Most Jordan itineraries are built around sites. Our Living Jordan itinerary is deliberately light on monuments and built around people instead — cooking with an Amman family, learning a craft from a Madaba artisan, and sleeping in a Bedouin family tent rather than a tourist camp.
Cook With a Family, Not a Restaurant
A hands-on Jordanian cooking class in a family kitchen — mansaf or maqluba, cooked and eaten with the host family, not a restaurant demo. This happens on day one in Amman, setting the tone for the rest of the trip.
Learn a Craft From the Person Who Does It Professionally
A hands-on mosaic-setting class with a Madaba artisan family whose workshop has produced mosaics for churches across Jordan — you make and keep a small tile piece, guided by someone who does this as their actual trade.
Stay With a Bedouin Family in Wadi Rum
Rather than a large commercial camp, the final night joins a Bedouin family's own camp — herding goats, learning to make bread and tea over an open fire, and hearing family stories and oral poetry, with a sunrise breakfast before departure.
Visit Umm Sayhoun, Not Just Petra
A guide from the local Bdoul Bedouin community — whose families lived inside Petra until relocation to nearby Umm Sayhoun — leads the Petra portion, followed by tea with a Bdoul family and a look at traditional jewellery and embroidery-making rarely offered to day-trip groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this itinerary best for?
Travelers who've already done (or don't want) a monument-heavy trip and want to leave Jordan having actually spent time with Jordanians — often a good second Jordan trip, though it works well as a first trip too.
Is it physically demanding?
No — this route involves much less walking than our Adventure or Historical itineraries. It's built around conversation and hands-on activities, not distance.