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The Jordan Trail
What Is The Jordan Trail?
The Jordan Trail is a magnificent hike spanning the length of Jordan beginning in Um Qais in the North and finishing 650km in Aqaba in the South. The trail takes you through 52 villages and traverses the diverse scenery of Jordan, from lush green hills in the North to arid wadis and cliffs in the South.
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When To Go?
The best time to complete the Jordan Trail is during the Month of April when the temperature is not too hot and rainfall is limited. It's not advisable to visit during Winter when rainfall as at it's highest at it will be miserable and the risk of flash flooding. Equally, Summer is ill-advised as temperatures will be far to hot and there is the chance of water sources being lower than optimal. Explore this site for a detailed description of Jordan's climate: LINK
How Long Will It Take?
The Trail should take you 35 days a leisurely pace, however I completed it in 30, which I feel was still longer than needed as I took it slow in the North due to bad weather. The official thru hike takes 45 days which I can only imagine to be unbearably slow and at the other extreme, two Italian guys completed it in 16. I would set a target of 25 days of hiking, not including any extra for site seeing.
How Difficult Is The Trail?
The terrain on the Jordan Trail is by no means easy. Everyday will see you climbing up and down impossibly steep hills following a lightly used goat path with the scorching sun beating down on you. The few days take you along smooth roads in the North but long desert stretches in the South. You will definitely want to be fit before the hike and practise walking with heavy loads on your back.
Is Jordan Safe?
Despite Jordan's borders with Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel and West Bank, you might be surprised to learn Joran is an incredibly safe place to travel. I felt more at ease walking through a small half built village with a pack of dogs barking at me and two men driving towards me in a beat up old truck than I do sitting on the underground in London.
What Are The Safety Considerations?
The biggest concern is the heat so make sure you have sufficient sun protection and cover as much of your body as possible. The next is dehydration, always carry enough water to take you to the next source plus a little extra incase it's dry. Also, make sure you're actually drinking it regularly.
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Another concern to be aware of is the extremely loose terrain you will walking on. I slipped a couple of times, however nothing serious, but it could have easily happened. It's good practise to check in with relatives every few days and let them know where you are will be heading and when to expect a message.
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In terms of wildlife, be aware that wolves and hyena's do populate Jordan, however they are very rare as they have been hunted nearly to extinction. There are also snakes and deathstalkers however I only saw two snakes and one scorpion in my entire month. The biggest and only real concern are the guard dogs as you will encounter them nearly everyday. They are incredibly annoying however most are harmless, however every now and again there would be a particularly evil one that would take it a little too far. If you're scared of dogs, then this probably isn't the hike for you.
What Are The People Like?
Jordan is the first country I've travelled to where I have liked almost every single person I spoke to. I have never been so warmly welcomed into people's homes with no expectation for anything in return. I lost count of the free food, lifts, water, tea and accommodation I received and it actually took a long time to pass through the many villages as everybody wants to speak with you. I once went for tea at two neighbouring houses one after another as they insistent I rested.
What Will I See?
Jordan is a beautiful country filled with amazing people and you will be gifted with countless experiences and memories. Along the way you will pass through villages, wadi's, farm lands, forests and olive groves. More specifically, you will visit the ancient city of Petra and if you plan it right, could be the very first person to arrive at the Monastery. I had the place to myself for over an hour before tourists and workers began to appear.
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Another well known destination is the Mars like area of Wadi Rum, which you have probably seen in the movie The Martian. The red sands and massive limestone rocks are a sight you won't ever forget. After this you will arrive at the Red Sea, where Moses parted the water and led his people to the promised land.
What Language Do They Speak?
The national language of Jordan is Arabic, however many people will speak a little english, especially in the larger populated areas and tourist zones. A good tip is to learn a few basic Arabic phrases before you arrive as it's good manners to be able to say thank you and also the people would always have a big smile if you could say hello to them in Arabic. I actually quite enjoyed the greeting interactions and shaking hands. Here a few words and phrases I found useful:
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Hello (Peace be upon you) - es-sa-lam aah-lay-koom
Hello (Response) - aah-lay-koom es-sa-lam
(Notice how the response is the same but in a slightly different order)
How are you (Say straight after response for extra smiles) - Kayf-hal-ak
Goodbye - Maah-sa-lam
Thank you - Shuk-ran
My name is - Is-mee
Shop - Matjar
Water - Ma'an
Food - Taeam
How Do I Navigate Across An Entire Country?
The answer is simple, GPS. We are blessed to live in modern times where the GPS exists as it's makes navigating your way through the remotest of places easy. As long as you have fresh batteries and an open view of the sky then you're good to go. Only on a couple of occasions when deep in a wadi would the GPS fail, however here the route normally just continued down the valley. That being said, remain diligent and regularly check your GPS as the trail had a tendency to randomly change direction and follow a path that could easy be missed.
How Much Will It Cost?
The Jordan Trail is of course free however if you would like to hire a guide for a day then it will cost you around 50JD. Other than this the trail could be very cheap if you avoid hotels and only stay in them when necessary such is in larger towns like Karak. Note that while the Jordanians are lovely people, they don't half try to rip you off. Once you know the price for something then it becomes easier as everything can be bargained down. Be suspicious of whole numbers and don't be afraid to call them out and ask how they worked it. Also, places like Wadi Musa which is the tourist town outside of Petra are really expensive, even bags of nuts in the supermarket were over double the cost. Below i've listed the average price for certain things:
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Taxi from Amman to Um Qais: 40-50JD
Private room in a hotel: 25-30JD
Shared room in a hostel: 10-15JD
Turkish coffee: 0.5JD
Water 1.5litre: 0.25JD
Tin of Tuna: 0.75JD
Jordanian snacks: 0.10JD
Falafel: 0.50JD
Small hummus: 0.25JD
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