Jordan: Have You Used Any of These Tour Companies?
 

I'm planning a 3-day/3-night trip to Jordan in February of 2010. Has anyone worked with Pella Tours, Desert Horizon, Zaatarah Travel, Discovery Jordan, Kawar, or Pan East? I'm primarily looking for an English-speaking driver to provide transportation to/from Amman to Petra and various other sites (e.g., Jerash, Madaba, Mount Nebo, Bethany, Dead Sea). While I would like to keep a guide with me for all three days, it means paying for his hotel room at places like the Movenpick Petra, and I'm not sure that I want to incur that extra expense when it sounds like I can hire a guide onsite at most places (or that I might be required to hire an on-site guide rather than use my own). Renting a car and driving on my own is not an option. The cost for the car/driver and entrance fees to all sites for 3 days for 2 people is approximately $500 to $700, depending on the company chosen (there are many more companies that quoted me up to $1300 for the same services). Thanks for your advice.

Not familiar with the names, though Pella and Desert Horizon sound familiar.

The $500/700 for 2/pax for 3/days sounds good to me, assume it's for the driver/vehicle, hotels/meals, entry fees. In this price, I'm sure lodging for the driver has been included in the price quoted... probably at some nearby guest-house. If not sure... ask.

When at Petra, once thru the entrance we had to use a site guide; same when touring around Jerash. Our driver was our guide in/around Amman, Mt. Nebo and Madaba.

I highly, highly recommend Desert Horizons. We traveled with a driver/guide with them for 5 days in Jordan in January, 2008.

Our driver, Bashar Herzalla, is a lovely person - really suggest you request him as your driver. We did have a guide as well - a wonderful man named Osamah Twal - but realize your issue regarding cost.

Here is a link to our blogs -pics of Bashar and Osamah and a sense of our itinerary. We LOVED Jordan and Bashar and Osamah were wonderful partners in our journey.

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l..._adv/d_jordan/

Elizabeth_S:

Thanks for your reply. My husband and I were looking at your photos last week before I even posted this question, so it was coincidental that you answered. Great photos of both Jordan and Egypt! We were undecided about the Mena House Oberoi--but your photos really helped.

You hired a driver AND a guide in Jordan, but from the companies that I've talked to, it doesn't seem like we can use our own guide in Petra and Jerash and that we have to hire a local guide. That didn't seem to be the case in your blog, so I'm wondering if your guide had some special certification that let him accompany you to those sites.

What did you think about the other Jordanian sites? Obviously, Petra is a must, as is Jerash. But I'm not sure whether we can skip Mount Nebo, Bethany (we're not religious), and Kerak. Our time is really limited to 3 days/3 nights, so I'm wondering if just focusing on Petra and Jerash would be more relaxing. I'm undecided about the Dead Sea as well--your photos of the Kempinki Ishtar look amazing--but we probably won't be bobbing in the sea, and we’ve seen lots of bodies of water before. Must-sees in your opinion?

The Dead Sea was fun to experience - the weighless floating feeling -- but nothing I'd need to repeat or highly, highly recommend if someone is short on time. Also in Feb I'm guessing the water temp would not be pleasant.

Jerash and Petra yes, must sees. Mt. Nebo was a pretty area but if you are not religious probably can be skipped - same for Bethany - without the spiritual connection it is not super special, IMHO. Madaba has some great history. We were able to do Mt. Nebo, Bethany, Madaba and visit the Dead Sea for a float all in the same afternoon.

That would be "weightless."

A comment about the Dead Sea while I'm at it -- if you do go in take some kind of water shoe (I had cheap ones from Target, $6, that I used there then threw away and tried not to feel too guilty) because the bottom has a lot of sharp salt formations similar to coral.

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