Review: Baraka Destinations Beekeeping in Umm Qais

Alright, so I wanted to share what I thought about this really neat beekeeping experience I had with Baraka Destinations up in Umm Qais, Jordan. That experience, you see, it’s a chance to learn about bees and honey production, set against the super cool backdrop of Umm Qais. In case you don’t know, Umm Qais offers these breathtaking views of the Golan Heights and the Sea of Galilee. This little town is almost bursting with history, which it combines with a local feel.

Getting There: A Scenic Drive to Umm Qais

Alright, the drive to Umm Qais from Amman, well, it’s more or less scenic! The roads, so they’re quite decent, making for a fairly smooth ride of roughly two to three hours. What I suggest, though, is maybe try arranging transport through Baraka Destinations, or just go rent a car. That way, you get the freedom to stop and stare a little longer at all the lovely views along the route. I’m thinking there were rolling hills and olive groves, and little villages that popped up here and there.

Meeting the Beekeeper: A Warm Welcome

As a matter of fact, when I got to the beekeeping spot, I was welcomed by a local beekeeper. That guy was very nice and extremely passionate about his job! He gave us an introduction to beekeeping and talked a little bit about the significance of bees, just there in the ecosystem. Clearly, you could just tell how much he cared for these small pollinators! He explained about their life cycle, their vital role in food production, and a couple of the challenges they’re dealing with these days because of habitat loss and stuff. So, his enthusiasm, it was completely infectious!

Gearing Up: Suiting Up for Safety

I want you to know that before we went near the hives, we put on protective beekeeping suits. So, that was really pretty fun! I was saying the suits, they included a full-body coverall, gloves, plus a mesh veil to shield our faces. He made completely sure that everyone got the right fit and knew just why these suits, like your everyday spacesuit, are super important for keeping us all safe from stings! Alright, so wearing that getup, well, it just added this level of anticipation and excitement to the experience!

Into the Hive: Observing the Colony

Honestly, it was great. Very carefully, so the beekeeper opened up a hive, letting us observe the colony’s inner workings. You understand, the way they communicate, their work distribution and overall social structure, it was amazing. It could be the attention that he was giving us was truly exceptional. We looked as he pointed out the queen bee and then explained what her main job is, that of course being to lay eggs. He also talked a bit about the worker bees and the drones, detailing their different roles in the hive. We got to see, firsthand, so how the bees build those hexagonal honeycomb cells and how they store pollen and honey. That view was, to say the least, educational and quite fascinating!

Honey Harvesting: A Sweet Reward

The highlight of the visit, to be quite frank, had to be helping in a little bit of the honey harvesting. After all, you might as well pitch in where you can, eh? This, too, was one interesting operation that they showed us. Under the beekeeper’s expert guidance, of course, we took out some frames from the hive just overflowing with honey! We learned how to tell when the honey is ready and how to gently brush off the bees before moving the frames. Next, using some special tools, he explained, we uncapped the honeycombs, and, by the way, got to use a hand-cranked extractor to release the honey.

Tasting the Goodness: Pure, Raw Honey

Obviously, what followed had to be tasting the freshly harvested honey. Alright, I would call it some pure, raw honey, so it was completely different than what you get in the stores! You see, that flavor was rather richer, with just a hint of floral notes. The beekeeper, who actually looked like a scientist there for a brief moment, mentioned the flavor kind of changes based on the different flowers that the bees pollinate. In fact, I was just saying the act of tasting the honey felt just like this direct connection to nature and the efforts that these bees put in.

Umm Qais Exploration: History and Views

After we finished up with the bees, that’s when I had some free time just to roam around Umm Qais. That place, so it has some serious historical significance. I actually saw the ruins of Gadara, an old Greco-Roman city! While walking around, by the way, the ancient streets and looking at those crumbling structures, well, you really get this solid feel for the history of the area. Let me just say that don’t forget your camera. In that you have an unforgettable view, it overlooks the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights, I think I even spent over an hour up there!

Baraka Destinations: Supporting Local Communities

Frankly, what I thought made the beekeeping experience that bit more special was that Baraka Destinations focuses on aiding the local communities. In my opinion, through offering these types of experiences, so they help to promote sustainable tourism and provide a way for locals to earn some dough. By the way, this makes sure the tourist dollars benefit the people actually living in those communities and that keeps the local traditions and environment preserved. It goes to show this trip was not just about bees and honey; that it was, you see, about doing tourism with conscience.

Final Thoughts: A Highly Recommended Experience

As I see it, the Baraka Destinations beekeeping experience in Umm Qais, really, it’s more than just some tour! It is a complete immersion, actually. You get to observe the local culture while participating in activities that are educational. If you want to learn a bit about beekeeping, sample honey, and get a feeling for community-based tourism, by the way, this tour would be an excellent choice for those visiting Jordan. And I can tell you that for just about everyone, from families to solo travellers, it could actually provide for quite the special, memorable, educational adventure. I could really picture you going there next year, eh?