Dana to Petra Trek + Wadi Rum & the Dead Sea – 9 Days

The best part of this nine-day Jordan adventure is the way it reaches Petra on foot. You walk from Dana Nature Reserve through remote canyons and sandstone mountains, sleep in wilderness camps, then enter Petra by a lesser-used Nabataean route rather than joining the main crowd at the Siq.

I like the careful mix of effort and reward: three demanding hiking days lead to Little Petra and the Monastery, while included meals, tents, luggage transfers, and local support keep the logistics manageable. I also like the finish, with a Wadi Rum jeep trip followed by time to float in the Dead Sea.

The main catch is simple: this is a serious trek, not a sightseeing holiday with a few gentle walks. Daily distances reach 17 kilometers, with steep ascents and descents, basic wilderness camping, and a strong fitness requirement.

Key points to know before booking

• A real Dana to Petra trek: Expect four active days on Bedouin paths, with long sections away from roads and towns.
• Petra by the back route: The approach brings you to the Monastery first, avoiding much of the usual entrance traffic.
• Small groups matter: A maximum of 14 people makes it easier for the guide to manage different hiking speeds and needs.
• Support on the hardest section: A local hiking guide and donkey accompany the group during days 2 through 4 for safety measures.
• More than a walking tour: The package adds Little Petra, Wadi Rum, Amman, and the Dead Sea.
• Good value for an active holiday: At $1,595 per person, the price covers eight nights, most meals, guiding, transport, and luggage transfers, but not airfare, insurance, the Jordan Pass, tips, or hiking gear.

Why this route feels different from a standard Jordan tour

Most first visits to Jordan revolve around driving between famous sites. This trip slows things down. You spend several days crossing the country’s southern mountains under your own power, with time to notice the changes in rock, vegetation, villages, and desert light.

Dana Nature Reserve is a strong starting point because it contains several ecological zones. On the opening hike, you begin above Dana Valley, then descend toward Al Khashasha Valley. The route gives you broad views early, followed by a wilder section as you move toward the Mansoura camp.

This is not a polished walking park with frequent cafés and signs. The route follows Bedouin tracks and shepherd paths, some of which can be rough or narrow. That remoteness is the appeal, but it also means you should be ready for sun, dust, uneven footing, and limited comfort.

The group limit of 14 is useful here. A guide can keep people together on less obvious trails and offer more personal help than a large coach group could. Past departures have been led by guides such as Motaz Zghoul and Mutaz Jarrar, both praised for attentive support, humor, trail knowledge, and an ability to create a friendly group atmosphere. Your guide is assigned by departure, so treat those names as examples rather than a guarantee.

Day 1 in Amman: An easy start in Al Balad

The first day is deliberately light. You arrive in Amman, settle into a hotel in the downtown Al Balad area, and have time to eat Jordanian food or explore on your own, depending on your flight schedule.

Amman is an old city with a modern pulse, and the downtown setting gives you a useful first taste of Jordan before the hiking begins. This is also a practical night for checking your footwear, repacking your day bag, and making sure water, sun protection, and warm layers are easy to reach.

There is no airport transfer included, so you need to arrange your own way to the starting hotel. Plan your arrival with care. The group leaves early the next morning, with pickup listed at about 7:00 or 7:30 a.m. after breakfast.

Days 2 and 3: Dana’s high ridges and the first camps

After a roughly two-and-a-half-hour drive from Amman, the walking starts in Dana Nature Reserve. Day 2 covers about 15 kilometers, with five to seven hours on foot. You descend about 690 meters after an initial ascent of 260 meters, moving from mountain views toward Al Khashasha Valley and the Mansoura wilderness camp.

That amount of downhill walking can be just as tiring as climbing. Take care with your knees, especially if you have spent little time on rocky descents. The group’s luggage is transferred by pickup truck, so you carry only what you need for the day.

Day 3 begins early and turns uphill. The route to Furon covers about 16 kilometers, with 563 meters of ascent and 170 meters of descent. The reward comes after the climb, when views open toward the Sharah Mountains and the wide Wadi Araba Desert.

Camping at Furon puts you in a good position to enjoy the setting rather than rush through it. A cup of tea and dinner at camp become part of the experience, not just service stops between attractions. Still, remember that wilderness camping is basic. The information provided does not promise hotel-style facilities, so pack with outdoor comfort in mind.

The local hiking guide and donkey are included on days 2 through 4 as a safety measure. That support is especially valuable on a route where the group may be far from easy road access. It does not turn the walk into an easy outing, but it gives you an extra layer of help if the terrain or fatigue becomes a problem.

Day 4: The toughest stretch toward Ghbour Whedat

Day 4 is the most demanding day on paper. The route covers about 17.1 kilometers, with 750 meters of ascent and 920 meters of descent. You travel past Ras Al-Feid and toward Ghbour Whedat on smaller Bedouin shepherd paths.

This is the section for which good physical preparation matters most. You contour the Sharah Mountains, pass black, rugged peaks, and walk above steep canyon drops. Later, the rock softens and mushroom-shaped formations appear near camp, giving the day a pleasing change of texture.

The figures tell you more than the word trek. You will climb and descend for much of the day, and the footing may require steady attention. A strong fitness level is required, and I would not choose this trip if you are uncomfortable walking for five to seven hours over uneven ground.

The payoff is solitude. Roads, buildings, and regular services are largely absent, so the route feels far removed from the main tourist circuit. Your guide’s pacing and judgment matter here. The repeated praise for guides such as Motaz Zghoul and Mutaz Jarrar centers on practical care, including checking on the group and helping people manage the day at their own pace.

Day 5: Little Petra and signs of Nabataean life

After the remote mountain sections, Day 5 brings more signs of human activity. You pass Bedouin camps, sheep pens, small agricultural plots, and older water systems. Wine and olive presses, aqueducts, and other Nabataean remains help explain how people once used this dry region.

The walk leads toward Al-Beidha and Little Petra, also called Siq al-Barid, or the Cold Canyon. The approach includes a canyon of soft sandstone and a narrow, steep flight of stairs before you reach the archaeological site.

Little Petra is smaller than Petra, but that is part of its strength. It is easier to appreciate the carved spaces and the practical role of the site without the same scale and crowds associated with the main city. Archaeologists believe it served as a suburb or support settlement for Petra, though the exact use of parts of the site remains a subject of study.

This day is more than a preview of Petra. It connects the trail with the people who lived here, managed water, pressed crops, and built routes through difficult country. You also get a psychological lift after the hardest remote walking, since the route begins to feel more connected to settled life.

Day 6: Entering Petra through the Back Door

The Petra approach is the trip’s signature moment. Instead of beginning at the standard entrance, you walk down Wadi Ghurab between sandstone mountains and follow an old Nabataean route around the final mountain.

A natural rock terrace has been improved in places for walkers, but this is still a mountain route. It narrows before reaching a high plateau above Wadi Siyyagh. From there, the Monastery suddenly appears in the cliff face.

That first sight is powerful because it comes after hours of walking through open country, not after a short ride and a busy entrance queue. A Bedouin café near the Monastery offers a place for refreshments if you want a break. Nabataean steps then lead you farther into Petra.

The back route does not remove all effort. You still need to handle steps, exposure, and a long walking day. The reward is the sense that you have approached Petra as an old route user might have, through the mountains rather than through the most familiar gate.

The schedule lists Day 6 as an included Petra visit, but the admission treatment in the trip details is not entirely clear. The Jordan Pass, visa, and entrance fees are specifically excluded, so confirm exactly how your Petra entry is handled before departure.

Day 7: From Petra’s stone to Wadi Rum’s open desert

After breakfast, the group leaves the Petra area for Wadi Rum. The change is dramatic. Petra’s carved sandstone corridors give way to broad desert valleys, narrow gorges, rock bridges, dunes, and ancient inscriptions.

A Bedouin-hosted 4×4 jeep safari provides the main transport in the desert. You can hike, scramble, and explore at your own pace during stops, rather than sitting in the vehicle all day. The schedule allows about five hours for the Wadi Rum portion, followed by sunset, dinner, tea, and an overnight stay at a Bedouin camp.

This is a smart addition to the trek. Wadi Rum gives your legs a different kind of day after several long mountain walks, while still keeping you outdoors. You should not expect another full hiking day, but you will have chances to climb and walk around at selected points.

The camp also changes the mood of the trip. Instead of a wilderness tent pitched along the trail, you spend the night with Bedouin hosts and share a meal in a setting built around desert hospitality. Accommodation remains simple, and the details of the camp can vary, so bring patience and an open mind.

Day 8: The Dead Sea as a useful recovery stop

The final full day moves from the desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. You can float in the salty water, apply Dead Sea mud, use the pool, or choose spa treatments.

After the trekking days, this stop is not just decorative. It gives you a chance to rest before returning to Amman in the late afternoon. The mineral-rich water is unusually buoyant, so floating takes little effort, although you should follow the site’s safety instructions and avoid getting salt water in your eyes.

The Dead Sea visit is also a practical contrast to the mountain camps. You move from basic outdoor nights to a more comfortable setting with leisure facilities. Spa treatments are optional and not listed as included, so budget separately if you want one.

You return to a hotel in Amman that evening. Since the following day is departure day, this arrangement is helpful for anyone with a flight from Amman, but you should still check the timing carefully.

What the $1,595 price really covers

At $1,595 per person, this trip sits in the active guided holiday category rather than the budget backpacking category. The value comes from the number of moving parts handled for you.

Included are eight nights of accommodation, an English-speaking licensed guide on days 2 through 8, transportation, luggage transfers, eight breakfasts, six dinners, and seven lunches. The local hiking guide with a donkey on the first three trekking days is another useful inclusion.

You are paying for more than trail access. Transfers link Amman, Dana, Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea. Pickup-truck luggage transport means you do not need to carry all your belongings over the mountains. Meals at camps also reduce the need to find food in remote areas.

The exclusions matter. Airfare, travel insurance, hiking gear, tips, personal expenses, airport transfers, and the Jordan Pass are not included. The Jordan Pass covers visa and attraction arrangements in certain circumstances, so check the current requirements for your nationality and travel plans before booking.

For me, the price makes sense if you want a guided route with support and do not want to arrange camps, drivers, meals, and luggage movement yourself. It is less compelling if you prefer independent hiking, already have camping equipment, or want more time in Amman and Petra.

Who should book this trek?

You should consider it if you enjoy long walking days, changing scenery, simple camps, and a small social group. It suits hikers who want Petra as the goal rather than just a short stop on a bus tour.

It can also work well for solo hikers. The group size is limited to 14, and the trip structure gives you company without the scale of a large coach party. Several past departures included solo participants, and the guide’s role includes keeping the group together while allowing people to move at a reasonable pace.

I would be cautious if you have a weak fitness base, dislike steep descents, or need guaranteed hotel comfort every night. You should also think twice if your main interest is archaeology. Petra and Little Petra are important parts of the route, but most of the trip is spent walking through open country.

The best preparation is straightforward: train with long walks, include hills and descents, break in your hiking shoes, and pack for both hot sun and cooler nights. The tour includes luggage transfers, but you still need a day pack with water, snacks, sun protection, and any personal essentials.

Booking details and cancellation terms

The tour starts and ends in Amman, with the first active pickup early in the morning. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours, subject to availability, and the maximum group size is 14.

You can receive a full refund if you cancel at least six full days before the start time. Cancellations two to six full days ahead receive a 50 percent refund, while cancellations less than two full days ahead are nonrefundable. Poor weather or failure to reach the minimum group size can lead to a different date or a full refund.

Should you book Dana to Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea?

Book this tour if you want Jordan’s famous sights connected by a genuine walking route. The Dana to Petra section is the heart of the experience, with remote camps, Bedouin trails, Little Petra, and a memorable arrival at the Monastery.

The combination is also well judged. Wadi Rum adds desert drama without another long mountain day, and the Dead Sea gives you a needed rest before departure. Guides such as Motaz Zghoul and Mutaz Jarrar have earned strong praise for care, humor, organization, and trail support, though the assigned guide can vary.

Skip it if you want a relaxed holiday, dislike basic camping, or are not ready for 15 to 17 kilometer hiking days with major elevation changes. For fit hikers who value scenery, local support, and a less conventional approach to Petra, this is a strong way to see southern Jordan.

FAQ

How long is the Dana to Petra, Wadi Rum, and Dead Sea tour?

The experience lasts approximately nine days, including arrival and departure time in Amman.

Where does the tour start and finish?

The tour starts in Amman, Jordan, and ends back at the Amman meeting point.

What time does the tour start?

The listed start time is 7:00 a.m. Pickup after breakfast on the first hiking day is described as approximately 7:30 a.m.

How difficult is the hiking?

You need a strong physical fitness level. Hiking days cover about 15, 16, and 17.1 kilometers, with substantial ascents and descents over rough mountain and desert paths.

How large is the group?

The maximum group size is 14 people.

Is accommodation included?

Yes. Eight nights of accommodation are included, with hotel stays in Amman, wilderness camping during the trek, a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, and the other accommodation specified for the route.

Are meals included?

Yes. The package includes eight breakfasts, six dinners, and seven lunches.

Is luggage transport provided?

Yes. Luggage transfers by pickup truck are included, so you do not need to carry all your belongings during the mountain trek.

Are the Jordan Pass and entrance fees included?

No. The Jordan Pass, visa, and entrance fees are excluded. Airfare, airport transfers, travel insurance, tips, personal expenses, and hiking gear are also not included.