Activities

Ajloun Forest Reserve is located in the Ajloun highlands north of Amman and covers 13 square kilometers. It is dominated by open woodlands of Evergreen Oak, Pine, Carob, Wild Pistachio and Wild Strawberry trees. These trees have been important to local people for their wood, scenic beauty, and quite often for medicine and food.

The Ajloun area has a long history of human settlement, due to its mild climate, dense forests, and fertile soil. This rich history is reflected in the many archaeological ruins scattered in the woodlands and surrounding villages. The reserve itself supports a wide variety of wild plants and animals and is a peaceful place to relax and enjoy nature. Among the more unusual animals to be found in the Reserve are the Striped Hyena, Crested Porcupine and Stone Marten. In spring, the reserve is a carpet of wild flowers, including drifts of anemones and rockroses.

The Royal Academy for Nature Conservation
His Majesty King Abdullah II laid the foun­dation stone of a specialized Academy for training on the protection of nature and sustainable development near Ajloun Forest Reserve in 2010, and HRH Crown Prince Hussein inaugurated in 2015. The academy is “the first center in the Arab world” specialized in offering training on nature conservation.

The Academy constructed nearby the Ajloun Forest Reserve. It will be physically linked with the Reserve and its tourism facilities to create a single integrated eco-tourism complex. This will enable the Academy to use these tourism facilities as real-life training situations. Some of the key facilities in the Academy are training rooms, Medical clinic, a small conference hall and a restaurant.

Experience the beauty of Azraq diverse culture!

The Bedouin Experience

Far away from the hustle and bustle of big cities, we take you on a journey to a more tranquil nomadic experience. There, you’ll experience genuine Bedouin lifestyle that will surely be engraved in your memory like nothing you have experienced before. Early morning, you will leave your Azraq Lodge to go on a 4 km bike ride towards the Bedouin Tent, where you’ll be greeted with an authentic aromatic cup of Arab-Bedouin coffee. Your day in the life of a Bedouin starts by grazing a herd of sheep, getting to know up close and personal what it takes to be a good shepherd, a thirty-minute walk around will follow.

Next, you’ll be heading back to the tent for a much needed super sweet cup of tea made on an open fire, where you might want to recharge with a power nap, or simply relax before moving on to your next mission: Milking the goats! But what’s milking good for if you can’t treat yourself to a glass of fresh milk? Enjoy!
 
Moving on to a different Bedouin task, making divine sour buttermilk, or what Bedouins prefer to call it (Laban Makheed). Your job will involve shaking the fresh milk inside a leather bagpipe like instrument (Al Saqa) made from goat / cow’s skin to help with the frothing and souring of the milk.

By the time you’ve learned the secret of the Bedouin trade, you will be starving and what better meal than those of Bedouins, such as Mansaf, Rashoof soup, or Gallayeh (tomato stew). All that savory food will whet your palates for a sweet dish to finish off with, but first you’ll learn how to brew your own coffee. Now, it’s time to put on Arabian eyeliner (kohl- for the ladies) then get dressed like a true Bedouin to take that perfect photo.

Congratulations, you have officially completed a day in the life of a Bedouin experience!

Such a memorable one indeed!

The Chechen Experience

Azraq is a multicultural region; it is home for people with diverse origins. Having said that, we are taking you on a Chechen experience. Chechens who are originally from Chechnya- located in the north of the Caucasus Mountains- were among the first settlers in Azraq region; their culture has vastly influenced the area.

The experience starts with a 3 km bike ride from Azraq Lodge towards the Chechen House, where you will be briefed about the Chechen culture, its heritage, customs and traditions over a warm cup of tea. A Chechen lady from the nearby community will showcase the Chechen traditional costume, as well as some arts and crafts that reflect her heritage pride. At lunch, you will get indulged experiencing authentic Chechen cuisine with both savory and sweet dishes.

The journey finishes off with a traditional group picture with members of the group wearing Chechen costumes right after watching a few Chechen folkloric dances, most people find themselves can’t help but get engaged in the enthusiastic heart pumping dances!

The Druze Experience

Since there are people from multi origins residing in Azraq, our next experience will be targeting the Druze community for a day, to get to know their community and culture better. The journey begins from the Azraq Lodge toward a local Druze association. Member of the local community will meet, greet and orient you about their heritage and history. A folkloric dance sketch will be performed wearing the famous Druze costume, you can just watch and enjoy the dance, but if your heart is racing, it would be ideal to take part and probably learn a few moves!

No experience is complete without exploring some culinary skills; therefore, you’ll be participating in a cooking class - hosted by a member of the community – you’ll cook your own meal and your dessert, bon appétit!

Azraq is a unique wetland, located in the heart of the arid Eastern Desert, which takes its name from the Arabic word for ‘blue’. A migratory stopover for birds from three continents, Azraq is becoming increasingly popular for bird watching. From the walkways and hides, visitors get the chance to observe birds close at hand, including local, migratory and occasional rare species.

The Azraq area also has a rich cultural history due to its strategic location and water resources. It was used as a station for pilgrims and camel trains and Lawrence of Arabia was stationed in Azraq Castle during the Arab Revolt. The local people are also unusually diverse, coming from three different ethnic origins, Bedouin, Chechen and Druze; each of which has distinctive beliefs and traditions. Bedouins have lived a nomadic life style in the area for generations, whereas the Chechens are descendants of settlers from the Caucasus and the Druze stem from Arab tribes in Syria and Lebanon.

Many interesting archaeological sites lie within easy reach of Azraq Lodge, including the famous but misnamed ‘desert castles’: Qasr Amra, Qasr Kharana and Azraq Castle. Qasr Amra is one of the best-preserved Umayyad bathhouses in the world and a World Heritage Site. Its interior walls are covered in lively frescos dating back to 700 AD. There are also many dramatic desert landscapes to discover, including moon-like plains of black basalt and white valleys of chalk.

Bus sightseeing tours are one of the most enjoyable and convenient ways to take in Jordan’s vast and stunning nature and scenery. Bus tours are an easy way to learn about the wildlife, nature and history of the nature reserves from our entertaining and informative guides. Bus tours are perfect for visitors with limited time or for those who prefer not to hike or cycle around the trails. Currently Wild Jordan’s shuttle bus tours are operated at Azraq Wetland Reserve, and follow the same or similar routes as hiking and cycling trails. Bus tours incorporate some easy walks.

Azraq Bus Tour

(Year-round), guided only

Grade: Easy

Distance on foot: 2 km

Distance by bus: 7 km

Time: 2 - 3 hours

Description:

This is an easy way to explore the desert castles around the Azraq Reserve. From the Azraq Lodge, our shuttle bus will take you to the nearby Azraq Castle, which was used as a military base by T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) during the Arab Revolt. Next, travel to the Old Druze village and learn more about the first Druze settlement in the area. From here, the tour continues on foot, hiking 2 kilometers to Ain es-Sil, a farmhouse built by the Umayyad. The bus will be waiting to take you to a local Druze home for tea and a light traditional meal before returning to the Lodge.

Usaykhim Bus Tour

(Year-round), guided only

Grade: Easy to moderate

Distance on foot: 5 km

Distance by bus: 40 km

Time: 5 - 6 hours

Description:

From the Azraq Lodge, our shuttle bus will take you to a desert entrance to begin your hike to Wadi Usaykhim, where you will view inscriptions written by humans thousands of years ago. Continue hiking two kilometers to the top of the highest mountain, where the Usakhim fortress stands, marking the easternmost point of the ancient Roman Empire. Here, the shuttle bus will wait to take you to a local home for tea and a light traditional meal before returning to the Lodge.