Orbis Impact Expeditions takes you to Jordan on an incredible journey through history including visits to the Dead Sea and trekking at Petra.
3rd November- 12th November 2021
2022- Dates TBC
The Women’s Partnership Challenge- Jordan
Why is this trip for you
Join a team of 10-14 women and head to the incredible country of Jordan. Your team will be led by a female Jordanian guide and you will spend ten days exploring some of the countries most fascinating historical and geographical areas. On your journey you will connect with women led businesses who are using the resources around them to create incredible handicrafts and get a chance to learn some traditional craft making too. Like all Orbis Impact Expeditions there is time set aside for local travel, tasting delicious Jordanian food with a local family, visiting local markets and trekking on some of the less touristy routes. As well visiting the Dead Sea you will also head into the desert and spend time at the renowned Feynan Eco Lodge before spending two days trekking at Petra allowing time for reflection on your journey and a chance to soak up the stunning landscape, history and local Bedouin culture.
Highlights
Exploring the old city of Ammam
Learning Traditional Jordanian artisan skills
Visit to the historical city of Jerash
Preparing and eating local Jordanian food
Dead Sea Swimming
Trekking to the ancient city of Petra
Staying at Feynan Eco Lodge
Sunset walk in the dessert
Hiking the canyons in Wadi Rum
Dessert Jeep Ride around Wadi Rum’s valleys, canyons, dunes
Camel ride and eating a desert cooked lunch.
Staying at the Bedouin camps and sampling their incredible local food.
The Purpose
Women, History, Traditional Arts
Your group will be guided by a female Jordanian guide.
Interwoven into your expedition to Jordan is visits to various artisans using traditional methods of art and design to create products and retain their culture through art and creativity and earn a living through this. Each visit we encourage you to connect with the local women and learn their trades in stone masonry, soap making, olive oil processing and preparing traditional Jordanian food.
Further Information…
We try our best to include everything for your time in Jordan. The cost of the Women’s Partnership Expedition is £2,100 which includes all transport and guiding in Jordan, meals (where stated Half Board (HB), Full Board (FB). Bed and Breakfast (BB)), accommodation, activities (where stated).
International flights, drinks, visas, tips and items of a personal nature are excluded.
Payment: We try and offer really good payment plan options and advise re fundraising. To get your company or business involved in part-sponsorship of your expedition as a professional development opportunity please see further information here.
Flights: We are ATOL registered so can book your flights for you. If you would like to book your own flights but just need some advice regarding routes then do let us know.
Day 1: Arrive in Amman Airport where you will meet your local guide and travel 45 mins to your hotel in Amman. Amman is one of the oldest cities in the world, inhabited since the bronze age. The city is growing into a modern city, but retains its character and history. The Art Hotel (HB)
Day 2: Today you will explore the old city of Amman visiting the Citadel and the Roman Theatre. After this you will visit one of Amman’s oldest neighbourhoods, Jabal al-Weibdeh, passing by several art galleries and local antiquities/handcraft shops. Then you will visit Iraq Al Amir Women's Association, a cooperative where you can learn the art of olive oil soap making and enjoy a delicious cooked traditional lunch there. The Art Hotel (HB)
Day 3: Head north to explore Jerash, regarded as one of the most important and best preserved Roman cities in the Middle East. Then drive to Ajloun and visit the castle, built to ward off the Crusader armies. Proceed to Ajloun Reserve and tour the workshops, taking part in the soap-making process and chat with the women. In the late afternoon visit a local home and savour an amazing Jordanian meal. Aijourn Forest Reserve (HB)
Day 4: After breakfast, you will head to Um Qais where you will visit the site itself and savour the beauty of this ancient Greek and Roman city overlooking the Jordan valley and the Sea of Galilee. This particular site boasts a deep history as one of the decapolis cities and is famous for being the miracle of the Gardarene Swine. After a locally prepared Jordanian meal you will continue down to the lowest point on Earth - the Dead Sea and check into your incredible hotel. Kempinski Hotel Ishtar Dead Sea (HB)
Day 5: Spend the day floating and relaxing at the Dead Sea at one of the resort hotels. Enjoy the sunshine at the lowest point on earth, whilst trying out the invigorating mud bath to cleanse the skin. Then transfer to Feynan Ecolodge (2.5 hrs), hailed as one of the best 25 ecolodges in the world by National Geographic. Take a guided sunset walk from the lodge up to a nearby hilltop, for freshly prepared Bedouin tea and stunning views westwards as the sun sets over the vast Wadi Araba deserts. (HB)
Day 6: After breakfast enjoy one of the local community activities offered in the eco-lodge such as: Hiking, biking, cooking classes, Making kohl (Bedouin eye makeup),Making Arabic coffee, Baking earthy “Arbood” bread or Weaving goat-haired tents.Then we will transfer you to AL Beida where you will hike around 7-8Km, visit Little Petra site (a mini version of Petra). Then continue following the timeline markers through history to the remains of a Neolithic village. Overnight in Little Petra Bedouin Camp. (HB)
Day 7: After breakfast it's time to start your days hike. Enter Petra via ‘The Back Door’ avoiding most of the tourists. Good tracks go pleasantly down Wadi Ghurab amidst sandstone mountains guarding the approaches to Petra. This way follows a Nabataean route out of the valley and skirting round the final mountain on a natural rock terrace reaching a hidden plateau high above the impressive chasm of Wadi Siyyagh. Nabataean steps then lead down into ancient Petra. Petra Guesthouse (HB)
Day 8: After breakfast, drive to Wadi Rum. On this day you will have 2 short hikes ( Um Ishreen and Barrah Canyon). You will start with Um Ishreen, One of the most beautiful spots in the north section of Wadi Rum, this sandy canyon is on the side of Jebel Umm Ishrin within a 1 hour hike, then you will be transferred to the Barrah canyon. This canyon is considered to be one of the most beautiful canyons in Wadi Rum. Hiking the canyon takes about 1,5 to 2 hours. Get mesmerised by the impressive vast multi-coloured cliffs and towers flank flat sandy sections, greener plant-rich areas, and dunes. After you finish the hike you will have a desert cooked lunch. Followed by a 1 Hour Sunset Camel ride. Proceed to your camp, enjoy the hospitality of the bedouins and their famous cooking. Sun City Camp (HB)
Day 9: In the morning you will take a 4 hour jeep tour around Wadi Rum’s valleys, canyons, dunes and deserts,discover rock inscriptions, majestic views of mountains and landscapes and narrow gorges. At each stop you have the opportunity to hike and scramble and explore in your own time. Later this day you will be transferred to your hotel in Amman. Where your guide will take you for a farewell dinner to a local restaurant. The Art Hotel (BB)
Day 10: Pick up from your hotel in Amman and transfer to Queen Alia International Airport for departure. 30min-1hr depending on traffic.
This is simply a meeting of minds, social communication from one culture to another, which is brilliantly inspiring, it is a way to raise each other up. To be empowered and inspired by the strength an courage of others
— Kate Webb (Owner Orbis Expeditions)
