Summer is upon us and now is
the time to get back to exploring the world, starting with our own local gems.
Here are a few ideas to start discovering this amazing place we call home and
make the best of every weekend.
اضافة اعلان
Day at the museum
Let go of any preconceived
notions about museums being dusty old halls filled with ancient artifacts and
check out Jordan’s museums with an open mind.
Start with something different and exciting like the
Royal Automobile Museum, which you do not have to be a car enthusiast to enjoy.
With more than 70 classic cars and motorbikes from His Majesty the late King
Hussein’s personal collection, the museum showcases a range of vehicles, old
and new, featuring stories involving former presidents, Hollywood movie stars,
and regional royalty.
For your next stop, visit the
Royal Tank Museum —
which is the first of its kind in the region — offering a display of 140 tanks.
This museum collects, restores, preserves, and showcases military tanks and
armored vehicles for educational and explorational purposes. You will learn
about the role of tanks in the Jordan Armed Forces-Arab Army and their
contribution in shaping our country.
If you are interested in learning more about
Jordan’s history and politics, you can visit the Jordan Museum and the
Parliamentary Life Museum. The former celebrates the country’s history and
cultural heritage, while the latter showcases its political and social history.
Explore Jordan’s six
UNESCO World Heritage sites
According to
UNESCO, the
“World Heritage is the designation for places on Earth that are of outstanding
universal value to humanity,” added to a recognized list “to be protected for
future generations to appreciate and enjoy.” This means the six sites
identified in Jordan should top your list of dream staycation destinations
without hesitation.
The newest member of the club is Salt, dubbed the
“Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality.” A great starting point is the
Harmony Trail: a path that walks you through all the important sites in the
city with stops at churches, mosques, museums, and old buildings. End your
visit with a dinner at the Jordan Heritage Restaurant, which celebrates the
local cuisine with 94 different dishes to choose from. To offer an authentic
experience, the staff are all Jordanian youth and the ingredients are sourced
from local women trained by Jordan Heritage. The restaurant also showcases a
bit of Jordan’s history, including details on past battles and information
about ancient artifacts.
The five other
World Heritage Sites are the Baptism Site, the
Wadi Rum Protected Area, Um
er-Rasas, Petra, and Quseir Amra. Make it a six-week adventure where you visit
one site each weekend and immerse yourself in the beauty of Jordanian culture
and history.
Ecotourism
If you are going to play tourist in the country you live in, why not do so
while making a positive impact.
Ecotourism is about responsible travel,
exploring natural areas that conserve the environment, contributing to the
well-being and livelihood of locals, all the while learning about the
destination where you are located.
Dana Biosphere Reserve
Jordan’s largest nature reserve has archaeological evidence that the
Egyptian, Nabatean, Roman, and Paleolithic civilizations have all settled in
the area. According to
Wild Jordan, Dana is home to 700 plant, 190 bird, 37
mammal, and 36 reptile species. 25 of these species have been declared
endangered such as the sand cat, Syrian wolf, lesser kestrel, and spiny-tailed
lizard.
Azraq Wetland Reserve
With a JD2.5 entry fee, a visit to the
Azraq Wetland is definitely worth
the time, money, and effort. It is the perfect destination for birdwatchers as
the wetland is a stopover for local migrating, and sometimes rare, bird species
from three different continents. The area also used to be a station for
pilgrims and camel trains. Even Lawrence of Arabia was stationed in the Azraq
Castle during the Arab Revolt in the early 1900s.
Shaumari Wildlife Reserve
Established in 1975 by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature,
the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve operates as a breeding center for endangered
wildlife. With the help of the world’s leading wildlife parks and zoos,
Shaumari is saving and preserving some of the rarest species in the region
including gazelles, oryx, ostriches, and onagers. The reserve is a great day
trip option as it has a cafeteria, children’s play zone, as well as a picnic
and barbeque area.
Other ecotourism
hotspots are the Ajloun Forest Reserve and
Yarmouk Forest Reserve. These places
offer a variety of activities such as canyoning, cycling, camping, and cooking.
Some cultural activities to sign up for are Druze folk dancing, Bedouin
experiences, Kohl making, and weaving goat-haired tents.
Take a hikeIn Jordan, you can go for a hike any day of the week and explore different
terrains. Whether you prefer a private group hike or meeting new people via a
local adventure company, you will be able to hike through canyons, descend waterfalls,
climb breathtaking cliffs, enjoy picturesque views and, in some cases, explore
areas of untouched nature.
The Kingdom’s
longest hiking trail, which many call bucket-list worthy, is the Jordan Trail.
It spans the entire length of the country, starting with
Um Qais in the far
north and ending in Aqaba in the south. The 650km path is a 40 day long hike
that goes through 52 villages and towns.
The trail trip
allows hikers to explore different aspects of Jordanian culture, indulge in
various dishes from the local cuisine, and discover historical sites such as
Jerash and Petra.
Another remarkable,
and less time consuming, destination is Wadi Mujib. The Mujib Biosphere Reserve
is the world’s lowest nature reserve, offering stunning scenery near the east
coast of the Dead Sea. Located in the
Wadi Mujib gorge, it stretches through
the Dead Sea, Karak, and Madaba. Hikers are in for a treat as they will be met
with spectacular biodiversity, including 300 species of plants, 10 species of
carnivores, and various species of birds. With protected mountains and valleys,
the area is home to several rare species of cats, goats, and other mountain
animals, which hikers can encounter.
The tip of the Jordanian iceberg
Jordan has a lot to offer, and these are a few ideas to get you started.
Instead of wasting your Fridays and Saturdays binge watching television shows
or snoozing on your couch, step out of your comfort zone and make exciting
plans for the upcoming weekend!
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