A land of Biblical stories, lost cities and Lawrence of Arabia, Jordan is a magical and untapped country simply oozing romance and mystery. If it was located in any other part of the world, Jordan would be awash with tourists. But the source of its wealth of amazing sites is also the cause of its isolation. The dangerous and unstable reputation of the Middle East keeps out all but the most intrepid travellers. But here’s the great surprise: Jordan is, on the whole, a very safe, peaceful and friendly country.

As one of the safer countries in the Middle East, Jordan offers some truly memorable and impressive adventures for children. You won’t find Disney-like amusement parks here, but the grandeur of Petra or a camel ride with the Bedouin should be enough to wow the most jaded of kids.

Muharram
This is the beginning of the Muslim New Year, and is cause for many celebrations across the country, in towns both large and small.

Even though the nation of Jordan has only been around about 60 years, the land where it is located is one of the most historically important regions on earth. If you are a fan of Bible stories, or a history buff, you’ll be shocked at how many major events in Humanity’s timeline happened right here in Jordan’s desert. You can trace the path of Moses, see the spot where Jesus was baptised by John and visit Herod’s fortress where Salome danced the dance that got John the Baptist beheaded. There is the lost city of Petra, considered the eighth wonder of the world, the fortress where Lawrence of Arabia lived and the natural beauty of the Red Sea. The only dilemma facing visitors to Jordan is where to begin.

Air
Queen Alia International Airport is located 35kms southeast of Amman and is Jordan’s main airport. Regular flights arrive daily from regional destinations such as Beirut, Cairo and Damascus, as well as a limited number of cities farther afield. The national airline is Royal Jordanian Airlines and they handle the majority of flights in and out of the country. The flight from London to Amman takes five hours.

The currency in Jordan is called the dinar (JD). It is divided into 1,000 fils, and 10 fils equals 1 piaster. Paper currency notes come in denominations of JD1, 5, 10, 20, as well as 500 fils. There are silver coins for 25, 50, 100 and 250 fils, as well as copper coins for 5 and 10 fils.