Hiking Across Jordan (part 2)
Here is the link for part 1 if you want to 🐻 with me for the entire journey!
https://www.ascendandwander.ca/2019/10/thru-hiking-jordan-trail-part-1.html
Day 12 - The trail follows the high side of a limestone valley through Wadi ed Dab’a to the abandoned village of Ainun. There are more ruins and cave structures through the hills. The next plateau overlooks the town of El Iraq which is 1600 metres above the Dead Sea. Jahra has a cafe and later you enter potential rock climbing crags at the cliffs of Tor Taboun. Descending into the canyon below reveals thick vegetation, streams, palm trees, and private gardens. The roads are in terrible shape up from water damage yet the locals seemed more than driving comfortable driving them.
The area does have a marshy feeling and you have to hop over some streams. Expect to be taking your shoes off or rolling the dice for wet feet. We missed a turn somewhere in here but the road systems all seem to meander towards the Burbeita Hot Springs, where we were overnighting. We pitched tents in the complex and got to use their showers. Tomorrow is going to be another uphill day which made soaking in the hot springs this evening that much more awesome.
Outskirts of Karak from the high side of the limestone valley
The abandoned village of Ainun
Ruins and cave structures throughout the hills
Meandering towards the Burbeita Hot Springs
The 'cold tub' at the 'hot springs'
Day 13 - This uphill day starts winding up the ridge past some old vineyards. A camp of Jahaleen Bedouin is not far to the west. Small roads continue to Karaka then you join a larger road to the city Ais.
This was another section for me to podcast with Joe Rogan. The episode was his 'Sober October' challenge with a bunch of comedians which was hilarious and that made a usually boring road walk extra enjoyable.
Fresh falafel was on the menu for lunch in the city Ais. They have supermarkets, easy bus service to Amman, and lots of stores for a resupply if need be. You get a good view of the Tafila Technical University. Leaving the city, we had fun posing with mirrors and impressive highway art. You gotta do what you gotta do to keep things interesting when the trail under your feet turns to asphalt.
The next several kilometres was pretty desolate through valleys, olive grows, and over barbed wire fences. That all changed when reached our overnight spot at the renovated ancient clifftop village of Ma’tan. The lodge was situated right on the cliffs and offer incredible views into Wadi Labun. The owners were also very familiar with hikers and the Jordan Trail.
Old vineyards at elevation
Tafila Technical University looming over the the city of Ais
Spot the hiker trying to blend in with highway art
Clifftop village of Ma’tan
The descent into Wadi Labun follows an old donkey trail through orchards and olive groves. The terrain is steep and scenic with sandstone carved walls forming a slot canyon. The bottom of this wadi poses a very high risk during flash floods. You can break in the shade after the ascent in olive groves outside the town of Buseirah. Next you hike over a saddle at the ruins of Khirbet Um Za’aroura and join the pine forests below.
The ridge walk towards Dana Village is unreal with the massive Wadi Araba coming into view. You pass a spring before entering the touristy town which has hotels and restaurants. Permits need to be picked up here before entering the Dana Biosphere Reserve. It's a long downhill with impressive sandstone formations and juniper trees growing out of boulders.
For two weeks, the Jordan Trail has proved to be more of a route than an established footpath. This is the first time we were actually following a real singletrack! Everything was going great then things got even better when a flock of sheep caused a traffic jam.
At the Roman copper mines, there is overnight accommodation at the Feynan Eco Lodge. It's quite expensive to sleep there, but they do their part with regards to the environment through solar energy, recycling grey water and hiring local staff; so the money goes to a very good cause. Other camping facilities are available at Bedouin camps throughout the valley.
More Roman ruins and copper smelting sites seem to emerge as the mountains got bigger. We had a spectacular sunset walk with views continuing for miles while traversing Wadi Malaga. It was getting dark as we eventually found our camping spot sheltered in the wadi.
Dana Village
Dana Biosphere Reserve
Juniper trees growing right out of the rocks
Traffic jam in Wadi Dana
The mountains getting bigger as we descended into the wadi
Bedouin Camps
A lone tree in Wadi Malaga
The smaller hills are called Jabal al-Hamra, Jabal Mahzan and Jabal Barwas. With Wadi Araba to the west and the rising mountains to the east, the slope gradually ascends to cross Wadi Barwas, Wadi abu Hamdtha and Wadi al-Jilf to reach the saddle called Ras Naqb Shdeid, offering breathtaking views in both directions.
We took an early start and arrived at the high point while there was still fog in the valley (which is a rare sight for Jordan since the wind and topography doesn't usually bring condensation). This is the last cellphone signal for a while as you descend into the gully of Wadi Feid below. This is also the last natural water source before Little Petra 25 kilometres away. The vegetation is thick as you crawl upstream. Funny story: earlier this day, J and I were talking about despite her being from England, she never uses the word "Bollocks" then while tearing through the thick vegetation hours later, she slipped and got her shoes wet saying "Bollocks" in the process lol
The geology shifts to a dark purple sandstone just before a split in the wadi. It would be an amazing spot to spend the night but unfortunately we are on tight time parameters and can't always just call it a day by noon unfortunately.
As the Jordan Trail website is a great place to access resources, note there is not a map attached online for the next section into Little Petra. I downloaded the offline maps from Gaia and uploaded the GPS track which was a great navigational tool instead.
As the Jordan Trail website is a great place to access resources, note there is not a map attached online for the next section into Little Petra. I downloaded the offline maps from Gaia and uploaded the GPS track which was a great navigational tool instead.
Leaving Ras Al Feid along the rocky sandstone takes you to the barren desert landscape with surprise encounters of desert vegetation and animal life. There is another moderate climb and walk along the ridge of Mount Safaha. From the summit there are 360 views. We met 2 other Canadians who were hiking a section from Dana to Petra! I said "Go Canucks Go" despite them being from Montreal.
Approaching Little Petra there are signs of increasing human habitation of Bedouin camps, sheep pens, and small agricultural plots. You enter a small sandstone canyon and wind your way through to the site of Beihdah. I was glad to visit Little Petra before Petra as it proved to be a favourable introduction to the historic site. See if you can spot the hiker amongst the other tourists in the bottom photo!
Tearing through the thick vegetation
Day 16 - The infamous Petra day. We took the Monastery Trail from Little Petra to the back entrance of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Monastery Trail had a sign saying it was closed for maintenance but they were still allowing some hikers through.
Good tracks descend Wadi Ghurab amidst sandstone mountains guarding the approaches to Petra. This way follows a Nabataean route out of the valley and skirts around a natural rock terrace. It's narrow before reaching a hidden plateau high above the impressive chasm of Wadi Siyyagh. They have a shop there selling tea and souvenirs. If you are lucky, someone will also be singing the Jordanian anthem at the flagpole viewpoint.
‘The Monastery’ carved in the cliff face suddenly comes into view. The sense of scale is something that needs go be seen in person. This area will be crowded with groups of people posing infront. There is also a shop to buy drinks and ice cream.
Approaching Little Petra there are signs of increasing human habitation of Bedouin camps, sheep pens, and small agricultural plots. You enter a small sandstone canyon and wind your way through to the site of Beihdah. I was glad to visit Little Petra before Petra as it proved to be a favourable introduction to the historic site. See if you can spot the hiker amongst the other tourists in the bottom photo!
Ascending up the Jabal Mountains
The rare contrast of a high point with valley fog below
The gully of Wadi Feid
Tearing through the thick vegetation
From high mountains to thick wadi vegetation and slot canyons - today had it all
New terrain emerging after the ascent
Walking through Little Petra
Day 16 - The infamous Petra day. We took the Monastery Trail from Little Petra to the back entrance of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Monastery Trail had a sign saying it was closed for maintenance but they were still allowing some hikers through.
Good tracks descend Wadi Ghurab amidst sandstone mountains guarding the approaches to Petra. This way follows a Nabataean route out of the valley and skirts around a natural rock terrace. It's narrow before reaching a hidden plateau high above the impressive chasm of Wadi Siyyagh. They have a shop there selling tea and souvenirs. If you are lucky, someone will also be singing the Jordanian anthem at the flagpole viewpoint.
‘The Monastery’ carved in the cliff face suddenly comes into view. The sense of scale is something that needs go be seen in person. This area will be crowded with groups of people posing infront. There is also a shop to buy drinks and ice cream.
Nabataean steps create a long winding path that lead down into ancient Petra. This is the main route through Petra so it will be busy during the day. Many locals will be selling various food, items, and offering camel rides. There are several ruins and royal tombs accessible from the main road. Petra has so much more but I can't explain everything the site has to offer. The most popular spot in Petra is the 45m-high temple known as 'The Treasury' which will have even more groups of tourists posing infront.
The town and hotels are just outside the main entrance and visitor centre. The entry into Petra requires a permit, which can only be purchased at the main front entrance. The route we took today enters Petra through the back, so a permit must be purchased in advance. If you are thru hiking and plan to overnight in hotels outside Petra then you should buy the 'Jordan Pass Explorer' which includes 2 consecutive days admission to Petra. I would recommend taking a full zero day in Petra which would require 3 days admission.
We dropped off our bags at the hotel and then I went back for another evening visit. Today was supposed to be our rest day since we only hiked 14km but I walk back to spend as much time in Petra as possible. At the time my legs were telling me no but I'm really glad I did. It was much nicer without all the crowds. Steps lead up to "The High Place of Sacrifice" offered good views of the main road. Another good walk would be up to the viewpoints looking at the treasury on Mount Khubtha or the Lion Fountain and Garden Tomb near Wadi Farasa.
The Monastery Trail
The entrance and visitor centre
Day 17 - It was sad leaving the infamous Petra site behind as we entered the mountains to the south. It's easy to miss the faint footpath diverging from the main Petra road so you should have the GPS waypoint saved.
The trail continues on a flatter area known as “Stuah Nebi Haroun” and follows an old Roman Road heading down the ridge on the east side above Wadi Sabra. Zigzagging down to the valley floor, the footpath disappears and you just find the easiest surface to walk on and call that the trail. The Sabra Amphitheater 12km outside Petra is a great place to take a rest.
We dropped off our bags at the hotel and then I went back for another evening visit. Today was supposed to be our rest day since we only hiked 14km but I walk back to spend as much time in Petra as possible. At the time my legs were telling me no but I'm really glad I did. It was much nicer without all the crowds. Steps lead up to "The High Place of Sacrifice" offered good views of the main road. Another good walk would be up to the viewpoints looking at the treasury on Mount Khubtha or the Lion Fountain and Garden Tomb near Wadi Farasa.
The Monastery Trail
Viewpoint overlooking Wadi Siyyagh
'The Treasery'
'The High Point of Sacrifice'
The entrance and visitor centre
Day 17 - It was sad leaving the infamous Petra site behind as we entered the mountains to the south. It's easy to miss the faint footpath diverging from the main Petra road so you should have the GPS waypoint saved.
The trail continues on a flatter area known as “Stuah Nebi Haroun” and follows an old Roman Road heading down the ridge on the east side above Wadi Sabra. Zigzagging down to the valley floor, the footpath disappears and you just find the easiest surface to walk on and call that the trail. The Sabra Amphitheater 12km outside Petra is a great place to take a rest.
As you pass through the white sandstone, cairns guide the way around a massive dry waterfall feature. Out of Wadi Sabra there is a 4×4 track that rises steeply across small gulleys to Bedouin tents in Gas’ Mriebed. Wadi Abu O’rouq has an underground-fed spring called Ain al-O’Rouq. Apparently this water source is reliable throughout the year. We camped in Wadi al-Saif at a large boulder with ancient carvings from the Nabatean era.
Day 18 - The trail goes through Wadi Al-Seif, Wadi Mshazza, and Wadi Gseib with minimal elevation change before reaching a unique coloured sandstone Wadi we dubbed the ‘Painted Canyon’ because someone managed to scrape together 13 different rock colours and leave them on the side of the trail for everyone to see.
This section could be more popular with day hikers and campers. I really enjoyed the sandy dunes in the wide valley of Wadi Al-Seeq. Running around the sand dunes barefoot made me feel like a youngster again; until my hiking partner got mad at me for shaking sand out of my gear and the wind blew it in their face. The sand dunes continue into Wadi Rakiya and Wadi Aheimir. We camped there and arrived early to chill out. Another above average day.
Entering the white sand dunes
Day 19 - The wadi from the previous day continues for another 20 kilometres thickening and narrowing into slot canyons which made navigation obvious for the first half of today. When the red sandstone turns a chalky colour, the trail ascends out of the valley to the Bedouin village of Abbasiya on the plateau with views into Wadi Rum!
We were hiking 45 kilometres today and 46 kilometres tomorrow which was daunting and soul destroying if you dwelled on those numbers. Looking back on it though, these days were far above average!
Abu Sabah’s Bedouin tent is located on the edge of town and the very generous family invited us in for tea and gave us a ride to a nearby museum. The museum turned out to be closed which was totally fine by me since my level of stoke was already maxed out being so close to Wadi Rum that no museum would change that. The simple acts of serving tea, sharing stories, and offering rides continued to grow my sense of how welcoming the people are in this region.
Humeima village shops along the highway is an option to restock on supplies. Otherwise, the next point of interest is the Humeima visitor centre which is very rustic and doesn’t have water or any services. The trail leaves some ruins follows a bearing southeast at 160 degrees from the ruins through open desert terrain. You could consider going barefoot for this section but I wimped out after a few rocks. If a lightbulb went off in your brain wondering why the route is suddenly heading eastbound instead of west during an open area, I tip my bonnet to you for acknowledging that. The reason is because there is a military facility located to the west and you need to stay clear of that. We camped 10 km farther into the desert at the only tree around and were fortunately already in our tents when a rainstorm passed overhead. The wind blew over the tea though which was lame :(
Day 20 - Crossing the Desert Highway and Entering Wadi Rum was a big milestone for me. Sometime yesterday afternoon we would have passed the 500 kilometre mark on the Jordan Trail!
We met a local offering camel tours and I took the once in a lifetime opportunity to ride a camel for a few kilometres westward through Wadi Jdayyel. A huge sandstone arch visible on the middle of the next mountain marks Jabal Kharazeh. We took a break here and scrambled to the top of the arc. Three kilometres off route from here behind the hill at a Nabatean cistern there is a year round water source.
The next section traverses between the Jabal Abu Rashrasha mountains over dried mud flats. Before reaching the village of Shakriya, the wind that had been picking up all day turned into a sand storm. For the next few days I kept finding sand in my nose and ears and other places where sand shouldn’t be, enough said. The supermarket in Shakriya provided snacks and shelter from the wind that continued for another couple hours.
The road out of town leads to the Wadi Rum Visitor’s Center and eventually the Rum Village which was crowded with tourists. We took another long break at the Wadi Rum Rest House, though this time it was more to relax in the sun and drink beer rather than seek shelter from the wind. Note there is an extreme hefty tax on alcohol in Jordan (each bottle cost 6 JOD which = 12 Canadian). What’s also cool to note is that this bottle was my only alcohol consumption during the month of October. I should have joined Joe Rogan and won his ‘Sober October’ challenge from that podcast I was listening to on day 13 since being consumed by hiking everyday would have made that easy.
The trail leaves Rum Village on the same main street you came in and continues southwest on 4x4 roads passing Bedouin tents and the Lawrence Spring. Many tourists are getting truck tours in this area and they pass you with confused facial expressions probably wondering why other foreigners are walking through the sand into an area that looks like a beautiful middle of nowhere. We camped approximately 7 kilometers outside Rum Village. The stargazing nights away from light pollution were spectacular.
Day 21 - 46 kilometres was our longest day. Most days were between 30-40 km, but the terrain and elevation are the main factors that determine how long these distances will take. We were leaving the soft sand of Wadi Rum behind for the Aqaba Mountains with a dark and early start at 05:00 to get a head start on the day. It was a constant game trying to find the firmest ground underneath your feet to maintain a good walking pace; a game I realized I wasn't good at.
The route continues southbound until the al-Qidr mountains then you turn hard west at a GPS waypoint to enter a sandy open valley south of Jabal Antara. This is actually the southern most point of the Jordan Trail where the sandstone mountains start to fade and the dark granite pink quartz characteristics of Wadi Waraqa are visible to the west.
After Titan village, you pass Acacia trees and Bedouin camps, climb over a rock gulley overlooking Wadi Al-Libnan and cross under powerlines before a long ascent up the Aqaba Mountains. Our camp spot was just under the pass overlooking the Red Sea in a wind sheltered area. It was worth the scramble to quickly catch sunset and finally see the Red Sea we were reaching tomorrow. From the high point you can see the 3 other countries of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Israel that share the body of water.
Sabra Amphitheater
White sandstone in Wadi Sabra
Wadi Sabra
Bedouin tents in Gas’ Mriebed
Carvings from the Nabatean era
Day 18 - The trail goes through Wadi Al-Seif, Wadi Mshazza, and Wadi Gseib with minimal elevation change before reaching a unique coloured sandstone Wadi we dubbed the ‘Painted Canyon’ because someone managed to scrape together 13 different rock colours and leave them on the side of the trail for everyone to see.
This section could be more popular with day hikers and campers. I really enjoyed the sandy dunes in the wide valley of Wadi Al-Seeq. Running around the sand dunes barefoot made me feel like a youngster again; until my hiking partner got mad at me for shaking sand out of my gear and the wind blew it in their face. The sand dunes continue into Wadi Rakiya and Wadi Aheimir. We camped there and arrived early to chill out. Another above average day.
The 'Painted Canyon'
Someone managed to collect all these different colours from the sandstone
Goat tracks scattered throughout the sandy wadi
Entering the white sand dunes
My favourite 'nap' from the entire trail
Boots, trail runners, barefoot - who wore it best?
Wadi Aheimar
Day 19 - The wadi from the previous day continues for another 20 kilometres thickening and narrowing into slot canyons which made navigation obvious for the first half of today. When the red sandstone turns a chalky colour, the trail ascends out of the valley to the Bedouin village of Abbasiya on the plateau with views into Wadi Rum!
We were hiking 45 kilometres today and 46 kilometres tomorrow which was daunting and soul destroying if you dwelled on those numbers. Looking back on it though, these days were far above average!
Abu Sabah’s Bedouin tent is located on the edge of town and the very generous family invited us in for tea and gave us a ride to a nearby museum. The museum turned out to be closed which was totally fine by me since my level of stoke was already maxed out being so close to Wadi Rum that no museum would change that. The simple acts of serving tea, sharing stories, and offering rides continued to grow my sense of how welcoming the people are in this region.
Humeima village shops along the highway is an option to restock on supplies. Otherwise, the next point of interest is the Humeima visitor centre which is very rustic and doesn’t have water or any services. The trail leaves some ruins follows a bearing southeast at 160 degrees from the ruins through open desert terrain. You could consider going barefoot for this section but I wimped out after a few rocks. If a lightbulb went off in your brain wondering why the route is suddenly heading eastbound instead of west during an open area, I tip my bonnet to you for acknowledging that. The reason is because there is a military facility located to the west and you need to stay clear of that. We camped 10 km farther into the desert at the only tree around and were fortunately already in our tents when a rainstorm passed overhead. The wind blew over the tea though which was lame :(
Easy navigation through the narrow slot canyons
Ascending out of the valley
Bedouin village of Abbasiya
Camel trying to hitchhike into Wadi Rum - you have to show your thumb bro!
Humeima ruins
Localized storm sweeping over the desert
We met a local offering camel tours and I took the once in a lifetime opportunity to ride a camel for a few kilometres westward through Wadi Jdayyel. A huge sandstone arch visible on the middle of the next mountain marks Jabal Kharazeh. We took a break here and scrambled to the top of the arc. Three kilometres off route from here behind the hill at a Nabatean cistern there is a year round water source.
The next section traverses between the Jabal Abu Rashrasha mountains over dried mud flats. Before reaching the village of Shakriya, the wind that had been picking up all day turned into a sand storm. For the next few days I kept finding sand in my nose and ears and other places where sand shouldn’t be, enough said. The supermarket in Shakriya provided snacks and shelter from the wind that continued for another couple hours.
The road out of town leads to the Wadi Rum Visitor’s Center and eventually the Rum Village which was crowded with tourists. We took another long break at the Wadi Rum Rest House, though this time it was more to relax in the sun and drink beer rather than seek shelter from the wind. Note there is an extreme hefty tax on alcohol in Jordan (each bottle cost 6 JOD which = 12 Canadian). What’s also cool to note is that this bottle was my only alcohol consumption during the month of October. I should have joined Joe Rogan and won his ‘Sober October’ challenge from that podcast I was listening to on day 13 since being consumed by hiking everyday would have made that easy.
The trail leaves Rum Village on the same main street you came in and continues southwest on 4x4 roads passing Bedouin tents and the Lawrence Spring. Many tourists are getting truck tours in this area and they pass you with confused facial expressions probably wondering why other foreigners are walking through the sand into an area that looks like a beautiful middle of nowhere. We camped approximately 7 kilometers outside Rum Village. The stargazing nights away from light pollution were spectacular.
Crossing the Desert Highway
The typical morning commute
Photo Cred: Mohammad
The wind picking up
The only photo I took during the sand storm
Wadi Rum Rest House
Tourists getting 4x4 rides
Day 21 - 46 kilometres was our longest day. Most days were between 30-40 km, but the terrain and elevation are the main factors that determine how long these distances will take. We were leaving the soft sand of Wadi Rum behind for the Aqaba Mountains with a dark and early start at 05:00 to get a head start on the day. It was a constant game trying to find the firmest ground underneath your feet to maintain a good walking pace; a game I realized I wasn't good at.
The route continues southbound until the al-Qidr mountains then you turn hard west at a GPS waypoint to enter a sandy open valley south of Jabal Antara. This is actually the southern most point of the Jordan Trail where the sandstone mountains start to fade and the dark granite pink quartz characteristics of Wadi Waraqa are visible to the west.
After Titan village, you pass Acacia trees and Bedouin camps, climb over a rock gulley overlooking Wadi Al-Libnan and cross under powerlines before a long ascent up the Aqaba Mountains. Our camp spot was just under the pass overlooking the Red Sea in a wind sheltered area. It was worth the scramble to quickly catch sunset and finally see the Red Sea we were reaching tomorrow. From the high point you can see the 3 other countries of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Israel that share the body of water.
Leaving Wadi Rum and soft sand behind
Wadi Waraqa
Water control channels
Wadi Al-Libnan
The high point in the Aqaba Mountains
Day 22 - The last day on trail was a bitter sweet end. I was glad the whole day was going to be downhill though. The descent meanders an old camel route down a scree covered hillside before reaching the wadi bed.
At the bottom of the mountain you end up at an industrial depot/car storage. After crossing the highway, a series of long open sandy wadis go all the way to the coast, Just before the sea, a small road is joined which passes by a few hotels before reaching the beach. The Jordan Trail Association posted a gate as the official southern terminus.
Aqaba has a really cool vibe of being a diving town. I was excited to explore the city but that will have to wait because it is time for a swim in the Red Sea which marks the end to the hike across Jordan – wahoo!
My last sting story was getting stung by a sea urchin while swimming here lol
At the bottom of the mountain you end up at an industrial depot/car storage. After crossing the highway, a series of long open sandy wadis go all the way to the coast, Just before the sea, a small road is joined which passes by a few hotels before reaching the beach. The Jordan Trail Association posted a gate as the official southern terminus.
Aqaba has a really cool vibe of being a diving town. I was excited to explore the city but that will have to wait because it is time for a swim in the Red Sea which marks the end to the hike across Jordan – wahoo!
Last section of the mountain terrain
Aqaba has the cool vibe of a diving down
Official southern terminus
My last sting story was getting stung by a sea urchin while swimming here lol
The End. If you made it this far through the story, I would be stoked to hear from you and chat about anything Jordan related or other trips like this. There were lots of awful jokes and statements that probably caused you to roll your eyes at me; for those I don't apologize. In all seriousness, I really can't express just how welcoming and generous the culture and Jordanian people are. Several times people would share tea with us and invite us into their homes, which lead to authentic conversations despite the language barrier. I also thoroughly appreciated (more than words can explain) the companionship from my hiking partners J & J and the locals Z, H, H, G, A for the good vibes, generosity, and support. For those reasons and among others, see you next time Jordan!