JORDAN
Jordan & Petra Trek
8 days
ITINERARY
5 days
TREKKING
85km
DISTANCE
Dates
2025 & 2026
Trek the Dana Valley to Petra
On this 8-day adventure, we will hike for 5 days through the vast desert landscape of Jordan. On each day of this challenge, we will pass gorges and ridgelines before settling into our Bedouin Camp each night beneath the stars. The trek will take us from desert wilderness right to the incredible sites of Little Petra and Petra, with their incredible carved sandstone temples and relics.
Exploring these breath-taking sights will mark an incredible end to our trek, although we will still have more to see on this Jordanian exploration. After the trek, we will head to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth at minus 430 meters, for a rejuvenating mud bath or a relaxing float in its salty waters! This is an adventure you will never forget!
Day 1
- ARRIVE JORDAN
- Dinner
Upon arrival in Queen Alia Airport-Madaba, we will be greeted by one of our representatives who will assist everyone with visa formalities. The driver will then take us directly to our hotel in Madaba. The ride takes about 30 minutes from the airport to the hotel. Once we are all checked into the hotel, we will have a briefing from our Action Challenge Leader and local head guide who will be leading us on the challenge. In the evening, we will enjoy a welcome meal together.
Day 2
- MADABA-MANSOURA
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 5-7 hrs
- 15km
After a delicious breakfast at the hotel in Madaba, we will begin our transfer from the hotel to the trek’s starting point. This will be approximately a 2 hours and 15 minutes drive. The trek will commence with a hike through the diverse landscapes of the Dana Biosphere Reserve.
In the afternoon, we will stop at a suitable point of the trek for lunch and a rest stop, whilst admiring the breath-taking scenery. The reserve contains four distinct ecozones, allowing for an incredibly diverse array of plants, birds, and other animals. We will initially be hiking along the mountains that overlook Dana Valley before descending into al Khashasha Valley.
After another challenging yet rewarding couple of hours, we will reach our wilderness camp in Mansoura. This is where we will be settling down for the evening and enjoying some well-deserved dinner and rest.
Day 3
- MANSOURA-AL FURON
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 4+ hrs
- 8km
After breakfast, we will begin our hike by ascending through the mountains for about an hour, before seeing the stunning Sharah Mountains and the vast Wadi Araba Desert. We will then stop at a suitable time of the day for a
rest and lunch break, before we continue with our trek into the afternoon.
As we continue into the afternoon, we will be able to admire the stunningly breath-taking views and seize the perfect opportunity to take some photos. As the evening approaches, we will arrive at our accommodation for the evening at a Al Furon campsite. The evening will conclude with a group dinner and an early night.
Day 4
- FURON-GHBOUR WHEDAT
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 5-7 hrs
- 17km
Trek Day 3 will commence with an early morning breakfast before we depart our camp for another challenging, yet rewarding day of trekking. We will initially follow a trail that contours the Sharah Mountains and is made up of smaller, connecting Bedouin shepherd paths. The bare peaks of black, rugged mountains overlooking the trail, as well as the precipitous drops of the canyons below, make this section of the trek particularly spectacular. As we continue to climb, we will be able to see and admire an increasing number of jaw-dropping views of the barren desert below. We will once again stop at a suitable time of the day for a rest and lunch break before we continue with our trek into the afternoon.
As we continue our hike into the afternoon, the landscape will gradually soften as we approach our wilderness campsite for the evening, located in Ghbour Whedat. Make sure you keep an eye out for the mushroom-like rock formations lining the path. They’re extremely fascinating! Once we have settled into our camp for the night, we will enjoy a wholesome group dinner before getting some well earned rest.
Day 5
- GHBOUR WHEDAT-LITTLE PETRA
- Camp
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 5-7 hrs
- 14km
Today, we will observe a drastic change of scenery, as following yesterday’s extremely remote hike, we will see signs of increased human habitation as
we approach Little Petra today. Passing through Bedouin camps, sheep pens, and small agricultural plots, we will get a realistic insight into how a portion of Jordan’s population live. We’ll also see the first Nabataean ruins, which include wine and olive presses, aqueducts, and other ancient water infrastructure. At midday, we will take a rest break and enjoy our lunch, before continuing with our hike into the afternoon.
Finally, we will ascend through a canyon walled with soft sandstone rocks before descending a narrow, steep flight of stairs into Little Petra. Archaeologists believe the site, also known as Siq al-Barid (Engl. the Cold Canyon), was a suburb of Petra and was most likely intended to house traders traveling along the Silk Road. We’ll spend some time exploring before heading back to our comfortable camp for the night. Here, we can enjoy a warming meal together and get some rest before another adventurous day tomorrow.
Day 6
- LITTLE PETRA-PETRA
- Hotel
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- 5-7 hrs
- 14-16km
This morning, after re-fuelling with another wholesome breakfast, we will begin our day by getting picked up by a local Bedouin guide with a 4×4 jeep. We will be driven to the start of a beautiful hiking trail that will take us through Petra’s back door to the monastery. A beautiful location, drenched in history!
We will then stop for some lunch in a local restaurant before we go our separate ways for the afternoon. From here, we can then enjoy a free afternoon to explore. There are so many exciting places to visit, including walking to the Tombs of the Kings, past Qasr al Bint, and climbing the viewpoint opposite the Treasury. We will then re-group for the evening and head back to our hotel accommodation for the evening. The night will conclude with an optional dinner at a local restaurant, before we all get some much needed rest
Day 7
- PETRA-DEAD SEA
- Hotel
- Breakfast
Following an early breakfast in our comfortable hotel in Petra, we will be taken to Madaba to visit the Greek Orthodox Basilica of Saint George, which depicts Jerusalem and the holy land. The church’s walls are decorated with several additional mosaics that enhance their aesthetic appeal. A stunningly unique place to visit! Although most of the mosaics have been lost with time, enough have survived for us to comprehend the complexity of these pictures. We will take you to some lovely locations, where there will be plenty of options for you to purchase some lunch.
After that, we’ll drive to Mount Nebo, which is mentioned in the Hebrew Bible as the place where Moses was granted a view of the promised land. The top of the hill provides a breath-taking panoramic view of the city, the Jordan River, Jerusalem’s hills, and the Dead Sea. Finally, we will drive down winding roads to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth, one of the most spectacular natural and spiritual landscapes in the entire world. We will have the opportunity to float and experience the sensation of not sinking in the water, and cover our bodies with therapeutic mud. It is said to have healing qualities for a range of skin and health conditions, whilst also being extremely relaxing.
As evening approaches, we will return to our hotel for the evening where you will be able to purchase some dinner, before we get our final night sleep in Jordan.
Day 8
- DEAD SEA–QUEEN ALIA AIRPORT
- Breakfast
After filling up on breakfast, we will begin our tour with a visit Amman’s citadel, which is located on a “mountain” in central Amman. This first stop, known for being one of the oldest continuously inhabited places, will give you a glimpse of the capital before heading to Amman’s downtown. Locals call it “Al-Balad”, and you’ll get to see the various markets and souks. The perfect place to pick up some souvenirs! There will also be a variety of restaurants and cafes to purchase lunch from.
The tour will conclude with a visit to the Roman Theatre. With 6000 seats, it is an extremely famous Jordanian landmark, steeped in history. This will mark the end of our incredible trip. Following our emotional goodbyes and thanking our incredible team leader for the trip, we will transfer to Queen Alia Airport. There will be options to purchase fast food and snacks at the airport before boarding the flight.
