Jordan: Women's Expedition
8 Days Starting and ending in Amman
Visiting: Amman, Wadi Rum, Petra, Madaba
Tour operator:
Tour code:
EESF
Specialist Group:
Women Only
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 12
Age range:
15-99 years
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
From:
$2615
$2484
Operator discount: -$131
NB: Prices correct on 01-Jun-2024 but subject to change.
Tour Overview
Join an eight-day women’s expedition in Jordan and discover a new perspective of sisterhood. In this inspiring desert nation, you’ll spend a night in Wadi Rum, learn the art of henna with Bedouin women and float along the Dead Sea. Visit Petra – one of the Seven Wonders of the World – and learn about traditional marriage from a professional matchmaker. Pick up local cooking tips from unsung experts, sit down for afternoon tea with local women and learn their stories and support women-led businesses along the way. On this female-only adventure, travellers are granted access to a side of life seldom seen by tourists while also developing a deeper understanding of Middle Eastern women and their unique traditions. Dive into something new and take the trip of a lifetime.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Amman
Location: Amman
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: dinner
Ahlan Wa Sahlan! Welcome to Jordan. Your adventure begins in Amman – a cosmopolitan and contemporary city steeped in biblical history. You’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm, followed by a cooking class with a local chef who started her own business to teach people about Jordanian culture through food. On the menu is maqluba – a dish that literally translates to ‘upside down’ (a hearty casserole with rice, vegetables and chicken that's cooked, flipped and served with either yoghurt or an Arab salad with tahini). Listen to the chef’s story as you cook, learn about the local culture and enjoy a group dinner of authentic family recipes.
Included Activities:
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Day 2: Amman
Location: Amman
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch
After breakfast, head to Jerash – a city famed for its Greco-Roman ruins. Once a favourite place fo the emperor, the ruins include a collection of archways, theatres, baths, public buildings and colonnaded streets to explore. From the ruins, you’ll head to Beit Khairat Souf. Originally constructed in 1881 and recently renovated, this heritage home once belonged to the Batarseh family. Now managed by an ambitious group of women, this space provides a sanctuary for women to learn new skills, market their products and create a positive economic impact for their families. The social enterprise sells handmade products such as oil, jam and herbs made in the village. Wander the house and gardens before sitting down to lunch made by the local women. After, return to Amman for a walking tour of the citadel, Roman Odeon, Roman Theatre and Rainbow Street – the heart of Amman’s arts and shopping scene and home of the city’s best falafel. Then you’ll welcomed into the home of a local matchmaker for a cup of tea while learning about the tradition of arranged marriage in Jordan and how she helps couples in the community.
Included Activities:
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Day 3: Wadi Rum
Location: Wadi Rum
Accommodation: Desert Camp
Meals Included: breaksfast, dinner
Rise early and drive to the rugged sandstone mountains of Wadi Rum. Stop in the small village of Rum, where you can pick up some lunch. Then, it's off to see some of the world’s most amazing desert scenery. Hop aboard jeeps operated by the Bedouin community and ride through swathes of desert, looking out for Bedouin camps (a group of dark tents low-pitched to the ground). In traditional Bedouin culture, a huge onus is placed on taking in and feeding any visitor, so a very warm welcome is assured. Later, you might be joined by some local Bedouin women (note that it will be necessary for one man to be present in the camp, as per local culture). Learn the ancient art of henna (and how to apply it), then fall asleep under a huge expanse of stars in camp.
Included Activities:
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Day 4: Petra
Location: Petra
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
After waking up in the unique surroundings of the Bedouin camp this morning, take a walk around the area before scaling one of the large dunes in search of panoramic views of the desert. After, you’ll head to the 'Rose City' of Petra. The site remained unknown to the wider world until 1812 when Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt visited. In 1985, Petra was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site and was also voted one of the new Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. Spend the afternoon exploring Petra on a guided tour. Squeeze through a mile-long narrow path known as the Siq and get your first glimpse of the iconic Treasury, which was hand-carved out of rock! If your dates align, you may also like to take the opportunity to see Petra by night.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 5: Petra
Location: Petra
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Enjoy a free day of self-discovery as you explore Petra on your own. The site is surprisingly big, and you can explore the old Roman road, temples and several old tombs, as well as the rock-hewn amphitheatre. For those with the energy, there's the challenging but highly rewarding walk up the steps to the monastery (approximately 1 hour). Speak to your leader for their recommendations for where to dine this evening, you may like to ask them where to find the best mansaf, the national dish of Jordan, made with lamb cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yogurt.
Included Activities:
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Day 6: Madaba
Location: Madaba
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Travel to the Dead Sea today, stopping along the way at the UNESCO World Heritage site of Al-Maghtas Bethany Baptism, where it’s believed Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist. Continue to the shores of this famously salty sea that marks the lowest point on Earth (420 m below sea level). This isn’t actually a sea, but a super-salty lake! The title of 'dead' comes from the lack of life due to the high salt content. The density of the water makes it super easy to float in (so you'll be going for more of a float than a swim). Spend some time in the natural spa – the mud here is said to have healing properties, so make the most of it by covering yourself from head to toe in a nutrient-rich natural mineral mud bath. Tonight, you’ll be spending the night in Madaba.
Included Activities:
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Day 7: Madaba
Location: Madaba
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast, lunch, dinner
Start your morning with a visit to St George’s Church – home to the 6th-century mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land. A short drive from here is Mt Nebo, the spot where the prophet Moses is said to have seen the ‘promised land’ and is believed to have been buried. Explore this sanctuary and view the remarkable mosaics of the 4th-century church. Later, pay a visit to the Bani Hamida Women’s weaving project. Founded by Save The Children in 1985, this social enterprise provides employment for women while teaching them valuable skills and preserving traditional weaving techniques. Since its inception, the project has benefitted more than 1600 Jordanian women. Find a common thread with the ladies who work here as you swap stories over lunch, then return to Madaba, where you’ll spend the evening and enjoy a picnic dinner of local Arabic mezze.
Included Activities:
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Day 8: Madaba
Location: Madaba
Meals Included: breaksfast
This trip comes to an end today. There are no activities planned, and you can depart the accommodation at any time after checkout. If you’d like to extend your stay, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.
What's Included
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Dead Sea - Dead Sea visit
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Amman - City Tour
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Amman-Food Tasting Tour
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Wadi Rum-Henna and Kohl Night
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Petra - Guided tour of Petra
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Petra - Petra second day visit (unguided)
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Wadi Rum - 4WD jeep safari and desert camp
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Petra - Breakfast with a shepherd
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Wadi Rum - 4WD jeep safari
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Dead Sea - Swimming opportunity
Included Activities
- Amman - City Tour
- Amman-Food Tasting Tour
- Wadi Rum-Henna and Kohl Night
- Wadi Rum - 4WD jeep safari and desert camp
- Petra - Guided tour of Petra
- Petra - Petra second day visit (unguided)
- Petra-Be a Shepherd Experience
- Dead Sea - Dead Sea visit
Transport
- Private Vehicle , Jeep
Accommodation
- OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
- The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
- ACCOMMODATION STYLE
- Some of the accommodation along the way is basic or simple, three and four-star accommodation in the Middle East (with the exception of Israel) is often not equal to same-star facilities in some western destinations. Rooms are clean and comfortable, however, you may note some small maintenance issues that have been overlooked, please assist us by bringing these to the attention of your group leader or local representative so that we can follow up with our hosts. Many restaurants and hotels do not serve alcohol for religious reasons or due to local laws. Breakfast is included in 95% or our hotels, pleaser refer to our daily itinerary for meal inclusions.
- TWIN SHARE / MULTI SHARE BASIS
- Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multi-share basis.
- CHECK-IN TIME
- Throughout the trip, we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination. Standard check-in time is 1400 hours.
- PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
- If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (subject to availability), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.
- SHOWERS
- Showers at some hotels only have hot water at peak times (usually morning and evening). Outside of these times, you may need to speak to reception to obtain hot water.
- HEATING AND AIR-CONDITIONING
- As a desert region, this part of the world has extremes of weather. Winter months (approx December to March) can be very cold. All of our hotel accommodation contains suitable bedding, and simple light bedding is provided during camping activities such as an overnight felucca, desert camps or at the Red Sea Beach camp stay. Most of our travellers find the bedding provided here adequate, but for your own comfort and if you are particularly sensitive to the cold, consider bringing your own sleeping bag, thermals, scarf, gloves and a warm jacket. Some of our guesthouses/hotels don't supply heating. In many cases, this would be a major financial and environmental strain on our hotels and the local towns. Summer (approx June to August) can be very hot everywhere we travel, which means that it can be quite uncomfortable for those not used to the heat. Not all our hotels have air-conditioning, and in those that do, it's not always functioning.
- ROOM ISSUES
- If you have any issues with your room, please speak to the hotel and your group leader or local representative right away so that the problem can be addressed without delay.
Important Information
- 1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement excludes Day 3 (Wadi Rum Camp) where you will be in shared accommodation, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
- 2. This trip starts in Amman on Day 1 at 5.30pm. This allows time after the meeting to join our first activity - Cooking Class.
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
A lot of walking is involved in visiting Jordan's historic sites, especially in Petra and Wadi Rum, so a reasonable level of fitness is required. There is often no shade, so bring a hat, sun protection and sturdy, comfortable walking shoes.
The desert camp in Wadi Rum is basic but incredibly memorable. There are tents and shared Western bathroom facilities. While the desert may be very hot during the day, it will be cool at night, and warm clothes and a sleeping bag are highly recommended when travelling outside the summer months. -
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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