A holiday or trip is one of the best remedies to life. And sometimes, you can elevate your trip to an even higher level by taking on an awesometacular experience. The below are my reviews on such experiences, and should definitely be on your ‘Explorative To-Do List.’
AMMAN
Jordan River (JR) Vineyard Tour
Wine in Jordan? Perhaps not the first location that comes to mind when thinking of wines, but history paints a different picture. Discoveries in Petra have shown the Nabataeans produced wines back in 30 BC. Today, the JR Winery follows those early traditions and produces over 500,000 bottles a year, in an impressive 45 varietals. The wine and vineyard tour starts in Amman, where informative guides (including a Haddad family member) take you to the JR vineyard located on the Mafraq plateau. Upon arriving, you’re greeted with a beautiful view of the vineyard and a delicious variety of cheese, crackers, fruits, and the stars for Act I, some Rosé and Sauvignon Blanc. For Act II, you’re taken deeper into the vineyard where you come across sensitive rose bushes, which act as guards alerting one if something is awry with the soil, and olive trees which serve as wind barriers to the vines. You'll see the mineral rich basalt rock, deposited ages ago by neighboring volcanoes, which provide a foundation for the vineyard. And it’s the neighboring 1,800 m (5,906 ft) mountain, Jabal Al Arab, that provides the land with its essential source of water, from winter rains. After a surprise stop, you arrive to Act III, the Eagle Distilleries Winery and Cellar in Zarka, where the magic happens. Here you get to tour all of the facilities and arrive to one of the highlights of the trip, the cellar. Never have I seen barrels of wine tapped ready for consumption. All you have to do is raise your glass and khalas, you have your own wine barrel kegerator of Shiraz and Chardonnay, such a beautiful thing. The end of the show is capped with more wine then you can drink and a delicious buffet of Arabic food. If you have an extra day in Amman or you’re curious about wines of Jordan or you simply heart wines, this experience is for you. The staff is immensely kind, passionate and entertaining, and you’ll have one heck of an unforgettable experience.
(Reviewed: Apr 2018)
WADI RUM
Bedouin Roads
More than any other experience within Jordan, your memories of Wadi Rum will be defined by the guide you choose during your desert exploration. This being the case, Bedouin Roads have been operating in Wadi Rum for more than 15 years and are one of the premier choices for any day or day / night trip within this spectacular desert. Want to summit the Burdah Rock Bridge? No problem, they got your back and will provide you with all the confidence (and safety) you’ll need, all the while cracking jokes along the way. How about catching the best views of Wadi Rum including Jebel Khash? No worries, they’ll take you there and back again and additionally cook brilliant lunches along the way within the most fantastic natural setting. Along with the lunches, prepare yourself to experience some amazing tea. I'm not a tea guy, but this stuff was out of control; some of the best I’ve had.
One of the highlights of Wadi Rum is its isolation from the real world, and their camp site is perfectly located and properly ‘glamped out’. You’ll have your cozy tent with bedding, but the best part is these tents come with power outlets. If that wasn’t convenient enough, there are western toilets, sinks and hot showers at your disposal. I mean really, hot showers in the desert? Craziness. Dinner is a special event, and the food is prepared via a Zarb, a centuries old Bedouin approach for cooking meals which includes burying a pot of food under the sand to create an oven approach. As for what’s on the menu, you have chicken, lamb, rice, veggies and other items, which is exactly what you’ll need to replenish yourself from the 33,000 steps you’ve just taken. To top the evening off, some of the guides will sing and play local instruments under the starlight sky. Speaking of which, if weather conditions are favorable, I recommend you sleep under the stars. It’s a view you’ll never forget.
Your day expeditions are led by experienced guides who've lived or worked in the area for decades and have a positive, if not hilarious take on life. I'd recommend a stay of at least two nights to see and take-in all the beauty and wonders of Wadi Rum. The must-see locations include: Burdah Rock Bridge, Um Fruth Rock Bridge, Jebel Khash and the petroglyphs of Anfishiyyeh and Khazali Canyon (see more images here). Frankly, simply driving around and catching surrounding views such are just breathtaking. There’s certainly more to experience but to me, this should be the minimum. Attayak Ali of Bedouin Roads has become a legend in Wadi Rum, and you won’t be disappointed in choosing this outfit for your Wadi Rum needs.
(Reviewed: Apr 2018)
