5 Amazing Adventures To Experience In Wondrous Jordan

As an adventure destination, wondrous Jordan has long been established on the map and certainly punches above its weight. The small country is easy to get around and contains a plethora of historical sites, natural wonders, and delicious food to sample. In short, the country is waiting for you, and if you love adventure travel Jordan ticks all the right boxes. 

There is a reason the Lonely Planet included Jordan on their “top 10 countries to visit” list in 2019 and Amman (Jordan’s capital) in their “best in travel” list for 2021. In 2020 Fodors included Wadi Rum, Jordan on their “Go List” of 52 up and coming destinations.

Jordan was trending from 2019, then the pandemic hit and the rest is history. The country’s tourist sites, previously teeming with travellers, were suddenly empty. This means when travel is back on, if you get in early, you will have the benefit of having the place to yourself.

If you love adventure travel then these 5 uniquely Jordanian experiences are vying to be added to your bucket list. 

1. Take on the Jordan Trail

This epic hiking trail of more than 675km begins in the north of Jordan at Um Qais and finishes in the far south of Jordan, at Aqaba on the Red Sea. The route takes in a breathtaking range of landscapes and even the most discerning of us will find the terrain scratches their adventure itch.

If you want to take on a challenge then tackle the whole 40 days of the route. There is a yearly group hiking trip if you don’t want to do it alone. 

Or if you don’t want (or don’t have time) to take on the whole monster trail you can fit in a few of the hike sections during your visit to Jordan. The trail passes through many key Jordan sites such as Petra, Wadi Mujib and Wadi Rum. 

2. Climb Jebel Rum, Wadi Rum

Before Wadi Rum morphed into a jeep tour and sleeping under the stars mass camping destination the rock climbers Tony Howard and Di Taylor made the area famous with their guidebook. The dramatic sandstone mountains with vertigo-inducing cliffs make Wadi Rum a world-beating rock climbing paradise.

Many rock climbers will come for a week of adventure, but if you’re short of time then make sure to at least scale Jebel Rum. This phenomenal mountain located next to Rum village has several technical climbing routes, as well as Bedouin climbing routes (which you can do without ropes). For a truly memorable experience tackle the route over two days, spending a night sleeping under the stars on the undulating tops of the mountain.

Top tip: Only a few local guides offer rock climbing so get your booking in early if you can. You can find the contact numbers of local climbing experts on Tony Howards NOMADS website.

3. Cooldown canyoning at Wadi Mujib

If the Jordanian heat is getting you hot around the collar, don’t miss out on wet hike canyoning at Wadi Mujib. The famous Siq Trail hike takes around 2-3 hours and includes rappels, swimming, and scrambling galore. 

Hikes start from the Wadi Mujib Reserve Visitor Center. You’ll need a rental car or private driver/taxi to get to the Visitor Center.

Due to the gnarly qualities of the canyons, they are only open between April and October. There’s a high risk of life-threatening flash floods at other times of the year. If you can’t visit when the wet hikes are open then you can join a dry hike inside the Wadi Mujib Reserve. 

As well as being great for adventure, nature lovers will appreciate that the reserve hosts an abundance of wildlife including rare mountain cats, ibex (mountain goats) and birds – both on migration and residents.

4. World-class diving in Aqaba for all skill levels

Aqaba is not as well known as a world-class diving destination as its Egyptian cousin at Sharm el-Sheikh. However, the corals in Aqaba are widely said to be in better condition than those at Sharm. Scientists recently discovered the corals at Aqaba appear to be resistant to bleaching events making the area subject to renewed scientific interest.

The dive sites have been protected in a reserve and are mostly located to the South of Aqaba city, not too far from the border-crossing to Saudi Arabia. 

The dive sites along the deep gulf can cater to even the most adventurous technical divers, but the conditions of the gulf limit the majority of strong currents meaning beginners can also have a blast diving in Jordan.

5. Get up-close and friendly with camels

Camels are remarkable creatures and notoriously uncomfortable to ride which make them a choice adventure activity. You’ll work out muscles you never knew you had.

Taking a multi-day camel trek through Wadi Rum will not exactly make for a speedy adrenaline filled adventure activity, but you will leave with a new respect for the desert, the animals themselves, and the Bedouin who used to rely on them entirely for their survival.

Top tip: ask your guide if he has any camel themed stories to tell around the fire at night. If you’re lucky he’ll raise your hackles telling you a local horror story about a killer camel.

When to go?

The best time of year to visit Jordan is in the spring or autumn. These seasons give the best of both worlds – not too hot and not too cold. However, if you don’t like crowds you might prefer an off-season trip in winter or summer.

You can visit Jordan all-year-round, but the heat may conquer some people in summer. In winter, some adventure activities can be impeded by heavy rain which can cause flooding, and roads to get closed. However, for a mostly exclusive diving holiday, the summer is also a good time.