The first glimpse of Al-Deir, the Monastery of Petra, is a moment seared into my memory. It wasn’t the explosive reveal of the Treasury from the tight confines of the Siq, a moment I’d seen a thousand times in photographs.
This was different. Slower. More profound. The top of its magnificent urn appeared gradually, a sliver of impossible architecture materializing from the rose-red sandstone cliff face.
My legs ached, my skin was coated in a fine layer of desert dust, and I was utterly exhausted. But as I stood on that hidden plateau, with the vastness of the Wadi Araba desert behind me and this colossal monument before me, I felt an overwhelming sense of arrival that no tour bus could ever provide.
I hadn’t just visited Petra; I had walked there.
This is the singular magic of the Dana to Petra trek. It’s a journey that transforms you from a tourist into a pilgrim, trading the comfort of a vehicle for the visceral connection of your own two feet on ancient ground.
This 80-kilometer stretch is the crown jewel of the Jordan Trail, a mammoth 675km path that traverses the entire length of the country from Umm Qais in the north to the Red Sea in the south.
It’s a route so spectacular that National Geographic named it one of the fifteen best hikes in the world, a testament to its breathtaking beauty and historical weight.
Over five days, I journeyed through a world where adventure and history collide. I descended through the dramatic, multi-layered canyons of the Dana Biosphere Reserve, crossed vast, sun-scorched desert plains, and climbed into the rugged Sharah Mountains, following the same faint trails used by Nabatean traders and Bedouin shepherds for millennia.
This isn’t just a hike; it’s a deep dive into the heart of Jordan, a passage through time that culminates not at a ticket booth, but at the magnificent, lesser-known ‘back door’ to a Wonder of the World.
This is the story of that journey, and the guide I wish I’d had before I took my first step.
Before You Lace Your Boots: The Essential Planning Guide for Dana to Petra
A trek of this magnitude demands preparation. The remote and rugged nature of the trail means you can’t just show up and hope for the best.
Planning is paramount, but the reward is a seamless, stress-free adventure that allows you to fully immerse yourself in the experience. Here is everything you need to know, all in one place.
The Trail by the Numbers
For those who like to know the vital statistics before committing, here is a high-level overview of what the Dana to Petra trek entails. This data provides a quick snapshot of the physical demands and scope of the journey.
| Metric | Details |
| Distance | Approximately 80-85 km (50-53 miles) |
| Duration | 4 to 6 days of trekking, depending on the itinerary |
| Difficulty | Moderate to Challenging. Requires a good level of fitness |
| Starting Point | Dana Village, at an altitude of ~1200 meters |
| Ending Point | Petra Visitor Centre, Wadi Musa |
| Terrain | Highly varied: steep canyon descents, rocky riverbeds (wadis), flat stony desert (hamada), and high mountain passes on ancient trails |
Choosing Your Path: The Critical Guided vs. Self-Guided Decision
In many parts of the world, choosing between a guided or self-guided trek is a matter of personal preference.
On the Dana to Petra trail, it is a matter of safety and logistics. While I am a seasoned solo hiker, I opted for a guided tour for this section, and I am profoundly glad I did.
The reality of this trek makes a self-guided attempt a dangerous proposition for all but the most experienced desert survivalists.
The reasons for this are stark and non-negotiable. Firstly, the trail is almost entirely unmarked. There are no signs, no blazes, just a network of faint paths that would be impossible to navigate without intimate local knowledge.
While GPX files are available, GPS signals are notoriously unreliable, especially near the Israeli border where they can be actively blocked.
Secondly, and most critically, there are no natural water sources along the majority of the route. A guided expedition arranges for crucial daily water drops via 4×4 support vehicles; attempting this solo would require you to carry a life-threateningly heavy pack or coordinate your own drops, a logistical nightmare in such remote terrain.
A guided trek, however, transforms these challenges into a seamless experience. Your main luggage is transported for you each day, leaving you with only a light daypack.
You arrive at camp each evening to find your tent pitched, a fire crackling, and a delicious meal being prepared by your Bedouin support crew.
Most importantly, you gain the invaluable wisdom of a local guide who not only ensures your safety but enriches the entire journey with stories about the history, geology, flora, and fauna of the land you are walking through.
For this specific trek, a guided tour isn’t a luxury; it’s an essential part of the experience.
Timing is Everything: The Best Seasons to Hike
Jordan is a land of climatic extremes, and choosing the right season for your trek is crucial. The consensus is clear: the ideal windows for hiking are spring (mid-March to early May) and autumn (September to November). During these months, the weather is near-perfect, with average daytime temperatures ranging from 20°C to 26°C (68°F to 79°F) – ideal for trekking under the desert sun. The nights are cool and crisp, perfect for sleeping under the stars. In the spring, you are treated to the additional bonus of seeing the arid landscapes carpeted with surprisingly vibrant wildflowers.
Conversely, the seasons to avoid are summer and winter. From June to August, temperatures can soar to a blistering 40°C (104°F), making multi-hour trekking dangerous and deeply unpleasant. The winter months, from December to February, can bring cold temperatures, rain, and even snow at higher elevations. The most significant danger in winter is the risk of flash floods in the wadis, which can be sudden and deadly, making many parts of the route impassable.
Gearing Up: Your Essential Desert Packing List
Packing for a multi-day desert trek is a science of balancing necessity with weight. Even with a support vehicle carrying your main bag, what you carry in your daypack is crucial. This list synthesizes recommendations from seasoned guides and my own experience on the trail.
| Category | Item | Justification |
| Footwear | Broken-in hiking boots with ankle support | The terrain is rocky, uneven, and unforgiving. Good ankle support is non-negotiable. Ensure they are well worn-in to prevent blisters. |
| Trekking sandals or trainers | For relaxing at camp in the evenings, giving your feet a much-needed break. | |
| Clothing | Layering System (thermal base layer, fleece mid-layer, wind/rain jacket) | Temperatures fluctuate dramatically from midday heat to cold desert nights. Layers allow you to adapt instantly. |
| Lightweight, long-sleeved hiking shirts | Essential for sun protection. Quick-dry materials are best. | |
| Trekking trousers (not jeans) | Lightweight, durable, and comfortable for long hours of walking. | |
| Sun hat (wide-brimmed) & woolly hat (beanie) | A wide-brimmed hat is your best friend during the day. A beanie is essential for warmth as soon as the sun sets. | |
| Gear | Daypack (30-40L) | To carry your daily essentials: water, snacks, layers, sunscreen, and first-aid kit. |
| Water bladder or bottles (minimum 3L capacity) | Dehydration is the biggest risk. You must be able to carry at least 3 liters of water for the day’s hike. | |
| Trekking poles | Highly recommended. They save your knees on the steep descents and provide stability on rocky ground. | |
| Headlamp with spare batteries | Absolutely essential for navigating the campsite after dark, as there is no electricity. | |
| Power bank | To keep your phone/camera charged. There are no outlets in the wilderness. | |
| Health & Safety | Sunscreen (SPF 30+), lip balm, sunglasses | The desert sun is intense and reflects off the light-colored rock. |
| Personal first-aid kit | Include blister treatment (moleskin/Compeed), antiseptic wipes, pain relievers, and any personal medications. | |
| Hand sanitizer & wet wipes | Water for washing is limited, so these are crucial for hygiene. | |
| Documents | Passport & Jordan Pass (printed copy) | Keep these essential documents safe and accessible. |
| Cash (Jordanian Dinar) | For tips for your guides and crew, and any small purchases in villages. |
The Ultimate Travel Hack: Why You Need the Jordan Pass
Before you even book your flight, you should purchase the Jordan Pass online. This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a financial no-brainer that will save you significant money and hassle.
The pass bundles the entrance fees for over 40 attractions across the country, including Petra, Wadi Rum, and Jerash.
The real genius of the pass, however, is that it includes the cost of your tourist entry visa.
Let’s break down the math. A single-entry tourist visa on arrival at Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport costs 40 JOD. A one-day ticket to Petra for a visitor staying overnight in Jordan costs 50 JOD. That’s a total of 90 JOD.
The most basic Jordan Pass package (the “Jordan Wanderer”) costs just 70 JOD and includes both your one-day Petra entry and waives the 40 JOD visa fee, provided you stay in Jordan for at least three nights.
You save 20 JOD before you’ve even set foot in another site. It’s the single best investment you can make for your trip. Purchase it from the official website before you travel and have a printed copy with you.
Into the Wilderness: My Day-by-Day Trek from Dana to Petra
This is where the trail truly comes alive. Each day presents a new world, a different landscape, and a fresh set of challenges and rewards. The journey is a geological and historical epic, and here is how it unfolded, one step at a time.
Day 1: The Great Descent – From Dana’s Cliffs to Feynan’s Ancient Echoes (Approx. 16 km)
My journey began in the quiet, 15th-century stone village of Dana, perched precariously on the edge of a colossal canyon at an altitude of 1200 meters.
The air was cool and thin. Below me, the Dana Biosphere Reserve sprawled out, a masterpiece of geology. The first steps of the trek are immediately dramatic: a steep, quad-burning 800-meter descent into the heart of Wadi Dana.
This initial plunge is breathtaking in every sense. You are walking through four distinct bio-geographical zones in a matter of hours, a transition that is unique in Jordan.
The Mediterranean landscape of the highlands, with its hardy Phoenician juniper and evergreen oak trees, slowly gives way to the more arid Irano-Turanian and Saharo-Arabian zones below.
The biodiversity is astonishing; the reserve is home to over 800 plant species and is a refuge for endangered animals like the Syrian Serin and the majestic Nubian Ibex.
As the path levels out, you enter Wadi Feynan, a place that echoes with millennia of human history. This valley was the site of some of the world’s earliest and largest copper mines, exploited from the Neolithic period right through the Roman and Byzantine empires.
I walked past dark slag heaps and the ruins of ancient structures, imagining the lives of the people—many of them convicts and prisoners—who toiled here under the brutal sun.
My first night was spent wild camping under a canopy of brilliant stars, the silence of the desert broken only by the crackle of the campfire, feeling utterly removed from the modern world.
Day 2: Across the Hamada – Vistas of the Great Rift Valley (Approx. 18 km)
Waking in the desert is a gentle affair, the light slowly painting the mountains in shades of ochre and rose. Day two marked a dramatic shift in scenery. We left the confines of the wadi and emerged onto the ‘hamada’—a vast, rock-strewn desert plateau. The walking was flatter but mentally taxing, a long, exposed traverse across a stony landscape that stretched to the horizon.
What this landscape lacked in close-up variety, it made up for in epic scale. To my east, the jagged peaks of the Sharah Mountains rose like a fortress wall. To my west, the land fell away into the hazy expanse of the Wadi Araba, a major part of the Great Rift Valley that separates Jordan from Israel. The sense of solitude was immense. For hours, we saw no one, save for a distant Bedouin shepherd guiding his flock of goats across the plains, his presence a timeless reminder of the people who call this harsh environment home. This was a day for meditation, for finding a rhythm, for feeling like a tiny, insignificant speck in a landscape of profound and ancient power.
Day 3: In the Footsteps of the Nabateans – The Sharah Mountains (Approx. 14 km)
Today, we left the flat desert behind and began our ascent into the mountains. This was a challenging, rewarding day that felt like a true pilgrimage into the heart of the Nabatean world.
We followed ancient, twisting goat-herder tracks, scrambling over small boulders and climbing steadily up through narrow, dramatic valleys.
The geology shifted again, the dark rock of the hamada giving way to the pale, sculpted sandstone that is Petra’s signature.
With every metre of elevation gained, the views back over the Wadi Araba became more spectacular. We were walking on paths that have been used for thousands of years, and the evidence was all around us.
My guide pointed out the subtle ruins of ancient Nabatean structures, including old wine and olive presses carved into the rock, remnants of a time when these arid hills were a productive agricultural landscape.
The day culminated in a final push to a high pass, from which we looked out over a surreal ‘moonscape’ of white and yellow sandstone domes near a place called Shkaret Msei’d.
The physical effort of the climb was immense, but the reward—standing where ancient traders stood, looking out over the same timeless vista—was immeasurable.
Day 4: The Final Approach – Moonscapes and Little Petra (Approx. 14 km)
The landscape on the fourth day felt softer, the terrain easier underfoot as we walked through the wide-open sandstone hills.
The feeling in the air was one of anticipation; we were getting close. The trail passed through several Bedouin encampments, a reminder that this wilderness is still a living, working landscape.
The day’s destination was Siq al-Barid, better known as Little Petra.
This ancient Nabatean site is thought to have been a suburb of the main city, a vital trading hub where caravans would rest and resupply before making the final approach to the capital.
Walking through its own miniature siq and seeing the carved dining halls (triclinia) and temples was magical. It has all the charm of its larger sibling but none of the crowds, allowing for a quiet, contemplative experience.
That evening marked our last night of camping, this time at a permanent Bedouin camp near Little Petra.
After four days of wild camping, the simple luxuries of a hot shower and a proper bed felt like five-star treatment.
As the sun set, casting a warm glow over the sandstone cliffs, the excitement for the final day was palpable. Petra was just over the next mountain.
Day 5: Through the Back Door – The Unveiling of the Monastery (Approx. 14 km)
The final day is the emotional climax of the entire journey. We left camp early, following a well-defined mountain track that contoured around the hills, offering one last, spectacular view across the Wadi Araba desert.
The path then led us along an ancient Nabatean route, a natural rock terrace that narrowed as it wound its way towards Petra. We climbed a long series of steps, hand-carved into the sandstone by Nabatean masons two millennia ago.
The suspense was masterfully orchestrated by the landscape itself. The path led us onto a hidden plateau, high above a dramatic chasm, and then, just as we rounded a final bend, it appeared.
The Monastery. It wasn’t just a building; it was a part of the mountain, an assertion of human artistry on a geological scale. Standing there, catching my breath, I felt a deep connection to the place that went beyond mere sightseeing.
This was the reward for every steep climb, every dusty mile, every sore muscle. We had arrived, not through the main gate with the throngs of tourists, but through the quiet, sacred back door, earning the view one step at a time.
The Soul of the Trail: Desert Stars and Bedouin Hospitality
As incredible as the landscapes are, the true soul of the Jordan Trail is found around the campfire each night.
The trek is made possible by the tireless efforts of a local Bedouin support crew, and the opportunity to spend time with them is a privilege that elevates the journey from a simple hike to a profound cultural exchange.
The Bedouin are the backbone of Jordan, a people whose identity is inextricably linked to this desert landscape, and their hospitality is legendary.
Each afternoon, I would arrive at our campsite, tired and dusty, to be greeted with the warmest of welcomes.
My tent would already be pitched, my main bag waiting, and a pot of sweet, sage-infused tea would be brewing over the fire.
This tea is the lifeblood of the desert, a ritual of welcome and conversation that instantly dissolves the day’s fatigue.
As dusk settled, the crew would prepare a feast over the open flames—delicious traditional dishes that were a far cry from typical camping fare.
The evenings were spent sharing stories around the fire, learning about Bedouin culture, and listening to the haunting melodies of a traditional flute under a sky ablaze with an impossible number of stars.
In a world with no light pollution, our guides would point out the constellations they use to navigate, the same celestial map their ancestors have used for centuries.
This interaction is not a performance for tourists; it is a genuine sharing of a way of life. The Jordan Trail was conceived in part to bring sustainable economic opportunities to these remote communities, and by taking a guided trek, you are directly supporting the preservation of this incredible culture.
The Rose-Red City Awaits
From the Monastery, the path descends via hundreds of stone steps into the main valley of ancient Petra. The scale of the city begins to reveal itself.
You walk past the magnificent Royal Tombs carved into the cliffside, past the Great Temple, and onto the Colonnaded Street that was once the bustling heart of this Nabatean capital.
The 80-kilometer pilgrimage through the wilderness provides a unique and powerful context for what you are seeing. You understand the monumental effort it took to carve a metropolis from this rugged landscape because you have just spent days traversing it.
My journey on foot had brought me to the gates of one of the world’s greatest wonders, but the exploration of this vast, ancient city had only just begun.
The trek is the perfect overture, an unforgettable prelude to the main event.
To walk with me through the famous Siq, stand in awe before the Treasury, and uncover the rest of Petra’s secrets, read my complete guide to Petra.
Hello Tom. I will be walking Dana to Petra in March with three friends. We are experienced but it sounds like we need a guide. Any suggestions for companies or individuals? Thanks.