Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing a shooting star, making a wish and ...  watch this space!!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Zahier was very knowledgable and his English exceptional.  He quickly got to know the group and assisted us in any way he could.I knew my food choices would be limited being vegetarian and not eating bread, but once he understood this, he went out of his way to make sure I was catered for.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Ask to see the Citadel if you have spare time on the last day back in Amman - I did it on my own as I flew out early, but well worth the visit...  Check weather at time of travel - don't assume because it's in the desert it's hot all the time in the day!!

Suggestions

The trip notes (which I know are being updated) doesn't do the trip justice.  The longest cycle day has the most amazing roads I have ever cycled on.

Most Inspirational Moment

The most inspirational moment was cycling through the desert, some amazing views and colours seen in the sandstone hills.  You were able to lose yourself in the beauty.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader was great. He had some wierd and wonderful stories to keep us entertained and was good at keeping us on track :)

Advice for Potential Travellers

Layers are a good idea, it's cold in the hills & desert at night (I think both in winter and summer months), and the temperature varies a lot during the day as you travel from high ground to low, i.e. above 1000M to below 400M where he dead sea is.

Suggestions

The trip was thoroughly enjoyable and very varied, biking, hiking, sightseeing, floating, snorkelling, camping and camel riding, felt like we did a lot in just over a week!

Most Inspirational Moment

There was so much that I really enjoyed about this trip that it is hard to think of one moment.... The best thing about this trip was that you get to experience so much in just over one week. There is the cycling, a bit of culture and history, hiking in Petra, the camp in Wadi Rum, floating in the Dead Sea, snorkelling in the Red Sea, experiencing a Turkish bath..... a really good trip if you want to see as much of Jordan as possible and only have a week to spare.

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader, Zuhair, was very enthusiastic, knowledgable and full of weird and wonderful stories. He also provided much entertainment showing off his Arabic dance moves at lunch stops. Very good fun but also took his job seriously at the same time, ie if there was a problem he would do his best to solve it for you.

Advice for Potential Travellers

There was not as much cycling as I had expected, ie. there were four days where you only cycle for a couple of hours (and the cycling is pretty easy with just a couple of hills) and only one 'proper' day's cycling.    There are a few climbs and one fairly steep descent on a rough road, but nothing that would challenge an experienced cyclist.   This was not a massive problem for me personally as my motivation for booking this trip was to explore Jordan and the cycling was more of an added bonus, and there are plenty of other activities as well as the cycling.  However anyone who's priority is to do lots of cycling might be a bit disappointed - for example in Petra you spend much more time hiking than cycling.  If you are going as a couple make sure you specify if you want double beds - the couples in our group only got a double bed for one of the eight nights and twin beds the rest of the time.  It is cold in November, take lots of layers and definitely take a sleeping bag for the Wadi Rum camp. Take a torch as well!  

Most Inspirational Moment

Standing at the top of Mount Nebo looking out over JordanThe long walk and climb up to the Monastery in Petra and the impressive view.  Petra really is extraordinary. The exciting cycling downhill and sense of achievement every time I managed to get to the top of a hill Cycling and camping in the desert at Wadi Rum and the best breakfast of the whole holiday.  The Wadi Rum camp was much less basic than I expected.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Zuhair really made the holiday special.  His English was excellent.  There were a couple of issues but he dealt with them before we even mentioned them.  What more could you want from a tour leader!

Advice for Potential Travellers

It is really hilly and this is reflected in the distance cycled each day.  However no-one was put under pressure to keep cycling so if you can't make it up the hill the team are quite amenable to giving you a lift. Don't let this put you off - just practise a few hills before you go.Also, the weather was perfect for cycling in early October and the nights warm but still did not really need a thick sleeping bag in Wadi Rum.   

Suggestions

I was concerned about the safety aspect before we went because we were so close to several sensitive borders, but didn't encounter any problems.  In fact I was stopped at a checkpoint on my bike and the guard offered to refill my water container! 

Most Inspirational Moment

So many, every day there was a highlight but for me the desert was fantastic, an incredible part of the journey, I cetainly didn't expect it to rank so highly. Petra is superb, do try to do it by night, its a very different experience to going there by day, i'd recommend it.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Zuhair was lovely, a very kind man with all of his guests well being as his priority. Humourous and knowledgable - excellent

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you're going in September it will be very very hot, however its a very dry heat so quite bearable. Do not take a sleeping bag as it will save space to take a liner instead. It was 20 degrees at the coldest part of the night in Mid September. Take sterling - its as easy as dollars to change but less faff before you go. Just get it booked - this is a fantastic trip!

Most Inspirational Moment

There were a few:Petra; Stunning and the climb up the mountain with a cup tea with Bedouin was classic and the rewar of the ice cream at the end of the day was a real moment of joy!! The frightening desecnt down the mountian with my brakes red hot!!The weird feeling of the deadsea.  

Thoughts on Group Leader

Zuhair was brilliant, his stories made the trip and the history come alive.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you do a lot of cycling beforehand and get some mountain biking in!!

Suggestions

Would love to have a crusader castle added to the trip

Most Inspirational Moment

The whole trip went from wow moment to wow moment! Floating in the Dead Sea - very weird but wonderful experiencePetra - WOW!!!Wadi Rum - I'm so glad I could experience this, it was such a nice evening

Thoughts on Group Leader

The group leader was very friendly, funny, knowledgable, enthusiastic for his country, supportive and caring.  For the unfortunate two where something went wrong (luggage lost, injury) he bent over backwards to help them and sort out the problem. The other guides we had  - bike guides and the drivers - were incredibly friendly and supportive

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go and do it

Suggestions

This was my first cycling holiday, but now I want to experience the others ones too!

Most Inspirational Moment

Most of it was inspiring but I suppose I would have to choose the free afternoon in Petra when our guide took those that wanted to, for a hike round the back well away from the usual tourist route. 

Thoughts on Group Leader

We couldn't have wished for a better leader,  Zuhair was able to explain things with interest and humour. He and his team organised everything to perfection and went out of his way to give us the best time ever, he even entertained us with many stories eventhough one or two of them ended with a dodgy moral.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't go if all you want is a cycling holiday. Some of the experts found fault with the equipment but we were perfectly happy, the bicycles were better than those we have at home. September in Wadi Rum, we really didn't need the sleeping bags, a liner would have done as the blankets were the thickest I've ever seen. Some of the group slept round the fire with the locals.

Suggestions

I would have liked to have seen in the trip notes : -that after Aqaba we would not have access to the suitcases till Amman, that meant in the bus with us, we needed gear for the morning snorkel, the afternoon cycle, the night in Wadi Rum and the next day. Zuhair told us the night before and we had a bit of organisational panic that was only alleviated by a many plastic bags. The four hour drive to Amman was rather cramped with all that gear floating around. - and that the bike crew was leaving us at Wadi Rum, we needed to have the tip ready.  Well the children would say it wouldn't be me if there wasn't something to complain about, but all I could find was a bit of a let down on the bus back to Amman. The first was the tourist motorway stop we had for lunch, it had little food available that any of us fancied eating. Where were all those fruit and nuts that were to be seen on stalls that we passed on the side of the road. The second was the detour made round the millionaire part of Amman before getting to the hotel, If anything we would have prefered to have had a look at the center which I was told had bags of interest. Sorry kids, that's all I have.      

Most Inspirational Moment

Petra itself was outsanding and more than I could ever have expected. The rock formations and the (natural) colour schemes were out of this world. A stay in the Bedouin camp and the camel ride through the desert were true highlights. It was soul refreshing to be able to have a walk in the desert as the sun rose and take in the stillness of it all.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our group leader was most knowledgeable, always ready to help and making sure we lacked nothing.

Advice for Potential Travellers

For that time of year, take a few extra jumpers because it WAS cold due to icy winds from the North West (?)

Suggestions

The bikes were in very good shape (wish mine could have taken me up some of those hills!!!) but the bus was always there to pick up anyone who wished. I pushed my bike instead... another opportunity to look at that majestic landscape! Having said that, there were more downhills than climbs and the whole journey was not too taxing at all. The mechanic was outstanding and the 'chaperones' on the rides were absolute aces on their bikes. That's what I call real cyclists! It was kind of reassuring to have a tourist police escort on the way too.

Most Inspirational Moment

Strolling through the wadi rum just after sunrise when no one else was around.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Excellent tour leader (Hassan) though obviously a dalek as he didn't do stairs. Scheduling was spot on all week, snacks provided with perfect timing and an evil sense of humour.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Gel seat for the cycling and take some warm clothing as the night in the desert was seriously cold.

Suggestions

You can get alcohol but it needs finding and is a bit pricey. Most local restaurants let you take your own but they dont want to handle it.