Jordan vacation, small group
Highlights
Amman | Wadi Rum jeep safari and desert camp | Petra | Madaba | Dead Sea | Mount Nebo | crusader castle of Kerak | JerashDescription of Jordan vacation, small group
Marvel at Jordan’s fascinating mix of modernity and ancient wonders on this eight-day small group tour. With cultural gems, ancient artefacts and warm hospitality waiting around every corner, Jordan is an enthralling country.From the cosmopolitan city of Amman, we explore Jordan’s mystical desert landscapes. Hop in a jeep and experience the extraordinary desert scenery of Wadi Rum, a rugged moonscape of huge sandstone mountains. Meet Bedouin locals here and learn about their ways, then sleep under the stars in a desert camp. Spend a whole day uncovering the majesty and mystery of the world wonder of Petra – the first glimpse of the Treasury from the narrow path of the Siq is unforgettable! – and then visit the historic crusader castle of Kerak, which stands on a cliff overlooking Wadi Karak. Down at the Dead Sea, you will experience the best weightlessness this side of outer space with an effortless float in its super-salty waters.
Travel is by private vehicle and jeep and you’ll stay in hotels for five nights and a desert camp for two, which is basic but incredibly memorable. As there’s lots of walking involved in exploring Petra and Wadi Rum, a good level of fitness is required to fully enjoy this trip.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this vacation or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
Toll free 1-866-821-6866 Calling from outside the US? rosy@responsibletravel.comCheck dates, prices & availability
Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your vacation will help support conservation and local people.

We are committed to operating in a responsible manner, incorporating the principles of sustainable development in the way we provide our travelers with real life experiences. These values are more than just words on a page; they are ingrained in our culture and the daily operations of every office and every trip.
Our tours are designed to give travelers real life experiences, so we head off to the Wadi Rum to camp under the stars with our Bedouin hosts. Travelers get a real insight into local life and the culture in Jordan and we are able to offer these off the beaten track experiences as we travel in small groups, maximum 12 people and never exceed this.
As a company, our responsibilities don’t stop when our tours end. We run and support a variety of projects globally, from healthcare, education, human rights, child welfare, sustainable development and environmental and wildlife protection. Our own in house foundation has been in operation for over 11 years; a not-for-profit fund that has distributed over AU$3 million to more than 70 non-government organisations since 2002. Donations come from our travelers and are then matched by us dollar for dollar.
The Impacts of this Trip
We always employ local tour leaders as this provides a steady income to local people and can give our travelers an authentic experience. They are always offering advice on great sites to visit, away from the beaten tourist track or know of a great local restaurant that travelers otherwise wouldn’t experience.
We encourage our travelers to respect local culture but also integrate themselves in tradition and customs. In Jordan, the dress code is conservative and care should be taken especially when visiting the timeless temples, tombs, amphitheatres and monasteries in the surrounding area of Petra. We often suggest loose, lightweight clothing that covers shoulders and knees. Information can be accessed on our website prior to travel to help ensure travelers are able to follow appropriate dress codes and behaviours at these locations and your group leader will be on hand to assist throughout.


We are committed to operating in a responsible manner, incorporating the principles of sustainable development in the way we provide our travelers with real life experiences. These values are more than just words on a page; they are ingrained in our culture and the daily operations of every office and every trip.
Our tours are designed to give travelers real life experiences, so we head off to the Wadi Rum to camp under the stars with our Bedouin hosts. Travelers get a real insight into local life and the culture in Jordan and we are able to offer these off the beaten track experiences as we travel in small groups, maximum 12 people and never exceed this.
As a company, our responsibilities don’t stop when our tours end. We run and support a variety of projects globally, from healthcare, education, human rights, child welfare, sustainable development and environmental and wildlife protection. Our own in house foundation has been in operation for over 11 years; a not-for-profit fund that has distributed over AU$3 million to more than 70 non-government organisations since 2002. Donations come from our travelers and are then matched by us dollar for dollar.

The Impacts of this Trip
We always employ local tour leaders as this provides a steady income to local people and can give our travelers an authentic experience. They are always offering advice on great sites to visit, away from the beaten tourist track or know of a great local restaurant that travelers otherwise wouldn’t experience.
We encourage our travelers to respect local culture but also integrate themselves in tradition and customs. In Jordan, the dress code is conservative and care should be taken especially when visiting the timeless temples, tombs, amphitheatres and monasteries in the surrounding area of Petra. We often suggest loose, lightweight clothing that covers shoulders and knees. Information can be accessed on our website prior to travel to help ensure travelers are able to follow appropriate dress codes and behaviours at these locations and your group leader will be on hand to assist throughout.

13 Reviews of Jordan vacation, small group
In depth story review
Reviewed on 16 Feb 2020 by Florence Burgy
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The nights and hike in the desert
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Take warm clothes and a sleeping bag in the winter, and do count 1-2 more days before or after to visit Amman
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes, because the guide was always letting us know when a shop was one held by local people or by bigger companies.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Perfect!
Reviewed on 13 Feb 2020 by Liam Challis
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Hiking in the desert and floating in the dead sea.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Travel off peak, we went in February and had the desert camp to ourselves, I wouldn't have wanted to be there when all 25 tents were occupied. Likewise for all the other attractions we visited were fairly quiet which was lovely but looked like they were set up to handle a lot more people in peak season.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Well I think local people benefited but I wouldn't say we reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
The trip was well organised and we were lucky enough to get Hassan as our guide, he was so good. We also had brilliant group of fellow travelers which was
lovely and the weather was kind to us for most of the trip too which all helped to make this a great vacation.
Reviewed on 13 Feb 2020 by Bob Last
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The desert
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Don't pre-book transfers, they are four times the cost if pre-booked before you travel
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
No
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Highly
Reviewed on 10 Oct 2019 by Aiden Padden
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Petra, Wadi Rum, Dead Sea
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Be reasonably fit, a head for heights useful.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
It helped the local economy, our group stayed at three hotels and a Beduin
camp, ate in restaurants, and gave decent tips. We travelled there by plane so probably not helpful to the environment.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Excellent value for money, spectacular scenery exceeded my hopes, and a good guide.
Reviewed on 10 Mar 2019 by Helen O
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Overall, I was awed by this trip! Each place we visited was memorable in it's own right with a wealth of history and information.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Be prepared to be amazed at every turn! Heed the cold temperature warnings for the desert and bring warm layers. The cold is real!
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Staying at the Bedouin camp supported the local people there as well as helping us learn about their past and current ways of life. Our guide was mindful of
supporting small local businesses during stops we made. We were reminded of environmental impacts and water conservation in particular.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
It was excellent!
Reviewed on 31 Dec 2019 by Deborah Gray
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Staying in Wadi Rum in the desert camp. Petra didn’t disappoint.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Pack layers for cold winter evenings and shade/wind during the dayTake flip flops or water shoes for the Dead Sea visit
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The hotels/camp were owned byJordanians not multinational conglomerates.
The absence of group water on the bus/in hotels meant we had to buy in plastic bottles, which was disappointing and different from other vacations by this operator that I have been on. Considering the scarcity of water in Jordan, hotels should have guidelines on reducing the amount of water used. I am not convinced that everyone needs a shower everyday and if they take one, there should to an imperative for people to keep them short. The now routine process (in Europe and US) of leaving towels on the floor when they need changing didn’t apply on this trip, where towels were changed regardless.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
I thoroughly enjoyed the vacation, thought the itinerary was excellent.
There were issues with the guide, particularly in Petra, where he seemed to be intimidated by the local horsemen/vendors. I suspect that this is a wider problem than with one guide on one vacation. In addition, it wasn’t an easy group for him to manage.
Reviewed on 04 Sep 2019 by Louise Mead
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Definitely Petra. It was also the most physically hardest of the trip.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Travel Jordan in less hot months. Be physically fit. To see the best of Petra, be prepared for lots of climbing of stairs and paths.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
The People of Wadi Rum benefited from our visit financially.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Some days it was a 2 out of 10. Others days it was a 10.
Reviewed on 09 Mar 2019 by Janet Campbell
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Visiting Petra
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Be prepared for all sorts of weather
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I think our spending on accommodation, food etc benefitted local people, but I don't think we reduced environmental impacts.
The payments of entrance fees will hopefully help support conservation.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Mostly excellent. 8/10
Reviewed on 11 Nov 2019 by Camelia Enachioiu
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Exploring wadi rum and seeing the treasury for the first time
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
It's not a very hygienic plave so make sure you have wipes and hand sanitizer. Don't travel without insurance.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Not really. I feel the trip supported the community but I used a lot of plastic. The operator should ensure water to its travelers. I was expecting a big rank of water but instead no water was provided.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
I can't give more than 3 stars. I didn't feel the value for money. Hotel in Amman was too basic and very noisy.
Reviewed on 29 Sep 2018 by Kate Reid
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
I loved the Wadi rum desert and Petra.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Check if you can who is your guide for the tour. Our guide was very inexperienced, and didn't do a good job so this really effected the tour in a negative way.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
We stayed in local hotels, but sadly all the included meals within the tour were generic buffets at the hotels at - so I would rather that we had eaten in more
authentic places that would benefit the smaller businesses.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Jordan is amazing and nothing can take from that. But the experience with the operator was a great disappointment and I wouldn't risk using them again. If it hadn't been for such a nice group this vacation would have been a disaster.
Read the operator's response here:
Our customer relations team will thoroughly investigate your experience and do all we can to resolve any issues raised and continue to work on improving our tours.
Reviewed on 22 Dec 2017 by Samantha Royston
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Star gazing in Wadi Rum, seeing the iconic treasury in Petra, and the Roman ruins in Jerash are the top 3 - we did something special every day though!
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Bring shoes that you are comfortable walking long distances in, and prepare for them to get sandy/ dusty! Wadi rum camp can get cold at night and if you want to lie outside and watch the stars then some warm layers are required.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes - our tour guide made every effort to stop at local shops and restaurants whenever possible to ensure we benefited local people as much as
possible. We were also encouraged to minimise the amount of plastic bottles bought by buying larger sized waters, and were given reusable shopping bags to reduce plastic bag use.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Outstanding- the only slight criticism was that one hotel in particular was very run down and would be classed as 1 star in the UK. Everything else was fantastic.
Reviewed on 20 Nov 2017 by Alan Bell
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Arriving at Wadi Rum
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Enjoy the moment.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Provided employment for local people.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Excellent.
Reviewed on 19 Sep 2017 by Francesca Kitto-Jones
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Wadi Rum completely blew my mind, just an incredible place
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Take flip flops for the visit to the Read Sea
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Definitely benefitted local people; using a local very knowledgeable guide and having meals with local people, eating what they eat. It's difficult in such a hot country not to keep buying plastic bottles of water but I'm not sure how this can be easily overcome.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Incredible. I ran out of superlatives on the first day.
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