The Jordan Trail is a thru-hike that takes you from Um Qais in the north to Aqaba located in the south of Jordan. You will hike 675 kilometers in approximately 40 days. This trail takes you through the special history and nature of Jordan; from ruins and cliffs to the mountains of Wadi Rum. From the hills made of the famous red sand to the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea. You will walk past the historic sites of Petra and Jerais, whilst sleeping with host families (or in your tent) and meeting the people of the country. You can completely immerse yourself in the culture. This new trail is divided into eight stages.
Um Qais – Ajloun
The hike starts in northern Um Qais, which is the greenest section of the trail. You walk over rolling hills, dramatic gorges, and past numerous ruins of previous civilizations. There are plenty of accommodations along the way and you can also opt for wild camping in this region. After 80 kilometers and four days, you reach the end point of this section: the castle of Aljoun.
Aljoun – As-Salt
Section 2 runs from Aljoun to As-Salt. The trail takes you to King Talal Dam, where you can enjoy wild camping with a view of the water. The vegetation remains green and you continue towards As-Salt. Along the way you will pass Jordan’s first brewery, the Carakale Brewing Company; definitely well worth a visit! This part of the tour is 62 kilometers long and takes four days to complete.
As-Salt – Wadi Zarqa Ma’in
Over the next few days, you will head toward the Dead Sea. You will walk on the remarkable King Houssein Rally Road to the Jordan Valley. The landscape and the environment change as it gets warmer and drier. You overlook the Dead Sea and Bedouin camps, walk on ancient Roman roads and pass the fortress of Makuwir. Here you cross the ridge to descend into the canyon. After four days and 84 kilometers, you arrive at the endpoint, Wadi Wala.
Wadi Zarqa Ma’in – Karak
This section starts in Wadi Zarqa, where you hike over a plateau with wide views of the Wadi Hidan and Wadi Mujib. An amazing mountainous landscape! You can walk straight into the Grand Canyon of Jordan, which is more than 800 meters deep. Along the way, you will pass many Bedouin tents. After a long climb, the trail heads south past the ruins of Magdelina on the ridge of Wadi ibn Hammad. Then you will head towards the Crusader castle of Al-Karak, which towers over the landscape. After 75 kilometers in four days, you have also completed this part of the trail.
Karak – Dana
The next days you walk from Karak, where you can visit the old castle, to Dana. You start in the valley and pass abandoned villages. You see more and more limestone rocks and zigzag your way through the landscape with a few Bedouins camps along the way. After four days and 83 kilometers, you reach Dana.
Dana – Petra
Now you have reached the most famous part of the trail! The trail goes through valleys, across hills, down canyons, and over mountains in order to reach Petra. You climb mountain peaks with a magnificent view over the inhospitable area. The highlight is of course at the end of this four-day section of 85 kilometers in the hidden city of Petra.
Petra – Wadi Rum
After the overwhelming Petra, you walk the following days through the Wadis. A Wadi is a dry valley or gorge, where water sometimes flows during the rainy season. Deep gorges lead you from town to town to eventually arrive at Humeima. This is a slightly longer section of five days and 91 kilometers.
Wadi Rum – Red Sea
One last stage before you finally reach the end point of the Jordan Trail: the Red Sea. On the last few days, you walk on old shepherd trails, through valleys with high cliffs and desert-like areas. Eventually, the route becomes a bit flatter and you can smell the sea. After 112 kilometers in six days, you will reach the endpoint and you will have an experience of a lifetime!
Good to know
Temperatures can become very high in Jordan. Calculate your water caches carefully and always take enough water with you. That is at least 5 liters and even more if you also use the water during wild camping. Useful information can be found here. The Jordan Trail is a tough thru-hike through inhospitable terrain. Prepare well, both physically and in terms of planning and material.
Useful links
More info: Jordan Trail
