Seattle, WA – After 26 years of offering adventures worldwide, Seattle-based Wildland Adventures has again been recognized by National Geographic Traveler as one of the “50 Tours of a Lifetime” for it’s Bedouin Trek to Petra.
The May 2013 issue highlights the 12-day Petra adventure as the premier trekking adventure of the Middle East. The Bedouin Trek to Petra is led by Wildland’s Jordanian guide Yamaan Safady, following Bedouin footpaths through rugged desert, slot canyons, and mountainous terrain. Guests on the trek arrive in Petra through the “back door”.
“Yamaan is the kind of guide who bridges cultures connecting our guests with Bedouin tribes and sharing the warm hospitality of all Jordanians,” says Kurt Kutay, founding director of Wildland Adventures. “We enter the ‘Rose-Red City’ of Petra from the opposite direction of most visitors – one that enables Wildland Adventurers to explore this spectacular site almost exclusive of other travelers. Because of this, it feels as though we’re arriving in Petra before it was rediscovered in 1912.”
The Bedouin Trek to Petra is fully outfitted with overnight accommodations in comfortable Bedouin tent camps, and hearty meals of traditional dishes are served on large platters in typical Jordanian style. At the end of each day guests lounge on overstuffed pillows and colorful carpets under the camel hair tent sharing stories, food and laughter with their Bedouin crew.
“This year marks the 125th anniversary of the National Geographic Society. The tours we selected capture that spirit of exploration,” says executive editor Norie Quintos. “They push the boundaries of mainstream tourism, whether taking travelers to the far corners of the globe, or helping them dive deep into the culture of familiar destinations.”