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

Jordan rewards people who are willing to walk for it. This nine-day trip links Dana Nature Reserve, Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea in one well-planned route, with most of the memorable moments happening far from the main roads. You hike on mountain paths and old Bedouin trails, sleep in wilderness camps, and reach Petra through its quieter back door.

I especially like the gradual change in scenery, from high mountain valleys to bare desert and soft sandstone. I also like the small-group setup, with a maximum of 14 people, luggage transfers, meals, local support, and an English-speaking guide included. The main catch is simple: this is a serious hiking trip, not a sightseeing holiday with a few gentle walks. The daily distances, heat, rough paths, and steep climbs require good fitness.

The guiding is one of the strongest parts of the experience. Guides such as Motaz Zghoul and Mutaz Jarrar are repeatedly praised for being attentive, good-humored, organized, and careful with different hiking speeds. That matters here, since the trail is remote and several days run for five to seven hours.

What makes this Jordan trek special

• Dana to Petra on foot: Four days of hiking connect the Dana Nature Reserve with Little Petra and Petra by way of remote valleys and Bedouin paths.
• Petra through the Back Door: You approach the Monastery from a quieter route rather than beginning with the usual crowded entrance.
• Three very different nights outdoors: Wilderness camps in Mansoura, Furon, and Ghbour Whedat give the trek a rugged feel before the Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum.
• Support without carrying everything: A pickup truck transfers luggage, while a local hiking guide and donkey support the first three hiking days for safety.
• A useful finish at the Dead Sea: Floating in mineral-rich water and resting by a pool gives tired legs a welcome break before returning to Amman.
• A full package for $1,595: Eight nights, transport, most meals, guides, camping, and the main activities are included, though the Jordan Pass, flights, tips, insurance, and airport transfers cost extra.

Amman arrival: A soft start before the walking begins

The trip opens in downtown Amman, known locally as Al Balad. Your first day is intentionally light. You check into your hotel, eat Jordanian food, and, depending on your arrival time, have a chance to look around on your own.

That breathing room is useful. You are not rushed straight from the airport into a long hike, and you can settle into the country before the early start the next morning. Amman has ancient roots but functions as a modern capital, so this first night gives you a quick look at both sides of Jordan.

Airport pickup is not included, so you need to arrange your own transfer to the meeting point. The trip begins early on Day 2, with pickup listed around 7:00 to 7:30 a.m. Plan your arrival with enough time to sleep and be ready.

Day 2: Dana Nature Reserve to Mansoura

The drive from Amman to the trailhead takes about two and a half hours. That ride is practical rather than scenic entertainment, but it gives you time to meet the group before the walking starts.

Dana Biosphere Reserve contains four ecological zones, which helps explain the quick changes in plant and animal life as you move through it. The opening hike follows mountain paths above Dana Valley before descending into Al Khashasha Valley.

The numbers tell you what the day feels like: about 15 kilometers, five to seven hours, 260 meters of ascent, and 690 meters of descent. The descent is the key point. Downhill walking can be harder on knees and feet than a steady climb, especially on uneven ground.

You spend the night at a wilderness campsite near Mansoura. This is not a polished hotel night, and that is the point. You get a direct sense of the remote setting, with meals and tented accommodation arranged for you. A local hiking guide and donkey are included on this section for safety support, while your larger luggage is transferred separately.

Day 3: A harder climb to Furon

Day 3 begins early from the campsite. The route climbs through the mountains for about an hour before opening to views of the Sharah Mountains and the broad Wadi Araba Desert.

This is another five-to-seven-hour day, covering around 16 kilometers. The elevation profile is more demanding than Day 2, with 563 meters of ascent and 170 meters of descent. You should expect a real mountain hike, not a casual walk between viewpoints.

The reward is the setting around Furon. You reach camp with wide desert views and time to sit with tea before dinner. That simple pause is part of the appeal of this route. The schedule leaves room for the day to be about walking, eating, resting, and watching the scenery change rather than racing between attractions.

Bring a daypack with water, sun protection, snacks, and anything you need during the day. Your larger bags are moved by pickup truck, but you still carry your personal hiking kit.

Day 4: Ras Al-Feid, Ghbour Whedat, and the wildest trail

This is likely the most demanding and dramatic hiking day. The route passes Ras Al-Feid and continues toward Ghbour Whedat along smaller Bedouin shepherd paths.

The figures are substantial: 17.1 kilometers, 750 meters of ascent, and 920 meters of descent. The route contours the Sharah Mountains, with dark, rugged peaks above and steep canyon drops below. As the trail climbs, views spread across the dry country below.

The scenery then changes again near camp, becoming softer and more sculptural, with mushroom-shaped rock formations along the route. You camp at Ghbour Whedat after a long day in a remote part of Jordan.

This is where fitness makes a real difference. The mileage is not extreme for a trained hiker, but the combination of elevation change, rough paths, heat, and several consecutive days on foot can wear you down. The local guide and donkey support are reassuring, but they do not turn the route into an easy walk.

Day 5: From remote valleys to Little Petra

After the solitude of the previous day, signs of daily life begin to appear. You pass Bedouin camps, sheep pens, small agricultural plots, and early Nabataean remains.

The ancient remains include wine and olive presses, aqueducts, and other water systems. These details are especially valuable because they show how people used this dry region, rather than presenting the past as only a collection of carved facades.

The route eventually reaches a canyon lined with soft sandstone. You then descend a narrow, steep staircase into Little Petra, also called Siq al-Barid, or the Cold Canyon. Archaeologists believe it functioned as a settlement or suburb connected with Petra, though the precise purpose is not completely simple.

Little Petra is a fine introduction to the larger site. It has carved sandstone spaces and a strong sense of place, but the approach by foot makes it feel like part of the route rather than a quick roadside stop. The schedule lists this as another roughly full activity day, so you should not expect a lazy arrival followed by hours of hotel rest.

Day 6: Entering Petra by the Back Door

This is the trip’s signature day. After breakfast, you leave Little Petra and enter Petra through a route known as the Back Door.

The trail descends through Wadi Ghurab between sandstone mountains. It follows an old Nabataean route around the final mountain, using a natural rock terrace that has been improved in places for walking safety. Even with those improvements, the route narrows before reaching a high plateau above Wadi Siyyagh.

Then the Monastery appears in the cliff face. The arrival is powerful because you approach it from above and away from the standard entry route. A Bedouin café near the Monastery offers a place to stop for refreshments if you choose.

From there, Nabataean steps lead onward through Petra. The supplied schedule is truncated after this point, so exact walking details are not provided, but you should expect a full day on foot and a substantial visit to the archaeological site.

The biggest benefit is not simply avoiding crowds. It is the sense of arriving at Petra as a destination at the end of a long route. You have already crossed mountains, valleys, and desert paths before the carved stone comes into view.

The tradeoff is that Petra is still a demanding site to visit. Even after four days of trekking, you will be walking on uneven ground and stairs. Good footwear is essential.

Day 7: A jeep safari and Bedouin night in Wadi Rum

After breakfast, the walking portion gives way to a desert excursion. You travel to Wadi Rum, meet Bedouin hosts, and set out by 4×4 jeep.

The safari includes valleys, narrow gorges, ancient rock inscriptions, sand dunes, and rock bridges. You can hike, scramble, and explore at your own pace during stops. This makes the day less rigid than the trekking days and gives your legs a change of work.

Sunset is the main event before returning to camp for dinner and an evening of Bedouin hospitality. You spend the night under the stars at a desert camp, with tea appearing often.

Wadi Rum is not just a bonus activity tacked onto a Petra trek. It changes the rhythm of the trip. After several days of measured walking, you get a broad desert setting, a jeep ride, and a more social evening around camp.

Day 8: Floating at the Dead Sea before returning to Amman

The Dead Sea is a practical final stop. Its salty water lets you float with very little effort, and the mineral mud is available for a traditional skin treatment. You can also rest by the pool or choose spa treatments.

After the hard hiking days, this is a sensible way to finish. Still, do not treat the Dead Sea as a guaranteed cure for sore muscles. It is a relaxing stop, but the day is not a full resort holiday. In the late afternoon, the bus returns you to Amman by the long road up from the lowest point on earth.

You spend the final night at a hotel in Amman. This is useful if your flight leaves the next day, since you are not trying to reach the airport directly from the desert.

What the $1,595 price includes

At $1,595 per person, the price is strong for a nine-day trip with this much transport and support. You receive eight nights of accommodation, transport according to the itinerary, an English-speaking licensed guide on Days 2 through 8, luggage transfers, and the local hiking support on Days 2 through 4.

Meals are also a major part of the value:

• Eight breakfasts
• Seven lunches
• Six dinners

The package includes wilderness camping, a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, hotels in Amman, and the Dead Sea visit. For a route that moves across much of Jordan, arranging all of those pieces independently could be a hassle.

You still need to budget for the Jordan Pass, listed as the Jordan Wanderer option, including visa and entrance fees. Flights, airport transfers, insurance, tips, personal expenses, and hiking gear are also excluded.

Ask about the exact Jordan Pass and entrance arrangements before departure. Petra admission and other site fees can make a noticeable difference to your total cost.

Group size, guides, and the practical side

The group limit is 14 hikers. That is small enough for the guide to keep an eye on the group, while still giving you a chance to meet people from different backgrounds.

The most praised guides include Motaz Zghoul and Mutaz Jarrar. Their strengths are practical: keeping the group together, helping people at different speeds, sharing information about the places you pass, and creating a relaxed mood when the day gets long. Motaz is also praised for humor and care, while Mutaz is described as attentive and dependable.

The trip works well for solo hikers, including solo women who want company without joining a huge bus tour. The guide-led format also helps if this is your first multi-day trek. Still, no guide can remove the physical demands, so be honest about your fitness.

The departure time is early, and weather can affect the schedule. The operator may cancel for poor conditions or if too few people book, with a different date or full refund offered in those cases. Standard cancellation terms allow a full refund if you cancel at least six full days before the start, with smaller or no refunds closer to departure.

Who should book this trip?

You should consider it if you want Jordan as an active journey rather than a string of coach stops. It is especially well suited to hikers who value remote routes, simple camping, local guiding, and the satisfaction of reaching Petra on foot.

It is less suitable if you want daily hotel comfort, flexible mornings, or long periods of free time. The itinerary is tightly arranged, and the first four hiking days are the heart of the trip, not an optional add-on.

My verdict: A strong choice for fit hikers

I would recommend this tour to anyone who wants to connect Jordan’s major sights through walking. Dana to Petra is the real prize, while Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea provide two very different ways to recover and keep exploring.

Book it if you can handle 15 to 17 kilometer hiking days, steep climbs and descents, wilderness camping, and early starts. If that sounds appealing, the combination of remote scenery, thoughtful support, Petra’s Back Door, and a small group makes $1,595 a fair price for a substantial Jordan adventure.

FAQ

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

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

Where does the tour start and finish?

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

How many people can join the group?

The maximum group size is 14 trekkers.

How fit do I need to be?

You should have a strong physical fitness level. Hiking days cover about 15 to 17.1 kilometers, with significant climbs and descents on several sections.

Are meals included?

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

Is accommodation included?

Yes. The package includes eight nights, with hotels in Amman, wilderness camps during the Dana to Petra trek, and a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum.

Are the Jordan Pass and airport transfers included?

No. The Jordan Pass, visa and entrance fees, airport pickup and drop-off, airfare, insurance, tips, personal expenses, and hiking gear are not included.