Budget travel | Jordan, the Hashemite kingdom, is a country of beauty and contrasts

Petra, Jordan. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Fertile valleys, remote deserts, rugged canyons, lost cities  wrapped in years and years of history — the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan is a country of beauty, contrasts and astonishing biodiversity. A progressive monarch and friendly people make this an even more alluring destination. The best part about visiting Jordan is that it’s a compact country and travel times are short.

Shops in Jerash, in northern Jordan. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Despite being squeezed between hotspots of the world like Saudi Arabia and Israel, Jordan is one of the safest countries to visit. Besides the variety of sights there is to see in this fascinating country, the Middle Eastern allure of Jordan is what one remembers for a long time — markets straight out of the Arabian Nights packed with multi-hued handicrafts and sand art, the strong taste of Jordanian coffee, sheeshas or hookahs lined up in a row with apple-flavoured tobacco.

Economy return air fares from Mumbai to Amman start at around Rs 38,000 on Air Arabia.

Capital time

Start in Amman, the capital, spend two nights there.

Amman used to be Philadelphia, one of the cities of the Decapolis, or 10 cities from which Rome administered its Arabian provinces.  Today, it is a modern Arabian city sprawled over hills with broad boulevards, winding roads and apartment blocks in stunning, locally mined white limestone. In the heart of the ancient city, is the Jabal Al Qala, the ancient citadel. Catch a panoramic view of the city from its ruined terraces. The citadel museum houses among other exhibits the Dead Sea Scrolls found near the Dead Sea by a Bedouin shepherd.

Amman’s 6,000-seater Roman theatre, a deep bowl carved into a hill, faces modern street cafés.

Amman, Jordan. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Car lovers can visit the King Hussein Park where the late king’s collection of cars ranging from Ferraris to armoured Rolls-Royce is on display. Shopping in Amman’s atmospheric downtown souk is a must. Come night, Amman comes alive with its nightclubs and international restaurants.

Stay at Intercontinental Amman where double accommodation starts at around Rs 10,000 per night.

Day 2

Roman ruins

Roman ruins in Jerash. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Drive to Jerash (one hour from Amman) a remarkably well-preserved Roman city buried for years under the sand for a day trip. Take a walk through the magnificent Hadrian’s arch, stroll through the Hippodrome, the scene of ancient sporting activities and today the venue of a re- enactment of a daily chariot race called RACE (Roman Army & Chariot Experience), a Swedish-Jordanian Joint venture. The Forum, the centre of life in ancient times, the Colonnaded Street and the Nymphaeum, an ornate monument to the water nymphs are all well-preserved. You half expect men in togas and slaves to walk past you! Gawk at shop fronts and walk above the ancient sophisticated sewer system which even works today. There are two magnificent Roman theatres where you can catch a daily performance of bagpipes by Jordanian army regulars. Jerash is home to the Jerash Festival every year showcasing dance, music and crafts.

Day 3

Your Indiana Jones moment

Drive to the ancient city of Petra was a well-kept secret till a Swiss explorer unearthed it disguised as a Bedouin. This legacy of the Nabateans (who amassed a fortune levying tax on caravans) is a UNESCO World heritage site and has been voted officially as one of the "New Wonders of the world". You can walk or take a horse drawn carriage through the narrow atmospheric Siq, or gorge, with high cliffs soaring upwards, leading to the magnificent iconic Treasury. Petra has many famous monuments and sights — tombs, temple façades, a monastery, a Roman theatre and funerary halls that can keep you occupied for days. Donkey rides are available to reach the steep points.  You can hire a guide from the Visitor Centre and hike the isolated parts of Petra to see some stunning landscapes. A romantic way to experience Petra is with a the walk at night between 8.30 and 10 pm, when the entire Siq and treasury is lit up with candles and there is haunting Bedouin music in the background.

Ancient city of Petra, Jordan. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Petra is located 235 km from Amman. You can rent a car with insurance at Queen Alia International Airport in Amman for about $35 to $45 per day. The JETT bus is a cheaper option that takes around 4 hours to reach.

Stay at Hotel Petra Marriot with room fares around Rs 12,000 for double accomodation.

Day 4

Desert splendour

If you want a taste of the wild and untamed, Wade Rum is the place in Jordan that you must visit. A maze of rocks in twisted and contorted shapes and sandstone jebels or mountains and sizes rising up from the red desert sands looks like a moonscape. There are ancient graffiti, drawings by caravans that passed through, a network of canyons, rock bridges that will excite the history buff as well as the rock climbing enthusiast. Much of David Lean’s epic Lawrence of Arabia (1962) was filmed in Wadi Rum. You can visit a Bedouin camp, have a camel safari, ride a four-wheel-drive vehicle or camp out with the Bedouins under a star-spangled sky. Wadi Rum is a great place for bird watchers, too. Vultures, eagles and other large species of birds can be seen here.

A mountain in Wadi Rum, Jordan. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

Wadi Rum is only 65 miles from Petra. You can either drive or take a bus.

Stay at the  Bubble rum camp with air-conditioned tents with rooms starting at around Rs 10,000 for one night.

Day 5

Low Point

Drive four hours to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth flanked by rolling hills with a perpetual haze caused by evaporation has an other-worldly beauty.

Dead Sea, Jordan. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

They call it the largest natural spa in the world with its oxygen-rich air, filtered sun rays and curative waters. It is supposed to be the site of five Biblical cities and the perfect location for a soothing massage and the de rigueur Dead Sea float!

Want a quick makeover?

Mud pack at the Dead Sea. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Just slap on some of the Dead Sea mud provided in tubs thoughtfully on the shores, let it dry and then rinse it off! Even Cleopatra believed in its qualities! Try the Dead Sea salt scrub, the Dead Sea mud wrap (costs around Rs 4,225 for 60 minutes), a detoxifying coffee wrap or even an algae bath at the Zara Spa at the Mövenpick resort. Stay at the resort and spa hotel with luxurious sea-facing rooms, starting at around  Rs 11,000 per night.

Day 6

Soul curry

Drive to Madaba, 76 km from the Dead Sea. Jordan is the country where prophets walked and is studded with Biblical sites.

At Madaba, Jordan. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Madaba called the "City of Mosaics" is one of the destinations in the Holy Land with the main attraction, a contemporary Greek Orthodox Church built over the remains of a 6th-century Byzantine mosaic map. This map shows the location of Jerusalem and many other holy sites and has helped archaeologists identify many modern-day places.

At Mount Nebo, near Madaba, Jordan. (Photo: Kalpana Sunder)

Close to Madaba is Mount Nebo, the place where Moses is supposed to have seen the Holy Land. Today one can see a wonderful panorama of the Jordan valley, rolling hills, far off Jerusalem and the shimmering waters of the Dead Sea. An absolute must do is the visit to a mosaic factory in Madaba, where one can see Muslim women craft exquisite works of art from hundreds of geometric pieces. Stay at Grand Hotel Madaba with comfortable doubles starting at around Rs 6,000 per month.

Day 7: Fly out of Amman

Foodie paradise

Jordan’s hybrid cuisine with many options for vegetarians has many influences from Syria, Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt. The Jordanian way of eating is a first course of mezze or starters which is usually a cold course. This has salads like tabbouleh (cracked wheat, parsley and tomato), Arabian salad, and dips like hummus (made out of chickpea paste with tahini, lime and garlic) goat’s cheese, baba ganoush (made out of smoked eggplant). The second course is usually meat and kebabs. The most distinctive dish is Bedouin called mansaf —  Arabian rice with lamb or chicken with yoghurt sauce.

Künafeh, a sweet dish. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

There are an amazing variety of traditional sweets on offer in Jordan, too. Try the ubiquitous baklava with layers of thin pastry, pistachio nuts and syrup, crisp and crunchy. Kunafeh is a local sweet made with deep-fried goat’s cheese with warm syrup and crushed pistachios, and should not be missed. Average meal cost per day will be around Rs 3,000.

Visa is on arrival for India travellers.