Hiking Jordan

8 Days / 7 Nights

From USD $1360

Independent

Moderate

  • This is a fun hiking tour covering the major sites of Jordan.
  • Amazingly diverse trails; ranging from Mediterranean forest to fabulous desert.

 

NO MEALS INCLUDED TODAY
Your driver will be waiting at Amman (AMM) airport to take you directly to your hotel in Amman - a 40-minute drive. There are no activities planned for today. Keep in mind that hotel check-in time is typically after 2.00pm. Early check in is not guaranteed, but if you do arrive early luggage storage is available at the hotel. 

If you arrive early we encourage you to explore Amman. Jordan's capital is a real, living city, full of quirky neighborhoods, friendly people, and fabulous food. You can begin up at the citadel, where you can take in the views and explore the Roman and early Islamic ruins. Just downhill is the Roman theatre, built during the reign of Emperor Antonius but now embedded into modern Amman and still used for cultural and musical events. From here you can wander through the markets, maybe stopping in a local café to take in the street scenes, watch the old men playing backgammon, and try Arabic coffee and pastries. This is also a good chance to smoke the scented tobacco of the argeelah or hubbly bubbly.

6KM / 2 HOURS
MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH.
After Breakfast you head to the Roman City of Jerash. Founded at the time of Alexander the Great, Jerash flourished for around a thousand years as a trade center on the road between Damascus and Petra. The city's colonnaded streets are basically intact, as is the beautiful oval forum and the gateway built to commemorate the visit of the Emperor Hadrian. The theatre, temples, baths, and hippodrome are all well preserved, and there are some wonderful Byzantine mosaic floors from the early Christian period.

Then you continue to Ajloun to walk through one of the quietest and most beautiful parts of the Jordanian highlands, Al Ayoun - a valley of olive groves, orchards, and limestone cliffs just north of Ajloun. Beginning at the viewpoint above the village of Rasun, you'll walk through the woods and explore the ruins of early Bronze Age dolmens and a Roman wine press. You then continue to Orjan, where you will enjoy lunch in the home of a local family. 

After lunch you'll be driven back to your hotel in Amman.

14KM / 5 - 7 HOURS / TOTAL DESCENT: 850M
MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH. 
After an early breakfast you head south towards Dana on the Kings' Highway, which can claim to be the oldest continuously used road in the world. For millennia it linked the civilizations of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, and remained an important trade route right down to Ottoman times. Since the construction of the new main road from Amman and Aqaba, the Kings Highway has become a scenic back route, twisting and turning through the hills between Petra, Kerak, and Madaba.

At Dana village you'll begin one of the great walks in Jordan - a magnificent full-day walk right down the Wadi Dana, starting at the village some 1200m above sea level and finishing in the desert lowlands at Feynan. A broad dirt track leads west from the village, dropping steeply at first and then descending more gently through the valley. This is a wild landscape but not an uninhabited one: there are Bedouin shepherds out with their goats, and you may well be invited to rest and drink sweet tea with them. A variety of wildflowers grow in the valley, especially in the springtime, and you're likely to see Griffin Vultures circling on the thermals overhead. If you're lucky you might even catch a glimpse of the Nubian Ibex that live in the reserve. Towards the end of the trail you pass the shafts of abandoned Roman copper mines, before arriving at the sanctuary of the Feynan eco-lodge.

From Feynan you'll travel by road to Wadi Musa, a lively little town that has become the base for visiting ancient Petra. You will check into your comfortable hotel for two nights. Most people just shuttle between their hotel and the archaeological site, but it's worth having a walk around Wadi Musa - it's a friendly place, and there are plenty of cafes and shops.

HIKING IN PETRA - BETWEEN 5 AND 10KM, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU GO!
MEALS: BREAKFAST.
No matter how many times you've seen it reproduced on film, nothing can really prepare you for the first glimpse of Petra. The classic entry to the city takes you through the long twilight of the siq, a narrow canyon that twists for more than a mile through the red sandstone, and then stuns you into silence with the sunlit façade of the Treasury, a monument cut into the rock some 2000 years ago with a refinement that is scarcely believable.

From the postcards, you'd think this was what you'd come to see. But it's just the beginning. Petra is a vast archaeological site, most of it still unexcavated; you could spend days exploring the ruins and still not see it all. It was built by the Nabataeans, an Arab tribe who began as tent-dwelling Bedouin but soon came to dominate the most lucrative trade of the ancient world: incense. They used the money to create this city and to build an empire that extended from the Red Sea to Damascus. They also absorbed architectural ideas from Egypt, from the Babylonians, and from the Greek cities of the Mediterranean, using them to create the hybrid culture that you see in these ruins. The Temple of the Winged Lions, the High Place of Sacrifice, the Roman theatre, the Garden Tomb, the Byzantine church - any one of these monuments would be an archaeological treasure in its own right; in Petra, you can explore them one after another, and find them all set into one of the finest desert landscape in the Middle East.

HIKING: 8KM / 4-5 HOURS
MEALS: BREAKFAST, DINNER
You'll begin today's walk following the crowds through the main gates, but almost immediately you'll leave them all behind and strike out on your own into a silent, unspoilt desert landscape. Your trail follows an old Nabataean processional route towards what was once the city's sacred center, the High Place of Sacrifice. Along the way there are traces of ancient stone steps, and eroded relief carvings of deities or ‘god blocks' cut into the rock walls. The route brings you out above the High Place of Sacrifice, from where you can see down across the whole of Petra and west towards Jebel Harun, Petra's highest peak. From here you descend through the Wadi Farasa, which has some of best temples in the city (including the Garden Tomb and the Roman Soldier's Tomb), emerging right in the heart of Petra. This is a wonderful walk, well away from the crowds, and leaves you plenty of time to explore the tombs and temples of Petra before leaving the site through the main siq.

In the later afternoon you'll head out towards Wadi Rum, meet your Bedouin guides, and go into the desert by 4x4 jeep. You'll arrive at your camp in the heart of the protected area, where there'll be time to relax and take in the sunset before enjoying a Bedouin feast of meat and vegetables cooked in the zerb, an oven of fire-heated sand and stone. If you're still not tired out by the day's adventures you can stay up round the fire, talking and laughing with your Bedouin hosts and watching the night sky. Your accommodation is a simple but comfortable Bedouin campsite, with a traditional goat hair tent divided into twin ‘rooms.' There are proper toilets and showers on the site (go easy on the water), as well as shaded seating areas for relaxing and dining.

HIKING: 11KM / 5-6 HOURS
TOTAL ASCENT: 280M / TOTAL DESCENT: 300M
MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER
Every guidebook to Wadi Rum repeats the description written by T.E. Lawrence of Arabia almost century ago, and with good reason. "The Arab armies would have been lost in the length and breadth of it," he wrote, "and within the walls a squadron of aeroplanes could have wheeled in formation. Our little caravan grew self-conscious, and fell dead quiet, afraid and ashamed to flaunt its smallness in the presence of such stupendous hills. Landscapes, in childhood's dream, were so vast and silent."

By the time you wake up to the desert silence your guides will already have the kettle on the fire. We'll share an early breakfast (tea or coffee with bread, fruit, cheese, eggs, halva, cucumber, and tomato) and head off in the jeeps for a short drive to Burda rock bridge, one of Rum's most impressive geological formations. You'll follow your guide up across the warm sandstone, using your hands but never having to really climb. From a small plateau we drop into a hidden gulley and get a wonderful first view of the bridge above us. The next section is a short rock wall where your guide will use a rope to make sure you get up safely. From here you'll walk out onto the bridge (1360m) and take in views across the whole of Wadi Rum. You'll descend via a different route, crossing open slabs of sandstone and scrambling down a steep groove back to the desert floor. After the three-hour round trip we'll find a shady spot to rest and eat together.

After lunch, followed by a cup of tea and a siesta, you'll head off again for a wonderful hike through more desert canyons, passing beautifully eroded cliffs and finally reaching a smaller rock bridge at Jebel Um Fruth. You'll then transfer by jeep back to your campsite for another relaxing evening.

After breakfast your Bedouin hosts will drive you out to Rum village, from where you'll head north by road to the Dead Sea and check into a comfortable resort / spa hotel. Floating in the warm, intensely saline water of the Dead Sea is an unforgettable experience! This is the lowest point on the surface of the earth (some 400m below sea level) and contains mineral-rich muds that have been recognized since antiquity for their curative properties. This mud costs a fortune in Europe, but in Jordan you can scoop it from the seabed and cover yourself with it! The blue water, the white salt-encrusted shore, and the red desert mountains also make this an outstandingly beautiful place.

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST
A single group transfer will be provided from your hotel to AMM Airport - a 40-minute drive. We wish you a safe homeward journey and hope to see you again in Jordan soon.

Start Date End Date Seats left Availability Price
Sat 30 Mar 2024 Sat 06 Apr 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 06 Apr 2024 Sat 13 Apr 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 13 Apr 2024 Sat 20 Apr 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 20 Apr 2024 Sat 27 Apr 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 27 Apr 2024 Sat 04 May 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 04 May 2024 Sat 11 May 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 11 May 2024 Sat 18 May 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 18 May 2024 Sat 25 May 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 25 May 2024 Sat 01 Jun 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 01 Jun 2024 Sat 08 Jun 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 08 Jun 2024 Sat 15 Jun 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 15 Jun 2024 Sat 22 Jun 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 22 Jun 2024 Sat 29 Jun 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 29 Jun 2024 Sat 06 Jul 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 06 Jul 2024 Sat 13 Jul 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 13 Jul 2024 Sat 20 Jul 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 20 Jul 2024 Sat 27 Jul 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 27 Jul 2024 Sat 03 Aug 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 03 Aug 2024 Sat 10 Aug 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 10 Aug 2024 Sat 17 Aug 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 17 Aug 2024 Sat 24 Aug 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 24 Aug 2024 Sat 31 Aug 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 31 Aug 2024 Sat 07 Sep 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 07 Sep 2024 Sat 14 Sep 2024 7+ Place Left $1915
Sat 14 Sep 2024 Sat 21 Sep 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 21 Sep 2024 Sat 28 Sep 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 28 Sep 2024 Sat 05 Oct 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 05 Oct 2024 Sat 12 Oct 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 12 Oct 2024 Sat 19 Oct 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 19 Oct 2024 Sat 26 Oct 2024 7+ Place Left $1915
Sat 26 Oct 2024 Sat 02 Nov 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 02 Nov 2024 Sat 09 Nov 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 09 Nov 2024 Sat 16 Nov 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 16 Nov 2024 Sat 23 Nov 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 23 Nov 2024 Sat 30 Nov 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 30 Nov 2024 Sat 07 Dec 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 07 Dec 2024 Sat 14 Dec 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 14 Dec 2024 Sat 21 Dec 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 21 Dec 2024 Sat 28 Dec 2024 7+ Place Left $1360
Sat 28 Dec 2024 Sat 04 Jan 2025 7+ Place Left $1360

Inclusions

Transport
Transportation throughout the trip using a deluxe air-conditioned private charter with driver (sedan or van or small bus depending on your group size).

Accommodations
3 star hotels (4nts), 4 star hotels / Resort (1nt), Desert camp (2nt),
Our trips are designed with shared accommodation in mind whereby travelers are paired with individuals of the same sex in twin share accommodation.

Meals
7 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners according to the itinerary above.

Guides
Local Hiking Guide in Ajloun.
Local Hiking Guide in Dana.
Local Bedouin guide in Petra
Local Bedouin guide in Wadi Rum
English Speaking Licensed Guide (Applicable for 7 + group size)

Exclusions
Flights
Entrance fees
Travel insurance
Visa to Jordan
Drinks
Tips

 

Hiking Jordan

Trip Duration: 8 Days / 7 Nights

Group Size : 14

Physical Rating :

Moderate : A reasonable level of fitness is required, as these trips can require sustained endurance levels along steep trails and uneven paths. Canyoning trips may include few abseils (rappels), long hikes and occasional climbs. Biking trips include a series of up and downhills but nothing too strenuous. A support vehicle will be always available so weary travelers will be able to hitch a ride. A typical trekking day would be walking 4 to 5 hours a day including a 2 hour ascending a mountain.

Welcome to Terhaal Adventures. We've designed these journeys to help you explore the very best of Jordan. Don't hesitate to get in touch with us if you have any questions about the trip. We're here to help. Enjoy!


Itinerary Disclaimer

The holiday itinerary set out below offers a good overview of the trip, but should be taken as a general guide only. We're continually improving these tours, and it's possible we will adjust the itinerary to take advantage of new opportunities or to avoid adverse weather or difficulties with transportation. We recommend that you print out a copy of the trip details a couple of days prior to departure, in case there have been any changes that may affect your plans.

The information in this document does not form part of the contract between the client and Terhaal Adventures.


Meeting Point

Queen Alia International Airport - Amman, Jordan

Your driver will meet you as you exit customs.


Finishing Point
Queen Alia International Airport - Amman, Jordan

Your driver will pick you up from the lobby of your hotel 3 hours prior to your flight departure time.


Arrival Complications

We don't expect any problems (and nor should you!) but if for any reason you are unable to begin your trip as scheduled, please contact us immediately at one of the following numbers:
+962(0)77 751 5919
+962(0)79 879 5680


Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 : ARRIVAL

NO MEALS INCLUDED TODAY
Your driver will be waiting at Amman (AMM) airport to take you directly to your hotel in Amman - a 40-minute drive. There are no activities planned for today. Keep in mind that hotel check-in time is typically after 2.00pm. Early check in is not guaranteed, but if you do arrive early luggage storage is available at the hotel. 

If you arrive early we encourage you to explore Amman. Jordan's capital is a real, living city, full of quirky neighborhoods, friendly people, and fabulous food. You can begin up at the citadel, where you can take in the views and explore the Roman and early Islamic ruins. Just downhill is the Roman theatre, built during the reign of Emperor Antonius but now embedded into modern Amman and still used for cultural and musical events. From here you can wander through the markets, maybe stopping in a local café to take in the street scenes, watch the old men playing backgammon, and try Arabic coffee and pastries. This is also a good chance to smoke the scented tobacco of the argeelah or hubbly bubbly.

Day 2 : VISITING ROMAN JERASH, WALKING IN AJLOUN

6KM / 2 HOURS
MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH.
After Breakfast you head to the Roman City of Jerash. Founded at the time of Alexander the Great, Jerash flourished for around a thousand years as a trade center on the road between Damascus and Petra. The city's colonnaded streets are basically intact, as is the beautiful oval forum and the gateway built to commemorate the visit of the Emperor Hadrian. The theatre, temples, baths, and hippodrome are all well preserved, and there are some wonderful Byzantine mosaic floors from the early Christian period.

Then you continue to Ajloun to walk through one of the quietest and most beautiful parts of the Jordanian highlands, Al Ayoun - a valley of olive groves, orchards, and limestone cliffs just north of Ajloun. Beginning at the viewpoint above the village of Rasun, you'll walk through the woods and explore the ruins of early Bronze Age dolmens and a Roman wine press. You then continue to Orjan, where you will enjoy lunch in the home of a local family. 

After lunch you'll be driven back to your hotel in Amman.

Day 3 : WADI DANA TRAIL

14KM / 5 - 7 HOURS / TOTAL DESCENT: 850M
MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH. 
After an early breakfast you head south towards Dana on the Kings' Highway, which can claim to be the oldest continuously used road in the world. For millennia it linked the civilizations of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, and remained an important trade route right down to Ottoman times. Since the construction of the new main road from Amman and Aqaba, the Kings Highway has become a scenic back route, twisting and turning through the hills between Petra, Kerak, and Madaba.

At Dana village you'll begin one of the great walks in Jordan - a magnificent full-day walk right down the Wadi Dana, starting at the village some 1200m above sea level and finishing in the desert lowlands at Feynan. A broad dirt track leads west from the village, dropping steeply at first and then descending more gently through the valley. This is a wild landscape but not an uninhabited one: there are Bedouin shepherds out with their goats, and you may well be invited to rest and drink sweet tea with them. A variety of wildflowers grow in the valley, especially in the springtime, and you're likely to see Griffin Vultures circling on the thermals overhead. If you're lucky you might even catch a glimpse of the Nubian Ibex that live in the reserve. Towards the end of the trail you pass the shafts of abandoned Roman copper mines, before arriving at the sanctuary of the Feynan eco-lodge.

From Feynan you'll travel by road to Wadi Musa, a lively little town that has become the base for visiting ancient Petra. You will check into your comfortable hotel for two nights. Most people just shuttle between their hotel and the archaeological site, but it's worth having a walk around Wadi Musa - it's a friendly place, and there are plenty of cafes and shops.

Day 4 : TOUR PETRA

HIKING IN PETRA - BETWEEN 5 AND 10KM, DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU GO!
MEALS: BREAKFAST.
No matter how many times you've seen it reproduced on film, nothing can really prepare you for the first glimpse of Petra. The classic entry to the city takes you through the long twilight of the siq, a narrow canyon that twists for more than a mile through the red sandstone, and then stuns you into silence with the sunlit façade of the Treasury, a monument cut into the rock some 2000 years ago with a refinement that is scarcely believable.

From the postcards, you'd think this was what you'd come to see. But it's just the beginning. Petra is a vast archaeological site, most of it still unexcavated; you could spend days exploring the ruins and still not see it all. It was built by the Nabataeans, an Arab tribe who began as tent-dwelling Bedouin but soon came to dominate the most lucrative trade of the ancient world: incense. They used the money to create this city and to build an empire that extended from the Red Sea to Damascus. They also absorbed architectural ideas from Egypt, from the Babylonians, and from the Greek cities of the Mediterranean, using them to create the hybrid culture that you see in these ruins. The Temple of the Winged Lions, the High Place of Sacrifice, the Roman theatre, the Garden Tomb, the Byzantine church - any one of these monuments would be an archaeological treasure in its own right; in Petra, you can explore them one after another, and find them all set into one of the finest desert landscape in the Middle East.

Day 5 : PETRA MADRAS TRAIL AND WADI RUM BEDOUIN CAMP

HIKING: 8KM / 4-5 HOURS
MEALS: BREAKFAST, DINNER
You'll begin today's walk following the crowds through the main gates, but almost immediately you'll leave them all behind and strike out on your own into a silent, unspoilt desert landscape. Your trail follows an old Nabataean processional route towards what was once the city's sacred center, the High Place of Sacrifice. Along the way there are traces of ancient stone steps, and eroded relief carvings of deities or ‘god blocks' cut into the rock walls. The route brings you out above the High Place of Sacrifice, from where you can see down across the whole of Petra and west towards Jebel Harun, Petra's highest peak. From here you descend through the Wadi Farasa, which has some of best temples in the city (including the Garden Tomb and the Roman Soldier's Tomb), emerging right in the heart of Petra. This is a wonderful walk, well away from the crowds, and leaves you plenty of time to explore the tombs and temples of Petra before leaving the site through the main siq.

In the later afternoon you'll head out towards Wadi Rum, meet your Bedouin guides, and go into the desert by 4x4 jeep. You'll arrive at your camp in the heart of the protected area, where there'll be time to relax and take in the sunset before enjoying a Bedouin feast of meat and vegetables cooked in the zerb, an oven of fire-heated sand and stone. If you're still not tired out by the day's adventures you can stay up round the fire, talking and laughing with your Bedouin hosts and watching the night sky. Your accommodation is a simple but comfortable Bedouin campsite, with a traditional goat hair tent divided into twin ‘rooms.' There are proper toilets and showers on the site (go easy on the water), as well as shaded seating areas for relaxing and dining.

Day 6 : CLIMB JEBEL BURDA AND TREK TO UM FRUTH

HIKING: 11KM / 5-6 HOURS
TOTAL ASCENT: 280M / TOTAL DESCENT: 300M
MEALS: BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DINNER
Every guidebook to Wadi Rum repeats the description written by T.E. Lawrence of Arabia almost century ago, and with good reason. "The Arab armies would have been lost in the length and breadth of it," he wrote, "and within the walls a squadron of aeroplanes could have wheeled in formation. Our little caravan grew self-conscious, and fell dead quiet, afraid and ashamed to flaunt its smallness in the presence of such stupendous hills. Landscapes, in childhood's dream, were so vast and silent."

By the time you wake up to the desert silence your guides will already have the kettle on the fire. We'll share an early breakfast (tea or coffee with bread, fruit, cheese, eggs, halva, cucumber, and tomato) and head off in the jeeps for a short drive to Burda rock bridge, one of Rum's most impressive geological formations. You'll follow your guide up across the warm sandstone, using your hands but never having to really climb. From a small plateau we drop into a hidden gulley and get a wonderful first view of the bridge above us. The next section is a short rock wall where your guide will use a rope to make sure you get up safely. From here you'll walk out onto the bridge (1360m) and take in views across the whole of Wadi Rum. You'll descend via a different route, crossing open slabs of sandstone and scrambling down a steep groove back to the desert floor. After the three-hour round trip we'll find a shady spot to rest and eat together.

After lunch, followed by a cup of tea and a siesta, you'll head off again for a wonderful hike through more desert canyons, passing beautifully eroded cliffs and finally reaching a smaller rock bridge at Jebel Um Fruth. You'll then transfer by jeep back to your campsite for another relaxing evening.

Day 7 : DEAD SEA

After breakfast your Bedouin hosts will drive you out to Rum village, from where you'll head north by road to the Dead Sea and check into a comfortable resort / spa hotel. Floating in the warm, intensely saline water of the Dead Sea is an unforgettable experience! This is the lowest point on the surface of the earth (some 400m below sea level) and contains mineral-rich muds that have been recognized since antiquity for their curative properties. This mud costs a fortune in Europe, but in Jordan you can scoop it from the seabed and cover yourself with it! The blue water, the white salt-encrusted shore, and the red desert mountains also make this an outstandingly beautiful place.

Day 8 : DEPARTURE

MEALS INCLUDED: BREAKFAST
A single group transfer will be provided from your hotel to AMM Airport - a 40-minute drive. We wish you a safe homeward journey and hope to see you again in Jordan soon.

Inclusions

Transport
Transportation throughout the trip using a deluxe air-conditioned private charter with driver (sedan or van or small bus depending on your group size).

Accommodations
3 star hotels (4nts), 4 star hotels / Resort (1nt), Desert camp (2nt),
Our trips are designed with shared accommodation in mind whereby travelers are paired with individuals of the same sex in twin share accommodation.

Meals
7 Breakfasts, 3 Lunches, 3 Dinners according to the itinerary above.

Guides
Local Hiking Guide in Ajloun.
Local Hiking Guide in Dana.
Local Bedouin guide in Petra
Local Bedouin guide in Wadi Rum
English Speaking Licensed Guide (Applicable for 7 + group size)

Exclusions
Flights
Entrance fees
Travel insurance
Visa to Jordan
Drinks
Tips

 


What to Take

During the trip your baggage will be carried by bus and by 4WD vehicles. The only baggage weight limit is that imposed by the airline. However, we ask that you restrict your luggage to one main bag plus a small daypack. In general we recommend that you travel as light as possible as this will make transiting between airports and carrying your bag to hotel rooms a lot easier for you. You may find that wheeled luggage is more convenient on a trip of this nature.

Temperatures in Jordan can be hot, with little rain from late spring through until late autumn. The heat can become extreme during the summer months of July and August. In the months of November to March it can be cool at night, particularly in the desert where the temperatures can drop to 5C or even less. Even in the hot months out in the desert it can get cold at night.

Jordan is a predominantly Muslim country and tends to be quite conservative, so you should dress accordingly. As a general guideline, shoulders and knees should be covered at all times.

A light water and windproof jacket is useful and a hat is essential. From mid November to late February, a sleeping bag is essential for your nights in the desert. At other times a sleeping sheet will suffice. Loose, lightweight, long clothing is both respectful and cool in the heat.

Check List

> Travel documents: passport, visa, travel insurance, air tickets etc.
> Health requirements arranged
> Money: travelers cheques/cash/credit card
> Money pouch
> First aid kit
> Backpack to carry your personal needs during the day(the type with a lower-back pad support and waist strap are very much recommended)
> Alarm clock and torch/flashlight (headlights are best)
> Insect repellent
> Ear plugs can be useful
> Tampons can be difficult to buy in rural areas or in the desert
> Lock for your bag
> Bedding - a bed sheet to be used over the mattress provided in the desert- the travel bed sack is even better
> Sleeping bag if you wish - mattresses and blankets are available in the desert
> Small travel towel - for use in the desert
> Your personal hygiene kit
> Toilet paper
> Eye shades
> Hiking shoes
> Foot powder or Vaseline can be useful against blisters.
> Sandals
> Light clothes; long sleeves and light colors are advisable in summer time
> A hat or head dress that also covers the neck
> Warm clothes for cooler nights
> Sun protection lotion
> Dates, fruits, or candy bars (to provide instant calories during outdoor activities)
> Water flask

> Insect repellent

 


Health
It is recommended that all travelers be in good physical health prior to embarking on a Terhaal trip as all our trips are active/adventurous. We also advise all our guests to consult their doctor beforehand. Group leaders reserve the right to exclude any guest from a trip whom they believe may be of an unjustifiable risk to themselves or to the rest of the group without refund.
Physical Preparation
This is an active holiday. It involves cycling and hiking in hilly country. That will require a decent level of fitness to be enjoyable. We recommend you objectively assess your fitness level in conjunction with reading the itinerary to ensure this trip is right for you.


Safety

Jordan is generally considered a safe country. There is very little petty crime here, especially in rural areas. However, we recommend you take normal precautions to ensure your safety and that of your belongings, as you would for any other destination. Take good care of your passport, wallet, and other valuables. In crowded streets, keep your bag closed and in front of you. There will be free time during this trip - you can always ask your local guides for their advice about where to go and what to avoid. Please make sure you have adequate footwear and clothing for the hiking trips you will be taking.


Hospitality 

Jordanians are famously friendly and welcoming towards guests, especially in rural areas. It is quite normal for Jordanians to invite foreigners in to drink tea or have a meal in the family home. Meeting the local people in spontaneous encounters of this sort is one of the great pleasures of travelling in Jordan.


Ramadan

During the month of Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating or drinking during daylight hours. Business hours are shortened, including opening hours at all tourist attractions. Alcohol is not permitted during daylight hours [except in 5-Star Hotels] and many restaurants will be closed. While you definitely need to expect some delays and inconveniences during this period, the month of Ramadan is a fantastic time to travel to Jordan as you'll be able to participate in the feasting and holiday atmosphere that follows the breaking of the fast as sunset each day. You'll also get to taste special sweets that are only baked for Ramadan. You do not have to fast, and no-one will expect you to; however, you should try to eat and drink discreetly, if possible, rather than in crowded public places.


Visas

Most nationalities are able to obtain a single-entry visa at the airport, at the land borders, or at the port in Aqaba, valid for 14 days and costing JOD 40. However, you should consult the Jordanian embassy in your home country to make sure you are not subject to any special visa requirements.


Departure tax

You will be required to pay a JOD 5 Departure Tax upon leaving Jordan (does not generally apply when exiting through airports, but travellers on some budget airlines may be required to pay it).


Money Exchange

The Jordanian Dinar is fixed at a rate of JOD 0.709 against USD 1.


Spending Money

It is difficult to say how much spending money you should bring as each person is different! However, you'll need some cash for any meals not included in the itinerary, plus snacks, drinks, gifts etc.


Emergency Funds

It is a good idea to have access to extra funds in case of any emergency (urgent healthcare / travel costs etc.). This is highly unlikely, of course, but best to be prepared.


Travel Insurance

Travel insurance is compulsory for all our trips. We require that, at a minimum, you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. We strongly recommend that the policy also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment, and loss of luggage and personal effects. When travelling on a group trip, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance (and the insurance company's 24 hour emergency contact number) has been seen by your trip leader. If your insurance is provided through your credit card, your tour leader will require proof of purchase of the trip (a receipt or credit card statement) with the credit card in your name. Contact your bank for details of their participating insurer, the level of coverage and emergency contact telephone number.


Emergency Contact

In case of an emergency Terhaal's Amman Office can be reached on -

+962(0)77 751 5919
+962(0)79 879 5680

+962(0)79 778 4433
+962(0)79 5536351

Alternatively you can email [email protected]


Your Fellow Travelers

Group trips entail all the pleasures and occassionally some of the frustrations of travelling in a group. Your fellow travelers will probably come from all corners of the world and likely a range of age groups too. We ask you to be understanding of the group's needs and preferences. Patience and flexibility really help to create a relaxed and happy atmosphere. Please remember that you have responsibilities to the group. If you are requested to be at a place at a certain time, please don't keep the rest of the group waiting. We have found time and again that the best trips are those where the dynamics within the group work well - this takes just a little effort on your part. Many thanks in advance!


Responsible Travel

We believe in low impact or ‘positive impact' tourism. Broadly speaking, this means that we try to minimize the negative aspects of tourism on the local cultures and environments that we visit, while maximising the positive aspects of the encounter. Jordan is a small country with few natural resources. Water scarcity is a big issue in the region, so please go easy on the water. Terhaal designs these tours in a way that maximizes benefits for local communities. Whenever possible we hire local staff in the areas where we operate, and our guests stay in locally owned hotels. We also include some volunteering activities where appropriate, such helping farmers to harvest their olives. Terhaal also contributes towards efforts that strengthen environmental advocacy and the environmental education of Jordan's children.


A Couple of Rules

Illegal drugs will not be tolerated on our trips. Possessing or using drugs not only contravenes the laws of the land but also puts the rest of the group at risk. Our philosophy of travel is one of respect towards everyone we encounter, and in particular the local people who make your destinations such special places. Our group leader has the right to expel any member of the group if drugs are found in their possession. It is also unsafe to drink alcohol while out hiking / cycling, so please wait until you're back at the hotel to enjoy a drink.

 


Feedback

After your trip we hope you will send us your photos and any stories or feedback you may have. Your feedback not only helps us to improve the trips, but also helps other travelers to decide on the right tour for them. We would appreciate it if you could take a couple of minutes to complete our feedback form, just follow this link: http://www.terhaal.com/feedback-form 


Our blog

Our blog - ‘Treks & Trails of Jordan' - is a collection of stories posted by a variety of people that reflect the natural, environmental and cultural aspects of Jordan. It is also a great way to give feedback and to share your Jordan experience with others. All you need to do is write one or two paragraphs about your trip with Terhaal, attach some photos if available and send it to us at this email: team[at]terhaal.com
You can find the blog here -
blog.terhaal.com


Single Travelers

Our trips are designed with shared accommodation in mind whereby single travelers are paired with individuals of the same sex in twin shared accommodation. Forced singles are free of charge.
Single accommodation is available on request pending availability.