Picturing Jordan

Sharing Jordan with the world — one picture at a time.

Azraq Wetland, a Disappearing Oasis

Small lake with bridge and vegetation in the Jordanian desert

A one of a kind oasis is at risk of disappearing soon

There’s a unique wetland nature preserve an hour and a half from Amman. In just thirty minutes of walking around, I saw birds, snakes, crabs, fish, and even water buffaloes! For thousands of years Azraq was a massive, thriving oasis whose ecological diversity supported human settlements, but in recent decades it has come dangerously close to drying up due to increased water usage from surrounding cities.

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Camping in the Dana Biosphere Reserve

Just after sunrise at a camp in the Dana Biosphere

Just after sunrise at a camp in the Dana Biosphere

A few weeks ago I slept in a tent on the cusp of Jordan’s Rift Valley. Wild Jordan has regular hiking and camping trips to the reserve and they are very affordable. The staff are friendly and genuinely care about nature conservation. Trips to this and other national parks are part of an impressive government effort to preserve Jordan’s natural spaces.

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