Jordan

In Petra and Amman or Madaba you stay at three-star hotel in a double room with shower / toilet. (You can upgrade to five-star.)

During the ride small one-man igloo tents with mattresses. Bring your own warm sleeping bag and pillow. There are tents where you can wash off (though sometimes it lacks water so you will have to wash using a bucket of water) You set up your own tent (= very easy). So it is a true back-to-nature experience.

The food during the ride is normally very good - a mix of local and European style - and plentiful! When camping, you get the chance to experience the Bedouin lifestyle. You eat on a large rug and sit cross-legged on the floor. A typical breakfast is boiled eggs, yogurt, honey, fresh cheese and warm pita bread with sweet tea or coffee.

The lunches during the ride are picnics with dishes such as strong vegetarian stew with salad and warm bread and fresh fruit. Tea and cakes help you make it through the afternoon rides. Dinner often consists of local specialties such as fish in spices, chicken and potatoes, lamb and rice with yogurt.

At the restaurants, you will be served a buffet breakfast and dinner that is either a la Carte or buffet style. There are usually good choices for vegetarians. Bottled water is provided during the ride.

If you would like wine and beer, it is best to buy it in Amman and bring in your luggage.

You ride about 5-6 hours per day. Approximately 2.5-3.5 hours in the morning, then a three-hour lunch break and then another 2-3 hours in the afternoon. You ride about 25-35 kilomaters (15-18 miles) per day. Every ride starts and ends with about 5 minutes walking with the horses which is good for both the riders’ and the horses’ stiff muscles.

The pace of this ride is medium-fast, with a lot of walking, a little trotting and some galloping - around two chances in the morning and two in the afternoon. The open desert and the firm sand is perfect for long controlled gallops.

Riding experience: You should be a safe rider who can relax on a spirited horse in all gaits. The horses are calm and nicely alert.

The terrain: Wadi Rum’s large desert area is a fantastically different and beautiful area to ride in. The landscape varies. You will ride through the desert mountains, across vast open desert plains, and also through green farmland. Typically, the surface is  hard-packed sand.

Preliminary program:
(Note that the deserts can be very unpredictable, so the guides must be able to change the route depending on weather and local conditions.)

NOTE: During December- February it is too cold to ride in the mountains and there might even be snow. Therefore you and the horses are driven about 1.5 hours to Humaime after  Petra (day 4 in the program below). In the afternoon you start riding east towards your camp and the rest of the days you ride in Wadi Rum. 

DAY 1: ARRIVAL AMMAN – MADABA  Arrival at Amman Queen Alia International Airport, where you will be met and taken to your hotel (***) in Madaba.

DAY 2: Breakfast followed by a road transfer south on the Desert Highway for about 3 hours to reach the Nabatean Rose Red city of Petra. Classical visit of Petra with official Jordanian guide around 3 hours. Rich of history your guide will offer you all informations requested. Dinner & night at your hotel.

DAY 3: This morning you are taken to the Horses waiting for you with the team on the  top of Petra. Horses are ready to go on this beautifull mountain trail. You can see the sacrifice place and all the sick of Petra.  
Camping night

DAY 4: After breakfast you ride from the mountain of Taybeh to the old village of Rajif, which has great views overlooking the Wadi Araba desert. Stop for lunch in the shade of a garden. After lunch you continue riding along the Silk Road which was used by caravans of traders to exchange their produce. There are opportunities for long canters across the plains in the direction of Ber Hammad (an old Nabatean caraven cistern).  Dinner and night is at a mobile camp.

DAY 5-6: After breakfast, ride through Beer Hammad where the old caravan road of the Nabatean and Roman times connects with Wadi Sabra and Petra. You will pass the village of old Thogra and then, dismounting your horses, lead them across the Desert Highway, the main road between Amman and Aqaba which continues to Saudi Arabia. You will ride east through a long valley to the lunch stop.  In the afternoon you will continue riding eastwards towards the sandstone cliffs of Wadi Rum where you will see the natural rock arch 'Karazeh' before reaching camp. Dinner and night is in a mobile camp again.

DAY 7:  Breakfast in camp and mount up to ride beneath the majestic sandstone cliffs, seeing famous inscriptions made by the Thamudic and Nabatean people centuries ago. Continue riding south east towards the agricultural village of Chakria stopping for lunch on the edge of the famous mud flats. Ride up to the French fortress which is well maintained and situated in one of Jordan's most beautiful desert landscapes which is rarely visited by tourists. In the afternoon you will continue riding through stunning canyons and out onto the mud flats which are perfect for long exhilarating canters. Eventually you arrive at Wadi Um Ishrin, a large valley next to Jabel Um Ishrin, with beautiful sand dunes. Overnight in Um Ishrin valley in your camp.

DAY 8: After breakfast at your camp, there will be time for a short morning ride in the desert before you say goodbye to the team and horses and are transferred by road to Aqaba, a journey of c. 1 hour. Aqaba is Jordan's Red Sea port so after dropping your belongings at your hotel you can set off to try some snorkelling, discover the beach or perhaps some shopping. Dinner is at your hotel.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

DAY 9:  After breakfast, you will be driven to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, a journey of c. 3 hours. You will enjoy a relaxing day at the Dead Sea with time to swim, float and relax. You will make your own arrangements for lunch.  In the afternoon you will be driven back to Madaba via Mount Nebo (site only - the church is closed for renovations). It is from here that Moses was famously shown the promised land. Dinner and overnight in Madaba hotel.
Breakfast and dinner included. Lunch to own account.

Day 10 MADABA - AMMAN AIRPORT. After breakfast transfer (about 30 minutes) to Amman airport for your flight home.

The horses are mostly Arabians from Jordan, Syria and Iraq, but also some crosses and Anglo Arabs. They are thinly built but unusually strong horses and about 150-160 cm (59-63 in) at the withers. They are moderately lively, pleasant and easy to ride.

The horses live most of the time in the wilderness. It is mostly mares and geldings but also a couple of stallions.

The horses are all cared for by European standards. They are ridden in the English style and with English saddles and bridles. The saddles have saddlebags where you can keep cameras and water bottles.

The riders are encouraged to groom and saddle your own horse during the ride.

If you want to leave all the commerce and just enjoy the tranquility of this beautiful and unique desert, this is something for you. Here you can enjoy and reflect on what is important in life.

There is sun virtually all year round. In spring and summer the highest daytime temperature of 22-35 ° C (71-95 F), in winter about 15-22 C (59 -71 F) when it can be cold in the evenings and down to zero at nights.
 

Ability description: Level, trail ride 2-3 >>

Included in the price: 9 nights (4 nights ***hotel in double room, 5 nights in tent), full board on the riding days incl water. Return transfer Amman airport.

Not included: Flights, single room (single supplement will be added if there is no one to share the room with), drinks. Dinner first and last night, lunch in Petra and Dead Sea. Visa fee, insurance and extras not mentioned. 

Travel: Book flight/rental car >> We help you book your flight if you wish.
Fly to Amman Queen Alia International Airport.

Transfer: Book in advance with HorseXplore.
From Amman Airport to the hotel (3 stars).Tell us your arrival times so we can coordinate the transfer.
Time: Arrival before 23.00 and departure with flight after 07.00.
Price: Included
If you need transfer other times there will be a supplement of 25 JOD/person/one way.

Guides: Your guides speak English. All are trained in first aid and carry first aid kits on the ride. All luggage, tents etc. are transported by 1-3 jeeps to the various campsites. All the staff are local Jordanians and Bedouins.

Single room: It is possible to book a single room in the hotels (price for single supplement is available under Dates & Prices). If there is no one to share a room with, a single supplement will be added.

Group size: Minimum of 2, maximum of 12 riders per group (sometimes there can be two groups in parallel and you meet up in the evenings).

Vaccination: Normally, no special vaccinations are required, but consult your vaccination center and check the current recommendations they have for the area.

Visa: Visas are required and can be bought at the airport in Amman, approx. 40 JOD. Give us your passport details before departure for visa waiver.

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