What do the Roman Emperor Hadrian, the Prophet Moses, and Lawrence of Arabia have in common? These are just three of the many historical personalities who passed through Jordan in ancient times, and whose itineraries now attract adventure seekers and action vacationers from throughout the world.

Outdoor ‘action tourism' is expanding at a fast rate in Jordan, and promises to remain one of the most dynamic and innovative travel industry sectors for years to come. Several Jordanian companies have started to specialize in eco-tourism and action tourism, providing the combination of safety, adventure, and comfortable facilities that make action tourism such an exciting proposition today.

Jordan has great comparative advantage in this sector, based on several assets: guaranteed sunshine for eight months of the year; a base of powerful, unique cultural attractions such as Petra, Jerash, Jesus' baptism site, and the early Islamic desert castles; and, a wide range of very different, often stunning natural environments that are easily accessible and virtually undiscovered by the tourism industry. Quality hotels and restaurants throughout the country mean that thrill-seekers who want to pamper themselves in between adventure treks have a wide range of facilities to choose from.

Jordan already caters to the more traditional vacationer who likes to combine a visit to an ancient site in the morning with a swim, a round of golf, or a game of tennis or bowling in the afternoon. The exciting new horizons in action tourism allow visitors to push themselves to new levels of adventure and endurance while soaking up natural marvels and dramatic cultural attractions from the ancient world.

For example, a small group of  people in 4-wheel-drive vehicles can retrace the journey of the Emperor Hadrian from north to south Jordan, taking in biblical cities and legionary fortresses. Or, more ambitiously, a caravan of 25 people on camels or donkeys can set off to retrace the journeys of Lawrence of Arabia in the central highlands and eastern deserts of Jordan, spending a week en route and camping in a different place every night. Parts of these itineraries can be done along the edge of the desert in steam-powered World War One-vintage trains, the same as those that were attacked by the forces of the Great Arab Revolt and Lawrence nearly a century ago.

Nature enthusiasts have many options in Jordan: the vast, silent drama of Wadi Rum, the forested hills of central Jordan, or the plunging Jordan Rift Valley that includes the Dead Sea  the lowest spot on earth at 410 meters below sea level. The Red Sea resort of Aqaba is always warm, balmy, and enticing for divers and other water sports enthusiasts. Aqaba offers a full range of facilities for speedboating, scuba diving, snorkeling, sailing, fishing, swimming, water skiing, wind surfing, or simply loafing and sunning in the warm crystal-clear waters of the Red Sea. The sparkling purple mountains surrounding Aqaba beckon hikers who seek new adventures, and unconquered terrain.

Jordan boasts other strange, enticing waters that provide relaxing interludes for action vacationers who want to rest their spirits and soak their bodies. Quality hotels and spas at the Dead Sea and the nearby Zarqa Main gorge allow visitors to experience several different kinds of mineral hot springs and the thick, warm brine of the Dead Sea, which are both soothing and therapeutic. One of the great water adventures in Jordan is to hike, climb and sometimes even wade or swim through the magnificent gorge of the Wadi Mujib, along the east coast of the Dead Sea, to reach a magical pool and waterfall that emerge like a mirage from amidst the surrounding warm cliffs and barren hillsides.
The more daring action visitor to Jordan is likely to climb mountains in Wadi Rum to conquer sheer granite cliffs that retain the inscriptions of local climbers who were there 5000 years ago and more.

Thrill-seekers who want to go beyond the ordinary will get into a helicopter or hot air balloon and rise to mountain-tops in Wadi Rum or around Petra, from where they can trek back down to earth. Gliding and private plane rentals are also available in Jordan, only from Amman airport.
Horseback riders can take a few days to retrace the segments of the ancient Spice, Silk, and Frankincense Routes that pass through the green hills of Petra, Amman, and north Jordan. More daring riders will want to mount their Arabian steeds for a four-day trek through the eastern desert, stopping for rest and water at several early Islamic desert castles and caravan stations. This trip re-enacts the original Arabian pony express mail service that operated here in the 7th Century.