Jordan is stunning and is great for hiking, especially Dana! Some transfer times even take 2 to 3 hours one way. Requirements: Transportation to and from Al Mansoura near Shoubak area; no fear of heights. At Shobak, perhaps get instructions for where the trail starts and leave your car there (regular car is fine, no need for a jeep as the roads are decent). I hate to say it but I have never even heard of this place in Jordan. We packed A LOT into our six days. Im caffeined up and bouncing with energy as we start the Wadi Dana downhill trail (super easy to find). It has a long siq to rival Petra, rock formations in ombr brown and red, water running the length of the hike, and tropical lush greenery. Starting from the lodge and the open desert-like zone of Dana Biosphere Reserve, the trail gradually becomes greener as the hike moves more and more into the valley of Wadi Dana, with tall peaks that line either side of the valley. Hike the Jordan Trail from Dana to Petra - 7 Days | kimkim The depth depends on the season, but come prepared to get wet feet and legs. She seeks out incredible and authentic travel experiences, but also love some style and luxe along the way. Even though Wadi Dana is the most popular hike in Dana, we only saw a few other hikers along the way. It is an extremely diverse nature reserve, which has several mountain ridges in it and lies along the Rift Valley. As you plan your travels to Jordan, consider these three great reasons to include the Dana Biosphere in your itinerary. It really feels like stepping back in time. . I will be hiking alone and wonder if there is gps signal so you can use your smartphone for navigation on off line maps and if there is reception in case you need to call for help. Against the dramatic backdrop of rugged, multi-colored mountains, the sun descends, spreading vivid ambers, violets and reds across the canvas of the evening sky. The big boulder in the photo is from the Wadi Ghuweir Trail, not the Wadi Dana Trail unfortunately. First things first Wadi Ghuweir is one of the most spectacular day treks Ive ever done. The first 45 minutes or so is VERY steep downhill. The Dana Village area, overlooking the scenic Wadi Dana, has been occupied since about 4,000 BC. Dana Guesthouse and Rummana Campsite Restaurants. Description:This circular trail starts from the campsite and ascends to the top of Rummana Mountain, where the views of Wadi Araba are breathtaking. In Dana Village, some good options areDana Tower Hotel, Dana Guesthouse or Dana Hotel. We also couldnt find a massive amount of detailed information before we visited Dana. If (or more accurately when!) . We're not hardcore hikers, and I'm not a huge fan of extreme heat. Beginning at the Dana Biosphere Reserve and ending at the ancient carved canyons of Petra, you'll cross rugged desert landscapes by day and camp under the stars by night. Dana village, merging perfectly into its surroundings. Im thinking of doing the same as what Jakub suggested Wadi Village to Feynan Ecolodge via Wadi Dana trail (overnight at Feynan), then return to the Wadi Village via Wadi Ghwayr the next day, before setting off for Petra. Im not totally sure if this is one of the best local lunches we had during our Jordan trip, or if it just tasted pretty fricken awesome after 3 hours hiking in the hot sun. Cascada El Pavon: the best free thing to do near Uvita? Dana hikes during Ramadan Apr 23, 2022. In fact, I think the downhill and uphill legs took us the same amount of time precisely because it was so steep. Danas certainly starting to get a name for itself as a hiking destination. Dana Biosphere Reserve is the largest nature reserve in Jordan. However, the Wadi Ghuweir trail doesnt start / end from Dana Village. Wild Jordan Wadi Ghuweir is a hike of two halves, with very different landscapes in the morning and afternoon sections. End Point:The hike ends near Feynan, which is in right the south of Dana Biosphere Reserve roughly in the middle (east to west). Starting next to the deluxe tents at the far end of the camp, the trail winds along the cliff edge. From scorching sand dunes in the west to cool mountaintops in the east, the Dana Biosphere Reserve is home to a great variety of wildlife. Why you should visit Dana Biosphere Reserve: a guide to Jordan's Feynan is home to some of humanitys first communities and is one of the oldest and most important centers of sustained copper exploitation in the ancient world, and one of the best preserved due to the lack of modern mining. Wadi Ghuweir Distance, Time, Start and End Points. Dana Biosphere Reserve: one of Jordan's best kept secrets, 14 Big Mistakes to avoid at the Pyramids of Giza, A 3 day Singapore itinerary that packs in all the best things to do, 17 of the most jaw dropping Costa Rica Waterfalls, Wildlife and rugged beaches on the easy Tortuguero National Park Walk, Naguala Waterfall: a fun adventure in Drake Bay that doesn't require a guide. I recommend reading through Dana hiking options, deciding how many hikes you want to do, leaving a full day for each hike (i.e. Hi Thank you for a great article. There are more than 600 types of plants, 180 different birds and 45 species of mammals including the rare sand cats, wolves, foxes and ibex. Transylvania Travel Guide | What to do in Transylvania | Rough Guides Our trekking journey starts with hiking through the diverse landscapes of the Dana Biosphere Reserve. Hope you can help with an answer whereas its hard to finde anything about it. It seems amaizing that price We are travelling with a 6 years old child and Wadi Dana Trail looks too much Another idea? Copyright - 2018 - The Adventurous Flashpacker | All Rights Reserved |, Dana Jordan: Ultimate Guide to Hiking in the Stunning Dana Biosphere Reserve, Dana Nature Reserve Landscape and Wildlife, Getting to and from the Dana Reserve hikes, Dana Biosphere Reserve Hiking Wadi Ghuweir. The artificial lake reservoir from Colibita, located at an altitude of 900 meters, covers an area of 270 hectares, with 13 km in length and an estimated 65 million cubic meters of water. Yup the views are pretty special! At this point, Im getting a leeeetle apprehensive about the return hike. If your visit coincides with spring, then you might be lucky enough to hike through wildflowers. It convinced that I have to go too and just got the plane ticket for Easter. Description: This hike is ideal for those wishing to take in the full spectrum of landscapes and terrains Feynan has to offer. Local drivers can transport your luggage to the lodge or the Guesthouse. . Hike the Jordan Trail: Amman, Dana, Petra & the Dead Sea - 11 Days - kimkim This helps towards the costs of running our website. The most popular hike is the Wadi Dana Trail (Hike 2 below), but theres many other hikes to choose from to suit different abilities and time constraints. It is best to start the Wadi Dana Trail as early as possible as the track has very little shade. Both restaurants serve homemade traditional local meals. (Id like to say its the former, as on safari we are quite possibly the luckiest wildlife spotters ever, including on our recent trip to Namibia.). Read on for the AFs experience with our 3 hour return hike along the Wadi Dana Trail! Bring plenty of water and a few snacks to keep you going. If we only have time for one hike deciding between the Wadi Ghurweir Trail. . . Description: Starting at the Rummana campsite, this trail passes by the unusual sandstone formations of Shaq al Kalb (Wadi of the Dog) to a group of small caves, believed to have been a religious retreat or hermitage. I recommend downloading an offline version of Google Maps just to be safe. : Hi Kristoffer, very exciting that you have a trip planned! For some reason, I had pretty low expectations of Dana Village. : : It has the best views in town and all of the rooms have balconies facing the canyon. As with many smaller towns in Jordan, bring enough cash to cover your expected expenses as theres no ATMs and you may need to pay cash for your accommodation and food. The colors over Feynan are fantastic as day breaks and the sun begins to shine over mountains, canyons and the surrounding desert surrounding. . Im definitely not attributing this to my fitness or mountaineering skills. Dana Biosphere Reserve is the largest nature reserve in Jordan with 292 m2. The Guesthouse is also equipped with facilities for courses and conferences, making it a perfect location for retreats and workshops. Without special care, some of these could disappear from Earth forever, which makes the Dana Biosphere Reserve a place of global importance. For the Wadi Ghuweir trail, we did use a guide. : . I mean is the road driveable with normal car or I need some kind of jeep? Thank you. The 350km 2 reserve is home to many climatic zones, including Mediterranean and Sahara. I visit Dana again, I would spend two nights in Dana Village to be close to the start of the Wadi Dana Trail and have more food options, and one or two nights at Feynan Ecolodge. 6 national parks you should visit in Jordan - Lonely Planet In fact, Dana is really a melting pot of species from three continents: Europe, Africa and Asia. And this trail is going in the canion, so maybe I could do without a guide of there is where to get lost? It is only a short walk up to a viewpoint to watch the sunset behind the mountains on the horizon. . . This part of the day is hotter due to the limited shade, and took us around 2 hours. As with other Dana hikes, the exact distance will depend on your drop off and pick up points. That's what makes it even more special. Discover the stunning landscapes, rich biodiversity, and unique cultural heritage of Jordan's largest nature reserve - Dana Biosphere Reserve. JORDAN Nature Reserves: Dana Biosphere Reserve & Wadi Mujib Good questions! It illustrates the various wildlife at 1500m on the Guidebooks The whole activity takes 2 hours, including 40-45 minutes of walking. At present, the campsite contains 20 tents that can house up to 60 people, bathrooms, and barbecue grills for visitor use, and a big Bedouin tent where the guest can enjoy the starry sky by night and have a real Bedouin experience making a cup of tea on the bonfire. Sign up to our mailing list to get our free mini guide! The track takes you to a set of small caves. It is a hiking location with many different trails. ( ) . Today you will leave Amman early and drive about two and a half hours to Wadi Dana.The hike starts at Dana Village, 3,937 feet above sea level.As you head west into Dana Valley, the trail descends into the Dana Biosphere Reserve.The reserve has four distinct bio-zones and supports an astonishing diversity of flora . The Dana Biosphere Reserve: 3 Great Reasons to Visit The first part of the hike traverses a long wadi surrounded by a soaring siq (canyon), and was definitely the highlight. We think this is a shame, as there are so many trekking, nature-watching and photographic opportunities jam-packed into one location. This would be another good bet for accommodation if you prefer a tented option. The Wadi Dana Trail is more open terrain with a wide deep valley surrounded by mountains. In addition, tourism and sport can be perceived as a form of relaxation and leisure, by participating at various sports competitions (matches, tournaments, competitions, demonstrations, The transfers to and/or from hikes can be surprisingly looooooong. They is the odd tree or cave you can take some shelter in but when you are walking it is never shady. . Read More What can you Experience in Dana? Yes, you could certainly do the Wadi Ghuweir trail with your own car and without a guide. Start exploring with the AF today! Even though we had only walked 14km(ish), the transfer took over 2 hours back to Dana, due to the lack of main roads. You can also do parts of the Jordan Trail. You're very likely to bump into Bedouins and be invited in to drink tea, Dana truly is a must for your Jordan itinerary! Hi there! The shared toilets and showers were really clean. Lodging; Camping; Hiking Trails. Requirements: Transportation to and from al-Barra area; no fear of heights, Description: This circular trail traverses from Al-Barrah, through a breathtaking Siq, and to Shaq al Reesh, Starting time: 08:00 a.m. from Dana Guesthouse. 15 . : 17 . Secondly, the valley is very open with limited shade, and the days can get pretty hot. There are some technical parts to this hike so I recommend a reasonable level of fitness and a guide. Feel the gentle breeze ushering in nightfall as stars dot the sky and guides brew fresh mint tea over the warm fire. This looks absolutely amazing!! This would actually work out pretty well for you as Shoubak is closer to Petra than Dana Village is. Wandering around the village is a pleasant way to spend an afternoon. While the camp was nice and off-the-grid, we didnt actually spend much time there as we spent most of our time hiking. Thanks. It is these kinds of natural interactions that make Dana really special. Remnants of an early Byzantine monastery and church still stand atop a nearby hill and the remains of Neolithic settlements attest to the shift from a nomadic way of life to that of permanent dwellings and agriculture. ), youll need to pre-arrange transfers for the 2+ hour trip back to Dana Village. Distance: To be honest, Im not 100% sure of the exact distance of the Wadi Ghuweir hike. The Lodge has rooms that sleep 2-4 people; comfortably accommodating groups, families, couples and independent travelers. You could also email some of the other Dana lodges and hotels to see if they can offer you a cheaper rate. . Further, on you will have a chance to explore the lower end of Wadi Ghwayr, another bountiful Wadi that receives seasonal flows from rainfall in the mountains to the east of Feynan. Passing through the terraced gardens of the village, the trail offers breathtaking views of the canyon-like Wadi. Are the Wild Jordan the only guides allowed in dana Reserve? Description: Start a great day in the wilderness with this challenging sunrise hike. : . Do you really need a guide to spot wildlife at Manuel Antonio National Park? Depends on what hike youre doing. You just walk up the road (away from the camp) until you find the sign for the trail. Sure, it looked steep from the top and all, but I thought maybe thats just trick photography. Wadi Dana/ Dana Biosphere Reserve - 2 hikes without a guide . Thank you for subscribing! The Jordan Trail is an epic cross-country hike from Um Qais in Jordans north to Aqaba in Jordans south. Top 10 Jordan Travel Tips: What to Know Before You Go! However, its also easy to transfer to Dana Village from Petra (1 hour drive) or the Dead Sea (2 hours 15 minutes), and both are common transfer points. The only other souls we saw all day were the local Bedouin farmers and a couple of super cute herds of mountain goats. Sensible as always, we hiked right into the midday heat, and I was feeling rather exhausted by the time we reached Dana Village. Had we known in advance that we'd be taking a 14-km hike over rugged mountainous terrain (which drops from around 1500 meters to the desert plains of Wadi . . . Starting time: from either the Rummana Campsite or the Dana Guesthouse. Our camp emailed us information on hikes in advance which I hadnt printed or saved, and I was a little surprised on arrival to find that they had ZERO printed info available on the hikes they offered. However, to my surprise, it only took us the exact same 1 hour 20 minutes to walk back to Dana Village. This hike involves negotiating Bedouin shepherd trails atop the ridgelines of steep hills and cliffs that surround the lodge. What are your thoughts or who did you use for the hike to Wadi Ghurweir Thanks. Hi Linh! Description: This trail contours the huge escarpments of Wadi Dana between the Rummana campsite and Dana Village. Hi Ivan! Due to the price (120 JD per night) we had debated not visiting the lodge. : . Feynan offers a lot of other activities including cooking, koleh (Jordanian make-up), arabic coffee making and other walks, but the schedule was reduced for Ramadan and we were there for just one day. The Wadi Dana Trail is downhill so is fairly easy fitness-wise. Wadi Dana is still pretty amazing with a starker kind of beauty, and is easy to do without a guide. Im feeling confident. PDF The present-day status of Armeria maritima ssp. maritima (Mill.) Willd Dana Biosphere Reserve: one of Jordan's best kept secrets - Walk My World The Rumana Camp is the base for a few trails in the Dana Reserve. The route returns the same way back to the lodge.