Petra to Wadi Rum
Petra to Wadi Rum
Connecting the two legendary sites of Petra and Wadi Rum is a week-long trek across one of the longest stretches of wilderness on the Jordan Trail. Here in the empty but striking desert, with its dramatic rock formations, stargazing and peace are found at their best. Starting with deep, rugged wadis and moving into open, sandy plains, this section of the trail takes you deep into the places where humans seldom go. Finishing at Wadi Rum village offers a taste of Bedouin life after the remoteness of this section.
Total Length: 125.4 KM
Days: 6 Hiking days
Main sites in the region:
- Petra
- Jabal Haroun (mountaintop burial place of Aaron, off-route)
- Humeima, ancient and Umayyad ruins
- Sandstone mountain “islands” in a sea of sand
- Wadi Rum, Jabal Rum, and Jabal Um Ishrin
Wadi Rum to Aqaba
Wadi Rum to Aqaba
Leaving Wadi Rum village behind you, the trail passes beneath the towering cliffs of Jabal Rum and Jabal Um Ishrin through the iconic landscape of Wadi Rum – vast, echoing and godlike wrote T.E. Lawrence. Continuing through the magnificent desert landscape, the trail passes the cliffs of Jabal Khazali, Jabal Qattar and weaves between the unique and colorful backdrops of Wadi Rum’s sandstone desert mountains. The trail here follows old shepherd paths, winding its way west across desert wadis and over granite mountains striated with basalt dyke intrusions. At the last pass, the first view of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba, beyond which lie the mountains of Sinai. The final destination is the warm waters of the Red Sea and the port of Aqaba.
Total Length: 75.9 KM
Days: 5 Hiking days
Main sites in the region:
- Wadi Rum (World Heritage site)
- Wadi Rum Bedouin village
- Lawrence’s Spring (Ain Shellaleh) and the Nabataean Temple
- Dramatic desert scenery – sandstone domes and granite and basalt striated mountains,
changing color constantly throughout the day
- Bedouin encampments
- Village of Titen
- Aqaba (Red Sea)
