Nature on Picturing Jordan

Lose Yourself in Wadi Rum

Mon, 27 Mar 2017 10:30:42 +0300

Bedouin with camels in Wadi Rum

You could easily lose yourself — both literally and figuratively — in the endless red sand and towering rock skyscrapers of Wadi Rum. This majestic place, known to even the Greeks and the Romans, has been inhabited for thousands of years and is unlike any other place on Earth. The unique landscape has been featured in a handful of Hollywood movies, for example Lawrence of Arabia and The Martian.

Sleep in a Chalet at the Dead Sea

Wed, 15 Feb 2017 18:31:28 +0200

Enjoy the view from the comfort of your hammock

Jordan’s Dead Sea coast is the perfect place to get away from the hustle and bustle of Amman. If you’re looking for something a little more wholesome and minimalistic — not to mention cheaper — than an elegant five-star resort, look no further than Wild Jordan’s chalets at Wadi Mujib.

Harvesting Olives in Ajloun

Fri, 18 Nov 2016 18:39:58 +0200

Freshly picked olives

Wild Jordan has an ingenious day trip where you pay them to take you to pick olives on a farm in Ajloun — the family who owns the farm even comes out to watch you and give you tips! Like I said: genius. Jokes aside, it was actually a lot of fun, and the point is to educate you about the olive harvest and its importance to people in the region.

Azraq Wetland, a Disappearing Oasis

Sat, 24 Sep 2016 21:28:31 +0300

A one of a kind oasis is at risk of disappearing soon

There’s a unique wetland nature preserve an hour and a half from Amman. In just thirty minutes of walking around, I saw birds, snakes, crabs, fish, and even water buffaloes! For thousands of years Azraq was a massive, thriving oasis whose ecological diversity supported human settlements, but in recent decades it has come dangerously close to drying up due to increased water usage from surrounding cities.

Camping in the Dana Biosphere Reserve

Mon, 19 Sep 2016 09:48:23 +0300

Just after sunrise at a camp in the Dana Biosphere

A few weeks ago I slept in a tent on the cusp of Jordan’s Rift Valley. Wild Jordan has regular hiking and camping trips to the reserve and they are very affordable. The staff are friendly and genuinely care about nature conservation. Trips to this and other national parks are part of an impressive government effort to preserve Jordan’s natural spaces.