Zaman Tours · Wadi Rum & Petra, Jordan
Ride Petra at dawn and canter the red dunes of Wadi Rum on Arabian horses
Zaman Tours, a 100% Jordanian-owned operator running since 1998, leads a ten-day journey with six days in the saddle on locally bred Arabian and Anglo-Arab horses. Riders climb into the hills above Petra, follow the ancient Silk Road caravan trails across open plains, and cross the desert to Wadi Rum, riding beneath its red sandstone cliffs past Nabataean inscriptions before finishing by the Dead Sea. Nights on the trail are spent in Bedouin desert camps.
You should be able to control your horse at all paces in open country and be fit enough for long hours in the saddle. Days cover around 25 to 35 km, four to six hours' riding, with a long midday break through the hottest part of the day.
Locally bred mares and geldings, mostly raised and trained by the guide and team.
Riding days run from Petra's mountains along the old Silk Road towards Wadi Rum: an early start with two to three hours in the morning, a long lunch break through the hottest hours, then two to three hours in the afternoon before reaching a Bedouin camp for dinner under the stars.
Five nights in portable Bedouin-style desert camps on the riding days, plus hotel nights in Madaba, Petra and Aqaba.
All meals included on the riding days; breakfast and dinner at the hotels.
Best months: Spring and autumn
Run as guaranteed-departure trips in the cooler spring and autumn months; confirm dates with the operator.
Nearest airport: Queen Alia International, Amman (AMM)
Transfers: Transfers are included per the itinerary; the trip begins near Madaba and Petra.
