Middle East tours

The first sight of Petra's Treasury through the crack in the Siq converts everyone: cynics, teenagers, people who claimed they were "not really ruins people". Middle East tours deliver moments like that with unusual density, wrapped in hospitality the region has spent several thousand years perfecting. Here is my guide to doing it well.

Jordan: the perfect first chapter

If the Middle East is calling, Jordan is almost always my suggested opening. It is compact, welcoming and absurdly rich: Petra itself (allow a full day, ideally two), the Mars-red desert of Wadi Rum where you sleep in Bedouin camps under ludicrous stars, Roman Jerash, and the Dead Sea, where reading a newspaper while floating is obligatory and photographs are mandatory. Escorted tours to the Middle East frequently begin here, and guided Jordan itineraries of seven to ten days cover it with grace.

Oman: the connoisseur's choice

Oman is the Gulf without the skyscraper arms race: forts and falaj-watered oases, the dunes of the Wahiba Sands, wadis with swimming holes the colour of peacocks, and Muscat's elegant, low-rise charm. Luxury Middle East tours lean heavily on Oman for good reason; its desert camps and coastal resorts are quietly world class, and its people are among the warmest I have encountered anywhere.

The Gulf cities

Dubai and Abu Dhabi divide opinion and I enjoy the debate. Taken on their own terms, they are superb: audacious architecture, the Louvre Abu Dhabi, desert dinners beyond the city glow, and stopover-friendly flight routes that let a Middle East tour begin with two days of gold-plated decompression. They pair especially well with Oman or Jordan for a two-nation itinerary of contrasts.

Guided or independent?

This is a region where guided tours of the Middle East earn their keep. History here is layered a dozen civilisations deep, and a great guide turns stones into stories: the difference between seeing Petra and understanding it. Escorted tours also smooth borders, driving and logistics. That said, Jordan and Oman are both friendly to tailor made private touring with driver-guides, my preferred format for couples and families who like the story-telling with the schedule kept personal.

When to go

October to April is the golden window: warm days, cool desert nights, and comfortable sightseeing. March and April add wildflowers to Jordan's hills. High summer is fierce and best avoided for touring, though the Gulf cities simply move life indoors and carry on. Ramadan shifts each year and changes the rhythm of the region; travelling during it can be special, but it is worth planning around knowingly, which is precisely what I am for.

Travelling with confidence

Jordan and Oman rank among the most welcoming countries I send clients to, and first-time visitors invariably return surprised by how easy it all was. I keep abreast of the practical picture, route itineraries accordingly, and back every booking with full ATOL protection. The Middle East rewards the curious traveller extravagantly; my job is to make the curiosity effortless.