JORDAN TRAIL THRU-HIKE 2019 an EVER-CHANGING STORY #Thrujt
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JORDAN TRAIL THRU-HIKE 2019 AN EVER-CHANGING STORY #ThruJT Special Edition South to North Organized by: www.jordantrail.org The Jordan Trail unveils Jordan’s beauty and its varying manifestations along the eastern rim of Jordan’s Rift Valley. A transition between the Fertile Crescent in the north to the edge of the Arabian Desert and the Red Sea in the south makes for an ever-changing experience, showcasing Jordan at its most authentic. Join us on a mesmerizing journey and wander through the country’s hidden treasures, explore the heights and depths of its wonder, and delve into its rich history and heritage. A good hiker is always prepared. If you see these boots, stay calm; they’re there to tell you how difficult a section is. MODERATE DIFFICULT CHALLENGING Days: 5 hiking days and 5 nights Length: 77 km Main sites in the region: ▷ Wadi Rum (World Heritage site) ▷ Lawrence’s Spring (Ain Shellaleh) and the Nabataean Temple ▷ Wadi Rum Bedouin village ▷ Dramatic desert scenery – sandstone domes and granite and basalt ▷ Bedouin encampments striated mountains, changing color constantly throughout the day ▷ Village of Titen ▷ Aqaba (Red Sea) DAY 1: RED SEA TO WADI SHREIH DAY 2: WADI SHREIH TO TITEN DAY 3: TITEN TO AL-QIDR Date: Friday, March 1 Date: Saturday, March 2 Date: Sunday, March 3 Distance: 14 km Distance: 17 km Distance: 15 km Overnight: Wild Camp Overnight: Wild Camp Overnight: Wild Camp Difficulty level: Difficulty level: Difficulty level: DAY 4: AL-QIDR TO RUM VILLAGE DAY 5: RUM VILLAGE TO Date: Monday, March 4 SHAKRIYA Distance: 14 km Date: Tuesday, March 5 REGION 8: RED SEA TO WADI RUM Overnight: Wild Camp Distance: 17 km Leaving the warm waters of the Red Sea and the port of Aqaba weaves between the unique and colorful backdrops of Wadi Rum’s Difficulty level: Overnight: Wild Camp 1500 behind, you reach the first pass and the last view of the Red Sea sandstone desert mountains. Before arriving at Wadi Rum village, Difficulty level: ) m and the Gulf of Aqaba, beyond which lie the mountains of Sinai. The the trail passes beneath the towering cliffs of Jabal Um Ishrin ( 800 trail here follows old shepherd paths, winding its way east across and Jabal Rum through the iconic landscape of Wadi Rum – vast, evation l E desert wadis and over granite mountains striated with basalt dyke echoing and godlike wrote T.E. Lawrence. Finishing at Wadi Rum 0 intrusions. Continuing through the magnificent desert landscape, village offers a taste of Bedouin life and hospitality. Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 the trail passes the cliffs of Jabal Qattar and Jabal Khazali and -500 Break days are for thru-hikers only 0.0 14 31 46 60 77 Distance may vary depending on weather conditions and camping sites Distance (km) Days: 8 days and 7 nights (7 hiking days + 1 break day for thru-hikers only) Length: 129 km Main sites in the region: ▷ Petra ▷ Sandstone mountain “islands” in a sea of sand ▷ Jabal Haroun (mountaintop burial place of Aaron, off-route) ▷ Wadi Rum, Jabal Rum, and Jabal Um Ishrin ▷ Humeima, ancient and Umayyad ruins DAY 6: SHAKRIYA TO JABAL KHARAZAH DAY 7: JABAL KHARAZAH TO ABBASIYA DAY 8: ABBASIYA TO WADI AHAIMER Date: Wednesday, March 6 Date: Thursday, March 7 Date: Friday, March 8 Distance: 16 km Distance: 22 km Distance: 24 km Overnight: Wild Camp Overnight: Wild Camp Overnight: Wild Camp Difficulty level: Difficulty level: Difficulty level: DAY 9: WADI AHAIMER TO WADI GSEIB DAY 10: WADI GSEIB TO WADI AL SAIF DAY 11: WADI AL SAIF TO GAA' MRIEBED Date: Saturday, March 9 Date: Sunday, March 10 Date: Monday, March 11 Distance: 16 km Distance: 13 km Distance: 15 km Overnight: Wild Camp Overnight: Wild Camp Overnight: Wild Camp Difficulty level: Difficulty level: Difficulty level: REGION 7: WADI RUM TO PETRA Connecting the two legendary sites of Wadi Rum and Petra is a week-long trek across one of the DAY 12: GAA' MRIEBED TO PETRA DAY 13 (BREAK DAY): PETRA 1500 longest stretches of wilderness on the Jordan Trail. Here in the empty but striking desert, with its Date: Tuesday, March 12 Date: Wednesday, March 13 ) m dramatic rock formations, stargazing and peace are found at their best. Starting with open, sandy Distance: 23 km Overnight: Hotel ( 1000 on i plains and moving into deep, rugged wadis, this section of the trail takes you deep into the places Overnight: Hotel evat l E where humans seldom go. This section’s most dramatic and memorable aspect is the arrival at Difficulty level: 500 the Nabatean masterpiece, Petra. Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 0 Break days are for thru-hikers only 0.0 16 38 62 78 91 106 129 Distance may vary depending on weather conditions and camping sites Distance (km) Days: 5 days and 4 nights (4 hiking days + 1 break day for thru-hikers only) Length: 74 km Main sites in the region: ▷ Dana Biosphere Reserve ▷ Hidden stream and waterfall in Wadi Feid ▷ Feynan ruins and ancient copper mines ▷ Little Petra ▷ Feynan ecolodge ▷ Petra, Nabatean capital and wonder of the world DAY 14: PETRA TO LITTLE PETRA DAY 15: LITTLE PETRA TO DAY 16: RAS AL-FAYD TO FINAN RUINS Date: Thursday, March 14 RAS AL-FEID Date: Saturday, March 16 Distance: 16 km Date: Friday, March 15 Distance: 21 km Overnight: Wild Camp Distance: 21 km Overnight: Wild Camp Difficulty level: Overnight: Wild Camp Difficulty level: Difficulty level: DAY 17: FINAN RUINS TO DANA DAY 18 (BREAK DAY): DANA Date: Sunday, March 17 Date: Monday, March 18 Distance: 16 km Overnight: Hotel Overnight: Hotel REGION 6: PETRA TO DANA Difficulty level: A truly inspiring section of the Jordan Trail and named by National with new landscapes presenting themselves every few kilometers. 1500 Geographic as one of the 15 best hikes in the world. This section’s This region crosses several climate zones, diverse ecosystems, ) m most dramatic and memorable aspect is the departure at the hidden canyons, and dramatic labyrinths of hills and valleys ( 1000 on Nabatean masterpiece, Petra. A chance to leave the city through the displaying the full spectrum of the region’s geology. The trail climbs i evat l E ‘back door’ to walk in the footsteps of ancient traders. Few other the hilltop village of Dana from Wadi Feynan leaving behind the 0 trails can boast a site as spectacular as Petra. The scenery spans dramatic mountain plateaus of Wadi Araba. from majestic and epic mountaintops to peaceful, fertile farmlands Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 -500 Break days are for thru-hikers only 0.0 16 37 58 74 Distance may vary depending on weather conditions and camping sites Distance (km) Days: 5 hiking days and 5 nights Length: 87 km Main sites in the region: ▷ Karak Castle ▷ Wadi Hasa - Burbaita village ▷ Khirbet Ainun village ▷ Ma’tan and Buseira and Edomite ruins ▷ Tor al Taboun crags ▷ Dana Village and Dana Biosphere Reserve (entrance fee) DAY 19: DANA TO MA’TAN DAY 20: MA’TAN TO AIS DAY 21: AIS TO WADI HASA Date: Tuesday, March 19 Date: Wednesday, March 20 Date: Thursday, March 21 Distance: 16 km Distance: 15 km Distance: 23 km Overnight: Eco Lodge Overnight: Hotel Overnight: Camp/Wild Camp Difficulty level: Difficulty level: Difficulty level: DAY 22: WADI HASA TO DAY 23: WADI AL-MUGAIR TO KARAK WADI AL-MUGAIR Date: Saturday, March 23 Date: Friday, March 22 Distance: 20 km Distance: 13 km Overnight: Hotel REGION 5: DANA TO KARAK Overnight: Wild Camp Difficulty level: The trail starts with easier terrain as it passes over the next hill to the restored village of Dana, its hotels and campsite resting on Difficulty level: 1500 the rim of Wadi Dana at the edge of the Dana Biosphere Reserve, before moving on through the deep Wadi Labun. Passing by ) m Edomite ruins at Sela and Ma’tan, the landscape becomes a series of towering limestone cliffs and ridges before reaching a Dead ( 800 Sea canyon, Wadi Hasa.. Orchards and olive groves grow abundantly through fertile plains. The crusader landscape is manifested evation l E in this section, passing the abandoned village of Khirbet Ainun and the old crusader village of Shehabieh, until you reach the 0 imposing crusader castle of Karak, impressively situated to overlook the surrounding landscape. Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 -500 Break days are for thru-hikers only 0.0 16 31 54 76 87 Distance may vary depending on weather conditions and camping sites Distance (km) Days: 5 days and 4 nights (4 hiking days + 1 break day for thru-hikers only) Length: 79 km Main sites in the region: ▷ Wadi Zarqa Ma'in ▷ Ruins of Majdaline ▷ Wadi Hidan ▷ Karak Castle ▷ Wadi Mujib DAY 24: KARAK TO MAJDALEEN DAY 25: MAJDALEEN TO DAY 26: WADI MUJIB TO Date: Sunday, March 24 WADI MUJIB WADI HIDAN Distance: 23 km Date: Monday, March 25 Date: Tuesday, March 26 Overnight: Wild Camp Distance: 22 km Distance: 17 km Difficulty level: Overnight: Wild Camp Overnight: Wild Camp Difficulty level: Difficulty level: DAY 27: WADI HIDAN TO DAY 28 (BREAK DAY): DEAD SEA OR WADI ZARQA MA'IN MA’IN HOTEL Date: Wednesday, March 27 Date: Thursday, March 28 Distance: 17 km Overnight: Hotel REGION 4: KARAK TO 3 WADIS Overnight: Wild Camp Difficulty level: 1000 By this point on the trail you encounter some of the most spectacular Dead Sea ) m wadis. Leaving the majestic crusader castle of Karak into Wadi ez Zaiyatin.