Middle East Deserts and canyons Trips

As an introduction to India this trip ticked all the boxes for me. The pace is full on and there are some early starts but seeing the Taj Mahal at sunrise is something I Wii never forget. Our guide was brilliant, extremely knowledgeable and organised. He definitely made sure our experience of India was unforgettable. I am looking forward to going back one day.

The trip was very good value for money. The amount of places we saw and the people we met was great. The Jordanians are lovely people and the country is very safe. We got a very warm reception from Jordanians. A few practical tips for anyone thinking of going. You do not need sleeping bag liners, a filter bottle or a toilet roll. All bedding is provided in the camps, bottled water is supplied throughout the trip by the guide, there was always toilet paper at the camps and everywhere else. Do not fill your case with stuff you don’t need as I did. Do take a mug as tea/coffee is always available in the camps and handy to have for eco reasons. We had no mosquitos. Mid October weather was hot in the day and cooler, but not particularly cold, at night. The camping was tent/huts and we all had our own huts no sharing needed. They all had electric lights and at Petra there were plugs too. The food was copious and very nice plenty of salads and vegetables for any vegetarians. The days that dinner or lunch not included our guide took us to a local restaurant. A meal was 12 dinars so not expensive. No alcohol except in Madaba and Amman. Delicious lemon and mint drinks on offer. The camel ride at wadi rum was great fun. The walks were long but not much climbing as such and the terrain very sandy and scenery amazing. We had 14 people in our group. Several solo travellers so it is ok to go alone as all activities group ones. Our guide Zuhair was very helpful and informative. We were well looked after. I would recommend this trip the camping in the desert for 4 nights was wonderful.

We had such an amazing time. We usually travel independently but wanted to get as much in as possible in a short amount of time, and Explore was perfect. We had a great tour guide Zuhair and he brought the history to life with some often hilarious stories. If you’re in two minds about going just book it…it will not disappoint. Jordan is a wonderful country. Don’t be put off by the media coverage of the Middle East. Jordan is a safe country. We never once felt threatened there. The hiking is not hard, but you do need to be reasonably fit as the accumulation of fatigue after multiple days hiking in sand will catch up with you.

Jirdan is a beautiful and safe country which is not part of what's happening around it. The trip is fantastic - desert, Petra, Dead Sea and Jerash - all is stunning. People are friendly and are so pleased to see tourists. A really great destination.

India exceeded all of my expectations! It was somewhere I had always wanted to go and this trip gave me the first little taste of the country! From the bustling streets of Delhi to the beautiful pink walls of Jaipur it was absolute magic! Seeing the Taj Mahal at sunrise was truly one of the most breathtaking things I have ever had the chance to witness and such a beautiful moment for me and my dad to share together. The guide was absolutely fantastic and filled with knowledge. He made the experience so special and personalised to each and every person. He made sure the whole trip ran so smooth and went off without a hitch. I simply haven’t got enough of India an is already planning my next trip back!

The itinerary was a pleasant balance of free time against organized activities. The optional tours were very good choices; we did all of them. The Tour Director went out of his way to make sure everything went well and all questions were addressed.