Jordan
- Petra Wadi Rum Trail Ride -
Are you eager to experience something really different? This adventure has a perfect mix of culture in Petra and exciting riding in the Wadi Rum desert. French woman Emmanuelle has put together a well-planned and enjoyable program. You ride on alert Arabian thoroughbreds. The horses are all owned by Emmanuelle, which is a big advantage and you can be assured that the horses are well cared for and enjoy their time, as well.
You start by exploring the world famous Petra. After an early breakfast, you ride to Petra Nabatean City and cross the famous Khasneh. At this time of the morning, there are no other tourists. It is a unique and unforgettable experience to ride there.
This is a riding tour with historical touch. You reach Petra through a very narrow gorge that protected the city for centuries. Petra is like an open-air museum with amphitheaters, cloisters and cave dwellings. Everything carved into the cliffs is tinged with pink, ocher, chocolate and blue. The landscape is changing all the time. Even the sand has different colors, patterns and shades. Petra is one of the natural wonders of the world and the peace, silence and the fact it makes you feel so small, is unique.
You ride, eat and live together with the Bedouins. The adventure ends at your hotel on the Dead Sea coast. It feels so luxurious to take a long, long shower and a dip in the turquoise sea before it's time to go home.
We can book additional nights if you want to stay longer at the Dead Sea.
Accommodation & Food
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.
The Program
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 the ride in 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: Breakfast at the hotel followed by a 10 minutes transfer to meet the horses and staff. Mount up and set of riding, nice first ride in Beidha area wich is the most beautifull place to start with visit of Little Petra the ancient city. Lunch In Petra following by a 2 hours ride on to Djebel Haroun mountain. The prophet Aaron was the elder brother of Musa, moses.. He was Burried by Moses on the summit of mount hor, Near Petra ruins Djebel Haroun 1350 meters is the highest summit in Petra Region. Full of legends it was until recently jealously guarded by the Bedouins and non muslims travelers were forbidden to ascent the peak. Camping night and dinner.
DAY 4: After sunrise, we will take a quick breakfast tack our horses to be the first one to enter Petra the red rose city before groups and tourist arrival, you will ride down the roman road pass the Roman theater and ride threw the sic passing the Khasneh. Amazing ride…, ride on the top of Petra Mountain with overview on the Nabatean city, to reach the top of the plateau, by clear weather we can see Israel. Long riding day.. variety of landscape .. meeting cattles and Bedouins you might have the chance to drink nice herbal tea.. Zatar.. with goat milk!!
Camping night
DAY 5: After a nice breakfast, you will ride on the edge of the plateau, horses are in good condition long trots and canters on the plateau! Nice fresh air of the mountain! You will cross a nice village called Rajif, lunch in the gardens in the shade of old fig tree, by nice clear weather you can see Israel, Djebel Arun and Petra Mountains! Dynamic afternoon to reach the camping night located in a small valley called Birramat well known for the old village and well. Camping night.
DAY 6: Breakfast in camp, then ride east, through curious little canyons and following the ancient spices route that made their way through the desert from Egypt and Arabia to Palestine & Syria. You will pass the village of old Thogra, and you will cross the desert highway, the main road from Amman to Aqaba and Saudi Arabia, dismounting to lead the horses before continuing through long valleys east to arrive for lunch. In the afternoon ride further east where you will see a natural arch of kharaze the sandstone cliffs in the middle of the desert until you reach the campsite which is at the outskirts of the Southern desert.
Dinner and night camping.
DAY 7: After breakfast. Ride south east towards the agricultural village of Disi, crossing the famous mud flats. Stop for lunch at the edge of the mud flats. In the afternoon you ride on the flats which are perfect for a long exhilarating canter. You then ride southwards through barrah canyon a spectacular canyon in Wadi Rum surrounded by high cliffs where you often see climbers. At the end of the canyon, camping night in Um ishrin.
DAY 8: WADI RUM-AQABA We spend our last day on horseback in the heart of the Wadi Rum desert. Last riding day, you will ride inside Um Ishrin Valley, beautifull red sand valley with a lot of thamudics inscriptions and end your ride. Around 15h00, after a nice lunch, you drive to Aqaba, *** hotel and enjoy Aqaba red sea, shopping down town in the souk, open until 11 pm.
DAY 9: AQABA-DEAD SEA_MADAB After breakfast, you will be driven to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. You will enjoy a relaxing day at the Dead Sea with time to swim, float and relax. In the afternoon you will be driven to Madaba. Dinner and overnight in Madaba hotel.
Day 10 MADABA - AMMAN AIRPORT. After breakfast transfer (about 30 minutes) to Amman airport for your flight home.
Horses
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.
Christmas and New Year
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.
Climate
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.
Travel Information
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 no. before departure for visa waiver.