Aqaba, Jordan
The Aqaba Bird Observatory is a small man-made oasis run by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) in the Al-Salam forest north of the city, 1 km from the western border crossing, covering about half a square kilometre of deep and shallow ponds, reeds and trees. Its position on the great Rift Valley flyway makes it a vital resting place for the millions of birds migrating between Europe, Asia and Africa, which drop in exhausted after crossing the desert and stay anywhere from an hour to two weeks before moving on. More than 270 species have been recorded at the observatory in a single decade, out of some 436 recorded in all of Jordan, including over twenty rare species and two seen in Jordan for the first time in 2011 and 2013, as well as threatened birds such as the marbled teal and the great snipe. At the height of the spring and autumn migrations more than eighty species can be seen on a two- to three-hour tour, waders above all along the pond edges. It is a quiet spot far from the bustle of the resorts, suited to photographers and to families who want to see a side of Aqaba other than the sea.
The best times are the first hours of the morning in the migration seasons (March–May and September–November); bring binoculars, a hat and water, as the site is open and hot. Official and local tourism sources report that the observatory is closed on Fridays and open other days from 8:00 with last entry at 15:00 for a 7 JOD fee, so confirm with the RSCN before you go. A taxi from central Aqaba takes about a quarter of an hour; the site is near a border zone, so carry your ID.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: jordannews.jo
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