Off-beat Jordan: bike, hike

We begin our Jordan bike journey from the city of Madaba, an ancient city of mosaics that lies 760m above sea level, southwest of the capital Amman. Like much of Jordan, Madaba is located on an elevated plateau rising 750m above the sea level, which imparts it a Mediterranean climate despite its relatively southern latitude of 31°43′N.

Our guide meets you at your hotel at 13:00hrs and takes you on a tour of must-visit attractions of Madaba. Madaba is known as the city of mosaics, and for good reason. Its most famous mosaic, known as the Map of Madaba is a 6th-century mosaic map of Jerusalem painstakingly put together using two million pieces of colored stone. The map is housed in St George’s Church, a must-visit on a Jordan trip.

Arrival Note:

The nearest airport to Madaba is Queen Alia International Airport, Amman. Madaba lies 22 kilometers from the airport, so we recommend directly hiring a taxi from the airport. The journey should take you about 30 to 40 minutes.

We begin our day with a short shuttle transfer out of Madaba, driving on the famous King’s Highway that has connected Egypt to Arabia since Biblical times and has been the nerve center carrying trade, commerce, and culture in the region. The highway even finds a mention in the Book of Genesis, Chapter 14.

We head to Mount Nebo, a ridge that, on clear days, offers views of Jerusalem, Jericho, and the Jordan Valley. According to the Bible, it was at Mount Nebo that Moses was offered a view of the Promised Land before his death.

After the visit to Mount Nebo, we arrive at Mukheris, the start point for your exhilarating hike. Mukawir is no ordinary village. It is known to antiquity as Machaerus and is famous as the site of King Herod’s castle where St John the Baptist was imprisoned and executed. Mukawir/Machaerus lies on a sheer hill that rises 1100 m above the level of the Dead Sea, offering breathtaking views all around. Here, we set out on a hike through this beautiful wadi, amaze you with its lush vegetation, cascading waterfalls, palm trees, and even freshwater crabs.

Hiking: 7km/4mi (2-3 hours)

We start the day with a short shuttle transfer to Shobak, the site of millennia-old battles fought by the crusaders. Built-in 1115 CE by the French crusader king Baldwin I, the Shobak castle passed hands several times between Christian and Muslim forces as each side struggled to control the holy city of Jerusalem. Today an abandoned, beautiful ruin sitting atop a hill and overlooking fruit orchards, the castle sings ballads of fallen warriors and lost glories to harsh desert winds.

We ride on along a well-paved track offering excellent views of the Wadi Araba - a magnificent landscape of brilliantly colored rocks standing defiantly against the dun-colored desert landscape.

Across the Wadi Araba lies Israel.

We ride through an enjoyable, rolling landscape with a few uphills and downhills till we reach the town of Little Petra and set camp.

This is the day we get to see one of the seven wonders of the world, and in honor, we exchange our bikes for our walking boots.

Except this is no ordinary walk.

Experience the awe-inspiring journey through Petra's enchanting 'Back Door' route. Marvel at the stunning sandstone mountains that guard the entrance and immerse yourself in the beauty of Wadi Ghurab. Follow the ancient Nabataean path, skirting around the final mountain on a natural rock terrace. Admire the hidden plateau above the breathtaking chasm of Wadi Siyyagh, where the impressive 'Monastery' is carved into the cliff face.

Descend through Nabataean steps into ancient Petra, passing by iconic landmarks like 'The Treasury' and the famous 'Petra Siq'. Dating back to the First century BCE, Petra was built by the Nabatean people, an ancient Arab tribe, before being annexed to the Roman Empire. The most famous of the ruins is the Ad Deir monastery, an awe-inspiring wonder carved out of sheer rock that is reached after labor of climbing 800 steps over 40 minutes.

Hiking: 13 km (5-6 hrs)

We start the day with a short shuttle transfer before getting on to our bikes to enjoy a pleasant day of biking through desert trails. After a good 40 km of biking, we stop for lunch at an ancient trading town called Humayma.

Afterward we continue biking southwards, and shortly before we arrive at the famous Wadi Rum, end the day’s biking and drive the rest of the way.

Wadi Rum is famous for several reasons.

The first of these is because, it is, quite simply, one of the most spectacular landscapes on earth. Bare, barren, burnt red land for as far as the eye can see, and mountains of sandstone and granite arising out of it give the Wadi Rum the appearance of a place out of a dream. Not for nothing has it been called the closest thing to the surface of Mars on earth. In fact, some of the most popular sci-fi movies including Star Wars, Prometheus, The Martian, and Dune have used the Wadi Rum’s stunning landscape as the setting for their interplanetary tales.

The other reason for the Wadi Rum’s fame is its connection with the British officer T.E. Lawrence - better known as Lawrence of Arabia - and his autobiography The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Lawrence of Arabia used the Wadi Rum as his base as he tried to unite the Bedouins to rise against the Ottoman Empire during the First World War.

Finally, petroglyphs dating back to the 8th century BCE can also be seen carved on the Wadi Rum’s sandstone mountains.

Dinner tonight is with a Bedouin family - a simple but delicious affair consisting of meat and vegetables cooked in a clay-fired oven called the Zerb.

We spend the night in a tented accommodation made of goat hair in the heart of the Wadi Rum as the stars shine brilliantly in the night sky above us.

This morning, we venture into the southern expanse of the Jordanian desert, situated not too far from the border shared with Saudi Arabia. Our aim is to ascend the awe-inspiring Jebel al Hasch. Despite its impressive height of 1700 meters, this mountain does not pose a challenge in terms of difficulty or technicality. Our day begins early as we set out on a delightful thirty-minute jeep journey across the desert, followed by a hike through a picturesque rocky valley. Along the trail, we traverse smooth sandstone slabs and transition onto a sandy plateau. Circumventing the plateau, we then follow a goat path that leads us upwards toward the summit. From this vantage point, we are treated to breathtaking panoramas that encompass the entirety of Wadi Rum, extending even southward into Saudi territory. Following our moments of observation, we descend through another rocky valley to return to the desert floor, where we rendezvous with our crew for a shaded lunch break. The entire hike typically spans approximately four hours.

After a satisfying lunch and some well-deserved rest, we set off in our jeeps once more, journeying northward. On our route, we pass by native Bedouins who continue their traditional lifestyle of herding goats and camels amidst the desert expanse. These Bedouins still reside in the iconic black goat hair tents, maintaining their age-old way of life. Upon our return to the campsite, we savor a second night under the desert sky.

Hiking: 13km (6 hrs)

We start the day’s biking by riding through the desert on an unmetalled track, occasionally running into patches of soft, golden sand. After some 30 km, we finally hit a paved road that leads us to the port town of Aqaba on the Red Sea.

Aqaba is Jordan’s only port city, and one of the most important ports in the Levant. We bike all the way to the edge of the Red Sea, sitting down to relax by the sandy beaches of this historic city.

And thus, having begun from high plateaus, riding through sandy deserts, and arrived at the sea - our epic journey through Jordan come to a close.

We recommend extending at Aqaba, the only coastal city in Jordan that is wonderful to explore both by land and sea. One of its most unique and attractive features is the coral reefs of the Red Sea.