Jordan

This was a solo trip for me and it started in Jordan with my guide, Omar Almansi. Omar had such an amazing presence and spirit and I knew it was going to be as amazing as I was dreaming. Little Petra, Petra, camping in Wadi Rum… it was all incredible. Omar knew the significance of people seeing such incredible sites and his guiding did not disappoint! My trip then went in to Egypt. WOW. It’s hard to find the words. The pyramids, tombs, temples, Abu Simbel, all of it was unreal. My guide there, Ayman Kenawy, was unbelievable. His vast knowledge was inspiring but his way of navigating and making the trip memorable for everyone he guided was his true gift! As a solo female traveler people worry about me but I never felt worried at all. Both Omar and Ayman looked out for me and made me feel so welcome. They never steered me wrong. Cairo was much busier than Amman so I was grateful for all the extra effort that made my trip so easy I could focus on the magic all around me. This was a very deep and profound journey for me and it exceeded my expectations.

Couldn’t recommend Enocunters Travel any more highly. We traveled all over Jordan and Egypt and it was seamless. From booking through departure it was a wonderful experience. Our tours guides Yassar and Ayman were professional, knowledgeable and beyond helpful. Our drivers, especially Mohannad in Jordan, but honestly all of them, were safe, considerate and enthusiastic. We saw so many things and made memories to last a life time. Everyone was so tolerant of our crazy amounts of luggage (wasn’t our only trip) and even though we took trains and boats, it wasn’t too much of an issue. I feel like we learned so much that I could teach a class of Egyptian history at this point!

My husband and I previously used Encounters Travel for a vacation to Egypt and Greece and therefore jumped at the opportunity to use them for our journey to Jordan. The expectations bar was high given our previous trips being absolutely amazing and something we wanted to replicate in many areas. Our trip to Jordan delivered on those expectations! From the encyclopedic knowledge of our guide, Omar, who explained the historical significance of various sites encompassing the folklore of the civilizations responsible for such wonders as the temples, amphitheaters around Amman, As-Salt, Jerash, all the way to the remoteness of Wadi Rum. Plus, who could forget the marvels of Petra with its Hellenistic design. The highlights were many. One of which was floating on the waters of the Dead Sea being magical. Omar also kept the entire group updated via What's App.

One improvement or thing to note is the preservation of water in Jordan might mean if you're taking a shower at a particular hour expect it to be freezing cold. During the trip, we were provided bottled water; however, the water was never cold. It would have been nice if the refrigerated unit used to hold the water on the coach bus worked and would keep the water cold.

The expectations for the culinary choices were something my husband and I were particularly thrilled with offerings such as Makloubeh. Nothing could beat the desert item called Kanafeh which was scrumptious and if you're into Baklava, there is no shortage of places to purchase.

Encounters Travel gets both thumbs up for the trips and locations they put together and we will definitely use them for future travel adventures.

I can't say enough about what a great tour this was. I was a solo traveler. I was picked up at the airport and delivered to my hotel. All instructions were detailed. I started in Jordan and added the pre-tour days in Bethlehem with guide Amer. Amer was such a great guide, I was able to enjoy a wonderful lunch in Salt with him. My guide in Jordan, Omar Almansi was so good! He talked about the history, culture, foods, people, land, even his family with such passion. He was marvelous! Each day I was picked up at the hotel and taken to the tours and excursions. All incredible! If you can, request Omar. Omar's a master at taking great iphone pics also! I then flew to Egypt, where a guide picked me up at the airport and then started my tours. My guide was Ahmed. He explained the history and people so well. I was able to enjoy Egypt, from the north end to the south. We toured so much. Took the sleeper train from Cairo to Aswan. That was a fun adventure! It included dinner and a breakfast of rolls and tea. Each of my guides had so much knowledge about the countries and area. I loved this tour! I spoke with Gavin through Encounters Travel. He answered all of my questions, returned all of my emails. The tour was absolutely amazing! Thank you Encounters Travel!

We traveled to Jordan and Egypt! Great experience but what made it unforgettable was our tour guide, Ayman, in Egypt. He was so knowledgeable, educated, funny but overall a nice, good person!! If I was to ever go back to Egypt, I would definitely ask for him as my tour guide!! 5 stars for him!!!