Tamara Salameen

My partner and I had the most amazing trip to Jordan and Israel managed by Why Jordan Tours and Ahalan Olympus on the Israeli side. Everything was seamless... from meet and greet at the borders to great accommodation to wonderful private guides at all the key sites. We had looked at doing a group tour and decided to book through Why Jordan tours, who organised a completely private tour on the Jordan side, and a mix of day tours and group tours in Israel. You get the peace of mind of a... read more

My partner and I had the most amazing trip to Jordan and Israel managed by Why Jordan Tours and Ahalan Olympus on the Israeli side. Everything was seamless... from meet and greet at the borders to great accommodation to wonderful private guides at all the key sites. We had looked at doing a group tour and decided to book through Why Jordan tours, who organised a completely private tour on the Jordan side, and a mix of day tours and group tours in Israel. You get the peace of mind of a perfectly organised trip created by a local expert, great local guides, and with the independence of a private tour, and very reasonably priced compared to group options. A great way to spend time one on one too with the lovely Jordanian people who were so welcoming and lovely. A special thanks to Tamara who organised our trip and was very easy to contact before and during the trip, and Hashim our lovely driver.

We had a wonderful in Jordan thanks to Mohammed (our guide), Tamara (our travel agent), and KimKim. We hit the major sites: Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea and they did not disappoint. We couldn't have wished for a better trip. Our driver/guide, Mohammed was the man! He made the experience fun, informational, and authentic. The trip was the perfect blend of site-seeing, adventure, not too much traveling, amazing food, etc. Highly recommend!

Two things I have to say: thank you and amazing!
The best thing of all, the people I interacted with: Tamara, Mohammad and Tito!
I usually do my own travel planning and booking, this time I booked a last minute trip to Jordan and I am more than happy I got to be connected via kimkim to the Why Jordan Tours team, from the first moment I got contacted by Tamara I knew that all I had to do was to leave it all to the experts and begin to enjoy my trip.
Tamara was incredibly helpful, despite the... read more

Two things I have to say: thank you and amazing!
The best thing of all, the people I interacted with: Tamara, Mohammad and Tito!
I usually do my own travel planning and booking, this time I booked a last minute trip to Jordan and I am more than happy I got to be connected via kimkim to the Why Jordan Tours team, from the first moment I got contacted by Tamara I knew that all I had to do was to leave it all to the experts and begin to enjoy my trip.
Tamara was incredibly helpful, despite the time difference between Mexico and Jordan we had a great communication, she listened and asked the right questions for me to tell her what I had in mind and she pulled a great itinerary for me. I had a few questions on regards to how I'd be crossing the land boarder from Israel to Jordan and she was able to give me all the details, I had nothing to worry about as she knew it all!
Once we agreed on a few changes to the itinerary I was all set, and with less than a week for me to arrive. Tamara did a fantastic job, you can tell right away that she is an expert in her field and she knows how to make travelers happy!
A couple days before arriving to Jordan I was contacted via phone by Tito, to put me in contact with my driver (and now dear friend Mohammad).
Once crossing the boarder and leaving the premisses I met with Mohammad, I can't say nothing more than I was the luckiest guy to have him be my driver/tour guide/travel buddy along my 5 day stay in Jordan. He is a very respectful, caring, knowledgeable person to have as your guide. He took care of everything along the ride for me to just literally enjoy and be able to see and do the most out of it, giving me the right tips of the things to do and see in the places I visited/stayed.
Jordan is an amazing country and I want to go back, soon if possible!
I began in Amman, a quick stop in the Citadel to get amazed by the view of the city and the ruins of the historical site.
Day 2 - I visited Jerash, quite an amazing and huge compound of the historical site, quick stop at Madaba to see the famous mosaic map, then stop at Mount Nebo to enjoy an amazing view and being wow by the church and mosaics. Overnight in Petra, amazing dinner and hotel.
Day 3 - Petra... I'm speechless! you have to visit at least once in your life. I had the chance to stop by the Why Jordan Tours office and met in person Tamara and Tito!
Day 4 - Wadi Rum, the desert is so magical, the sunset and the stars at night are spectacular. The camp I stayed in was unbelievable, amazing service, food, rooms, location.
Day 5 - jeep tour in the desert with amazing views and walks, a lunch prepared by my Bedouin driver in the middle of the desert, a delicious chicken bbq! Off to Dead Sea, it was incredibly hot!!!
Day 6 - end of my tour...
The best thing of my trip is I had the chance to meet amazing people, that is the most precious thing I'm taking from Jordan, the people is so warm and friendly. I truly know that I made friends which will last forever!
Muchas gracias Mohammad, Tamara, Tito and kim kim team!

I enjoyed the private Jordan tour and all Tamara’s hard work putting it together at the last minute. Her flexibility and helpfulness along the way were most important, answering my numerous questions, and ensuring I had non-smoking hotel rooms and a driver I could speak to.
The disappointments were mostly due to a lack of research on my part and even so we’re far outweighed by the positives. I would and will recommend your agency, driver Ala’a (the very cool, smart Aloosh), the Ramada Dead... read more

I enjoyed the private Jordan tour and all Tamara’s hard work putting it together at the last minute. Her flexibility and helpfulness along the way were most important, answering my numerous questions, and ensuring I had non-smoking hotel rooms and a driver I could speak to.
The disappointments were mostly due to a lack of research on my part and even so we’re far outweighed by the positives. I would and will recommend your agency, driver Ala’a (the very cool, smart Aloosh), the Ramada Dead Sea Resort, and most of the sites. The Citadel in Amman and Wadi Rum 4x4 tour (wear sneakers and socks for full enjoyment) and overnight were surprisingly interesting, Petra as awesome as imagined, and Wadi Mujid the clear winner - just a very expensive late addition. If you’re at all fit, tough, and can swim and climb a ladder, get Wadi Mujid included in your tour (Dead Sea area).
Tamara is to be commended for her patience, for taking such good care of me along the way and for being so responsive to my many questions and needs. Jordan is a beautiful, exciting country with much to do beyond the ruins. I will go back to the people at KimKim for future worldwide trips. Great support.

My driver was excellent, reliable punctual and knowledgable.

Petra was amazing and I wish I had scheduled more time there.

Dont be put off by going in July, it was no hotter than the UK was this summer and the place was empty of tourists.

Good choices for veggie food.

It was incredibly helpful to have kimkim to arrange this trip. It was in between heavy work travel and I needed something to do on personal time, but I did not have the bandwidth to arrange such a complicated trip by myself. Having an English-speaking driver as well as guides at Petra and Wadi Rum was enormously helpful. They were all flexible and resourceful. I was also pleased about how easy it was to customize elements of my trip, particularly choosing and using miles to book... read more

It was incredibly helpful to have kimkim to arrange this trip. It was in between heavy work travel and I needed something to do on personal time, but I did not have the bandwidth to arrange such a complicated trip by myself. Having an English-speaking driver as well as guides at Petra and Wadi Rum was enormously helpful. They were all flexible and resourceful. I was also pleased about how easy it was to customize elements of my trip, particularly choosing and using miles to book accommodations for some nights. My favorite accommodation was the La Locanda in Amman the way it served as a local cultural spot, and I enjoyed the campsite in Wadi Rum--it was a bit awkward because it was empty due to a tour group having their flight cancelled, but I enjoyed the spirit the of the staff despite that and being alone. The itinerary was packed and I think I would have enjoyed it more if I had more days and slowed down the pace, but what was put together was based on the parameters I had set.

I was glad to have visited Petra and walk around. My favorite part of the trip was Wadi Rum, as the landscape was so unusual and fascinating, and I enjoyed the feeling of being remote from the world. I was able to meet a friend in Amman and enjoyed just walking around a bit--I would have liked to see the citadel and possibly some of the museums. I think if one is going to Petra, there's not as much need to see Jerash, especially when it's hot, as well as some of the other minor stops--although I don't regret any of those. If I were to return to Jordan, I would probably opt for more of an adventure trip. The Dead Sea was a great place to recover, but I felt my time there was a bit too short to make myself feel comfortable in the large resort complex.

Mohammad was an excellent driver and we got along very well. There was slight confusion and I had been dropped off at the wrong hotel in Petra, although Mohammad was very quick in finding out what had happened and got me to the correct hotel. I would definitely have Mohammad be my driver again. We played a mix of Western and Arab music in the car, and occasionally stopped for tea or coffee. We had some good conversations and Mohammad was open about his life and thoughts. My guide in Wadi Rum was also named Mohammad and he was very accommodating when there were some French tourists who were a bit stranded in the desert with their vehicle and we assisted them.

Some things that could have been improved include having a better sense of the line item costs in the travel agency package, as that would have helped me figure out the right tips. I also personally prefer to avoid being around tourists when not at a popular tourist site. It would have been nice to stop by local restaurants in the various cities and towns, or get some street food. There was also a souvenir place around Mount Nebo that was fine to stop by, but I felt obligated to purchase something without really expecting it. I'm a bit of a minimalist traveler and don't like to add souvenirs unless I spot something at something like a boutique shop I spontaneously walk into. Also, it would have helped to get some guidance about the seasonal conditions in Jordan with the heat. It was hard even with looking up the weather in Jordan to understand how much hotter it was under the sun in midday. I'm quite happy that I was there during a low tourist season, but probably could have been more psychologically prepared for the heat.

Overall, I would use kimkim again and be more assertive about the details and my particular preferences as a traveler. I wasn't sure about how flexible I could be in these trips, but it seems like I could have customized the trip even more. I very much appreciated having someone around helping me and able to contact while I was there, so that I would not have to worry about being able to get from one place to another or smoothly returning to work travel at the end of my time in Jordan. I'm very grateful for all the work and service that went into this trip.

I could write a book or a love song about My trip to the Jordan, a story and a song that will forever remain in my heart,

The trip started with kind Tamara who knew what I wanted and the places I wanted to visit, between Jerash, Wadi Rum, PETRA, and the Dead Sea,

At the Queen Alia airport, I was met with gentleman who had a sign with my name on it waiting for me, (sincere apologies don’t remember his name) in no time he arranged for my Visa, got my luggage and out of the airport,... read more

I could write a book or a love song about My trip to the Jordan, a story and a song that will forever remain in my heart,

The trip started with kind Tamara who knew what I wanted and the places I wanted to visit, between Jerash, Wadi Rum, PETRA, and the Dead Sea,

At the Queen Alia airport, I was met with gentleman who had a sign with my name on it waiting for me, (sincere apologies don’t remember his name) in no time he arranged for my Visa, got my luggage and out of the airport,

Outside, I was met by a familiar face, the face of the Jordanian Hospitality, named Mohammad, I was transferred to his clean well air-conditioned, safely and skilfully driven vehicle, who realized coming from Canada, not accustomed to warm weather offered me cold water and made sure I was happy and comfortable, I felt right at home enjoying every bits of every place I visited

Later, I was accompanied by Mu’ath, a gentleman a guide-who, by his knowledge made the past alive in front of my eyes, thru Petra’s ancient ruins,

My trip to the Jordan exceeded my expectations, glad I left the booking to the professionals, (no headache, and never got lost :)

I left Jordan, it’s beauty and it’s kind people but the Jordan, a song will forever remain in my heart

Tamara provided great service for the booking of our last minute trip.
Khalid was an amazing guide and took great care of us over the course of three days.

I want to say BIG Thank you to my wonderful agent Tamara, who I was happy to meet in Jordan, she did a excellent job to organize my trip. She was very welcoming and kind to me when we spoke in the office. I also want to say my special thank you to my guide in Petra, and my very big thank you to my guide and driver Bassam Helalat. Bassam is the best driver and wonderful knowledgeable person. With his help I was able to see and feel Jordan, meet amazing people and see unforgettable... read more

I want to say BIG Thank you to my wonderful agent Tamara, who I was happy to meet in Jordan, she did a excellent job to organize my trip. She was very welcoming and kind to me when we spoke in the office. I also want to say my special thank you to my guide in Petra, and my very big thank you to my guide and driver Bassam Helalat. Bassam is the best driver and wonderful knowledgeable person. With his help I was able to see and feel Jordan, meet amazing people and see unforgettable land-scarps. I miss you all, I miss Jordan very much. It was an honor to know you all. If I ever will have an opportunity to go to Jordan, I would be the happiest person in the world. My best regards to all team. Love you all.