Jordan is a magical destination. This Middle Eastern country has a rich history with breathtaking highlights, desert, canyons, mountains and oases. Nature here is rugged and there are many places in Jordan where it feels like you are in the middle of nowhere. You will visit those places with The Jordan Trail: a 5-day hike along the legendary trade route of the Middle East.
What is The Jordan Trail?
Whoever thinks of Jordan immediately mentions the ancient city of Petra as the highlight. This wonder of the world has been visited by many travellers, but far fewer come here by hiking The Jordan Trail – a 650-mile hike that has been named one of the must-do hikes in the world by National Geographics. The Jordan Trail is an ancient caravan route that brought goods from Egypt & Syria to Saudi Arabia in Classical Antiquity and the section in Jordan consists of 8 parts.
The trail from Dana to Petra
Of course you will not cover a walk of 650 kilometers with this 5-day hike of The Jordan Trail. You walk one of the 8 parts, namely the route from Dana to Petra. During this trip you will get to know rugged Jordan and the hospitable people. The walk goes through desert landscapes where camels walk and in the mountains you can smell the wild sage and come across shepherds with goats. You walk along valleys and the starry sky and sandy deserts seem endless.
This is a route of about 75 kilometers and per day you cover about 11 to 18 kilometers on foot. In total you will be hiking for 5 days. After these 5 days you have a day off to recover from the tour and you can explore Petra at your leisure.
The mapped out route
This hike of The Jordan Trail is completely mapped out for you and camping spots are arranged every day of the route. This is of course very useful, but it is also mainly done because this trail is not the easiest route to map out yourself. The Jordan Trail is therefore well balanced and logistically completely arranged. The walks are not too long and you can see a lot in a fairly short period.
There are no arrows or road markings along the route, so you will receive a trail app at the start of the trip on which all routes and points of interest are extensively documented. There are also experienced guides who know the way and who can help you if necessary. It is up to you whether you stay with the guide for the entire route or whether you prefer to try to map out the hike yourself. The guide is always nearby.
Sleeping and eating during The Jordan Trail
It’s back to basics on The Jordan Trail. You sleep in a tent and the sleeping places are all in the middle of nowhere. There are no sanitary facilities and there is no running water. You can refresh yourself at the end of the day with the water brought by the jeeps and with a bit of luck there will be enough water in the few rivers you come across so that you can freshen up in them.
During the trail you bring your own water, because you have to drink enough while walking in the sun. You carry about 4 liters of water with you during the day and you can replenish your water supply in the morning and evening. During the walks you will of course not come across any restaurants or supermarkets, but breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided at the camp sites.
The Jordan Trail Weekly Schedule
During this Jordan Trail you cover the part between Dana and Petra, so after arriving in Amman you will be taken directly to Dana. On day two the hike will start and you will trek along the Wadi Dana valley towards the mountainous Wadi Feynan. The next you walk through the black desert to the Wadi Abo Sakakeen Canyon and you see the landscape slowly change from mountains to a green valley area. The last part of day three you will trek through the red desert Wadi Araba until you reach the plateau of Telatat Al-Sofor.
On the fourth day you will partly walk through the green valley of Wadi Musa or also known as ‘the valley of Moses’. This is the greenest part of the trail and according to legend, this is where Moses used to get water from the rocks for his followers. The next day you continue towards Little Petra and on day six you arrive through ‘the back door’ in ancient Petra. Because you enter through the back, you take the route in Petra the other way around than all tourists. You first visit ‘the Monastery’ and then walk down to the center of Petra to eventually arrive at the Siq and Treasury. Eventually you will be brought to your hotel at the end of the day and you will be back in civilization. Day seven is a free day in Petra and on the last day you fly back home.
Dates and prices
The Jordan Trail runs in both the spring and fall. You can depart weekly on Sundays and the price for the 5-day hike is €495. This is a starting price and does not include a plane ticket, airport transport, entrance to Petra, food and drinks and camping equipment rental. Included are a visa, overnight stays, luggage transport, water and guides.
A 5-day hike along the legendary Middle East trade route requires a good level of fitness and stamina, but if that suits you, you may soon be hiking one of the most impressive routes in the world!
