Incentives

Steam-Train

A day trip aboard the historic Hijaz Railway starts off gaily in Amman, with live music and cocktails on the train, shattered by a heart-stopping ’kidnapping’ by one guest Bedouin on horseback. Survivors disembark and plot how to rescue him over spiced coffee in a local sheikh’s Bedouin tent. The train continues to an old Ottoman fortress, where suspense builds until a splendid lunch is served and the mystery is solved.

Bedouin Parties

In Wadi Rum, your clients begin their journey through the desert aboard Bedouin-driven 4x4 jeeps (or ride in on camelback!). The safari stops at points of interest, including many cited by Lawrence of Arabia in The Seven Pillars of Wisdom.  Wind-sculpted mountains open up into huge sand dunes, at the cross-roads of ancient trade routes. The trail leads past caves and rock faces covered with ancient inscriptions to a special spot for viewing the sunset, where refreshments await. Your clients settle down for the night at a campsite with carefully arranged carpets and pillows, ready to enjoy traditional entertainment Bedouin musicians, a belly dancer and a buffet of authentic Arabic cuisine, including a whole lamb roasted on a spit.  They sleep under the stars and awake to a new morning of delicate desert colors.

An Artistic Evening

Featuring an Oud (lute) concert, poetry reading and a candle-light dinner at Darat al Funun, Amman’s little house of arts - a complex of historic mansions, ancient caves, the ruins of a Byzantine church and charming terraced gardens perched on a hillside overlooking old Amman. As sunset falls, pigeons fly over the rooftops, and the call to prayer echoes over the hills. Guests stroll among the ancient pillars, rosemary bushes, pomegranate trees, jasmine vines, cedars and palm trees, then view work by contemporary Arab artists in the handsomely renovated galleries.

The secret Realm of Petra

Escaping the crowds at Petra, your clients arrive at night in Beidha, a nearby Nabatean site, also known as Little Petra. Following a guide through the pitch darkness, they enter a short, narrow passageway (siq) into the center of Beidha, where plush carpets and tapestries decorate the walls of surrounding caves. Candles and music create a dramatic mood for whatever magical activities your clients select: cocktails inside the caves, a light and sound show, a Bedouin goat hair tent, a belly dancer and traditional musicians, or the surprise of a seated gourmet dinner served by elegant black-tied waiters!

Knight dinner by the Dead Sea

We deliver your clients to the shores of the Dead Sea just in time for a refreshing dip in the buoyant waters as the sun goes down over Jerusalem. As they emerge, a ’Bedouin beach party’ is ready to begin. Chefs will prepare a traditional wedding feast, served on low tables, as guests shower and change into comfortable local dress. They relax on cushions and rugs, to the music of oud and drum players. As the aroma of marinated chicken and meat rises from the barbeque, a colorful display of Arabic salads and appetizers is served. Cardamom-flavored coffee and sweet tea send guests drifting away into another world. This is also the ideal ending to a day of sports or team-building activities on the Dead Sea shore or a visit to Madaba, Mt. Nebo and the recently excavated Baptism site nearby.

Roman Feast

Clients arrive in Jerash (or Umm Qais) to enjoy an authentic ’ancient Roman’ banquet served on cushions by staff dressed Roman-style, who rinse the guests hands and feet with cool scented water, to the tune of flutes and finger cymbals. One of our guides, taking on the dress and character of a person living in the 2nd century Roman provincial capital, will gossip about the development and daily life of his city.

Castle Adventures

Jordan gained a necklace of castles and forts from each chapter of its history. With these special settings, we can take your guests back in time. Imagine sunset cocktails at an arrival reception or dinner high atop Amman’s Citadel Hill, on the stones from which Romans and Muslim princes alike surveyed their empires. How about a murder mystery, to be solved by teams searching for clues hidden among the dungeons, towers and barracks of Karak castle, followed by dinner served by Ayyubid Knights.

Turkish Bath ( Hammam )

If clients are bored with modern spas, they must try the traditional Turkish hammam, recreated in the middle of old Amman. Once they have been steamed, soaped, scrubbed and polished, your clients will be wrapped in enormous towels, and they will sip traditional herbal teas as they cool down by a courtyard fountain. Light meals can also be enjoyed in this special ambiance. (Also available at select Petra and Dead Seahotels.)