Simply as Spain has the Camino and america has the Appalachian Path, so too Jordan has the Jordan Path.
This epic long-distance path that threads its means by the nation’s most chic landscapes, and ultimately, additionally works as a journey into the nationwide soul.
Its very existence is exceptional. The Jordan Path is in part of the world sadly beset by battle: the place borders are shut and the land is split by concrete and checkpoints – the place roaming freely would possibly appear to be an impossibility underneath the surveillance of so many watchtowers. Jordan itself, nonetheless, endures as a pocket of peace. These vacationers who tread its best path earn a perspective on the Center East you’d by no means get simply by watching the information.
You will discover deep tranquillity in sandstone canyons silent however for the gurgle of springs. You would possibly take a noon nap within the shade of olive groves – or amble alongside Roman cobbles and beneath the ramparts of Crusader castles and really feel the traditional previous shut at hand. Climbing Jordan’s large open areas you get a valuable sense of liberty – on foot, you meet locals extra readily than any passenger aboard an air-conditioned coach.
There may be additionally an ethos behind this path. It was conceived 10 years in the past as a social enterprise the place communities assist accommodate and feed hikers alongside the way in which. A part of the enchantment is being guided by locals: stopping by Bedouin tents, pausing for cups of tea boiled on campfires. One other half is in sharing the trail with others – shepherds or nomads on the transfer – because it winds its means from the waves of the Pink Sea to the orchards alongside the Syrian border.
Step 1: Which half ought to I hike?
The Jordan Path is a critical enterprise – to hike its whole 675km (420 mile) extent it is best to enable round 40 days (identical to one other well-known wanderer of the Center Japanese desert). Sometimes the Jordan Path group runs guided “thru-hikes” for anybody seeking to full its size in a single go – examine the official web site to see if any are deliberate.
Many select to tackle shorter phases. If you happen to’re delicate to the warmth, the northernmost stretch is the best, working 80km (50 miles) from the colonnades of historic Gadara by shadowy forests of oak and pistacchio to succeed in the mediaeval fortress at Ajloun. For adventurers, the part parallel to the Useless Sea might be the craggiest, crossing the deep-gouged canyon of Wadi Mujib. The 80 km (50 miles) between the Dana Biosphere Reserve and Petra is likely one of the most dramatic and hottest components of the Jordan Path, with the trail burrowing by distant gorges earlier than approaching the traditional rock-hewn metropolis of the Nabateans.
What marks out the Jordan Path is the variety of landscapes and historic websites encountered alongside the way in which – on two toes you may watch world-famous websites, akin to Petra and Wadi Rum, slowly emerge from the warmth haze.
Step 2: When ought to I am going?
It’s sensible to keep away from the northern hemisphere summer time on the Jordan Path – furnace-like warmth means strolling in desert environments like Wadi Rum will be harmful. November to February is an effective time to embark on the southern finish of the path, whereas the window stretches just a little longer the additional north you go: March and April see wildflowers and blossoms brighten the rolling northern hills.
Step 3: Ought to I am going it alone, or go together with a information?
The Jordan Path comes with caveats. It’s, largely, not waymarked or signposted in any kind. For vital sections additionally it is distant from meals, lodging, assist and – most critically – water. Some simpler bits, such because the 13km-stretch (8 mile) from Little Petra to Petra will be tackled independently by assured hikers. For the remaining, going solo entails vital backcountry expertise, using expedition-level planning and navigating utilizing GPS recordsdata sourced from the Jordan Path web site. Be acutely aware that the route typically strays from touristic facilities – so fundamental Arabic is useful as English might not be spoken.
For most individuals, probably the most smart method to embark on a Jordan Path hike is to hitch one of many licensed tour operators at present working itineraries, or else to contact one of many registered guides – directories of each will be discovered on the official web site. In addition to blazing the path, guides ought to be capable to arrange meals and wild camps in distant spots (typically so simple as a barbeque dinner and a mattress pitched underneath the celebs). They’ll additionally be capable to advise on the extent of health required (for probably the most half, you’ll should be of a reasonable to excessive degree). It’s extremely probably they’ll be capable to unlock the tales of the land underfoot, offering perception in addition to firm over the numerous parched miles.
Step 4: What ought to I pack?
You’ll want the apparent necessities – sturdy boots and solar cream – plus heat layers for surprisingly chilly desert nights. Rainfall (and even snowfall) is just not unknown in winter in sure spots, so you might also want a water-resistant shell. Above all else you have to water – enable as a lot as 5L per individual per day for consuming, ideally stored in a big bladder. Bear in mind that this, mixed with water wanted for cooking, can generally make for a really heavy pack. By no means set out with out figuring out the place you may prime up your water provide.
Step 5: Security precautions
Jordan has been a secure and common vacation vacation spot for many years and – aside from a skinny strip alongside the Syrian border – there is no such thing as a a part of the nation to which entities just like the British Overseas Workplace or US Division of State at present advise in opposition to journey. A 2024 drone assault on US troops happened at a distant base near the Iraqi border – this location was removed from vacationer facilities and certainly removed from the Jordan Path. Crime ranges are low in Jordan, and locals are, as a rule, terribly pleasant and welcoming.
Take some security precautions on the path: be cautious of wadis that may rapidly grow to be harmful throughout flash floods, particularly in winter, and all the time carry a cellphone with the phone variety of Jordan’s Vacationer Police must you run into any bother (117777).
Above all, keep in mind this can be a path on which to overlook your worries, and benefit from the freedom of roaming throughout wadi and desert, forest and plain.
