better travel photography• COM
impressions of jordan
photo tours with steve davey
Impressions of Jordan Itinerary
Day 1: Amman
Day 2: Amman
Day 3: Wadi Rum
Day 4: Wadi Rum
Day 5: Aqaba
Day 6: Petra
Day 7: Petra
Day 8: Petra
Day 9: Dana
Day 10: Madaba
Day 11: Madaba
Day 12: Tour ends
Website, Images and text © Steve Davey/stevedavey.com 1990 - 2023
Land arrangements are sub-contracted to Intrepid Travel, who have many years experience in running small group adventures.
Bookings are made through the Intrepid Tailor Made Dept. in London. Contact Steve Davey for information
This tour is led by Steve Davey - a professional photographer, whose work appears in publications all over the world. He is the author of the bestselling Unforgettable Places To See Before You Die (BBC Books). Steve recently published Footprint Travel Photography, which covers everything that you would ever want to know about travelling with a camera. Click for more.
Highlights of this trip
• Rose red city of Petra
• Red Sea at Aqaba
• Roman city of Jerash
• Wadi Rum desert camp
• Remote village of Dana
• Floating in the Dead Sea
• Extensive photographic tuition
Included in the trip price
• 9 nights hotel accommodation
• 2 nights luxury camp
• 11 breakfasts
• 1 lunch
• 2 dinners
• Group arrival transfer
• Amman Citadel entrance
• Roman Amphitheatre entrance
• Qusayr Amra entrance
• 4WD Wadi Rum tour
• Wadi Rum hike
• Red Sea Snorkel Boat
• 3 day Petra Pass
• Dana village trail
• Kerak entrance
• Dead Sea tourist beach
• St. George’s Church entrance
• Mount Nebo entrance
• Jerash entrance
• Private vehicles as per itinerary
• English Speaking leader
• Expert photographic tuition
Start: 13 Sept. 2023
End: 24 Sept. 2023
Code: IOJ23
Variable price structure.
Prices from:
8 pax £2595 pp
9 pax £2550 pp
10 pax £2495 pp
11 pax £2375 pp
12 pax £2295 pp
excl. flights, based on roomshare
Min 8, max 12 people
Places left: 0
Trip is full
Trip is to be confirmed.
Single supplement: £425
Estimated current
flight cost £600
Impressions of Jordan itinerary
The full itinerary of our unique travel photography tour to Petra and Jordan with land arrangements and ATOL Bonding by Intrepid Travel, led by professional photographer, Steve Davey.
Day 1: Arrival - Amman
Ahlan Wa Sahlan! Welcome to Jordan.
We arrive at Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), where we will be met by Intrepid's airport representative after disembarkation, to assist us through immigration desk and customs. After exit meet our Leader and be transferred to our hotel for overnight.
Depending on our flight times, there may well not be time for anything else!
Included activities: Arrival Transfer included on a group basis
Accommodation: Toledo Hotel or similar
Day 2: Amman
After breakfast, we start our city tour by visiting the Citadel. Amman's history spans nine millennia dating back to the Stone Age, it boasts one of the largest Neolithic settlements (c.6500 BC) ever discovered in the Middle East. The Citadel hill contains early Bronze Age tombs (3300-1200 BC). From the top of the hill we drive downtown to first visit the Roman Amphitheatre. Continue on foot or by vehicle to downtown area. The downtown area is much older and more traditional with smaller businesses producing and selling everything from fabulous jewellery to everyday household items.
From here we drive into the Eastern Desert to visit Qusayr Amra. One of the best-preserved desert buildings of the Umayyads, this Unesco World Heritage Site is part of a much greater complex that served as a caravanserai, bathhouse and hunting lodge, the qusayr (little castle) is renowned for its rather risqué 8th-century frescoes of wine, women and wild times.
We will return to Amman and find a vantage point to photograph the Roman Amphitheatre in the blue hour.
Included activities:
Citadel entrance
Roman Amphitheatre entrance
Qusayr Amra entrance
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Toledo Hotel or similar
Day 3: Wadi Rum
Today we drive to the Wadi Rum: a stupendously timeless place, virtually untouched by humanity and its destructive forces. Here, it is the weather and winds that have carved the imposing, towering skyscrapers, so elegantly described by T.E. Lawrence as “vast, echoing and God-like...". We will have a half-day 4x4 tour and then transfer to our camp for dinner and overnight.
If the skies are clear then we can have a go at shooting star trails under the amazing desert skies.
Included activities: 4WD Wadi Rum tour
Meals included: Breakfast & dinner
Accommodation: Mutlak Camps or similar
Day 4: Wadi Rum
After waking up in the unique surrounds of the camp this morning, head out on a hike around the area (approximately 12 to 15 kilometres, but there will be options of a shorter walk), with a stop for tea and a lunch break. You might scale one of the large sand dunes for sensational views of the valley – the perfect chance to snap some unbelievable pictures. Explore the distinctive rock formations and bask in its eerie silence. Wadi Rum is used to be best known for its connection with the enigmatic British officer T E Lawrence, who was based here during the Great Arab Revolt of 1917–18. However, these days it is synonymous with SAS – Who Dares Wins, where it has been used as a location for the various trails.
In the afternoon we should have time to chill in our comfortable camp to recover from our exertions, before shooting the sunset. Tonight, is again ours to enjoy the traditional Bedouin hospitality and the clear night skies of the desert.
Included activities: Desert Hike
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Accommodation: Mutlak Camps or similar
Day 5: Wadi Rum - Aqaba
In the morning we drive down to Aqaba on the coast of the Red Sea. Enjoy a boat trip out to experience some of Aqaba's excellent snorkelling in crystal clear waters.
The waters here are fairly shallow and there are a number of reefs. Depending on the route that the boat takes, we might even be able to see some of the underwater military hardware that has been sunk in the sea to act as a military museum and an attraction for divers. This includes tanks and even a giant Hercules transporter aircraft. If you have a PADI certificate, then bring it along and you can upgrade the snorkelling to one of more dives.
After the snorkel boat, we will have some time to explore the town, which is largely a holiday destination, but does have the atmospheric Aqaba Fortress and terrific views across the Red Sea to Eilat in Israel.
Included activities: Red Sea Snorkel Boat
Optional activity: Scuba diving
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: City Tower Hotel or similar
Day 6: Aqaba - Petra
Check out and drive to Petra, with a visit to the so-called Little Petra en route. Petra is justifiably on most people’s list of ‘must- visit’ places. It is the jewel of Jordan, the lost city of the biblical Nabataean, an impressive series of tombs and dwellings hidden behind ornate facades carved directly into the rock. Dating back to the 6th century BC, the site was lost to Western minds until it was rediscovered in 1812 by a Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.
Petra is most well known for the Treasury, a tomb facade which was a location for Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The city is reached down the long and narrow canyon of the Siq. This ancient and winding pathway has seen traders and armies marching down its length, and like the city itself, is steeped in history. The first view of The Treasury through the narrow mouth of the siq is one that you will never forget.
Steve has visited Petra on many occasions and knows a number of wonderful walking routes and a good few tricks to make sure that you can get the best views at the best times. Petra is a vast site, with many interesting angles and walks. Unlike many tours we have opted for three nights here, to give us extra time to explore and to reach some of the many hidden corners. We have also opted to stay at a hotel close to the gate of the site. This means that it is more possible to make the most of your time in Petra, and still potentially head back to the hotel for a rest in the middle of the day. It will also make sunrises considerably easier.
Included activities: Petra entrance pass
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Petra Moon Hotel or similar
Day 7: Petra
Today we will have a full day to visit Petra. The suggestion is to head to the site for sunrise, and then climb the atmospheric path to the top of the cliffs overlooking the Treasury, where we will be able to look down on to the facade, whilst enjoying a welcome cup of local tea at the small cafe set up by one of the enterprising locals.
A suggestion today to hike to the High Place of Sacrifice. If we take the lesser travelled back route, we will be able to photograph some of the less know, but very beautiful tombs lining the route. In this part of Petra, you can still see the cave-dwellings of some of the local Bedouin who live in the site.
Very friendly and welcoming, and impossibly photogenic, many of these locals have modelled their image on Captain Jack Sparrow – even though they are miles from the sea. You will undoubtedly be rewarded with some fantastic portraits and even a few new Facebook friends! I have found that this is often the most effective way to send pictures to people!
From the place of High Place of Sacrifice we can look down on to the Incredible Royal Tombs, which are carved into a massive cliff-face. These are well worth exploring further, and many of them will give more incredible views of the rest of the complex.
Included activities: Petra entrance pass
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Petra Moon Hotel or similar
Day 8: Petra
Our final day of visiting Petra. If you are still keen, then it is worth finding a different location for the sunrise. There is also plenty to still see – including an ancient Theatre, a street and a temple that were built by the Romans when they ruled the city.
In the afternoon, if we walk though the site we will be able to see make the steep climb up to the Monastery. After the Treasury, this is the most well known location in Petra. If we continue upwards from here there is an incredible viewpoint on the very edge of the site that enjoys the most incredible views of the surrounding, barren countryside.
As we walk back, you will be able to look forward to the (optional) Petra by night show. This is worth seeing, and we will have a neat trick to help us to see the best of it, and get some pictures before all of the crowds arrive.
If we are very quick, there might even be the chance to shoot a few star trails pictures on our way back to the hotel.
Included activities: Petra entrance pass
Optional activity: Petra By Night show
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Petra Moon Hotel or similar
Day 9: Petra - Dana
In the morning we check out and drive to Dana, a traditional 400 year old village on the edge of the Dana Biosphere Reserve - the largest in Jordan, covering aound 320 square kilometres. Based around a rift valley, Dana is home to 700 plant species, 190 bird species, 36 reptile species and 37 mammal species, including the Sand Cat and the Syrian Wolf.
Humans have settled here since around 4000 BC. Archaeological evidence has been found of Paleolithic, Egyptian, Nabatean, and Roman civilisations.
Our intended hotel is right on the edge of the valley, giving commanding views at both sunrise and sunset.
After we have checked into the Dana Guest House, we will take the Dana Village trail which takes approximately 2 hours to complete. We then return to Dana Guest House for the night.
Included activities: Dana village trail
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Dana Guest House or similar
Day 10: Dana - Kerak - Dead Sea - Madaba
After breakfast we head to the ancient Crusader castle of Kerak. The castle is some 220m long, 125m wide at the north end, and 40m wide at the southern end where a narrow valley deepened by a ditch separates it from the adjoining and much higher hill – once the Sultan Saladin's favourite artillery position. The history of this castle is incredible, and the view's breathtaking.
Onto the lowest point on earth, where we visit the Dead Sea where we can will experience floating effortlessly. Lunch is included at one of the tourist beaches in the Dead Sea.
After our floating session, we transfer to Madaba for the night.
Included activities:
Kerak entrance
Dead Sea tourist beach entrance
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Aitch Hotel or similar
Day 11: Madaba - Mt. Nebo - Jerash - Madaba
In the morning, we visit St. George’s Church that houses the oldest mosaic map of Jerusalem. And the Holy Land. This was created to guide Christian pilgrims in the region. In the same area is Mt. Nebo where Moses is believed to be buried.
In the afternoon, we continue on to the ancient Roman city of Jerash. Nestled in a quiet valley among the mountains of Gilead, is the grandeur of Imperial Rome being one of the largest and most well preserved sites of Roman architecture in the World outside Italy. To this day, its paved and colonnaded streets, soaring hilltop temples, handsome theatres, spacious public squares and plazas, baths, fountains and city walls pierced by towers and gates remain in exceptional condition. In the evening, we return to Madaba for the night.
Included activities:
St. George’s Church entrance
Mount Nebo entrance
Jerash entrance
Meals included: Breakfast
Accommodation: Aitch Hotel or similar
Day 12: Tour ends
After an early breakfast, we check out of the hotel and head to Queen Alia Int’l Airport for our flight home.
Meals included: Breakfast (depending on departure time)
Departure transfer: Not included
Although we have set out an itinerary above, there are always a number of gaps and things that are organised on the ground. One of the things that we specialise on my trips is wringing the most photo-opportunities out of any trip. In essence, this is the basis of all of our trips: it is not just the things that are listed on the itinerary that are the things that people remember, we are always seeking out things to stop for, engage with and photograph. There are a number of times when we have built in time to be flexible.
To cope with the challenge of travel in the Covid era, we have introduced a variable pricing policy. Traditionally we have always priced our trips to be full, in order to keep prices as keen as possible. This means that dropping even a couple of places can severely affect the viability of a trip: more than that means we are running at a loss.
Rather than hike prices across the board to cover ourselves for people dropping out we have instituted this policy. The price varies per person, so if people drop out before paying the balance of the trip, but without us having the chance to replace them, then we are covered. In essence, this makes it more likely that the trip will still go ahead, and that we won't have to cancel the departure!
When you book a trip, you should assume and be prepared to pay the higher 8 person price. Obviously if the trip goes ahead with this number then you will benefit from more personal attention with your photography. Once we have the final payments in, and it is too late for people to pull out then we will notify you of the final price and action any refunds due to the actual numbers of people on the tour.
