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

The best part of this Jordan trip is the way it reaches Petra on foot, not by simply arriving at the main gate. You’ll cross quiet Bedouin paths from Dana Nature Reserve, camp in remote valleys, pass Little Petra, and approach the Monastery by the back route. I like that the ancient site becomes the finale of a real journey, rather than a quick photo stop.

I also like the small group, capped at 14 people, and the practical support: meals, luggage transfers, a local hiking guide, and a donkey for safety on the first three trekking days. Guides including Motaz Zghoul and Mutaz Jarrar are praised for their care, humor, and ability to keep a mixed group together. The main drawback is clear: this is a demanding trek, with up to 17.1 kilometers in a day, steep climbs, steep descents, and basic wilderness camping.

Key points to know before booking

• Dana to Petra takes four serious hiking days, with long sections on rough Bedouin shepherd trails.
• Petra’s Back Door leads you toward the Monastery, helping you avoid the busiest approach to the site.
• Little Petra is reached on foot, after passing Bedouin camps and old Nabataean water works.
• Wadi Rum adds a 4×4 desert safari, sunset, Bedouin dinner, and a night in camp.
• The Dead Sea is the recovery day, with time to float, use the mineral mud, relax by the pool, or book spa treatments.
• The $1,595 price includes eight nights, meals, guides, transport, and luggage transfers, but not the Jordan Pass, airfare, insurance, airport transfers, tips, or personal costs.

Four hiking days from Dana to Petra

This tour works because it gives Jordan a strong rhythm: city, mountains, desert, archaeology, then rest. Your first and final nights are in Amman, while the middle stretch carries you south through some of the country’s most striking terrain.

The hiking begins on Day 2, after a 7:30 a.m. pickup from your Amman hotel. The drive to Dana takes about two and a half hours. That early start matters, since the first walk lasts five to seven hours and covers 15 kilometers.

Dana Biosphere Reserve is a fitting starting point. It contains four ecological zones, so the route changes as you walk. You begin along mountain trails overlooking Dana Valley, then descend into Al Khashasha Valley. The first night is wilderness camping near Mansoura.

This opening day has 260 meters of ascent and 690 meters of descent. The descent is the point to take seriously. Downhill walking can be harder on tired knees than climbing, especially on uneven ground, so trekking poles and well-broken-in boots are sensible additions to your packing list.

Day 3 begins early and heads toward Furon. You climb for about an hour before the Sharah Mountains and the broad Wadi Araba Desert come into view. The route covers 16 kilometers, with 563 meters of ascent and 170 meters of descent.

This is a good example of why a guided trek is useful here. The route follows mountain paths rather than a simple marked park trail. A licensed English-speaking guide leads the group, while a local hiking guide and donkey provide support on the first three days. You get help with pace and direction without having to carry every item for the entire trip, since luggage moves separately by pickup truck.

The campsite at Al Furon gives you time to sit with the view before dinner. Do not expect a polished hotel evening. The pleasure is the quiet, the open sky, and the sense that the day’s walking has brought you somewhere far from town.

Day 4 is the toughest-looking day on paper. The route passes Ras Al-Feid and continues toward Ghbour Whedat through remote country. You follow smaller Bedouin shepherd paths around the Sharah Mountains, with black rock peaks, canyon drops, and broad views over the desert.

The numbers explain the effort: 17.1 kilometers, 750 meters of ascent, and 920 meters of descent. That is a full day with a lot of vertical change. The reward is variety. Rugged mountains gradually give way to softer forms, including unusual mushroom-shaped rock formations near the campsite.

This section is less about checking off sights and more about walking through a changing world. You may find the trail rough and exposed in places. The tour requires a strong physical fitness level, and that warning should guide your decision. You do not need to be an elite athlete, but you should be comfortable walking for several hours on uneven ground and handling repeated climbs and descents.

Little Petra arrives after the wilderness

Day 5 brings your first clear signs of daily life after several remote nights. You pass Bedouin camps, sheep pens, and small agricultural plots before reaching Al-Beidha, the area known for Little Petra.

The human details matter. They give context to the desert, which can otherwise feel empty from a distance. Along the way, you also see Nabataean remains, including wine and olive presses, aqueducts, and old water systems. These are not just isolated ruins. They show how people made farming, trade, and settlement work in a dry region.

The final approach is memorable. You climb through a canyon lined with soft sandstone, then descend a narrow, steep flight of steps into Little Petra. The site is also known as Siq al-Barid, or the Cold Canyon. Archaeologists believe it functioned as a suburb or trading stop connected with Petra.

Little Petra is smaller than its famous neighbor, but that is part of its appeal. You can focus on the carved spaces and the canyon setting without the scale and crowds of the main Petra complex. The supplied schedule does not state the exact walking distance or elevation for this day, so ask your guide for the day’s conditions and timing.

Accommodation changes from wilderness camps to a more settled arrangement around Little Petra, though the tour includes eight nights in total and pre-arranged tented accommodation on the trekking section. Meals are included, with eight breakfasts, seven lunches, and six dinners across the trip. You should still budget for drinks, snacks, and any personal purchases not covered by the program.

Enter Petra through the Back Door

Day 6 is the historical and emotional high point. After breakfast, you walk through Wadi Ghurab and approach Petra from the rear. Instead of beginning at the famous Siq and waiting for the Treasury to appear, you reach the Monastery side first.

The trail runs pleasantly downhill through sandstone mountains. It follows an old Nabataean route out of the valley, skirting a mountain along a natural rock terrace that has been improved for walking. The path narrows in places before reaching a high plateau above Wadi Siyyagh.

Then the Monastery comes into view, carved into the cliff. This is a superb way to meet Petra. The building appears suddenly, and the approach feels connected to the surrounding rock rather than separated from it by a busy entrance road.

A Bedouin café near the Monastery offers a place for refreshments if you want a pause. Nabataean steps then lead farther into Petra, although the supplied details do not specify the full walking distance or how long you spend inside the site. Your guide will shape the pace and explain the route.

There is a trade-off. The Back Door is quieter, but it is not effortless. You still walk on rough tracks and steps, and you may have to keep going after the first dramatic view. If you want an easy Petra visit with minimal walking, this is the wrong format. If you want Petra to feel like the end of a crossing, it is an excellent choice.

Wadi Rum brings wheels, sand, and Bedouin hospitality

After a relaxed breakfast on Day 7, the group leaves Petra for Wadi Rum. The change is welcome after four days on foot. You meet Bedouin hosts and set out by 4×4 jeep to explore valleys, narrow gorges, ancient rock inscriptions, sand dunes, and natural rock bridges.

The safari lasts about five hours. It is not only a drive-by sightseeing loop. You have chances to walk, scramble, and explore at your own pace. That flexibility gives the afternoon a different feel from the scheduled trekking days.

Sunset is the natural highlight. Afterward, you return to a Bedouin camp for dinner and an evening shaped by local hospitality, open desert, and tea. You spend the night under the stars, with the understanding that camp accommodation is part of the adventure, not a luxury resort.

Wadi Rum also provides a useful contrast with Dana. Dana is about sustained effort and changing altitude. Wadi Rum is broader and slower, with the jeep doing much of the distance while you stop to look closely at rock, sand, and inscriptions.

The Dead Sea is more than a final photo stop

Day 8 is designed as a recovery day. You leave Wadi Rum and travel to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. Time is set aside to float in the salty water, apply the mineral mud, relax by the pool, or arrange spa treatments.

This pause is valuable after the trek. Your legs may still be sore, and the Dead Sea gives you a chance to rest rather than rush straight into another major attraction. You should be careful around the water and follow the instructions at the bathing facility, since the salt can sting cuts and irritated skin.

In the late afternoon, the bus returns to Amman by a long, winding road. You spend the final night at a hotel in the capital. Day 9 has no scheduled sightseeing. It is the departure day, and the advice is to leave Amman at least four hours before your flight.

What the $1,595 price really covers

At $1,595 per person, this is not a budget walking holiday, but the price includes a lot of moving parts. You receive eight nights of accommodation, transport as described, an English-speaking licensed guide from Days 2 through 8, local trail support on Days 2 through 4, luggage transfers, and most meals.

That support has real value in Jordan’s backcountry. You do not need to organize vehicles between remote camps, arrange separate luggage transport, or solve the route each morning. The small group also keeps the experience personal without making it a private tour. The maximum is 14 people.

The cost does not include the Jordan Pass, listed as Jordan Wanderer, which covers visa and entrance fees. It also excludes airfare, airport transfers, travel insurance, tips, personal expenses, and hiking gear. Add those costs before comparing this trip with a self-guided plan.

The strongest value comes if you want one booking to combine a multi-day trek, Petra access, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, and Amman hotels. A self-organized trip might cost less in some areas, but arranging a remote Dana to Petra crossing takes time and careful planning. This price buys coordination as much as accommodation.

Guides and group atmosphere

The guide can shape this trip. Past departures have been led by Motaz Zghoul and Mutaz Jarrar, both praised for being attentive, entertaining, informed, and good at supporting people with different abilities. Dalia has also been singled out for support, while Shushan and Raisa Jorge have helped with pre-trip questions and custom planning.

Those details matter if you are joining alone. The group format gives you company during long walking days, while the guide helps keep the pace manageable. Solo women have found the organized group reassuring, and solo participants have appreciated having social time without having to arrange everything themselves.

Group travel is still group travel. You may walk with people who move faster or slower than you, and campsite routines are shared. The maximum of 14 keeps it from feeling like a large coach tour, but you should be ready to cooperate and accept some limits on personal timing.

Practical preparation for the trail

Bring sturdy hiking shoes, sun protection, a refillable water bottle, warm layers for camp, and a headlamp. The tour does not provide hiking gear, so you are responsible for arriving prepared.

Pack a smaller day bag for the walking hours and keep valuables with you. Your main luggage is transferred by pickup truck, which is convenient but means you should not depend on immediate access to every item.

The daily figures make the physical demand easy to underestimate. Day 2 covers 15 kilometers, Day 3 covers 16, and Day 4 covers 17.1, with substantial elevation change. The Back Door into Petra adds more walking and steps, even though the route is described as a pleasant descent in places.

Good weather is required. If conditions cancel the departure, you are offered another date or a full refund. The same applies if the minimum group size is not reached. For ordinary cancellations, a full refund requires at least six full days’ notice. A cancellation two to six days before departure receives a 50 percent refund, while cancellation less than two days before departure is nonrefundable.

Should you book this Dana to Petra adventure?

Book it if you want Jordan as an active journey rather than a string of sightseeing stops. You should be comfortable with long hiking days, basic tented camps, shared group travel, and early starts. In return, you get a rare approach to Petra, a close look at Dana’s remote valleys, Little Petra, Wadi Rum, and a well-timed Dead Sea rest.

I would be cautious if you have limited hiking experience, dislike uneven trails, or want comfortable hotels every night. The trip is well supported, but support does not remove the climbs, descents, heat, or camping.

For fit walkers who want scenery, archaeology, local trail knowledge, and a strong sense of progress, this is a very appealing way to see southern Jordan. The best reason to choose it is simple: Petra is not just the destination here. It is the reward at the end of the walk.

FAQ

How long is the Dana to Petra tour?

The tour lasts approximately nine days, including arrival and departure time. The active portion runs from Day 2 through Day 8.

How many people can join the group?

The group has a maximum of 14 participants.

What level of fitness is required?

A strong physical fitness level is required. The trek includes five to seven-hour hiking days, distances of 15 to 17.1 kilometers, steep ascents, steep descents, and rough Bedouin trails.

Are meals and accommodation included?

Yes. The tour includes eight nights of accommodation, eight breakfasts, seven lunches, and six dinners. Tented wilderness and Bedouin camp accommodation are included where scheduled.

Is airport transportation included?

No. Airport pickup and drop-off are not included. Transport during the scheduled tour is included as described.

Is the Jordan Pass included?

No. The Jordan Pass, listed as Jordan Wanderer and covering visa and entrance fees, is not included.