Jordan is the Middle East’s premier hiking destination — a stable, welcoming country with extraordinary landscape diversity ranging from the rose-red city of Petra and the surreal Wadi Rum desert to the Dana Biosphere Reserve and the Dead Sea escarpment. The Jordan Trail (650km) connects the entire country from north to south, passing through Petra, Wadi Rum and the country’s most beautiful wilderness. Jordan’s hiking infrastructure has developed rapidly through the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) and the Jordan Trail Association.
- Petra and surrounding highlands (Ma’an Governorate) — the Nabataean rose-red city; the Petra Back Routes through ancient Nabataean landscape; local Bedouin guides
- Wadi Rum (Aqaba Governorate) — the Valley of the Moon; UNESCO World Heritage; vast sandstone and granite desert; setting for Lawrence of Arabia
- Dana Biosphere Reserve (Tafilah Governorate) — Jordan’s largest nature reserve; RSCN guesthouses; the Feynan–Dana traverse
- Wadi Mujib (Dead Sea area) — the Grand Canyon of Jordan; RSCN permit-controlled wading trail through a dramatic gorge
- Ajloun Forest Reserve (Ajloun Governorate) — pine and oak forest; RSCN accommodation; good day hiking in northern Jordan
- Jordan Trail (JT) — 650km national trail; 36 stages; passes all major natural and cultural sites from Um Qais to Aqaba
The Jordan Trail is freely walkable — fully marked, with GPS tracks available at jordantrail.org, and accommodation options for every stage documented on their website. It is one of the Middle East’s great long-distance walking routes.
- Wadi Rum desert — towering sandstone and granite massifs; vast sand plains; extraordinary geological forms in iron-red, ochre and amber
- Dana highlands — a sandstone escarpment dropping 1,300m from Dana village to the Wadi Araba; extraordinary biodiversity transition
- Petra canyon system — ancient rose-red Nabataean carved city in a labyrinth of sandstone canyons
- Wadi Mujib — a deep gorge cut through limestone cliffs into the Dead Sea escarpment; accessible only by wading the river
- Northern highlands (Ajloun, Jerash) — green oak and pine forest; distinctly different from the arid south
- Jordan Trail (full) — 36–40 days; 1,854m; 650km through the entire country from Um Qais in the north to Aqaba on the Red Sea
- Petra Back Routes — 2–4 days; 1,350m; ancient Nabataean landscape beyond the tourist site with Bedouin guides
- Dana–Feynan traverse — 3 days; 1,350m; descending 1,300m through Jordan’s most biodiverse reserve to the Feynan Ecolodge
- Wadi Mujib Siq Trail — half day; wading up a cool canyon to a cascade; a unique experience
- Wadi Rum desert trek — 2–4 days; 1,754m (Jebel Rum); Bedouin-guided desert camping
Flash floods are the primary natural hazard in Jordan. Wadi Mujib, Petra canyon and Wadi Rum are all seriously affected. Never enter a wadi (canyon) if rain is falling anywhere in the catchment area — upstream storms produce flash floods that arrive with no warning and no escape route.
- Easy — Ajloun forest trails, Wadi Rum jeep + short walks, Wadi Mujib Siq (moderate wading)
- Moderate — Dana–Feynan traverse, Petra day hiking, individual Jordan Trail stages
- Long-distance — Jordan Trail full route (36 stages over 36–40 days)
- Petra: entry fee JOD 50 (1 day); the Petra Back Routes require a licensed local Bedouin guide — arrange in Wadi Musa village
- Wadi Rum: entry fee JOD 5 per person; all activities inside the protected area through registered local Jordanian Bedouin operators
- Dana Biosphere Reserve: RSCN permit required; accommodation booking through rscn.org.jo months ahead for peak dates
- Wadi Mujib: RSCN permit required; trail closed November–March due to flash flood risk
- Jordan Trail: freely walkable; no permit; full information at jordantrail.org
RSCN accommodation at Dana and Feynan must be booked well in advance — the Feynan Ecolodge is one of the world’s most celebrated eco-hotels and often sold out months ahead for peak spring season.
- Sun protection — Jordanian desert sun is extreme; minimum SPF 50, hat and long sleeves essential in Wadi Rum and Petra
- Water — carry minimum 3 litres per person per day in all desert sections; water sources rare in Wadi Rum
- Wadi Mujib footwear — waterproof sandals or old trainers for the wading Siq trail; standard hiking boots will be soaked immediately
- Warm nights — desert temperatures drop sharply at night year-round; always carry a warm layer for Wadi Rum camping
Emergency: 911 (police) | 191 (ambulance) | Jordan Civil Defence: 199
- Jordan is one of the safest countries in the Middle East for travelers — low crime, political stability, friendly population
- RSCN rangers present in all reserves — primary emergency contact in Dana and Wadi Mujib
- Wadi Rum Bedouin operators are experienced in desert emergencies and have good local rescue networks
- Flash floods — the most serious hazard; can strike any wadi or canyon within minutes of rain falling upstream; check weather forecasts for the entire catchment area
- Heat exhaustion — summer temperatures in Petra and Wadi Rum regularly exceed 40°C; always carry 3+ litres and start hiking before 7am
- Sun and UV — desert UV radiation is extreme; sun-related illness is the most common tourist medical issue in Jordan
- Sand storms (khamaseen) — occasional spring events; reduce visibility; can be disorienting in Wadi Rum
- Spring (March–May) — best season; wildflowers carpet the highlands; ideal temperatures; Dana at its most beautiful
- Autumn (September–November) — excellent second season; cooler than summer; clear skies
- Summer (June–August) — very hot (35–40°C in desert areas); only highland areas (Dana, Ajloun) comfortable
- Winter (December–February) — cold; Wadi Mujib closed; Wadi Rum cold but atmospheric; Petra beautiful in rain
April is Jordan’s perfect hiking month — wildflowers at peak bloom across the Dana highlands and Jordan Trail northern sections, temperatures ideal throughout, and the ruins at Petra not yet at summer crowds.
- Amman (AMM / Queen Alia Airport) — main international gateway; direct flights from all major European and Middle Eastern hubs
- Petra (Wadi Musa) — 3hr bus from Amman South Bus Station (JETT buses); or 2hr rental car/taxi on the Desert Highway
- Wadi Rum — 1hr bus or taxi from Aqaba; 4hr from Amman; JETT bus from Amman to Aqaba stops at Wadi Rum junction
- Dana Reserve — taxi from Tafilah (30 min) or car from the Desert Highway; no direct public transport to Dana village
Jordan’s JETT bus company runs comfortable air-conditioned coaches between Amman, Petra and Aqaba — the most reliable public transport for reaching the main hiking areas without a rental car. Book tickets in advance for the tourist season.
- Jordan requires drone registration with the Civil Aviation Regulatory Commission (CARC)
- Wadi Rum Protected Area — all drone flights require prior authorization from the Royal Film Commission of Jordan; Bedouin operators can assist with permits
- Petra Archaeological Park — UNESCO status; drone flying prohibited without Jordan Tourism Board authorization
- Military zones and near the Israeli, Syrian and Iraqi borders — strictly prohibited
Jordan’s border areas with Syria, Iraq and Israel are militarily sensitive. Do not fly drones near any border zone, military installation or government security checkpoint. The desert near Wadi Rum approaches the Saudi border — also a sensitive military zone for Jordan.
Leave a Reply