Hike Jordan's Valleys & Canyons: Amman, Dana, Petra, Wadi Rum & Dead Sea

Day 1: Arrive in Amman

Welcome to Jordan! Upon arrival at the Queen Alia International Airport, you will be met by your guide and transferred to your hotel in the capital of Amman. The nation's largest city, Amman has been inhabited since the Bronze Age and is full of cultural and historic highlights. 

Day 2: Aljoun Forest Half-Day Hike, Visit the Roman Ruins of Jerash

After breakfast, your driver will pick you up for an hour's drive to the RSCN Aljoun Forest Reserve. Located in the fertile highlands northwest of the capital, this small but remarkably diverse protected ecosystem is home to thick, healthy woodlands filled with oak, pistachio, and strawberry trees. 

A half-day hike will take you on a scenic route through fig and pear orchards to reach dense forests of old-growth trees. Looking over the landscape, you'll see the many stone walls that crisscross the valley, guarding farmers' crops from winter rains and wild boar. Relax in the shade with a glass of tea before climbing to the nearby hilltop ruins, which provide sweeping views of the surrounding area.

 

After a picnic lunch, your driver will pick you up and transfer you to nearby Jerash, one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman cities in the Middle East. Highlights include the well-preserved remains of two amphitheaters, the north-south Colonnaded Street, and the Hippodrome (the site of ancient chariot races). Spend time wandering the extensive site before returning to Amman in the afternoon.

Day 3: Wadi Numeira Hiking & Abseiling Adventure, Transfer to Dana

Today's adventure starts at Wadi Numeira, a dramatic, narrow valley that runs down to the Dead Sea. With a combination of hiking and abseiling, you'll make your way along deep, closed canyons, passing magnificent red rock formations and lots of cooling streams. 

In the afternoon, your driver will take you south to the Dana Biosphere Reserve, where you'll settle in for the night. Jordan's largest natural reserve encompasses four distinct bio-geographical zones and is home to remarkably diverse flora and fauna. It's also the starting point for many popular trekking routes, one of which you'll set out on tomorrow. 

Day 4: Full-Day Trek from Dana to Feynan, Transfer to Petra

After a hearty breakfast, kick off a full day of trekking with an 8-mile (14 km) route through sandstone gorges, leading mostly downhill towards Feynan. Leaving Dana, the trail offers breathtaking views of the canyon-like Wadi. On your way down the valley, you may see Griffon vultures overhead, or spot hyrax and copper-blue lizards along the rocky trails. If you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of an ibex or a desert fox. 

 

Upon arrival in Feynan, your driver will be waiting to transfer you south to Petra for the night, where dinner and a well-earned rest await.

Day 5: Full-Day Trek from Beida to Petra

Today takes you on a challenging, 8-mile (14 km) full-day hike from the Neolithic village of Beida (also known as "Little Petra") to the hidden, back entrance of Petra. Following ancient Nabataean steps, you'll reach the famous Monastery carved into the cliff face, then descend into the canyon. Wander through Petra's seemingly endless temples, tombs, and colonnaded streets, navigating the impressive water conduit system of the historic Nabataean city.  

 

After an awe-inspiring walk through the Siq, a dramatically narrow gorge flanked by towering cliffs, you'll reach the main entrance, where your driver will be waiting to transfer you to a nearby hotel for the night. 

Day 6: Transfer to Wadi Rum, Desert Jeep Excursion

After breakfast this morning, your driver will take you south into the wilderness of the Wadi Rum, an expanse of desert dubbed the "Valley of the Moon" by Lawrence of Arabia. Along the two-hour drive, you'll pass through red valleys, rock canyons, and dunes to reach your base for the night at a Bedouin-style camp.
 
Switch into a sturdy Jeep for an off-road excursion that takes you deeper into the UNESCO-protected desert. Travel through valleys, rock canyons, dunes, and deserts, stopping to check out rock inscriptions and petroglyphs as well as majestic views. Spend a little time at each stop to hike and scramble and explore at your own pace. Along the way, you'll visit desert oases, see 2,000-year-old Kufic rock art, and learn about the history of the area and the local Bedouin culture. 
 
After lunch and an afternoon rest back at the camp, your "ship of the desert" awaits, as you mount up for a two-hour camel ride through the sands with your Bedouin guide. Enjoy a traditional dinner around the campfire as the sun sets, then spend the rest of your evening stargazing under clear desert skies.

Day 7: Wadi Rum Sunrise Hike, Transfer to the Dead Sea

Rise early this morning to set out on an hour-long hike, where you'll watch an unforgettable sunrise over the desert with a cup of tea or coffee brewed over an open fire. 

 

In the afternoon, your driver will pick you up for the 4.5-hour drive north to reach the shores of the Dead Sea, one of the most spectacular natural and spiritual landscapes in the world. This landlocked lake is the lowest point on earth and the world's richest source of natural salts, hiding wonderful treasures that accumulated throughout thousands of years.

After a scenic journey through a landscape of otherworldly, arid hills, you'll reach your hotel, where you can spend the rest of the day at your leisure—floating in the salty waters, enjoying a full-body mud treatment, or relaxing in the sun.

Day 8: Hike the Wadi Mujib Gorge

Today's trekking adventure takes you to the lowest nature reserve in the world, located in the mountainous landscape to the east of the Dead Sea. Founded in 1987, Al-Mujib Nature Reserve is famous for its incredible birdlife and the spectacular river canyons of the Wadi Mujib.

Experience a trip through Jordan’s "Grand Canyon" with a three-hour hike into the main gorge known as the Siq. Starting from the visitor center near the Mujib Bridge, follow the course of the river between towering sandstone cliffs to the base of a large waterfall. Depending on seasonal rainfall levels, the hike can involve swimming or wading through refreshing pools of water, making it the perfect activity for hot summer days.

In the afternoon, your driver will take you back to your hotel on the Dead Sea, where you can spend the rest of the day relaxing and soaking in the mineral-rich waters.

Day 9: Transfer to Amman via Madaba, Mount Nebo & Kerak

Enjoy a final dip in the Dead Sea before checking out and meeting your driver for today's journey back to Amman. Traveling north along the historic King's Highway, you'll stop at Kerak to visit the impressive Crusader castle of the same name. Exploring the fortress-like structure provides an opportunity to experience the vaulted halls and passageways typical of the era, a remarkable insight into the architectural and military prowess of the Crusaders.

Continue to Madaba to check out its intricate Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, including the spectacular Madaba Map, the oldest preserved mosaic map of the Holy Land. Nearby, the Madaba Archaeological Park preserves the mosaic-rich Church of the Virgin Mary and artifacts from the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic eras.

Nearby you'll find Mount Nebo, an elevated ridge of the Abarim range said to be where Moses took in the view of the Promised Land. Follow in his footsteps and look out at the Dead Sea and beyond, before eventually making your way to the Memorial Church of Moses, a modern structure that now houses excavated relics from the region.

Upon arrival in the capital, get checked into your hotel and then spend the remainder of the day at your leisure.

Day 10: Amman Half-Day City Tour & Jordan Museum

Discover more of the capital today with a tour of its cultural and historic highlights. Discover the magnificent Amman Citadel (Jabal al-Qal'a) and the 2nd-century Roman Theater, two of the most famous archaeological sites in the capital, and stroll amid colorful wares and aromatic spices in Amman's old souks (markets). 

Afterward, you'll head to the dynamic new downtown area of Ras al-‘Ayn to visit the vast Jordan Museum. Stroll through beautifully designed galleries and discover art and archaeology from the Paleolithic ages through to the modern day. 

 

As evening falls, celebrate your final night in Jordan with dinner at a local restaurant. Sample Jordanian specialties like mansaf (rice topped with lamb and pine nuts), Arabic sweets, and mint tea. 

Day 11: Depart Amman

After breakfast, it's time to bid Amman farewell and transfer to the Queen Alia International Airport for your departing flight. Safe travels!

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