Jordan: 2023 Trek to Petra

Wadi Feinan – Wadi Barwas
Transfer to Wadi Feinan for our first day’s walk across ‘hamada’ landscape – dry, rock-strewn desert, with little sand. The terrain is fairly flat all day but there are spectacular mountain views and expansive wadis (dry valleys) as well as Byzantine and Nabatean ruins to be seen. Tonight, you will set up camp in Wadi Barwas.
Trekking: Approx. 16km / 6 hours./Elevation: 52m gain/Max. altitude 378m.
Overnight: Camping
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Wadi Barwas – Ras el Feid

Leaving the stony hamada desert behind this morning, we walk around the foot of the mountains to reach an ancient Bedouin migration path that ascends steeply across rocks and small boulders, going high into the mountains. This section is very challenging and can be loose underfoot and involve scrabbling rocks taking around 4 hours, but the reward is amazing views over the stunning Wadi Araba desert. We eventually descend into Wadi el Feid for a well-deserved dip in its cool waters—a perfect place for lunch and a rest. We then walk upstream through dense foliage before reaching a dry river-bed surrounded with colorful sandstone outcrops to reach our camping spot.
Trekking: Approx. 9.5km / 6-7 hours/Elevation: 597m gain, then 193m loss/Max. altitude 975m.
Overnight: Camping
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Ras el Feid – Shkaret Msei’d
This morning we retrace our route along the riverbed and gradually climb up the hills following Bedouin shepherd paths to discover some of the most spectacular scenery in Jordan. This path is particularly challenging, becoming less defined and involving some easy scrambling to pass large boulders and other obstacles. The trail continues along the wadi floor and gently climbs up into the pale coloured sandstone hills with incredible views across the surrounding mountains and canyons until we reach our camp at Shkaret Msei’d.
Trekking: Approx. 16km /9-10 hours/Elevation: 207m gain/Max. altitude: 997m.
Overnight: Camping
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Shakret Msei’d – Beida – Little Petra
The scenery changes dramatically today from deep wadis to wonderful wide open sandstone hills that feel almost moonlike. The trail passes agricultural fields and some Bedouin encampments before our trail once again becomes indistinct with some more scrambling. We descend into Little Petra to visit this fabulous site for a taster of the main site which we will encounter tomorrow. A short walk then takes us to a permanent campsite, uniquely located in the midst of the sandstone mountains in Beidha.
Trekking: Approx. 14km/ 5 to 6 hours/Elevation: 203m gain then 143m loss/Max. altitude: 1226m
Overnight: Camping
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Petra
Today our trail takes us across open farmland for the first two hours, and then contours around the mountain ridge to enter Petra itself. The views across to the Araba Desert some 100km away are impressive and after 5 days of hard trekking, the first glimpse of the top of Petra’s Monastery is jaw-dropping. Our route takes us into the main site and the heart of Petra, exiting via the Dark Siq to enable us to re-enter the site through the Main Siq, and experience the most famous view of Petra – the Treasury. We then proceed with a full sightseeing tour, including the Facades Street, Urn Tomb, the Theatre, Colonnaded Street, Royal Tombs and Qasr al Bint, before leaving the site and heading to our hotel in nearby Wadi Musa for a comfortable night’s sleep in a guesthouse.
Trekking: Approx. 16km / 5 to 6 hours to the Treasury + 3-4 hours sightseeing/Max. altitude: 1057m
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Sightseeing*
Spend the day visiting more highlights of this fascinating country.  You will either visit Wadi Rum* on a jeep tour to explore this spectacular desert including Lawrence of Arabia’s Spring and the natural rock bridge of Jebel Um Fruth or you will head north towards the Dead Sea* for an opportunity to have a float in the waters! If time allows, you will also visit Mount Nebo, where Moses is said to have seen the promised land and the ancient town of Madaba. *N.B. Sightseeing today will depend on flight schedules and is subject to change.
Overnight: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

Return to London
Transfer to the airport for your flight back to the UK. Depending on flight schedules we will either depart from Aqaba or Amman.
Meals: Breakfast

N.B. This itinerary may change due to flight schedules, weather, the ability of the group and so on. We will do our best to keep to the itinerary but we cannot be held responsible for changes that occur outside of our control. In all circumstances your guide and tour leader will have the final say in the interest of the group’s health and safety.

Temperatures in November can range from 22°C to 30°C during the day and drop to around 0°C at night however you must be prepared for variations to this which are out of our control. Loose, lightweight, long clothing is both respectful to the local culture and cooler in the heat than having exposed skin. Weather during the trek will be dry but there may be some strong winds. Rain, although very rare, is not impossible.

Please note: the temperatures and conditions above are historically accurate but climate change can impact the seasons so you may experience uncharacteristic conditions during the trip which are out of our control. The guides will assess the situation and make decisions to ensure the best enjoyment and safety of the group.

Your meals during the trek are cooked by a chef who will prepare simple but nutritious dishes. Typical breakfasts may include cheese, eggs, jam, butter, tomatoes, cucumber, fruit, tea and black coffee.

For lunch each day you will prepare your own sandwiches to carry with you, and dinner will comprise of dishes such as soup, chicken, rice, vegetarian dishes and salad. Plates, mugs, cutlery and other equipment are provided. While staying in cities, meals will be at the hotel or at local restaurants.

You will stay in a hotel with en-suite facilities while in Amman or Aqaba (location dependent on flight schedules), a guesthouse in Wadi Musa and you will camp in tents during the trek (two to a tent). Foam sleeping mats are provided but you will need to bring a sleeping bag. Toilet facilities during the trek consist of a small toilet ‘tent’ covering a hole in the ground. There may be very basic shower facilities at camp but this is not guaranteed and water must be used sparingly, so we advise that you don’t rely on this, and bring a pack of baby wipes. A small bowl of water is provided to wash your hands before meals.

The hotels have en-suite facilities with flushing toilets and hot showers. Toilet paper should always be placed in the bin, not flushed. At camp there will be a toilet tent which offers privacy over a pit in the sand. Please put used toilet paper into a sealable nappy bag or sanitary disposal bag and put into the main trek bin bag. After you have used the toilet, please cover your waste with sand to avoid smells and flies for the next person who visits the toilet tent. You should not rely on shower facilities being available during the trek so please bring a small pack of baby wipes and a bottle of hand sanitizer for personal hygiene.

If you need to use the toilet during the trek day you must find a private area off the trail. You must never leave used toilet paper on the ground; this must be packed up into a nappy bag or sanitary disposal bag, pop it in your daypack and dispose of it properly at camp (please bring your own nappy sacks with you). You should bring one to two rolls of toilet paper for your own use.

You must be 18+ to join this trek. It may be possible for you to participate if you are 16 or 17 years old if accompanied by a parent or guardian. There is no upper age limit.

An ideal candidate for the trek would be someone who enjoys being out of their comfort zone and trying something new. Adventure travel involves an element of the unexpected so do not expect standards to be the same as you are used to at home. Remote areas are sometimes unpredictable (be it because of group pace, weather conditions, local bureaucracy, or other factors) and itineraries may be altered to allow for this. For you to get the most out of your challenge it is important that you are flexible, positive, and eager to take on all the challenges that arise. Suitable fitness preparation before departure forms part of this.

A good level of fitness is required for all participants.

You must engage in training (including plenty of walking up and down hills) before departure to ensure your best chance of enjoyment on the trip. This could include hill walking, running, cycling, gym workouts, boot camps, etc. You can download several free apps to help you train and track your progress, e.g. MapMyWalk, C25K, MyFitnessPal, etc. Attempting to complete the trek without training will make it more challenging than necessary and will be detrimental to your experience, and the experience of your teammates.

The trek is rated moderate to challenging for someone of a good fitness level. You will be trekking for 5 consecutive days, averaging 6 hours each day. The terrain is largely rocky, dry and uneven.  Although some of the days trekking have a very gentle increase in elevation some days have very challenging sections with steep uphill and downhill gradients. Temperatures pose a specific challenge with temperatures historically reaching up to 30°C. You must be of a good fitness level before departure, to ensure fast recovery each day.

We require a medical form to be completed by everyone upon registering, and any pre-existing conditions, medications used and other medical issues must be specified. All your medical details are treated in the strictest confidence.

The information will be securely screened by a qualified medical professional, and details provided to your tour manager and local guides so our staff are adequately informed and prepared to support you during the trip. By completing this booking form you are giving consent for us to contact you confidentially with any follow up questions regarding your health.

If you declare any medical conditions you may be asked to provide more information, or we may request to contact your GP.

In the event that your medical issues at the time of booking represent a concern for your safety and wellbeing, or the safety and wellbeing of others in the group, you may be recommended not to take part. If this happens your booking will not be confirmed and the deposit will be refunded.

We must be informed if any conditions or medication change, or if new conditions develop. If necessary confirmation of fitness to travel from your GP or specialist may be required.

Please note that we will never unreasonably deny participation on a trip nor contravene the Equality Act 2010.

Most people find that this is far easier than they imagined, and we will give you as much support as you need to reach, and even exceed your target!

Each participant will be allocated a Helen & Douglas House fundraising staff member who will meet with you and help you to create your fundraising plan. Materials such as collection buckets and tins, sponsorship forms, email banners, balloons and banners can also be provided to help you achieve your target.

Here are some suggestions for how you could meet (and actually exceed!) your fundraising target: