I had not travelled to the Middle East before taking this tour with Light & Land. Indeed, I knew very little about Jordan at the time of reserving my place. Instinctively, I felt this would become a trip of a lifetime and I was not disappointed.

Introductions at Queen Alia airport in Amman to all members of the tour group relieved me of any nerves and assured me that I was going to be in safe hands. Charlie Waite was joined by a couple of local guides, Kara and Mahmoud who knew so much about the geology, history, culture and politics of the region. Jordan is a country that is steeped in history. It’s been inhabited by Romans who have left their mark in cities both to the north of the country in Jerash and Amman and south in Petra to name a few. It features in the bible, hosts a UNESCO World Heritage site in Petra, and Wadi Rum was the subject of T.E. Lawrence’s journal ‘The Seven Pillars of Wisdom’ in the early 20th century.

Our first destination was the beautifully preserved ancient site of Jerash. It is largely a Roman creation, and I was reminded of Pompeii with its grand columns, spacious public squares, city walls and other fine features.

Returning to the Roman Citadel in Amman, located on the highest of the seven hills, we were treated to incredible views across the city. It was easy to see why Jordan had appealed to the Romans.

Our journey to Wadi Rum along the Desert Highway was broken up gently with many stops to observe and record cloud formations on the hills of the Quadisivah mountains and our first views of the Wadi Rum desert did not disappoint.

We ate like kings at a desert camp close to the Highway before swapping our tour bus for jeeps and two days touring the desert. Our base for two nights was wonderfully secluded. We took every opportunity to capture photographs of rock formations, grazing camels and the dramatic light. We visited a local Bedouin tent and were treated to traditional hospitality of herb tea whilst listening to music played on a handmade rababah. We heard stories of the mountains and how they help the Bedouins navigate their way around. We let our own imaginations run wild and allowed ourselves to create a few stories of our own.

The desert had been a real treat, but things would only continue to improve. Petra and Little Petra took us back in time before the Romans to the 1st Century BC when it was firmly established as the capital of the Nabataeans at a time when trade routes were strong. Little Petra was built as a small wealthy camel caravan station for the hungry merchants visiting Petra. We saw evidence of bed chambers and dining rooms carved into the sandstone rocks.

Petra is accessed via a 1.2 kilometre walk along a natural gorge known as the Siq. We photographed so many details whilst we walked along it, trying to preserve the experience in our own unique ways. Yet, nothing could prepare me for the Treasury, the first monument that comes into view at the end of the Siq. The clouds parted just in time to let the sunshine radiate down upon the rock face and validate why Petra has the title of the Rose-Red city. It was breathlessly beautiful!

There was so much to explore there in the form of caves, burial chambers, and more Roman structures.

Our guide Mahmoud was a Bedouin who had been born in one of the caves and had lived in Petra for a couple of years before the inhabitants were relocated to a purposefully built village just on the outskirts. We lunched at his brother-in-law’s café on the site and the previous evening we had been invited for dinner with Mahmoud’s immediate family. We ate a delicious middle eastern dish called Maqluba, an upside-down dish of rice, chicken, and vegetables.

Our drive to the Dead Sea along the newly constructed Namla Road offered spectacular views looking over the Wadi Araba desert.

We descended from 1000 ft at Petra to Feynan at 300 ft where we transferred into jeeps again for lunch at the beautiful award winning Feynan Ecolodge. A few hours in the location were enough to refuel and appreciate our surroundings. We learned about the copper mining in the area, which reached its peak during the Roman Empire, and visited the ruins of a monastery that had been built as part of a memorial to honour the martyrs who had died there.

As always, there were plenty of opportunities to stop and make photographs as the light crossed the landscape, highlighting trees and other interesting subjects.

We arrived at the Dead Sea with moments to spare to witness a spectacular sunset.

As always, there were plenty of opportunities to stop and make photographs as the light crossed the landscape, highlighting trees and other interesting subjects. We arrived at the Dead Sea with moments to spare to witness a spectacular sunset. During our time in this region, we had opportunity to float in the waters and benefit from its qualities. It was surprisingly warm and our skin felt amazingly soft afterwards. We also had time to photograph it from many different angles.

The last part of the tour took quite a spiritual turn. We headed to Mt Nebo, the site where Moses was believed to have been shown the view of the Promised Land before heading to Madaba to view the ancient mosaic map of the Holy Land on the floor of St George’s church.

Charlie was incredibly generous with the sharing of his knowledge and skill, and I feel I have taken priceless learning away with me that will benefit my photography. The tour was without doubt, exceptional. We experienced so much in a relatively short space of time. The chosen locations, accommodation, cuisine, leaders and fellow photographers blended seamlessly together to create an unforgettable trip. Indeed, a brief blog cannot do justice to the places we visited over the eight days. I left with a strong feeling of wanting to return to this country that offers an oasis of calm amidst a region plagued by discord. Alison Trimbee. 

Find out more about the Land of the Ancient World - Jordan Tour 2025: 

Jordan Photography Tour | Jordan Photography Holiday | Jordan Landscape Photography | Light and Land