By
Jenny Hope
07:34 EST, 27 March 2013
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07:40 EST, 27 March 2013
Should you wish to tread the same path as Charles and Camilla – and indeed Barack Obama, who has just returned from the briefest of visits to Petra, then you’re sure of a regal welcome in Jordan.
The ancient kingdom is a hotspot, surrounded by volatile countries, where recent unrest appears to have deterred thousands of visitors from making a fascinating trip back in time.
Presidential setting: Barack Obama strolled around the Treasury in the ancient city of Petra this month
But the warm smiles that greeted the
recent VIPs aren’t forced: the Jordanians pride themselves
on their hospitality in a region where making friends has been a
cornerstone of its peaceful existence.On a whirlwind week-long trip dominated by sun, sand and sandstone I never felt unsafe, unlike in countries such as South Africa, where I’ve enjoyed many holidays but remained on guard throughout.
The only thing at any risk is one’s credit card if you get carried away by the beautiful handmade mosaics that evoke its extraordinary history.
Like the Prince of Wales, we began our journey in the capital Amman after a comfortable flight on Royal Jordanian airlines – stepping out from the newly opened £500 million terminal into a modern city which is home to one-third of the country’s six million population.
Dome with a view: The Citadel is a lofty set of ruins with commanding views over Amman
The temptation is to head immediately for the headlining tourist attractions but fortunately we were persuaded to spend time at the Citadel, a lofty set of ruins with commanding views of the city.
A stone hand from a statue of Hercules demolished by an earthquake beckons you into the archaeological museum, where other gems include a pottery item described as a juglet – perfect for afternoon tea.
Just an hour later, with temperatures nudging a pleasant 24C, we were ga ing in awe at the ruins of Jerash. The heyday of the city of 1,000 columns dates back to Roman rule in the 2nd and 3rd centuries and it’s considered to be the best-preserved Roman settlement in the world.
Your imagination goes into overdrive
at the Hippodrome, walking along the grassy chariot racetrack flanked by
stone seating where the locals would roar on the favourite in the 4.45.
The ghosts also crowd into the theatre, a fabulous open-air venue that is still
used to stage annual cultural festivals.
Fallen giant: A stone hand from a statue of Hercules demolished by an earthquake greets visitors to Citadel Hill
There’s nothing like sightseeing at some stupendous ruins to sharpen the appetite. A short drive away in a lush Mediterranean setting is Lebanese House, serving excellent Levantine cuisine, including the puffed pitta bread, hummus, tabbouleh (bulgar wheat salad) and mutabbal (aubergine dip) we would enjoy at virtually every meal.
The same afternoon we were checking into the Kempinski Ishtar Hotel Dead Sea, where an imposing lobby gives way to descending levels of palm trees and swimming pools. It has the best infinity pool I’ve ever seen – you can look straight across the water to the ancient world of the Bible.
Rock star: Jenny Hope soaks up the stunning scenery in Jordan
There’s some serious relaxing to be done here and it’s impossible to be uptight at 400m below sea level – the lowest place on earth.
A recent survey by holiday operator Kuoni found holidays really do reduce your blood pressure and it’s hardly surprising. The thermometer had climbed to 32C, and we were enjoying first-class service and luxury facilities. Putting a toe in the waters was a gentle introduction to its well-known healing powers.
Enjoying the sights: Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall visited Jerash in Jordan on their Royal tour
Friends who had visited Jordan were enthusiastic about the benefits of hiring a guide to explore its fabulous history and rare natural wonders. Self-styled ‘modern Bedouin’ Ibrahim, a bustling dynamo with worry beads and mobile in hand, was determined to get us to Petra by the fastest road – which had come off worse in flash floods.
As we climbed 1400m through di ying views of a wilderness that could come from another planet we had one eye firmly on the cliff edge, finally relaxing on the level where we were rewarded by the sight of shepherds tending their flocks in a manner unchanged for thousands of years, barring baseball caps and the ubiquitous mobile phone.
It’s hard to find words that do justice to Petra, the rock-cut city reached via an ever-changing vista of rose-red limestone soaring upwards to glimpses of a pure blue sky.
Ancient splendour: Jerash is considered to be the best-preserved Roman settlement in the world
After a 45-minute leisurely trek through canyons that are impressive on their own terms, emerging from a rock crevasse and seeing the Treasury façade for the first time doesn’t disappoint, despite the image being so familiar as one of the Seven Modern Wonders of the World. No wonder it was used in the final sequence of the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
The Eighth wonder, obviously, is visitors walking around glued to their mobiles oblivious to the surroundings.
We walked and scrambled our little legs off viewing and photographing some of the 800 monuments on the colossal site, including tombs and treasure chambers, that were re-discovered only 200 years ago.
Time to relax: Taking a dip in the infinity pool at the Kempinski Ishtar Hotel Dead Sea
The scale of the engineering achievement by the Nabataean Kingdom dating back to the 1st century BC becomes even more impressive if you’re prepared to tackle some of the steep climbs with the right footwear. It’s not for the vertiginously-challenged and beware the lack of signs: you can end up in the sacrificial High Place – literally – without a map.
We felt rightly obliged to buy a camel’s teeth necklace to thank a Bedouin girl for physically getting us back on the right path. But it’s an opportunity to experience total silence, broken only by a donkey’s whee y braying.
Even down on the main paths the tourist mass is not oppressive. Visitor numbers have dropped from 900,000 to 600,000 in the last two years, partly due to re-routed cruise ships. It’s a source of concern to locals but the canny traveller going now has an infinitely more pleasurable experience.
Rock star: Jenny outside the Treasury façade in Petra, which featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
We had a day’s guiding and a day to explore on our own from the handily-placed Movenpick Hotel at the entrance to Petra. It proved to be an ideal arrangement when, fortified by a drink in the atmospheric Arabian-style bar, we embarked on the candlelit tour by night. Bathing in the eerie moonlit glow of the sandstone cliffs guarding the entrance was worth the price of admission alone.
Another more earthly stand-out experience was making our own dinner at Petra Kitchen, an enterprising restaurant that offers cooking classes. Under the witty guidance of chef Tariq, a double for Omar Sharif, we helped create a delicious version of mansaf, a national speciality made with lamb and rice steeped in yoghurt.
T.E. Lawrence can’t be the only Briton who’s been ‘cra ed with the spell of far Arabia’ and a 4×4 drive into the desert location for David Lean’s film masterpiece Lawrence of Arabia explains why. The strange beauty of the rock formation at Wadi Rum, which allegedly inspired Lawrence’s book The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, is as captivating as the rest of this diverse country.
Getting a taste for the country: Jenny at Petra Kitchen with Omar Sharif lookalike chef Tariq
The final leg of the journey ends in Aqaba on the Red Sea. The coastal city is just 162 miles from our starting point but feels like a world away thanks to its cosmopolitan ambience. Sandy beaches and coral reefs – with some of the world’s best scuba diving – lend a refreshing air to the busy city.
A night at the Movenpick is another taste of western-style luxury, yet dinner at the Ali Baba restaurant comes with a camel at rest just yards from hooting traffic.
The trip has exceeded expectations. Driving between rolling hills, desert and mountains packed with stimulating images has been easy to do on good roads. So much is packed into this dramatic landscape yet there’s always time to soak up the rays, especially from March to April and October to November, outside the searingly hot months.
The final image we take away sums up Jordan’s welcoming friendliness, and its families out for an evening stroll around Aqaba with young and old together. As the Arabs taught us to say, we’ll be back inshallah – God willing.
Travel facts
Royal Jordanian flies daily from London Heathrow to Amman. Flight prices start from £228 each way. For further information and to book online, visit www.rj.com or call 08719 112 112.
Double rooms at Le Royal Amman start from JOD135 (approx. £126) per room per night, based on two sharing and a room only basis. www.leroyal.com
Double rooms at the Mövenpick Resort Residences Aqaba start from JOD120 (approx. £107) per room per night, based on two sharing and including breakfast and taxes. www.moevenpick-hotels.com
A double room at the Kempinski Ishtar (Dead Sea) starts from JOD124 (approx. £115) per room per night, based on two sharing and including breakfast. www.kempinski.com
A double room at the Mövenpick Resort Petra is JOD197 (approx. £183) per room per night, based on two sharing and including breakfast. www.moevenpick-hotels.com
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Holidays in Jordan: Follow in Prince Charles" footsteps on a tour of this ancient country
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