The Jordan Trail is a long distance hiking trail in Jordan connecting the length of Jordan from Um Qais in the north to Aqaba in the south. Offering 40 days of hiking over more than 650 kilometers of trail, and travelling through 52 villages and towns on its way. The trail traverses the diverse landscapes and vistas of the country, from the rolling wooded hills of the north, the rugged wadis and cliffs overlooking the Jordan Rift Valley, the rose rock of Petra, the dramatic sands and towering mountains in Wadi Rum, to the crystal waters of the Red Sea.
As you walk the Jordan Trail, it becomes a journey through the history of Jordan and an encounter with its diverse culture. Travelling the length of the country enables a chance to peel through the different layers of culture, to taste the varied cuisines of Jordan, encounter locals while walking and spending your nights in their home-stays.
It is also an opportunity to learn the history of Jordan, the different civilizations who have made their marks on the land. The trail moves through major historical sites in the region such as Um Qais, Jerash, and Petra, while also harboring hidden ruins resting amongst the land.
The concept of a trail crossing Jordan’s countryside is not a new one. For thousands of years, ancient paths and trade routes have cut across the land that today constitutes the state of Jordan. Jordan was the center of the King’s Highway, a trade route stretching from Egypt to Aqaba, and then north to Damascus.
This route was used by Moabites, Edomites, and Ammonites, but during the first centuries B.C. the Nabatean merchants extended this route further to Asia and southern Arabia making Jordan a center of their empire, with Petra the crown jewel amongst this. After the Nabatean reign, the Roman Empire, continued to utilize these routes as critical pieces of its Middle Eastern network of roads.
