Luxury Travel in Jordan: Petra and Desert Luxury

A Canvas of Sand and Stilts

Omar Ratne gives luxurious travel in Jordan two talented semesters: a furniture workshop and a note on earthquake faults – "Every deep knowledge is etching on the surface of a desert". The reel shows a woman in a flowing dress is beckoning camera — to dance, to delight, to drink deep from a place that is already more than a place. The luxury travel experience in Jordan is about exchanging souvenirs for a different kind of cultural currency: time. Resorting to a different kind of guest house, exchanging the walls of a hotel room for the walls of a room within the unruly wilds of untouched nature. It is a journey into the unknown desert sun. Time in Jordan is not measured in minutes, but in the way the light changes across a sun-scorched face. It's not about the dance itself but about the mysteries hidden underneath the sand. The journey is about understanding — and being understood by — a place that time forgot. Jordan's most luxurious resorts, like the petra, are all built around a central idea: time slows down here.

A Deep Bloom in the Empty Quarter

This style of Jordanian luxury travel represents a broader trend within the tourism industry in the Middle East, which continues to boom. One of the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities sits on the Trans-Jordan side of the Jordan river basin. There's a world of difference between having a desert on your travel itinerary and living in the heart of one. A journey to the best-kept secret in the area is no less than a journey towards peace, and having a wrap-around deck for a downpour is unlike any experience on earth.

The First Sip of the Long Journey to Petra

The complex is open after sunrise, and time to explore the complex is limited. The Treasury's facade is stunning, but it is only the beginning of the trail. For more adventurous travelers there are routes leading to monuments that were once royal tombs dotted along the main path. The entire complex could take a whole day to explore. The city is built on a floor plan that makes the city itself. The hour and a half walk from the doorway to the complex is lined with buildings carved into the rock. The route is a veritable museum of ancient art and architecture at the beginning of the city, and through the time worn doors the trail winds downward to the next level of the Loop. The highlighted Jordanian marvel is the rose-colored city, carved from rock. The Treasury, which opens to the western desert, is the waiting room and beginning of the looped trail to the highland Al-Deir monument. The trail and monuments of the ancient city are themselves marvels of ancient engineering and are among the most elaborate.

The Dance of a Dune and a Dome

The Wadi Rum desert is an ancient expanse of powdered sandstone. Guests of the luxury camps on the deserts are subject to the rules of the desert: the waiting games of the wind, the wanderings of the stars. The camp is filled with dome-shaped tents, each elevated on four or five stilts, making it appear as if the tents are floating over the dunes. Each tent is outfitted with a plush carpet, rugs, and soft furnishings made from natural materials sourced from the region. The bedrooms face the eastern sky, framing the glow of the morning sunrise.

The Path to a Higher Pole

Wadi Rum is one of the harshest, most desolate places on earth. Temperatures can drop below freezing at night and climb to over 48°C in the day. Wadi Rum is a sunken desert, and the highest point in the camp is higher than any mountain in the vicinity. The star-gazing experience is like no other. There are no city lights. A stone's throw away is the desert's capital city, Aqaba, which has itself has had a brief run as a holiday resort. The contrast between the opulent camp and the desert's emptiness highlights its extreme isolation and beauty.

The Persistent Pulse of the Petra

Jordanian desert offers visitors a rare opportunity: the chance to live in a different world. One where the day begins and ends with the sun, and where the stars are the only light. The landmark makes no concession to the carving, and the landscape is as dry as ever. Time moves at a different pace in this desert, and it is easy to forget the frenzy of life outside. For a Jordanian luxury expeience there are activities offered that range from desert safaris to light morning treks.

• The Al-Deir Tomb: High up on a hillside overlooking the complex lies the rock carving known as the Al-Deir. The trail is long and the walk up is winding but the end is well worth it.
• The Loop: The trail, which begins at the door, winds through ancient art and architecture, and each minute feels like a journey through time. The loop and tombs of the complex are considered to be the most elaborate of any in the region.
• The Desert Dome: Luxury camel safaris are offered for tourists to enjoy the experience of the desert. With the help of a guide, visitors can enjoy the experience of the desert in comfort and style.