Sports and leisure activities Dead Sea And Kings Road

The Jordan Trail is a hiking trail that runs from north to south in Jordan, from Umm-Qais to Aqaba. The 672 kilometer trail is divided into 9 sections. It follows roads, marked paths, old caravan routes or Bedouin paths used for transhumance. The Jordan Trail is not marked and the presence of a guide is essential, especially for the desert sections. Appropriate equipment and a good physical condition are necessary.

The Jordan Trail starts at Kerak Castle and runs through the lands once occupied by the Crusaders, who left many remains of castles and fortifications. The trail covers 83.2 km, divided into 4 stages, between valleys and hills, cultivated plains and limestone plateaus. The arrival is in Dana, a village perched on the edge of the most beautiful nature reserve in the country. Overnight stay in camps.

Day 1: Kerak to Tor al-Taboun. 27,1 km. Easy. Allow 8 hours of walking. The hike includes two short climbs at km 4 and 20. The rest is flat or downhill. The country trails pass through pleasant landscapes framed by limestone cliffs and the abandoned village of Ainun. Remember to turn around at the start of the walk to get some nice pictures of the castle. Overnight in a wilderness campground.

Day 2. From Tor al-Taraboun to Karaka. 21 km. Medium difficulty. Count 6 to 7 hours of walking. A path goes down to the bottom of the canyon of Wadi Hasa. You cross the stream, the palm grove and gardens and take a break at the hot springs of Burbeita. Then follows a long climb of 10 km to reach the jebel al-Gazaleh. You will go down the southern slope to the village of Karaka. Overnight in a wilderness campsite.

Day 3. From Karaka to Ma'tan. 20,9 km. Medium difficulty. Count on 8 hours of walking. You walk through the countryside on flat ground until you reach the small town of Ais. Then the path climbs up the hillside through olive groves to reach the plateau of Ain al-Beida. A short, steep descent leads you to the village of Ma'tan, perched on a cliff.

Day 4. From Ma'tan to Dana. 15,5 km. Difficult. Count on 5 hours of walking. A very steep descent leads you into the Ma'tan canyon. From there, the day is spent in uninterrupted ascent through roads and tracks for 4x4 and small trails difficult to find. You reach the Dana plateau and admire the canyon plunging down to the Wadi Araba.

The Jordan Trail is a hiking trail that runs from north to south in Jordan, from Umm-Qais to Aqaba. The 672 kilometer trail is divided into 9 sections. It follows roads, marked paths, old caravan routes or Bedouin paths used for transhumance. The Jordan Trail is not marked and the presence of a guide is essential, especially for the desert sections. Appropriate equipment and good physical condition are required.

The Jordan Trail starts from Wadi Zarqa. You can be dropped off by a pick-up truck 1 km from the starting point. The 75 km hike will lead you to the splendid Kerak Castle, located on the Kings' Road. It crosses three canyons, including the splendid Wadi Mujib. Some portions are particularly difficult. Nights in camp.

Day 1: Wadi Zarqa to Wadi Hidan. 17,2 km. Difficult. Count on 6 hours of walking. The first half of the route follows the ridge lines uphill. You will enjoy some beautiful views of the Dead Sea and Palestine. You follow the road from Mukawir to Madaba for a few hundred meters, before descending to Wadi Hidan, an impressive gorge.

Day 2. From Wadi Hidan to Wadi Mujib. 14,9 km. Difficult. Count 7 hours of walking. This day is the most difficult. You climb for the first 6 km to reach a plateau that you cross following the ridge. You reach a lookout tower of the RSCN and embrace both the Hidan and Mujib canyons. You continue along the ridge line, heading northeast, and then take a shepherd's path down into Wadi Mujib. Be careful, some parts are extremely steep.

Day 3. From Wadi Mujib to Majdalein. 20.1 km. Difficult. Count 7 hours of walking. The climb up the other side of Wadi Mujib is long and difficult, with some very steep sections. From the top of the canyon and the plateau of Faq'a, the view is again impressive. You cross the plateau to the south, following parts of the old Roman road to Majdelein, on the edge of Wadi ibn Hammad.

Day 4. From Majdalein to Kerak. 22.8 km. Medium difficulty. Allow 8 hours of walking. The first 15 kilometers consist in crossing a plateau, on a false flat. Once in Rakin, the path descends steeply to reach Wadi Tawaheen with beautiful views of Kerak castle.

The Jordan Trail is a hiking trail that runs from north to south in Jordan, from Umm-Qais to Aqaba. The 672 kilometer trail is divided into 9 sections. It follows roads, marked paths, old caravan routes or Bedouin paths used for transhumance. The Jordan Trail is not marked and the presence of a guide is essential, especially for the desert sections. Appropriate equipment and a good physical condition are necessary.

The Jordan Trail, which leads from Dana Nature Reserve to the ancient Nabatean capital of Petra, is regularly included in the Top 10 most beautiful hikes in the world. Its 84.5 km cross splendid canyons, rub shoulders with majestic mountains and end up in the mysterious Petra, well hidden between the pink sandstone cliffs. Nights in bivouac or camp.

Day 1: From Dana to Wadi Malaga. 23,5 km. Medium difficulty. Count 6 to 8 hours of walking. On the way down to the Dana Valley, you will visit the oldest copper mines in the world. The Feynan Ecolodge is the last point where you can get drinking water. Remember to pay for your entrance to the Reserve before starting the day.

Day 2. Wadi Malaga to Ras al-Feid. 13.7 km. Difficult. Allow 5 to 7 hours of walking. You will walk along ancient donkey and camel trails and the old road from Bir al-Saba to Shobak used by pilgrims during the Crusades. The day ends at the edge of Wadi Feid, the last watering place before Little Petra.

Day 3. Ras al-Feid to Little Petra. 22.8 km. Difficult. Count 6 to 8 hours of walking. The progression on a stony and sandy ground is difficult, but you are rewarded with beautiful landscapes and a 360° view from Mount Safaha. Upon arrival in Beidha, you cross the narrow canyon of Little Petra with its Nabatean remains and can also visit the 10,000 year old Neolithic village of Beidha.

Day 4. Little Petra to Petra. 12.6 km. Medium difficulty. Count on 3 to 4 hours of walking. You will have taken care the evening before to go to the Petra Visitors' Center to get a ticket. You enter the ancient Nabatean capital through the Monastery, then descend into Wadi Musa to walk up the Main Trail and the Siq. The day may take longer if you wish to visit the Royal Tombs.

You can just relax in the hot springs, but it is also possible to explore the area on foot along hiking trails. The most spectacular (but not very easy) of these is to the Herod springs, below, on the shores of the Dead Sea, following the course of the Wadi Zarqaa for 8 kilometers and crossing some very impressive narrow gorges. It is highly recommended to take a guide for this trip. You can get more information at the Maeen Hot Springs Hotel or arrange your hike from Madaba.