Walking and Trekking in Jordan

Day 01: Arrival at QAIA – Meet & Assist – Transfer to the hotel in Amman for overnight

You will arrival at Amman airport and meet with our representative at the airport; you will transfer to your hotel in Amman for overnight.

Day 02: Transfer to Ajloun – Orjan Trail in Ajloun – Overnight with at Ajloun Cabins

Today the tour takes you through wooded valleys to the lush green orchards of Orjan village, giving you the chance to discover the rural lifestyle of the region. A poplar-lined spring provides a wonderful contrast to the arid mountains.

As you hike, note the dramatic rock walls, old water mills once used by local people to grind their seeds and the hollow walnut tree. Enjoy a delicious traditional meal in an orchard of fig, pomegranate, apple and apricot trees.

You will then head to the Ajloun Nature Reserve, Set amongst dense highland forest of evergreen oak, olive, pistachio, carob and wild strawberry it is the perfect overnight location. After this tour you will get back to Ajloun Cabins for overnight

Day 03: Visit Jerash, Madaba, Mt. Nebo, Wadi Mujib – Overnight at Wadi Mujieb chalets

Proceed to the North of Amman for a 45 minute drive to the best preserved example of Roman civilization, the city of Jerash. Jerash, part of the Decapolis (the ten big Roman cities of the East) has been called the Pompeii of the East for its unique state of preservation. The city features theaters, churches, temples (Zeus and Artemis), a Nymphaeum and colonnaded streets.

After the visit, proceed to the Saracen castle at Ajlun. This 12th Century castle was built by Saladin in his successful campaign to drive the Crusaders from Jordan in 1189 and is an outstanding example of Arab/Islamic military architecture, after this visit continue to Madaba the mosaic city, where the oldest map of the Holy Land exists on the floor of Saint George’s Church. Madaba, or Medeba in antiquity, features many famous mosaics that exist in public and private buildings.

After Madaba, a short drive will bring you to Mt. Nebo, the alleged burial site of Moses overlooking the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Here Franciscans have built a structure that protects a 4th and 6th Century Byzantine church, then transfer to the Wadi Mujib Nature Reserve is the lowest-altitude nature reserve in the world, with its spectacular array of scenery near the East coast of the Dead Sea. The reserve is located within the deep Wadi Mujib gorge which enters the Dead Sea at 410m below sea level.

The Reserve extends to the Karak and Madaba mountains to the North and South, reaching 900m above sea level in some places. This 1,300m variation in elevation, combined with the valley’s year-round water flow from seven tributaries, means that the Wadi Mujib enjoys a magnificent biodiversity that is still being explored and documented today. After finishing your tour, transfer to Mujib Chalets for overnight.

Operated by the Royals Society for the Convservation of Nature the Chalets are built on to the Madash Peninsula and offer the only view of the Dead Sea with both an East / West and North / South perspective. Each of the 15 chalets has an uninterrupted sea view with a shaded terrace. Access to the Dead Sea and the fresh water showers is for private use of those staying in the chalets.

Day 04: Full day Mujieb Trail (Malaqi Trail), transfer to Feynan Eco-lodge for Overnight

After breakfast you will start Maladi Trail adventure, the water trail starts at the Visitor Center and leads quickly to white hills made of soft rock deposits. After passing through these hills, you descend to the Mujib River.

The hike continues upstream to the confluence with the Hidan River. Here you eat a packed lunch and swim in the natural pools before moving on to a 20m high waterfall which will be negotiated under the watchful eye of trained guides. Continue along the river, arriving back at the Visitor Center. Then transfer to Fynan Eco lodge that was constructed in 2005 by renowned architect Ammar Khammash at the western edge of the Dana Biosphere Reserve. Feynan Ecolodge is owned by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature and is the first of its kind in Jordan.

Before the lodge was built, the land was utilised as a campsite by archaeologists conducting studies and digs in the area. The RSCN developed the campsite into an eco – lodge to provide economic opportunities for local communities and generate revenue for the conservation of Jordan’s wild places. In September 2009, Eco Hotels took over the management and operation of the lodge, offering travellers an unparalleled opportunity to experience Jordan’s wilderness, meet its native people and explore its ancient history, with minimal impact on the environment.

Lit entirely by candles and run on solar power the Eco – lodge is a fantastic experience set in the rugged Araba Valley that was once home to the early Christian as they were forced to work in the local copper mines. Overnight at Fynan Eco-lodge

Day 05: Little Petra, walk into Petra via Monastery Overnight Petra

In the morning, depart for a visit of Beydah, or “Little Petra” as it is known. Beidah is a 8,000-year-old excavated stone age village, that offers an opportunity for the clients to wander and climb around to discover it. Then to Petra for a full day tour of Petra.

Meaning rock; is a historical and archaeological city in the Jordanian governorate of Ma’an that is famous for its rock cut architecture and water conduits system. Established sometime around the 6th century BC as the capital city of the Nabateans, it is a symbol of Jordan as well as its most visited tourist attraction.

It lies on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. Petra has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985.The site remained unknown to the Western world until 1812, when it was introduced by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt.

It was described as “a rose-red city half as old as time” in a Newdigate Prize-winning sonnet by John William Burgon. UNESCO has described it as “one of the most precious cultural properties of man’s cultural heritage. Excavations that revealed the astounding workmanship and the incredible ruins at Petra did not begin until 1924, and continue to reveal more information about the Nabataean Kingdom. Petra still forms part of the domain of the Bedouin, and you will see them with their horses and camels as you begin your unforgettable trip into this cultural landmark.

Rather than entering Petra via the main Siq entrance you will enter via the back door, and arrive at Petra’s largest façade the Monastery. Arriving at the Monastery before the crowds will give you a completely different perspective on a visit to Petra. Petra still forms part of the domain of the Bedouin, and you will see them with their horses and camels as you begin your unforgettable trip into this cultural landmark. Overnight at your hotel in Petra

Day 06: Return to Petra for walking tour, High Places, Tomb of the Roman Soldier, transfer to Wadi – Overnight Wadi Rum

Breakfast at your hotel, then back to re-visit of Petra to explore more of this magnificent site. After passing tombs outside the city, you come to the “Siq”, an immense crack in the Nubian sandstone almost one half mile long.

This winding fissure separates overhanging cliffs that appear to meet 300 feet overhead. Near the end of the passage, the Siq makes one last turn with great style, and out of the gloom Petra’s most impressive monument Al Khazneh (The Treasury) appears in the towering brightness. One of the most elegant remains of antiquity, out of the, Al Khazneh is nearly 140 feet high and was carved from the mountain’s solid rock in the First Century B.C. Originally used as a Namataean king’s tomb, scholars believe Al Khazneh was later used as Nabataean temple.

Film buffs will recognize it from its starring role in the final scenes of the movie “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.” After the tour, you will be transferred to Wadi Rum for overnight. As the sun sets in Wadi Rum you will experience not only the changing temperature but also the changes in the color of the rock as and sand take on the deep red of the setting sun.

As day turns to night the atmosphere of the desert changes from one of oppressive (heat) to relaxed and welcoming as the Bedouin prepare the fire and the sumptuous hospitality. Once the night a fully arrived the stars will come into their own as they light up the night sky. In clear morning light of sunrise the desert takes on a heavenly aura before the sun once again assumes control.

Day 07: Early morning walk / scramble in Wadi Rum - return to Amman for overnight

After the breakfast, start the tour of the magical desert of Wadi Rum, home of “Lawrence of Arabia”. you will take a jeep tour managed and driven by one of the local Bedouin to many of the sites in the moon-like landscaped desert. You will start from the visitor center and drive to Rum village about a 10 minute drive on paved roads.

After this you will head into the ochre coloured sandy desert as you visit the sites of Rum. Visit Lawrence’s spring this spring was named for T.E. Lawrence, of Lawrence of Arabia fame, who fought in the Arab revolt against the Ottoman Empire.

Continue to Khazali Canyon an iconic feature in Wadi Rum, Khazali Canyon is an easy 20 minute walk that allows you to see many Nabatean inscriptions and drawings. Last place to visit is the Sand dunes, and then head back to the visitor center passing by Wadi Rum village to take your car and transfer to Amman, the capital of the Hashemite Kingdom.

Often referred to as the “White City” because of the white stone used to build houses, Amman offers a contrast between oriental and cosmopolitan. The tour will take you to the museums, the Citadel, the amphitheater, the souks and the modern part of town. Overnight at your hotel in Amman

Day 08: Transfer to QAIA for departure

You will transfer to Amman airport to fly back home with safe trip