General Info

Riding Arabian horses in the hoofsteps of Lawrence of Arabia through Jordan's Wadi Rum Desert, where camels and bedouin roam and the scenery is surprisingly diverse. See ancient rock art, desert wildlife, and the pink and red canyons for which the Wadi Rum is well known.

Visit the magical and ancient city of Petra and float in the Dead Sea – the lowest point on earth. Horseback riding vacations in Jordan are best suited to experienced riders, as all of the horses are active and forward going Arabians and there will be lots of long trots and canters in wide open spaces. Arabian horses were developed in desert climates and are renowned for their stamina and speed.

Camp out under the stars each night spent in the desert. Either pitch a tent or simply sleep outside with a vast patchwork of stars over your head. It’s possible to ride in the desert at any time of year, but as summer is fiercely hot, spring and autumn -when daytime temperatures are perfect for riding- are recommended. As you ride, you may meet Bedouin families living in traditional nomadic camps. A vehicle carries all your luggage and the camp equipment and you usually move camp every night.

In Amman, Petra and Aqaba, you'll stay in comfortable 3 star hotels.

Packing

The Wadi Rum is in the south-west corner of Jordan and stretches as far as the border with Saudi Arabia. Spring and Autumn are pleasant with warm days and cooler nights. Summer can be very, very hot. Winter is usually moderate during the day but can drop to zero at night with some rain possible. Please see Equitrekking Travel’s General Packing List. Please ask our preferred agents who have taken this trip about packing upon booking to get first-hand insight.

 

About the Horses

The horses are all Arabians. They are active, forward-going and fun to ride so you need to be a confident rider, able to control a horse at all paces in wide open spaces. There are some long trots and canters so riders also need to be fit.

Activities/Events

Visit Petra, ride horses in the desert, spend time learning about Bedouin culture, snorkel in Aqaba and float in the Dead Sea. This Jordan riding vacation is filled with exciting adventures! There are also options for non-riding partners.

Accommodations/Food

The hotels used in Amman, Petra and Aqaba are regular 3 star hotels. For the other five or six nights, you camp in the Wadi Rum Desert in a simple camp, in the style of the Bedouin. Camp is generally moved every day, but if you have found a particularly nice spot, or the weather dictates, then you may stay two nights in the same camp. Camp is set up in wilderness areas and rarely is the same place used twice to maintain an eco-friendly desert trek.

If you are travelling alone then there is no single supplement if you are willing to share, however, please note that you may be sharing a triple room with other riders (of the same sex).

Small tents and mattresses are provided for you. On a warm evening, many people choose to sleep out under the stars, which is an unforgettable experience. You will rarely have seen a sky so black or stars so bright. The tents are simple to erect and dismantle and you are asked to assist the camp staff in setting them up. You need to bring your own sleeping bag and camping pillow.

Water is provided for washing face and hands and a shower tent may be erected on some nights with warm water supplied for you to wash / shower. Toilet facilities at the mobile camps are limited and you may need to dig a hole in the sand and bring your toilet paper to a garbage bag for disposal later.

During winter months (December and February) if the weather is poor, the ride may be based from a static camp rather than being mobile. The static camp has a large tent for sitting and dining in if it is cold / wet. When based at the static camp you will ride out in different directions each day so that you get to experience as much of the desert as possible. 

The Ideal Traveler

Confident riders who want to experience Middle East culture, visit Petra and see diverse desert scenery. You'll want to enjoy camping out, as it's a big part of this Jordan riding vacation.

Jordan Riding Itinerary

This spectacular riding vacation includes riding in the Wadi Rum Desert, visiting magical Petra and a visit to the Dead Sea!

2017 Dates
2018 Dates
Feb 10-19, Feb 17-26, March 3-12, March 10-19, March 24-April 2, April 14-23, April 21-30, May 5-14
Sept 15-24, Sept 22-Oct 1, Oct 6-15, Oct 13-22, Oct 27-Nov 5, Nov 3-12, Nov 17-26, Nov 24-Dec 3, Dec 8-17, Dec 22-31
Dec 29, 2018- Jan 7, 2019 New Year's Riding Vacation

Rates
10 Day Vacation Package with 6 Days of Riding
$2055 USD* per person
$149 USD* Hotel Single Supplement
$45 USD* Single Tent Supplement

9 Day Vacation Package with 6 Days of Riding
$1873 USD* per person
$149 USD* Hotel Single Supplement
$45 USD* Single Tent Supplement

Non-Riding Prices
10 Day Vacation Package 
$1426 USD* per person
9 Day Vacation Package
$1297 USD* per person

* Prices shown are subject to exchange rate fluctuations. There is no single supplement if you are prepared to share. If you are willing to share then this could be in a triple room. 

Spring / Autumn Itinerary (between mid March and mid November)

At this time of year the Red Sea is warm and it's a special treat to enjoy a day at the sea after six nights in the desert.

INCLUDES Riding; all transfers (at set times); accommodation (4 nights in hotels, 5 nights camping); most meals; soft drinks while camping; guides; entrance fees to Petra and Wadi Rum.

PAYABLE LOCALLY Drinks; lunch when not camping; Jordanian departure tax; tips; Spa treatments at the Dead Sea; transfers if arriving outside of the set times.

NEAREST AIRPORT Amman.

TRANSFERS Airport transfers are included from Amman on the day of arrival and back to Amman on the day of departure (at set times).

NOT INCLUDED International flights to Amman.

Sample Jordan Riding Vacation Itinerary**

Day 1 - Saturday

Arrive in Amman, at Queen Alia International Airport, where you are met and driven to your hotel, normally the Mosaic City Hotel in Madaba (30 minutes). Overnight at your hotel. (Occasionally a 3 star hotel in Amman is used instead of the hotel in Madaba).

Day 2 - Sunday

Early morning at 7:30, your bus will collect you to travel to Petra (around 2 hour and 30 minute drive). You'll arrive around 10 am with time for a full day to visit to this magical destinatino. You may have a 2 to 3 hour guided visit with an official guide and afterwards can wander on your own or return to your hotel.

You will see the famous Treasury and then choose which sites to visit-– the city centre, the Royal tomb, the theatre, the High Place of Sacrifice, the Monastery or the Roman Soldier Tombs. There are many small restaurants inside the site to get lunch (not included in the trip price).

Overnight at a 3-star hotel located right at the entrance to Petra. Dinner at the hotel.

Day 3 - Monday

After breakfast, you'll be driven to the Wadi Rum Desert (around 1 hour and 30 minutedrive). Arrive in the village of Wadi Rum at the stables at around 9.30am. You'll have time to drink the first bedouin tea, meet the horses and the team.

The first ride is through Um Ishrin Valley with a visit on the way to Lawrence’s well. After lunch you ride through an open valley with a view over the red sand area. Dinner and camp in Abu Hassaran.

Day 4 - Tuesday

After breakfast, you cross Rash Rasha valley with its striking red sands and head to Qatar mountain. There you'll see a spring and have lunch. After lunch, ride to Um Raza, where you set up camp for the night.

Day 5 - Wednesday

After breakfast, you ride onto Arab Antar, a natural cave famous for its legends. Enjoy lunch near Arab Antar, then continue to the Sweibat Valley near the Saudi border. Dinner and camp in Sweibat.

Day 6 - Thursday

After breakfast, you cross through Cerdan Valley and see a Neolithic well that is still used by the Bedouins. Have lunch in Um Umgur and then cross narrow canyons to arrive in Abu Rashaba where camp is set up for the night.

Day 7 - Friday

After breakfast, ride from Abu Rashaba to Jebel Burdah and see the natural rock bridge on its summit. After lunch continue to the red sand dunes and Jebel Um Feshiyeh with its Nabatean inscriptions. Dinner and camp in the red sand dunes area.

Day 8 - Saturday

After breakfast, you cross Barragh canyon, which is the longest canyon in Wadi Rum. Gaze at its monumental cliffs which are famous for rock climbing. Then you cross the Disseh plain and return the horses to their stable. Lunch at the stables.

After lunch you are driven back to Madaba/Amman to check-in to your hotel and have dinner. Overnight in 3-star hotel in Madaba (or sometimes Amman).

Day 9 - Sunday

In the morning you visit Amman old city before being transferred to the Dead Sea where you spend the afternoon at your leisure (lunch to your own account). Mount Nebo is situated on the road between Madaba and the Dead Sea so you visit the site on either your outward or return journey. Dinner and night in a hotel in Madaba.

Day 10 - Monday

Transfer to the airport in time for your flight.

Alternative Itineraries
For groups of three or more riders, it is possible to substitute Day Nine with a visit to Aqaba and the Red Sea as follows:
Day One – Eight: follow standard itinerary
After lunch on Day 8, transfer by road to Aqaba and overnight in a four star hotel in the town.
Day Nine
This is a day to enjoy the Red Sea at Berenice private beach. Entry to the beach is included and hire of snorkelling equipment is payable locally. In the afternoon you will be transferred to the hotel in Madaba (3 to 4 hours drive). Dinner and night in a hotel in Madaba.
Day Ten
Transfer to the airport in time for your flight.

For those who are short of time, it is also possible to depart the ride on Day Nine – transferring back to Madaba with the group on Day Eight and then flying home on Day 9. 

** The above is a sample itinerary. It is subject to changes based on the weather and the trip guide’s discretion.

Related Travel Articles

Traveler Reviews

The horses were in excellent condition and very well trained. Sherif was the best horse I have ever ridden abroad.

Fit Arabian horses and endless horizons of rose pink sand, coupled with the history of the area and the majesty of Petra make this a truly memorable ride. While the camping is basic, there is nothing to beat sleeping under the stars - although a torch is essential for finding your way around camp after nightfall!

- Catherine
 

Reading List

General Guidebooks & Novels

Jordan (Country Guide by Lonely Planet) (Paperback)
by Jenny Walker and Matthew D Firestone
Nobody knows Jordan like Lonely Planet. The 7th edition will help you discover the magic of this ancient land - whether it be basking in the sun-drenched glory of Petra, exploring the desert citadels, getting off the beaten track on a camel safari or simply sipping a bittersweet cardamom-flavored coffee. Lonely Planet guides are written by experts who get to the heart of every destination they visit. This fully updated edition is packed with accurate, practial and honest advice, designed to give you the information you need to make the most of your trip.

The Rough Guide to Jordan (Paperback) by Matthew Teller
"The Rough Guide to Jordan" is the essential guide to the Middle East's most enticing destination. This title features detailed accounts of the best attractions Jordan has to offer, along with the clearest Jordan maps and plans, lift the lid on this fascinatingly diverse country. With expert advice and background, explore the world wonder that is Petra, an ancient city carved from rose-red mountain cliffs, roam the sands of Wadi Rum in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia, and then relax on golden beaches at Aqaba, Jordan's beautiful Red Sea resort hideaway.

Petra (Hardcover) by Maria Giulia, Amadasi Guzzo, Eugenia Equini Schneider, Lydia G Cochrane
In this lavishly illustrated book, Maria Giulia Amadasi Guzzo and Eugenia Equini Schneider provide an accessible overview of the history and culture of the Nabateans, including their language, religion, politics, and economy, as well as a detailed guide to the city of Petra and its art and architecture. A major stop on the spice trade route, Petra attracted wealth and culture from across the Arabic and classical worlds and was abundantly furnished with more than 800 monuments. Perhaps the most well known of these is the Khazneh el-Faroun, or Treasury, a royal tomb more than 130 feet high with a magnificent Hellenistic facade carved from the salmon pink sandstone of the surrounding cliffs. But no less impressive were Petra's advanced achievements in hydraulic engineering, including elaborate water conservation systems and dams. For anyone who has felt the lure and wonder of ancient cities and civilizations in exotic locations, Petra will be a delightful and invaluable resource.

Married to a Bedouin by Marguerite van Geldermalsen (Paperback - Apr. 1, 2010)
New Zealand born nurse Marguerite van Geldermalsen first visited the lost city Petra with her friend Elizabeth in 1978 on a sightseeing tour of the ancient world. Already looking forward to her beach holiday at the end of the trip, little did Maguerite know she was about to meet the man she would marry, the charismatic Mohammad Abdallah Othman, a Bedouin craftsman of the Manajah tribe. A life with Mohammad meant moving into his ancient cave and learning to love the regular tasks of baking shrak bread on an open fire and collecting water from the spring. But as Marguerite feels herself becoming part of the Bedouin community, she is thankful for the twist in fate that has led her to this contented life. Marguerite’s light-hearted and guileless observations of the people she comes to love are as heart-warming as they are valuable, charting Bedouin traditions now lost to the modern world.

Equitrekking Coffee Table Companion Book & DVD

Equitrekking Travel Adventures on Horseback by Darley Newman with Photographs by Chip Ward available at Amazon.com
This companion to the PBS TV series, Equitrekking, proves that the world's most beautiful views are often best seen from atop a horse. This gorgeous book features dozens of scenic rides in the U.S. and around the globe. Denver Post review: For horse folk and dreamers, as well as fans of the show, it's a beautiful trip through stunning equestrian-friendly possibilities.



Equitrekking DVD's featuring Emmy winning PBS episodes, available in the Shop section of Equitrekking.com 

Get off the beaten path to see some of the world's most beautiful horses and classic riding destinations with host and equestrian travel expert Darley Newman with Emmy Award-winning Equitrekking, the horseback riding travel series on PBS. 

Season One: Vermont, the Carolinas, Georgia Coast, Wyoming, Colorado and Spain.

Season Two: Iceland, Coastal Ireland, Hawaii's Big Island, Irish Countryside, Maui, Virginia Hunt Country and California Wine Country.

Season Three: Arizona, Belize, Costa Rica, Kentucky, Quebec, Texas and Utah.

Season Four: Southern Spain, Alaska, Central Turkey, Quebec City and Beyond, Scotland and Wales.

    

Good Books for Horse Lovers and Equestrians

Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior (Paperback) by Temple Grandin
Philosophers and scientists have long wondered what goes on in the minds of animals, and this fascinating study gives a wealth of illuminating insights into that mystery. ---Publishers Weekly

The Horse: A Miscellany of Equine Knowledge (Hardcover) by Julie Whitaker with Ian Whitelaw
The Horse is an informative gallop through everything to do with the horse:  evolution, history, biology, breeds, behavior, training, competition, health, and care—all gathered into an accessible gallery of solid information, essential facts, and fascinating trivia.                                                           

Hunter Seat Equitation (Hardcover) by George H. Morris
A classic by a world-renowned teacher and master equestrian--the definitive work on the art of teaching and riding the hunter seat, now updated to include refinements in Morris's insightful program of riding instruction.

The New Encyclopedia of the Horse (Hardcover) by Elwyn Hartley Edwards
Chronicling the history of the horse, this guide encompasses the early domestication of the horse, classical riding styles, as well as a survey of the great stud farms and current international sporting events. 

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