I have a treat for you:

Okay, so this is really a photo essay of my FABULOUS time in Jordan, and not a feast of hummus, olives, mint tea, and cake. You’re probably too stuffed with Thanksgiving leftovers to properly enjoy this anyway.

(Who am I kidding, there’s always room for hummus.)

Jordan is the first country I’ve ever visited in the Middle East and it does not disappoint. In fact, it blows me away.

Allow me to introduce you to the Dead Sea:

My favorite adventure of the trip — hands down — is our hike through Wadi Mujib. It’s like The Narrows in Zion National Park, a hike I was supposed to do back in 2005 but road work within the park blocked access to that area. Mujib Canyon makes up for it in spades.

These photos don’t do it justice — I have video and WAY more images to share when the time comes.

The 2-hour hike winds through a canyon filled with water — quite low in the beginning, but by the middle of the hike we are in above our waists, traversing waterfalls.

We stop briefly at Ma’in Hot Springs. The water cascading down that waterfall is actually very hot! Unfortunately our visit coincides with a holiday and the place is jam-packed with locals. It just isn’t a relaxing visit with so many people using the facilities. I meet other travelers who say the place was empty during their visit, so I think we just happen to be there at the wrong time.

A quick visit to St. George’s Church in Madaba to see mosaics:

We stop at the Ajloun Castle north of Amman:

Our afternoon at Jerash is outstanding — a preview of what we’ll find in Petra:

I meet the best people on this trip! Special shout-out to Melanie from Germany, Julian from France, and Mel from Melbourne. We eat many dinners together, go on day trips, and have a late-night cookie party in the hostel dorm room.

A shot of the Citadel overlooking Amman, Jordan’s capital city:

A view from our day-long ride down scenic Kings Highway to Petra:

Our taxi driver, Jamil, is THE BEST TAXI DRIVER IN JORDAN. We luck out getting him on our first day and subsequently request him for all our day trips. If you’re going to Jordan and want his phone number, message me and I’ll gladly pass it along so you can book with him. He’s got a hysterical sense of humor and will go the extra mile (literally) to show you the best of Jordan.

Umm… if you come to Jordan, there might not be any food left because I ate it all. Especially the hummus.

We first glimpse the famous historical site Petra during Petra By Night, a program currently offered on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:30-10pm. The pathway to the Sikh is lined by candles and it’s breathtaking.

The Treasury at Petra, by candlelight:

I return the next day to experience Petra by sunlight. There are tourists EVERYWHERE, but the day after that I arrive at 6:30am right when the gate opens and I have the place all to myself. It’s glorious.

(These next two photos were taken during the crowded afternoon.)

The Monastery, accessible by hiking to the far end of Petra (it’s worth it):

Hi there donkey!!

My final Jordan adventure takes place in the incomparable Wadi Rum desert. It’s where they shot Lawrence of Arabia… which I have to confess I’ve never seen (along with Indiana Jones, which was shot in Petra… what sort of Hollywood girl am I?!)

I spend 2 days / 2 nights with Green Desert (which is number 1 on Trip Advisor) and have THE BEST TIME.

I’m using too many capitals in this post, but I’m so eager to communicate my excitement that I just can’t help myself.

Nadjah, the owner of Green Desert, is on the left below. From the 4WD tour to the hiking to the food, he shows us an outstanding time. And that’s Eid on the right below; he owns Wild Wadi Rum, which operates at the same camp.

A shot of the camp:

Our first day begins with a 4WD tour that lasts all day. While we visit a ton of places, the word I’d use to describe the day is “chill.” We drink lots of delicious Bedouin tea, play in the red sand, hike through a canyon, and climb up to an overlook.

Here’s Nadjah making us tea at sunset:

Have you ever heard of the term “glamping”? It’s glamorous camping. And it rocks.

Our tents have electricity and comfty beds. I sleep so well both nights.

Around dinnertime, everyone gathers in the main tent for music, dancing, and food.

They cook the chicken and potatoes underground for about four hours. Here’s the big reveal:

The next day Eid shows us a few more places in Wadi Rum, and then Nadjah takes us hiking up to Jebel Al Hash.

Before we get to the hike, we climb a steep bed of rock to access this arch:

Here I am!

We reach the top of Jebel Al Hash shortly before sunset. (Note: it’s a steep climb with some mountain scrambling.) The beauty of this area is unreal.

Nadjah and my new friend Ashley pose at the summit:

Thank you, Nadjah, for such a complete Wadi Rum experience!

The next day I ride a camel. Yup, this happens.

I spend my final night in Jordan at a resort in Aqaba next to the Red Sea. I go for a swim, lounge by the pool, and enjoy a technicolor sunset:

Here’s what my total route through Jordan looks like, over a period of 10 days:

Thank you, Jordan — I couldn’t have asked for a better time in your country!