Jordan End 2 End Bike Tour

Trip Duration: 9 Days / 8 Nights

Group Size : 14

Physical Rating :

Challenging : These trips are physically demanding and best suited for strong people with high endurance levels. Days can be long, often along difficult trails, in remote regions. Canyoning trips may include several abseils (rappels) and extensive climbs/hikes through steep terrains. Biking trips will have support vehicles nearby, but sometimes without one. travelers may be required to carry a backpack.

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.

Quick Facts

Riding duration: 6 days
Riding distance: 589 Km (368 miles).
Max altitude: 1700 m
Maximum group size: 14
Accommodation: 7 nights hotels,
Meal plan: all meals included
Physical rating: challenging, but don't be intimidated as it is fully supported and can opt out any part.

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 : Meet at the group hotel in Amman. Transfers from Amman Airport are provided.

Meet at the group hotel in Amman. Group transfers from Amman Airport are provided. These transfers are normally in the late evening. We arrive at the hotel too late for dinner or for a trip briefing but en-route from the airport to the hotel your guide will explain the meetings times for the next day.

Day 2 : Transfer to the west of Amman. Cycle on quiet roads to the Dead Sea.

Taking time this morning to meet our fellow group members, assemble our bikes and enjoy breakfast we will receive a briefing from our guide about the cycling ahead of us! We start our journey with a about an hour's transfer to the West of Amman. After saddling up and leaving the outskirts of Amman we head south and ride through Dibbin Forest Reserve, one of the only forested areas in Jordan, where Aleppo pine, strawberry, pistachio and wild olive trees grow. The reserve was set up to provide a home for endangered animal species, such as the Persian squirrel. Riding through this reserve area, we descend towards King Talal Dam and ride beside the Zarqa River until we reach the main road between Amman and the north. We follow this road for 15 kilometres toward the Baqa’a Valley, before heading west and climbing into the beautiful green hills of Remeimin and Jalad, finally arriving at the town of Salt at the top of the mountain. Bypassing the town, we have amazing views to the Jordan Valley and the West Bank. Beyond Batna we begin our descent to the lowest spot on earth, by following the stunning and dramatic Wadi Shu’aib. Riding between farms and passing the Baptism site of Jesus, we descend to 430 metres below sea-level and our hotel accommodation beside the Dead Sea.

Accommodation Hotel

• Ascent 1600m 
• Distance 100km
• Meals bld
• Descent 2900m

Day 3 : Enjoy a salty Dead Sea dip. Climb from the Dead Sea to Mount Nebo and onto Madaba.

This morning we have the opportunity to relax, enjoy the Dead Sea's special buoyancy experience and get prepared for today’s challenging climb. The Dead Sea is 75 kilometres long and between 6 to 16 kilometres wide. It is fed by the Jordan River, but it has no outlet. As its name suggests, the Dead Sea is entirely devoid of plant and animal life, due to an extremely high content of salt and other minerals (350 grams of salt per kilogram of water, as compared to about 40 grams in the world's oceans). This concentration is caused by a rapid rate of evaporation. These natural elements give the waters of the Dead Sea certain curative properties, recognized since the days of Herod the Great over 2000 years ago. After a refreshing dip, we are reunited with our bikes and ride along the shore of the Dead Sea for around 7 kilometres. Turning inland it’s a truly a unique feeling as we start to climb from the heady heights of around 400 metres below sea level! En route we have a short visit to the Dead Sea Exhibition at the Panorama Complex and can admire the superb views to the Dead Sea and across to the Western Plateau on the other side. Over the next 20 kilometres we continue our climb to the top of the plateau at 850 metres, where we reach the holy site of Mount Nebo, reputedly the place from which Moses viewed the 'promised land'. On a clear day, it is even possible to see the spires of the holy city of Jerusalem, some 45 kilometres away. We will explore the site and its ancient mosaics before riding east to our hotel in Madaba.

• Accommodation Hotel
• Ascent 1500m
• Distance 60km
• Meals bld
• Descent 400m

Day 4 : Cycle the Kings Highway to Karak. Guided tour of Karak Castle.

This morning we leave Madaba riding southwards to Um Arrasas. Um Arrasas has recently become a UNESCO World Heritage Site especially because of its impressive mosaic which dates back to 785 A.D. The mosaic depicts beautiful scenes of hunting, agricultural and pastoral life all surrounded by a geographical border showing the cities of Jordan, Palestine and Egypt. After exploring the site, we'll get back on our bikes and cycle to Dhiban where we connect to the King’s Highway, which twists and winds its way through the heart of Jordan. We begin our descent to the belly of the famous Wadi Mujib - the Jordanian Grand Canyon - and after crossing the Mujib Dam, at 200 metres we have an 11 kilometre climb up to 900 metres on the Eastern Plateau. The King’s Highway is the world’s oldest continuously used communication route and is even mentioned in the Bible. Although we call it a highway, it is actually a local road with relatively low traffic. Situated on the outskirts of Karak (1050m), our hotel is perfectly located to receive us after a long day of riding. Depending on our arrival time, we may visit Karak Castle, one of the most impressive Crusader forts in the Middle East.

• Accommodation Hotel
• Ascent 1500m
• Distance 100km
• Meals bld
• Descent 1300m

Day 5 : Ride through Al Hassa Canyon and make steady ascent to village of Dana.

We continue riding southwards on the plateau, following the King’s Highway, passing agricultural fields, ruins and several small villages, until we reach the edge of the Al Hassa Canyon. We stop to admire the views, before making our descent into this impressive rocky chasm. What goes down must go up! and it's an 800 metre climb back out of the wadi, but we are spurred on by the thought of our picnic lunch and the chance to rest once the 22 kilometre ascent is over. After lunch, it's back on our bikes for the continuation of our southward ride. We avoid the town of Tafila by contouring around its east side on minor farm roads and gain height steadily, en route to a high point at around 1600 metres, close to the rocky summit of Jabal Ata'ta. A final descent of 400 metres takes us to the village of Dana (1250m) and our basic but friendly hotel. Here, we are on the edge of the Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan’s largest reserve area, comprising hundreds of square kilometres of spectacular mountains and wadis along the face of the Great Rift Valley. Dana village has been the home of the Al Ata'ata tribe for 400 years and we will have the chance to look around this tranquil settlement.

• Accommodation Hotel
• Ascent 2000m
• Distance 100km
• Meals bld
• Descent 1700m

Day 6 : Cycle to Shobak Castle and continue to Little Petra. Ride onto Wadi Musa.

Today, our route will take us via Shobak Castle, one of the great chain of Crusader fortresses, which stretches across Jordan and was built in the year 1115. Beyond the castle, an initial steep climb through small villages leads us to Hisheh and magnificent views down to the natural white rock domes of Beida. We descend to Beida and stop to explore the site of Little Petra before we continue to Wadi Musa (1150m) the 'Valley of Moses’ which is the little town that acts as a gateway to the 'rose-red city' of Petra. Here, we check in at a comfortable hotel for a 2-night stay.

• Accommodation Hotel
• Ascent 1150m
• Distance 80km
• Meals bld
• Descent 1650m

Day 7 : Day off the bikes to tour the ancient rock-hewn UNESCO city of Petra.

A welcome day off the bikes today, as we get chance to explore the ancient city of Petra, accompanied by a knowledgeable English-speaking guide. We set off through the narrow ‘Siq’ that leads to the heart of this site. The Nabataeans, an industrious people of Arab descent who came to this part of Jordan some 2000 years ago, created Petra. Ancient Petra was occupied for around 400 years at around the time of Christ. Later, it appears that the city lay entirely deserted and forgotten for a period of approximately 300 years before its more recent rediscovery in 1812. Approaching through the gloomy kilometre-long chasm of the Siq provides a dramatic contrast as we reach arguably the most spectacular of the city's rock-hewn buildings, the magnificent Treasury, with its intricately carved facade. There are over 800 individual monuments at Petra, including temples, tombs, arched gateways and entire streets,
carved from the colourful native sandstone. Other highlights are the High Place of Sacrifice, which offers views across the whole area, and the Monastery that is even bigger than the Treasury and is reached by way of 800 steps. The guide will be with the group for 3 hours or so, after which time you are free to relax or continue with independent sightseeing. We return to spend a second night at our hotel in Wadi Musa.

• Accommodation Hotel
• Meals bld

Day 8 : Join the desert highway for final blast to the Red Sea. Transfer to Madaba.

Still following the King’s Highway, we ride towards the villages of Taybeh and Rajef, along a scenic and undulating route with great views of the rugged peaks of the Petra Mountains. We descend easily to a junction with the Desert Highway (Jordan’s main north-south road) and turn south on the last leg of our journey to Aqaba and the Red Sea. The highway descends gradually all the way from around 1400 metres to the coast and for the next 40 kilometres m we have no alternative but to ride on this relatively busy road, but we will ride as a group, keeping an eye out for trucks and avoiding the debris on the hard shoulder (depending on traffic and weather conditions, we have the option to transfer this section). Descending into Aqaba we can take a well earned dip in the Red Sea and relax with a cold drink in hand! Having finished our cycling for the week, we take a private transfer to Madaba and enjoy a most deserved celebratory meal.

• Accommodation Hotel
• Ascent 1400m
• Distance 120km
• Meals bld
• Descent 2550m

Day 9 : Departure day. Amman Airport transfers are provided.

After an early breakfast there is a single timed airport transfers to Amman international airport. KE Land Only package services end on arrival at the airport. If you would prefer to stay in Aqaba at the end of day 9 and enjoy a few days relaxing at the Red Sea please contact one of our adventure travel consultants to discuss Aqaba extensions.

Meals b

If you wish to extend your trip (for example, enjoy an extra day or two in Aqaba) please let us know and we'll be glad to assist.

We wish you a safe homeward journey and hope to see you again in Jordan soon.

What's included

A locally based English speaking bike guideTimed Amman Airport transfers at the beginning and end of the trip
One or more support vehicles and drivers
A specialist local guide in Petra
Entrance fees to Karak Castle / Petra / Aqaba beach
All accommodation as detailed under 'trip details'
All meals
Complimentary water, juice and snacks throughout the rides

 

What's not included

Flights
Travel insurance
Visas
Tips for the guide and local support crew
Miscellaneous expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc

Meal Plan

All meals are included from breakfast on Day 2 to breakfast on Day 9.

 

Accommodation

During this trip the group will spend a total of 8 nights in comfortable 3 star or Tourist Class accommodation. All accommodation is allocated on a twin sharing basis. If you are travelling by yourself you will be paired up with another single client of the same sex. For hotel prices and single supplement costs please refer to the dates and prices page of the trip on our website.

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

 

Terhaal Cycling Guides

Terhaal's biking tours are fully guided by Anas — our full-time cycling guide. 

Born in Jordan in 1986, Mr. Beltawi is a Chechnyan-Jordanian cyclist. He graduated with a degree in Hotel & Tourism Management from Amman Ahliyyeh University in 2010.

He was member of the Jordanian cycling team, won several cycling races in Jordan between 1998 and 2007

Has been leading local cycling trips since 2004 and has been working full-time with Terhaal since January 2011.
Attended the Technical Course for Cycling Coaches provided by the IOC (International Olympic Committee) in 2007, and the Technical Course for Triathlon Coaches provided by the IOC in 2008.

Has professional road cycling skills, excellent MTB skills and excellent bike maintenance skills

He is a passionate outdoorsman and regularly indulges in hiking and camping trips.

 

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.