Hike Jordan and Snorkel the Red Sea

A second organized trip and the first with MBA: An intensive travel adventure that will remain unforgettable for me with its diverse experiences and impressions. We had Motaz, our Jordanian guide, with his unique sense of humor at our side, who made an incredible effort to convey to us all his great knowledge and love of his country, its interesting history and the different ways of life. We immersed ourselves in the various landscapes with him: on hiking tours in the magnificent mountains of the Dana Reserve, on desert tours in Wadi Rum, the most fascinating and history-rich mountains of Petra, and in the water world while snorkeling/diving in the Red Sea and in the fun mud bath in the Dead Sea. Motaz was approachable to everyone the whole time, had a very good feel for group dynamics and was always friendly, professional, polite and with a caring eye, individually attuned to each person in the group. With a lot of organizational skill, he supported the respective interests and made it an unforgettable travel adventure for everyone. With great tips for individual program planning and his great organizational talent, he was able to fulfill individual wishes and interests to give us the greatest week of travel in Jordan. My absolute highlights: a dream came true: the time in Petra, the Milky Way with the shooting stars at night in the Rainbow Camp and the Nabataean rock paintings on our desert tour in Wadi Rum as well as the unforgettable view on the mountain tour. The dinner locations in the last two restaurants together were brilliantly chosen by Motaz with a great feel for the group and with a unique, great atmosphere and excellent local food. Motaz, your great tip and your "Mr. Cool" taxi organization for the last day in Amman gave us a half-day trip to Jerash, 1 hour north of Amman - also a must have. The very modern Petra+Jordan Museum deserves praise for its fantastic multimedia didactic exhibitions. o INFORMATION from MBA, advance information about water/lunch packages I think on board, entrance fees for the planned tours all included in the price. The camps have beds, electricity and showers, toilets with accessories such as towels etc. The first quarter in Madaba has room for improvement (regarding door lock, burning toaster, etc. ) o your support in eco-projects and the presentation of the CO2 footprint of the respective travel time is very good o Essential: neck buff, sunglasses, headgear, lip balm, sun/insect repellent, good hiking boots, hiking stick, sleeping bag liner, flip-flops, warm fleece jacket + headlamp for the night in the desert, cash + credit card and change for tips and British travel plugs, eSIM, power bank if necessary o Keep an eye on FLIGHTS: Our flights were postponed both ways o Taxi within the city: 1. 25 to 5JD, taxi to Amman airport 25JD, food 10-20JD, Turkish coffee +/-1. 5JD, taxi 1h Amman-Jerash there and back 50JD, admission to museums of your choice: Madaba Archaeol. Museum 3JD, Petra Museum/NAbat. Museum free, Jerash Arch. Park 10JD, Amman JORDAN Museum 3JD o Not necessary: Towels (there were everywhere, in the beach club, on the boat, in the desert camps) Toilet paper?, self-organized Water/lunch packages (there were normal/vegetarian ones, organized by Motaz. . . TOP) On our tours we experienced first-hand the effects of climate change on Jordan and the country's efforts to face the political and ecological challenges of the future as a factor of stability. It is a task for all of us to preserve these treasures of human history and to continue to support this region and its people in the future. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone in our tour group, to the superhero and tamer Motaz and to our patient bus driver (with WIFI) for this unforgettably intense time. Jordan has a place in my heart and maybe we will see each other again. Meine zweite organisierte Reise u die erste mit MBA: Ein intensives Reiseabenteuer, das mir unvergesslich bleibt mit seinen vielfältigen Erlebnissen+Eindrücken. Wir hatten Motaz, unseren jordanischen Guide, mit seinem einzigartigem Humor an der Seite, der unglaublich bemüht war, uns allen sein großartiges Wissen und seine Liebe zu seinem Land ,dessen interessante Geschichte und die verschiedenen Lebensweisen nahe zu bringen. Wir sind mit ihm in die verschiedene Landschaften eingetaucht: bei Hikingtouren in grandioser Bergwelt des Dana Reservats, bei Wüstentouren in Wadi Rum, der faszinierendsten und geschichtsreichen Bergwelt Petras und in die Wasserwelt beim Schnorcheln/diving am Roten Meer sowie im funny Schlammbad im totem Meer. Motaz war die ganze Zeit für jeden ansprechbar, hatte ein sehr gutes Gespür für die Gruppendynamik u war immer freundlich, professionell, höflich und mit individuell fürsorglichen Blick auf jeden in der Gruppe eingestellt. Mit viel organisatorischem Geschick hat er sich für die jeweiligen Interessen mit großer Unterstützung eingesetzt, damit es für jeden ein unvergessliches Reiseabenteuer wurde. Mit tollen Tips auch für individuelle Programmgestaltung und seinem großartigen Organisationstalent, hat er auch individuelle Wünsche u Interessen erfüllen können, um uns die großartigste Reisewoche in Jordanien zu schenken. Meine absoluten Highlights= ein Traum wurde wahr: die Zeit in Petra, die Milchstraße mit den Sternschnuppen in der Nacht im Rainbowcamp u die nabatäischen Felsbilddarstellungen bei unserer Wüstentour im Wadi Rum sowie der unvergessliche Aus+Weitblick bei der Bergtour. Die Locations gerade der beiden letzten gemeinsamen Restaurants waren von Motaz mit tollem Gespür für die Gruppe grandios ausgesucht und mit einzig-, großartiger Atmosphäre u ausgezeichnetem lokalem Essen. Motaz, dein toller Tip u deine „Mr. Cool“ Taxiorganisation für den letzten Tag in Amman hat uns noch einen Halbtagesausflug nach Jerash, 1h nördlich von Amman-auch ein must have- geschenkt. Dem sehr modernen Petra+Jordan Museum gebührt ein Lob für die multimedial didaktisch fantastischen Ausstellungen. o INFOS von MBA, vorab Info Wasser/lunchpakete on board, Eintritte für die geplanten Touren alle im Preis enthalten. In den Camps Betten, Elektrizität u Duschen, Toiletten mit Zubehör wie Handtücher etc dabei. Das erste Quartier in Madaba hat wirklich Verbesserungspotential (bzgl Türschloss,brennendem Toaster etc) o Ich finde eure Unterstützung in ökol. Projekte u die Darstellung des CO2abdruck der jeweiligen Reisezeit sehr gut o Unabdingbar: Halsbuff, Sonnenbrille, Kopfbedeckung, Lippenbalsam ,Sonnen/Insektenschutz, gute Wanderschuhe, Wanderstock, Schlafsackeinlage, Flipflops, warme Fleecejacke+Stirnlampe für die Nacht in der Wüste, Bargeld+ KK va Kleingeld für Tip u brit. Reisestecker, eSIM, ggf Powerbank o FLÜGE im Blick behalten: Unsere Flüge wurden verschoben hin wie rück o Taxi innerhalb der Stadt:1,25 bis 5JD,Taxi zum Flughafen von Amman 25JD,Essen 10-20JD, türk. Coffee +/-1,5JD,Taxi 1h Amman-Jerash hin+zurück 50JD, Eintritt bei selbst gewählten Museen: Madaba Archaeol. Museum 3JD,Petramuseum/Nabat. Museum frei, Jerash Arch. Park 10JD,Amman JORDAN Museum 3JD o Nicht nötig: Handtücher(gab es überall, im Beachclub, auf dem Boot, im Wüstencamps dazu) Toilettenpapier?, eigenorganisiert Wasser/Lunchpakete (gab es normal/Vegetarisch von Motaz organisiert. . . TOP) Auf unseren Touren haben wir direkt die Auswirkungen des Klimawandels für Jordanien erlebt u die Bemühungen des Landes, sich als Stabilitätsfaktor in der Region den politischen u ökologischen Herausforderungen der Zukunft zu stellen. Für uns alle eine Aufgabe, diese Schätze der Menschheitsgeschichte zu erhalten u diese Region und seine Menschen in Zukunft weiter zu unterstützen. Danke von ganzem Herzen an alle in unserer Reisegruppe, an den Superhero und Dompteur Motaz u an unseren geduldigen Busfahrer (mit WIFI) für diese unvergesslich intensive Zeit. Jordanien hat ein Platz in meinem Herzen u vielleicht gibt es ein Wiedersehen.

Generally a trip with lots of highlights and a well-balanced programme. On the positive side, our guide Motaz was outstanding. He was constantly improvising, organising and making adjustments, so that everyone got something out of the trip, and his skills in managing the different personalities and expectations were amazing. On the negative side, more detailed information regarding the individual parts of the trip and what is included (and what not) would have been helpful. Thus, I went out to buy bottled water on the first night of the trip, only to be told the following morning that all water during the journeys and activities would be provided. Also, whereas the last two hotels were good (apart from the gender-segregated pool in Amman) and the second one was ok, the first hotel in Madaba was not a good start. Internet was practically non-existent and there was an issue with the lock in the room adjacent to mine, and various staff members (each escalating the issue to their superior) unsuccessfully tried to fix it. As there was a connecting door to my room, apparently at some stage access was achieved through my room while I was absent and without my permission. Only after several hours was a staff member present who had the authority to decide the lock could not be fixed and a different room needed to be given (which was a request first voiced several hours earlier). Of course, Motaz was not present on that first evening, as his duty only started the following morning, and the experience would have certainly been less bizarre had he been present.

We started our trip meeting a great bunch of like minded individuals over dinner in the beautiful town of Madaba, the next morning we met our wonderful guide Motaz (who in our opinion truly made the trip worth while, his expert knowledge, relationship with local people and friendly, funny character really made the trip special for us all as a group). We then ventured to the beautiful Dana Nature reserve with a hike through some truly stunning terrain seeing local Bedouins along the way, after this we visited little Petra and learnt about the culture that built the site, that evening we stayed in the most fabulous camp near little Petra which in itself was a wonder. The sunset tied in with the camp surroundings and gorgeous local cuisine were par none. The next day, what can I say the most beautiful thing I have trekked through in my life seeing Petra in all its glory and learning about the history with our guide Motaz. That evening we stayed in a lovely hotel in Petra itself with amaaaaxing local food suggested by our guide. Our trip through wadi rum the next day was on par if not better than Petra, absolute stunning rugged scenery in which we felt very comfortable with our guide and the Bedouin people who took us for our mountain trek and looked after us again on a beautiful camp in which we could see shooting stars and the milky way as we feared on our lamb cooked underground. This day was certainly a highlight of the trip. As the week brought nearer the end a more relaxing itinerary set in with a day at the beach club and more fine food, leading us on to the beautiful snorkelling in the stunning red sea and Aqaba itself, and finally the dead sea, all I can say is wow, I've never felt so invigorated after a few days of hiking in my life. Truly a trip that has equal measure of adventuring as well as some relaxation. I just want to again thank our guide Motaz for making me fall in love with Jordan and it's people, I will definitely be back and suggest this trip for anyone of all ages and abilities.

Motaz, our guide is quite simply the best. Right from day 1 with his warm friendly smile and great sense of humour, he made us all feel very welcome and happy, getting everybody involved and feeling included within the group. He really went out of his way to provide for all our needs. If there was anything anybody wanted or needed at anytime, he would do everything in his power to make that happen, whilst always maintaining a professional and courteous attitude. Even when he was feeling tired, a bit exhausted and a little out of his own comfort zone, he would still deliver each and every time. Top bloke!

Our thoughts, feelings and intentions throughout the trip were always his number one priority. Always understanding and empathetic towards all the mixed and varied abilities within the group.

His knowledge and information of everything Jordanian is top of the class. Always making sure we all felt safe, warm and loved, every step of the way. Top marks and gold star to the best tour guide in all of Jordan. He is amazing – a true superhero! Thank you Motaz for giving us all the trip of a lifetime.

As a whole the trip was totally epic! From the challenging terrain of Petra and Wadi Rum to the relaxing ambiance of the Red and Dead seas. Accommodation was always first class. Food was delicious. The people always happy, friendly, warm and very welcoming.

I cannot recommend this trip highly enough. Memories I will cherish forever, with new best friendships made that I’m sure will also last a lifetime.

As you look through these reviews and think; shall I book this trip? The answer is a very simple: YES! Book it now, don’t delay and don’t miss out on this amazing opportunity to see and do so much in just one week. Just do it! You’ll love it and you certainly wont regret it, I promise 😉

I’m still buzzing from this trip 😊

I have been on many adventure holidays, both with MBA and other companies, but this one has to be up there with my favourites. The variety of activity was really great and the amount we managed to pack into the week was really quite incredible. It most definitely was the trip that just kept giving. It was sad to see tourist numbers so low, but that was obviously a huge advantage for us, having world famous sites such as Petra, pretty much to ourselves. The Wadi Rum experience was particularly wonderful - a mountain summit with spectacular views, the stunning Martian type landscape, Bedouin camp and authentic food, jeep safari across the vast expanse, star gazing, camel riding for sun rise, and trekking to see the stunning canyons. We were fortunate to have a fabulous group who were such fun to be with. Most of all, the trip was truly made by our exceptional guide, Motaz. He was without doubt, the best guide I've had on an adventure. So knowledgeable, such great humour, so helpful and always going that extra mile to give us the best experience possible. Motaz, thanks a million! I can absolutely recommend this trip without hesitation and hope others feel safe to travel to this beautiful, magical country

This was the first trip that I had done with Much Better Adventures and I was really impressed. The itinerary was excellent and provided a great mix of activities. Motaz was a wonderful guide and really enhanced the experience. I would certainly use MBA again

Wow! What an amazing trip from start to finish, everything was absolutely brilliant.

Arriving into Amman airport I was a bit nervous on my own but the driver had a sign and it was really easy to get to the first hotel.

The transfer bus is air conditioned and very comfortable, the driver was very friendly and was even available to help us as a group to get to a restaurant outside of our itinerary.

Day 1 of trekking the nature reserve was stunning, panoramic views and we had a traditional Bedouin tea on a fire the local guide made for us whilst we had lunch. After this we went to the first Bedouin camp which has hot showers and a fixed structure toilet block and a campfire to sit around. The food was delicious, plentiful and alcohol is available. Little Petra was really interesting and our guide Motaz explained everything with great historical knowledge.

We then headed into Petra which is totally amazing and we were so lucky we could experience this wonder with hardly any other tourists there, however all shops and facilities are open. There are a lot of steps, I found my training on the StairMaster in the gym came in handy! The hotel we stayed in was close to a fantastic restaurant our guide Motaz took us to in the evening - top tip is to make sure the food you order comes in a gold box….

Next day was Wadi rum which is a phenomenal experience and in my opinion even better than Petra. The hike up Jordan’s highest Mountain includes climbing up over some sandstone boulders and a bit of scrambling - our guide Motaz helped us through every step of the way and we had additional guides for this section in order to make sure the group can go at a speed they are comfortable with. The views from the top are outstanding! The red sand glowing at night with neon shrubs on the ground was something I will never forget. The second Bedouin camp was more rustic but still with fixed hot water shower block a toilets. Personally I preferred this camp as the experience was very authentic. The food was really great and watching shooting stars above our camp when the lights were turned out was a once in a lifetime experience!

The Red Sea was incredible snorkelling, the boat we went on was very luxurious. Some of the group dived whilst others relaxed on the boat. We stayed on at the beach club into the evening and enjoyed happy hour and lovely food at a very reasonable price eg 10JD for grilled fresh local fish salad and fries. The sunset was beautiful and cocktails were very tasty.

The Dead Sea was a fantastic experience and the hotel was absolutely stunning with amazing food and facilities - there was even a swim up bar!

Our guide Motaz was absolutely brilliant and ensured anything we wanted was made possible. I stayed on an extra full day and decided to get baptised in the River Jordan. Motaz found a priest with 24 hours notice in a Muslim country, booked me a private transfer and explained the whole process and what I would need to take/do. This is completely above and beyond, I was totally blown away! This man can make absolutely anything happen so with Motaz you are honestly in the best hands!

The country is very safe, I felt secure at all times. I would highly recommend this trip to everyone. You don’t need to bring an adaptor plug if you’re from the Uk, all the accommodations have this socket and also no need for a towel as this is provided at every location. The neck buff is a must to pull over your face when it’s dusty/sandy.

I've just returned from the October 2024 trip and it was amazing, each day seemed to get better than the one before, and it felt much longer than 7 days because of the amount we got to do and see in that time.

The accommodations were all top notch, and impeccably clean, including the camps, with toilets and showers which where as comfortable as being in a hotel. We were lucky to have the 2nd camp entirely for our group which felt really special and secluded.

The food was mostly buffet style, plenty of choice, standard pack lunches for the hikes, and some gorgeous meals in the evenings.

The hikes where varied each day which kept it interesting. I'm fairly fit and find Snowdon hard, the hikes where a fun challenge for me. There is some scrambling involved on day 4 but Motaz was always there to give us a hand and I felt safe on all the trails.

The sights we saw where just incredible and exceeded my expectations. Jordan has so much variety within a small country, so we where hiking in wadi rum in the morning then later in the afternoon relaxing at a beach club. The itinerary is well planned so you have the snorkelling day and dead sea to Relax before the trip ends. I upgraded last minute to a scuba dive on the boat which was definitely worth it.

The guide, Motaz, was the icing on the cake for me, he is so funny and genuinely cares about the group, he went well out of his way to make sure each person had a good time. By the end of the week I felt like I was saying goodbye to a dear friend, the same can be said for the other members of my group too. Even during the drives and the uneventful parts of the itinerary, the bus was full of laughter.

Tourism is low due to the conflict in the middle east at the time of writing this, but Jordan remains peaceful and safe. We where welcomed to the country by locals and the lack of other travellers was an added bonus (although a shame for the tourism industry).

A wonderful and amazing trip! Would recommend to solo travellers. The star of the trip was our guide Motaz who was so knowledgable and always on hand. He was a fantastic representative of the Jordanian people and an so grateful that I had him as our guide. Amazing group and amazing memories! Could not recommend this trip enough

This was the best trip I have ever been on. Motaz was a fantastic guide and I would recommend any trip he runs!

Day 1: We landed early so walked around Aman before heading over to Madaba in the late afternoon. I felt very safe as a woman in my 20s. Lots of taxi drivers will offer to give you a ride, but they are polite and good mannered if you say no thank you. In the evening of day one thr group met in the Hotel and went for a lovely dinner. For a starter, main and two drinks it was about £18.

Day 2: This was the day we met our FANTASTIC guide, Motaz. We got onto the bus in the morning and headed out for our first hike. This was the most physically demanding hike, with a bit of scrambling. The local guide was great at helping the group and Motaz was a fountain of knowledge regarding local history and culture.

That evening we made our way over tk the first camp. The team there were fantastic. There were great facilities and electricity to charge up your devices. The hospitality was exemplary. This night was truly magical, with local food being served and an abundance of tea. Alcoholic drinks were also avaliable to buy here, if you wanted.

Day 3: Petra. This was an incredible day. We had petra to ourselves. Motaz, our guide, knows everything about the history and the best routes to take, to see everything. There are alot of small stools and people offering donkey rides. There is a fantastic photo spot in front of the treasury.

The hike here wasn't too intense, there are just alot of stairs on your way in.

Both cash and card is usable in Petra.

We went to the hotel then out to dinner, at a restaurant recommended by our guide. This was fabtastic local food. They were great at navigating any allergies or dietary requirements for the group.

Day 4: Wadi Rum. This day was great. We set off from the hotel bright and early and hopped on the bus.

We had a couple off stops to use the bathroom.

Then we got to our camp. Again, there were fantastic facilities and electricity in the tents.

We then hopped in a jeap and road for about 20 minutes before stopping off for a fantastic lunch in the desert. Then we went back in the jeaps and drove to the highest mountain.

This hike is challenging and you will need to pay close attention to your guide climbing up. The veiw at the top is pretty mind blowing, and you have a great sense of achievement when you reach it. Our guide, Motaz, was great at helping anyone who needed it with directions and assistance to complete the climb.

We then drove back in the jeaps at sunset - Bring a Fleece or Light coat - it gets very chilly.

Then back to the camp for dinner, again they were fantastic with allergies and dietary requirements while also showing us their amazing authentic cooking.

The tents got very cold at night so i would recommend wrapping up warm!

Day 5: Aqaba Beach Club. A few of us woke up early in Wadi Rum to go on a sunrise Camel ride. Our guide was able to arrange this for us. I would really recommend this experience.

We then had breakfast and set off to Aqaba to go to the beach club.

Our guide was able to organise for us to go on a glass bottom boat, and snorkel.

Our group chose to eat lunch and dinner at the beach club. They sell alchol here, if you want it.

Day 6: Boat day. We had a fantastic time on the boat with snorkeling and diving, for those with experience. There was lunch on board and it was a fantastic time.

In the evening our guide recommend a wonderful restaurant for our whole group, with sea views and fantastic hospitality.

Day 7: the dead sea. We set off early and took a drive to the dead sea. Our guide told us lots of information about the dead sea and answered all our questions. We then arrivedat the hotel and had a wonderful experience taking a dip in the dead sea. After that we had a lovely relax by the pool drinking mocktails.

Our guide was able to give us some tips and suggestions for what to do in Aman the following morning before our flight.

Then a drive back to Aman where we said goodbye to our driver and guide.

This was such a special trip where we met some incredible people and did some once in a lifetime activities. I would recommend highly!

Top Tips:

• Bring a Fleece or Coat
• Most places accept card
• bring flip flops, trainers and Hiking Boots
• bring cash to tip service worker's
• there are lots of animals around so be prepared for that
• alot of people assume that vegetarians will eat fish, speak to your guide and they can help you if you are plant based.

What to wear: We woar shorts and tshirts most days. We made sure we had covered shoulders in resturants. Please seem to be really relaxed about clothing.

This trip was incredible! To be able to see so many of the sites of Jordan, but also have the time for some great hikes in some slightly less known areas was such a treat. And going from hiking and sandboarding in Wadi Rum in the morning to relaxing beachfront by the Red Sea that afternoon made me really appreciate how close everything is! The food was great, the accommodation was comfortable, the rocks were amazing and the Dead Sea was saltier than I could ever imagine.

Ahlam, our tour guide, was the best: fun, knowledgeable, friendly, and I loved meeting all our local guides too. I can recommend, if you have your diving ticket to enquire about upgrading from snorkelling to SCUBA diving from the boat - It was excellent diving with a highly professional company for a good rate.