JORDAN TRAIL : DE PETRA AU WADI RUM
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 traverses spectacular landscapes of colored sandstone and limestone mountains. Some sections can be particularly strenuous, but you will be rewarded with chance encounters with Bedouin and beautiful starry nights. The 90.6 km hike is divided into 5 stages.
Day 1: Petra to Gaa' Mriebed. 22.1 km. Difficult. Count 6 to 8 hours of walking. The day starts with the arduous climb to the High Place of Sacrifice in Petra (ticket required). You follow an ancient Roman road, then the Wadi Sabra to reach the mudflat of Gaa' Mriebed.
Day 2. From Gaa' Mriebed to Wadi al-Saif. 14.3 km. Easy. Allow 4 to 5 hours of walking. The day has little difference in altitude and is mostly downhill, except for the last 3 km which are steep. You will spend the night at the foot of a beautiful red and white sandstone cliff.
Day 3. From Wadi al-Saif to Wadi Gseib. 12,3 km. Medium difficulty. Count on 3 to 4 hours and a half of walking. The day begins with a short climb before continuing downhill, sometimes steeply, along the Wadi Al-Saif. The mountains are decorated with ochre and gold. You spend the night on the edge of Wadi Araba.
Day 4. From Wadi Gseib to Wadi Aheimar. 15,6 km. Medium to high difficulty. Count on 5 to 6 hours of walking. You return to the mountains along the Wadi Araba and cross canyons embedded in high cliffs of red sandstone or white chalk. The first sand dunes appear and it is on their soft bed that you will sleep.
Day 5. From Wadi Aheimar to Humeima. 11,5 km. Medium difficulty. Count 4 to 5 hours of walking. The hike takes you from Wadi Araba to the valley of Wadi Rum through beautiful mountain landscapes. You will walk on the bottom of the valley, with a regular ascending slope and on a sandy ground. A final steep descent takes you to the village of Humeima.