Jordan is famed for its ancient past but its present is pretty compelling. The natural and man-made wonders of Petra and Wadi Rum drew me here, but what I found the most intriguing was the rough-hewn grandeur of Jordan which has remained a secret known only to the boldest of thrill-seekers. With 15 other travellers, I trekked the rocky hills to isolated villages along the trails near Ajloun, hiked down canyons towards the Dead Sea, and discovered the Dana Biosphere Reserve.
The Itinerary
Amman
Amman is a very big city and there is not one central area to stay - hotels are spread out across various neighbourhoods within the city. For this reason, to move around the city in your free time, you will have to take a taxi. Before the welcome meeting at 6pm, I booked a private driver to take me to The Citadel, Roman Theatre and the King Abdullah Mosque.
Ajlūn
After breakfast, we headed north out of Amman to the lesser known region of Ajloun. We enjoyed a 13km trek in Ajloun Nature Reserve. We passed through areas surrounded by woodland, olive groves, and oak, pistachio, and carob trees.
Wadi Mujib/Dead Sea
We began the day with a short bus ride to Wadi Mujib - an exhilarating canyoneering experience hiking the Mujib Canyon Trail, a wet trail involving wading through streams in the Wadi Mujib. From Wadi Mujib, we continued the short distance to the Dead Sea. Known for its high salinity, we bobbed like a cork in the water as well as covered ourselves in mud for a therapeutic mud bath.
Dana Biosphere Reserve
On day 4, we visited the Dana Nature Reserve, an oasis among the golden expanse of the desert. We had a guided walk through the reserve, following the Feathers Canyon Trail, which leads past Nabatean tombs to a breathtaking siq. Dana is a diverse environment containing a wide variety of plant life, including many that are endemic to the reserve. There are also several endangered species here to keep an eye out for.
Petra
From the Dead Sea, we made our way to Petra. For our full day there, we trekked through gorges and canyons from Little Petra to the main attraction: the rose-rock city of Petra. Little Petra is literally hidden away in a mountain and is a miniature version of Petra, containing a number of notable tombs. It offers a glimpse of Petra without the crowds. After exploring this site, we trekked over to Petra itself. The trail is approx 5km between the sites. The excitement builds when first glimpsing the Monastery from a vantage point high above the ruins of Petra.
Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum is a vast, silent landscape of ancient riverbeds and the largest and most magnificent of Jordan's desert landscapes. On arrival, we headed to a comfortable tented camp in Wadi Rum Desert. Once we dropped our bags off, we headed deep into the desert by 4x4 and enjoyed the amazing natural beauty and unique landscape on this unforgettable drive. Along the way we drove up red sand dunes, viewed stunning rock formations and visited ancient sites to view rock art and inscriptions. In the evening, we enjoyed a traditional meal for dinner and learned more about the ancient Bedouin culture. The absence of city lights gave opportunities for star gazing which was really impressive.
Our group of travellers from Canada, Colombia, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Australia, Bulgaria, Poland, and Ireland
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