Can I book my own holiday to Jordan?

[mistressploppy]

I'm dying to go to Jordan - anyone been? It's all a bit last minute (my travelling companion has booked the first week in feb off so it has to be then) and I've had an outrageous quote for a bespoke tour!

Can I realistically book flights and the first night or two and wing it from there?

Has anyone done this?

TIA

Went to Jordan last Easter. An amazing country, probably my best holiday. We did a bespoke tour with Jordan direct as our dc's are still under 5 and didn't want to take chances.

Having been though, I would probably book it all independently next time. Found bmi to do cheap flights to Amman, then would stay in a business sort of hotel, like raddison etc as their English is great and my Arabic poor! You can easily pick up a taxi to take you places each day and they are very cheap. Can 'do' Jeresh, Bethany and desert castles from Amman on day trips, can do wadi rum and aqaba on day trips from a hotel in petra.

I went to Jordan a few years ago and just found accommodation on the spot. I had a list from a guide book and got the taxi to take me through them until I got one I liked for the price (this was a cheap holiday pre-dc). Stayed outside Petra, in Amman and near Jerash. Got a driver and did a day trip to round the desert castles and another trip to el Karak and Madaba.

I remember the hotel outside Petra gave a choice of Lawrence of Arabia or Indiana Jones (the one with Petra's Treasury in it) and we all voted for Indiana Jones.

Went to Syria as well - stayed in Damascus, Palmyra, Aleppo and Hama - Syria is my favourite ME country but Jordan is also great. In fact, Jordan is the only place I have ever hitch-hiked (I had to - I got myself stupidly stranded up in the mountains outside Jerash).

I've since looked at packages for that area and I am totally at the prices!! I would love to take dd some time.

Thanks both!

I've booked flights now (bmi too!) and will probably just book the first night's accommodation and wing it from there. It's not high season so I'm hoping it'll be easy enough to book hotels at Petra etc with only a day or two's notice.

Excited!

Enjoy, it is a beautiful country, my father was posted there with the Birtish Army, way back.

I've travelled there independently a couple of times and love it. Very friendly, easy, Islamic culture at its best. Also think Syria is great.