The Best of Jordan

Jordan is a small country at the boundary of the Levant and Arabian faunal areas, and is one of the most easily reached and welcoming of Middle Eastern countries. It has a predominantly Muslim population but its monarch and particularly his late father, King Hussein, have pursued strong links with the West as well as neighbouring Arab countries.

This wonderful itinerary concentrates mainly on the south-west corner of Jordan, an area that holds some of the most dramatic mountain scenery of the Middle East. Here, the varied wildlife habitats are controlled by a variety of rock types. The highland plateau reaches 1,736 metres, and is cut by deeply incised wadis that provide routes down to the plains of Wadi Araba below. In between lie dramatic sandstone mountains, their gorges and red mesas capped by white domes. It is against this backdrop that we will go in search of birds — some unique to this region, others visiting from other climes. We will also have ample time to explore the coast at Aqaba — a resort which lies on one of the world’s main bird migration routes.

In October, after six months of drought, many birds are concentrated in areas of water and springs, especially the beautiful Sinai Rosefinch. Some of our sightings will be familiar European species in unfamiliar settings, whilst others such as the resident Sand Partridge and Pharaoh Eagle Owl may attract more attention. Our visit coincides with autumn migration when anything could turn up, from raptors and waders to warblers and shrikes: Levant Sparrowhawk, Spur-winged Plover, Little Crake and Masked Shrike are among a wide variety of scarce migrants that have been sighted at the Aqaba Bird Observatory in recent years.

Our tour begins with a flight to Amman, from where we will drive to Azraq. Here we will explore the Shaumari Wildlife Reserve before heading into the boulder-strewn, lunar landscape of the black Basalt Desert. Moving south we reach Dana, for many one of the chief highlights of the holiday. From this ancient hilltop conservation village we will visit Wadi Dana, a spectacular wildlife reserve of Jordan’s Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature and home to some of the country’s most attractive and unique birds. Tristram’s (Syrian) Serins breed here, as do resident Sinai Rosefinch, Bonelli’s Eagle, Griffon Vulture, Pharaoh Eagle Owl, Desert Tawny Owl, Rock Martin, Long-billed Pipit and three species of raven, including Brown-necked and Fan-tailed. Our overnight stay at Dana will give us time to explore the high ground at the head of the wadi, as well as nearby woodland and a very productive drinking pool.

Next we head into the Petra mountains, bound for Jordan’s most famous site. Petra is renowned for its antiquities; it was a city built by the Nabataean people as a trading capital, was later occupied by the Romans but ultimately by-passed by new trade routes and subsequently fell into oblivion... until, that is, it was rediscovered in 1812. The Nabataean and Roman cultures left an awe-inspiring array of rock carved monuments, which we will have plenty of time to appreciate. However, the natural wonders of Petra are only marginally less stunning, with colour-banded sandstones displaying extraordinary forms of natural art. Here we will walk away from the main tourist trails, hoping to encounter such birds as Desert Lark, Scrub Warbler, Orange-tufted Sunbird, Striolated Bunting and the elusive Sooty Falcon.

Journeying south from Petra to Aqaba, we now climb up to the high steppe country of the Sharra Highland Plateau, before descending to our next destination — Wadi Rum. Immortalised by Lawrence of Arabia (and the film that followed) this famous site is an excellent place in which to search for Jordan’s desert birds. White-crowned Black and Mourning Wheatears feed at the base of the rocky slopes, over which Long-legged Buzzards and Barbary Falcons fly, while round the fort of Jordan’s Desert Patrol, Tristram’s Grackle and Sinai Rosefinch are frequent visitors. As evening approaches, we will make our way to our desert campsite, an excellent location for some evening stargazing. The following morning, we will continue south to Aqaba along a road that drops through barren granite hills towards the coast.

Aqaba is Jordan’s southernmost town, lying at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba, at the confluence of the Jordan Rift Valley and the Red Sea. Sea-watching can be productive during any season, as can exploration of the town’s sewage works. This site provides a vitally important focus for visiting birds but, despite this, is rarely visited by anyone except our Naturetrek groups! Each visit is something of an adventure of discovery and, with a daily turnover of birds, we hope to see a varied selection of interesting visitors during our stay.

Finally, we must drive north to Amman. The journey initially takes us through the broad plains of Wadi Araba, where we will make a further search for desert birds before reaching the Dead Sea and ultimately the capital.