Hiking Dana trail to Petra Off the beaten Track

Flight to Jordan - Amman, meet & assist then transfer a short distance to your hotel in Amman. We stay here at a comfortable hotel.

After breakfast at hotel, check-out of hotel and departure for full day excursion. A trip through the historical Mountains of Moa'ab. Visit Madaba, this town has a long history, being first mentioned in the Bible and in the Mesha Stele when it was a Moabite town, visit St. George orthodox Christian church the mosaic Map of Palestine, Jordan, Israel & Egypt.   Madaba is famous as a land of mosaics. Then transfer to Mount Nebo   tour the site of the tomb of Moses. from here  Moses viewed the promised Land in Canaan , and where he died and was buried in a nearby valley .  Here there are ruins of 4th and 6th c. churches whose floors are still covered with marvelous mosaic floor.  From Mount Nebo we drive south-west towards the Dead Sea and follow the shore line southwards. We will have lunch by the Dead Sea, and will be able to swim and float in the salty waters of the Lake. We continue the road journey and soon begin to climb up into the Dana highlands. Our destination is Dana village, where we stay at camp or Dana Guest house, both operated by Jordan's Royal Society for Conservation of Nature.

Overnight Standard Hotel ( HB ) included meals: Breakfast  &  Lunch ,

After breakfast, we follow a spectacular blend of mountains and desert landscapes, as well as an extraordinary botanic diversity, make Dana nature reserve one of its kind the reserve stretches over 300Sq.km from the edge of Edom plateau down to the Araba valley, its altitudes vary with short distances from 1,650m above sea level to 150m below, creating different climatic conditions and habitats. The reserve is dissected by deep canyons, winding below lofty sandstone massifs with overwhelming views. The white sandstone at the reserve is sculpted into domes and valleys blanketed by vegetation. To date, 700 species of plants have been recorded in the reserve as well as 200 birds and 36 mammals. The big mammals, though rare, include Nubian ibex (wild mountain goat) wolf, golden jackal, striped hyena and red fox. The botanic diversity of Dana combines Mediterranean, desert (Sahara Arabian) , steppe ( Irano- Turanian) and subtropical ( sudanian) plants. Trees includes red juniper, Oak, pistachio. Oleander, brooms Acacia, cypress, all from the Mediterranean zone.

Overnight Eco Lodge  ( FB ) included meals: Breakfast  , Lunch & dinner,

What is Wadi Feinan ?

Feinan was one of the largest copper works in the ancient near East. The site is located in the Araba valley at the end point of the treks of Wadi Dana .what remain today are runs of Byzantine churches, an aqueduct and a water reservoir and smelting furnaces. The site has been exploited since the Early Bronze Age ( middle of the third millennium BCE), the Iron Age 9-5th centuries BCE) , and the Roman Period 2-4th centuries CE0.

Giant mounds of more than 200,000 tons of slag attest to copper productions on an industrial scale .one can imagine endless caravans of pack animals carrying juniper beams from the uplands to stoke the furnaces.

Copper production in Feinan reached its peak under the Edomites (during the 9-5th centuries BCE) when mining and smelting techniques attained high professional level and probably influenced the economic and political power of the Edomites.

Our destination is Feinan Eco – lodge   , where we stay at lodge hotel operated by Jordan's Royal Society for the conservation of Nature.

From Feinan we begin our five day trek to Petra. We commence by trekking along the bottom of Wadi Araba, across generally flat terrain but quite rocky terrain. A short distance into the trek, we pass ruins which date from both the Byzantine and Nabatean periods. Our route follows the alluvial slope between the black volcanic mountains on our left and the dunes of the desert on the right. Our campsite for today is near to a dry canyon at Wadi Baras which will be able to explore in the late afternoon.   (5 hours / 16km)

Overnight wilde camp   ( FB ) included meals: Breakfast  , Lunch & dinner,

After breakfast we have a steep climb up from the valley floor and head into the mountains. The path is a little indistinct in places but our expert Bedouin guides know the route and after crossing some fairly rough terrain we reach a more prominent trail.  We follow this, crossing a small pass and then trek through a beautiful valley filled with juniper bushes. We cross a second pass from where we can look out over a spectacular panorama of mountains and wadis and see our trail for the following day as it makes its way over the mountains in the distance. The valley beneath us is green and fertile and unusually for Jordan we are able to camp for the evening beside the clear waters of a river, at Ras El Fied. (6 hours / 9 km)

Overnight  camping  ( FB ) included meals: Breakfast  , Lunch & dinner,

We begin the day by heading back up into the mountains, past the ruins of an ancient village and with far reaching views back across Wadi Araba. The trail undulates, going through small Wadis and across little passes. The ground is rough and in places the path indistinct - we are now really in the wilds in a part of the country few other westerners will ever venture.  Wildlife abound and if we are lucky we will see Ibex and Oryx, for whom this rocky terrain is their natural habitat. Our camp for the evening is at Ishkart Msaid near the beautiful mountain spring at Hudus.  (9 hours / 15km)

          Overnight  Camping   ( FB ) included meals: Breakfast  , Lunch & dinner,

Our route today passes through an incredible landscape of sandstone sculptures which over the centuries have been eroded by the wind into many unusual shapes. These are interspersed with cultivated fields of wheat and barley which local Bedouin sow in the autumn and harvest in spring. On reaching the rim of the final canyon we are rewarded with a superb panorama over the mountains of Petra. The last section of today's trek follows small paths and dirt tracks which lead us to fixed Bedouin desert camp at Baida where we have the luxury of hot showers! In Baida there are the remains of a Neolithic village dating from 7000 BC.  (18km).

          Overnight  Camping   ( FB ) included meals: Breakfast  , Lunch & dinner,

From our camp, we first trek across a wild and windswept plateau to the ruins at Little Petra which gives us a taste for what is to come. The ruins are approached from one end by the narrow canyon known as Siq Barid - the Cold Canyon - which probably derives from the cold wind which always seems to blow through here. Inside the Little Petra valley the walls are lined with tombs, and the remains of caves previously inhabited by the Nabateans. There are many fascinating tiny staircases mounting the cliffs towards what, at the time, would have been houses. From Little Petra we follow a trail which goes along some spectacular ledges until we finally arrive at the cliffs at the top of the main Petra complex where we enter via the 'Monastery'. This is the part of Petra which is visited the least.   We then trek down from the Monastery and visit the church, the main tombs and the Nabatean temple. We then leave this part of the complex by another narrow gorge before finally arriving at the massive facade of the  Treasury - the iconic image of Petra. The remainder of the day is free to explore the site at leisure. In the late afternoon we rendezvous and transfer to our hotel in the nearby town of Wadi Mousa. In the evening we will enjoy our final celebration meal at a traditional local restaurant.  (5 hours / 15km)

          Overnight  hotel  ( FB ) included meals: Breakfast  , Lunch & dinner,

Breakfast at the hotel in Petra, check-out then transfer to Wadi Rum, the Valley of the Moon. Here you will find adventure and feel the romance of the Arabian desert Wadi Rum is like a moonscape of ancient valleys and towering weathered sandstone mountains rising out of white and pink colored sands. Upon arrival to Wadi Rum .3-hour jeep tour to explore Wadi Rum, followed with 2 -hour trekking, view sand dunes, graffiti, visit Bedouins tents, inscriptions and canyons. Exploring the most interesting and exiting site , followed with O/N Camping in Wadi Rum .

          Overnight  Camping   ( FB ) included meals: Breakfast  , Lunch & dinner,

Today you have a short transfer to Aqaba, where you may wish to enjoy the splendid coral reefs and clear warm water for which Aqaba is famed. Aqaba has numerous water sports activities, including sailing, snorkeling and glass bottom boats for hiring, so there should be something for everyone.

Overnight Standard Hotel (H+) included meals: Breakfast

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel in Aqaba then you will be transferred to Departure  

Included meals: Breakfast