JORDAN TRAIL : DE KERAK A DANA
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.