 
a Byzantine church. You could also have a more leisurely walk around the 
market, stopping to buy figs, dates or some of the wonderful selection of 
nuts! From there walk to Rainbow Street (do ask for directions, Jordanians 
are very kind and will try very hard to help). Have lunch at Books@cafe [1] 
which is in a street off Rainbow Street, near the bottom. It has a lovely 
terrace cafe and despite its name, we were the only tourists!(apparently very 
lively at night). There’s nothing too special about Rainbow Street by day, 
but the gift shops offer you the chance to buy better souvenirs without the 
pressure of the sales staff you get at the regular stops during the trip.

If this is your first Exodus trip be aware that there is no such thing as a 
lie-in! However, it is a wonderful chance to find out about this wonderful 
country - you’ll love it!


[1] mailto:Books@cafe

An awe inspiring trip, with something for everyone, and covering all the key 
sights, sounds and tastes of Jordan.

I knew I wanted to see Petra, but didn't really have any particular 
expectations of the rest of the tour, I was just curious to see the country. 
Everything was beyond my expectations, and our leader Eddie and the great 
group of fellow travellers really made the trip for me. This is my third 
Exodus trip, and they've all been very different, but equally good.

We arrived into Amman late at night and were assisted through immigration and 
driven to our hotel. The hotel is clean and modern and very comfortable, 
although if you're at the back you might be woken by the call to prayer - a 
regular feature for the week!

Day 1 was a walking tour around the ruins of Jerash which was really 
interesting, and then a dip in the Dead Sea and a swim in the pool above it. 
That evening several of us took taxis to Rainbow Street to find a restaurant 
for dinner (for the rest of the trip our leader Eddie took us to a different 
restaurant each night, also pointing out options for anyone who wanted 
something different).

Day 2 and we left Amman with a long day of driving puntuated by stops at 
Mount Nebo,  Arnun Valley (viewpoints and the Mujib Dam), Madaba, Kerak 
Castle, and finishing with dinner with a Bedouin family in their home, before 
checking into the hotel in Petra at around 10pm. Loo and snack stops were 
plenty, and between stops we were given all the info on the places we were 
going to see (plus jokes and stories!).

Day 3 was a full day in Petra. The hotel is close to the entrance to the 
site, which was appreciated after a day of walking, but the rooms aren't as 
nice as the Amman hotel. Everything is fine, nothing major to complain about, 
the rooms could just do with some updating - particularly the bathrooms.
In Petra we stuck together as group, walking down the Siq, seeing the big 
reveal of the Treasury and then along the valley. A couple of people opted 
not to walk the trail of 600 steps up to the viewpoint high over theTreasury, 
but it was well worth the climb if you have a decent level of fitness. There 
are two Bedouin tea tents on the way where you can take a much-needed break 
in the shade. That evening two of us took the option of the Turkish Bath just 
down the road before dinner (my tired legs appreciated the massage!), then 
Eddie took us all to a nearby restaurant.

Day 4 was another full day in Petra, this time walking in the back way from 
the modern Bedouin town, and then walking around the 'nabatean neighbourhood' 
of cave houses. After a break for a drink, most of us set off on the climb up 
850 steps through the rocks and hills to The Monastery. It was hard going in 
the heat, but there are rest stops on the way to buy water and snacks and 
plenty of amazing views to take in as you go.  We ate our packed lunches in 
the cafe/rest stop opposite the Monastery, which is a surreal and amazing 
view.  Having covered nearly 10 miles on each day in Petra (148  and 143 
flights of stairs each day accodring to Fitbit) most people opted not to walk 
back in for Petra by Night, which has some very mixed reviews. Instead, after 
dinner a number of us headed to the Cave Bar near the visitor centre for 
cocktails.

Day 5 and we had a lie in (there are a lot of early starts) and then left 
Petra, but not before exploring Little Petra and learning the history of the 
camel trains and the people who lived there.  We stopped in town to buy lunch 
to eat on the bus, Eddie having pointed out the bakery, mini-markets and 
shawarma shop. We drove on to Wadi Rum, arriving late afternoon where we 
transferred to the camp in trucks/jeeps, left our luggage, went to the loo, 
and then set off on a 2 hour tour of the desert. The landscape is stunning 
and we had a great vantage point to watch the sunset before returning to camp 
for dinner. The tents are for two, so any single travellers are paired up 
with another of the same sex, as when the trip is full there aren't quite 
enough tents to go around. The tents are traditional woven structures with a 
flap across the entrance, single beds with a blanket and pillow, and a low 
wattage electric light from the ceiling. The loo block is a little way behing 
the tents and very clean, with two loos and a shower on each side.  It was 
beautiful sitting under the stars after dinner, listening to a local musician 
playing traditional Bedouin music, before retiring for an early night.

Day 6, and five of us had a very eary start with the optional camel ride at 
5.45am.  I can't recommend this enough - from the hilarity of trying to get 
on and stay on, to the beauty of the desert at dawn. After breakfast of 
omelettes back at camp, we transferred back to the bus by jeep and went to 
take a look at the Ottoman Railway from the time of Lawrence of Arabia 
-climbing aboard the steam train parked there. We then drove to Aqaba, where 
we had a short tour around the town by bus, stopped off for a Turkish coffee 
from a street vendor, and then arrived at the beach club by mid-morning. At 
the beach club there are several pools plus obviously a beach, all with 
loungers and umbrellas. You can rent snorkel gear to swim off the jetty which 
was fun, and you keep it for the day. Lunch was taken together with a buffet 
served by the main pool. After a packed itinerary to this point it was nice 
to just relax in the sun and the water. In the evening we checked into our 
hotel (fine, and has a small bar area for pre-dinner drink, but bathroom's 
need updating as flooding from the shower seemed to be common among all our 
rooms!). Eddie took us for a walk around the town including a spice stall, 
and the mosque, before we all went to a local fish restaurant for dinner.

Day 7 and we left Aqaba to drive back up the length of the country to Amman. 
We stopped for photo opps overlooking the Dead Sea, to buy snacks for the 
journey, and to buy souvenirs at a bazaar. Arriving back in Amman early 
afternoon, we walked around the Roman Theatre and the Citadel before checking 
back into our original hotel (such comfy beds!) before heading out for a 
special farewell meal in a great restaurant with rooftop seating, The waiters 
were full of jokes and the food and atmosphere were great. Having said 
goodbye to our guide and driver back at the hotel, most of us then headed 
down the road to another hotel for  a drink in the bar (most hotels, 
including ours, are dry).

Day 8 and we transferred to the airport at 8am before flying home, with happy 
memories, tans, and some new friends.
Hard to say, but I think the first reveal of the Treasury in Petra, and the 
sense of achievement at having done the climbs to the high places and the 
views that you were rewarded with, would probably win out.

The huge expanse of the desert at Wadi Rum, with the gorgeous sunset and 
sunrise and the clear stars, was just stunning.

The  simple relaxation of the beach day in Aqaba was also something I hadn't 
realised I needed until we were there.


Eddie was fantastic. He was obviously proud of his country and full of 
information about everything we were going to see, as well as the history of 
Jordan and there in general. He was always smiling and his sense of humour 
and his jokes and stories kept everyone entertained. As far as I could see, 
everything ran like clockwork and we never had to worry about anything while 
we were there.


Just do it!  But seriously:

In early September the weather was very hot, and hats and water bottles and 
lightweight clothing are a must.  The two days Petra were the most energetic 
so be prepared for 7/8 hours out in the sun with a lot of stairs and walking, 
but there are plenty of places to have a drink or something to eat when you 
need a break. If you're afraid of heights (as I am) a couple of places can be 
a bit daunting, but I was able to do all the climbs so don't worry about it 
too much.

Jordan was more expensive than I thought (I hadn't thought too much about 
it!) and lunch or dinner with a soft drink was typically 11-16 JOD ( £12-17) 
which adds up if you do the optional extras and also buy alchohol.

Food is plentiful but if middle eastern cuisine isnt your thing, you'll 
probably be buying snacks! Breakfasts were the weakest meal with the hotel 
buffets being pretty limited.

Be careful on the steps in the Roman Theatre in Amman. I was wearing my old 
faithful walking sandals and still slipped on the smooth limestone coming 
down and aquired some brilliant scrapes and bruises (thank you to Eddie for 
employing the first aid kit!).

Clothing - I read lots of conflicting advice on what women travellers could 
wear. Having been there, I'd say if you're going when it's hot definitely 
take several pairs of loose/lightweight trousers, tshirts with capped 
sleeves, a large scarf you can wrap around you if you need to, and a long 
sleeved shirt you could throw on for modesty or protection from the sun - 
there isnt a lot of shade on this trip.  When we went out for dinner I was 
aware of looks and stares, but nothing uncomfortable and we were generally 
made to feel very welcome everywhere we went. I think just be repsectful of 
where you are and you'll be fine.

Excellent Trip - fulfilled all my expectations - our Guide Zuhair was superb.
on our second day in Petra spending time chilling at the tea shack by the 
High Place of Sacrifice.


our group leader was Zuhair - very friendly and approachable, a mine of 
information and a great style of   telling us about places, people and 
history - selected restaurants all good.


Petra is expensive - stock up on snacks at town before.
Road Houses again are expensive - always barter.

the 'Set meals' are fantastic - lots of mezze - but there is almost too much 
food so your could order off the menu if you do not want to put weight on.


Could almost have done with more excursion time in Wadi Rum.

The week was very enjoyable and there was a lot to see and it was a very 
varied itinerary.
Visiting Petra and seeing the Treasury for the first time.


Alaa was clearly very knowledgeable about the history of Jordan and the sites 
that we visited. He was very friendly and helpful if you asked him a 
question. He gave us the opportunity to see the sites by ourselves once he 
had given us an overview, which was good and made the holiday feel less 
rushed.

The main issue I had with him was that there were a number of occasions with 
poor communication. For example:
- He said that Dead Sea mud products were expensive at the Dead Sea resort 
but cheaper at a shop we stopped at later, but this was not the case and the 
price difference was substantial.
- He didn't explain that it was possible to buy Dead Sea mud at the Dead Sea 
from vendors on the seafront and therefore that we should take money with us 
down to the sea shore, rather than put it all in the lockers 5 minutes walk 
away.
- There was confusion about whether we needed to pack a separate bag when 
staying at the Bedouin tent, but our main bags were brought to the camp 
anyway, despite being told this was not the case.
- At the Red Sea resort it was not explained that there were other options 
for food, rather than just paying the 11JD for the group buffet. It would 
have been nice to have had the opportunity to try different foods rather than 
just the standard bread, hummus, meat skewers etc.
- We stopped at a shop during one of the drives, and Alaa didn't explain why 
he got out but we couldn't.

However, these were minor issues and the vast majority of the week was very 
well organised and planned.


Have fun - it's a fantastic and fascinating country. Bring some comfy shoes 
for Petra.

Great holiday, but communication could have been improved

An excellent trip, very full on but really interesting.  Although the trip 
notes state that the trip is 'moderate' I would say it was more energetic 
than moderate.  Lots of climbing and walking
Camping in the Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum


Excellent


June is exceedingly hot, go in March/April/May to avoid the heat


Jordan is an amazing country and well worth a visit.  I felt very safe and 
welcome