Q Exploring the Jordan Trail.


TRAIL HIGHLIGHTS


Grab a taste of the Jordan trail with Tony and Di’s favourite sections.


IR Um Qais Pella


WEST BANK


AI Ayoun Ajloun


Wadi Zerqa Main Wadi Hidan


AMMAN Wadi Mujib


Wadi ibn Hammad Kerak Wadi Hasa Ma’tan Dana Petra


THE HASHEMITE KINGDOM OF JORDAN


Aqaba Wadi Rum


SAUDI ARABIA


SYRIA


UM QAIS 4 days, 80Km


In spring, the first section of the Jordan Trail is easy-going and beautiful with alpine and herb meadows and pine forests. You’ll pass shepherds taking it easy with their flocks in the lush green depths of gorges, who may wave a greeting. Overhead there may be cranes and raptors, a familiar sight in spring, taking advantage of the thermals on their annual spring migration.


THE LOCAL ZALABIEH BEDOUIN TRIBE REGULARLY CLIMBED MOUNTAIN ROUTES UP TO WHAT WE WOULD CONSIDER VD OR SEVERE LEVEL – EVEN A FEW HVS'S – WITHOUT ROPES.


THREE WADIS 4 days, 75Km


The Three Wadis are not just wadis (valleys), they are huge deep river canyons de-scending from the high plateau at around 1,000m to 400m below sea level at the Dead Sea. They are deeper and longer than the Cuillin Ridge would be if inverted. They’re crossed one after the other and, when you finally get to the bottom of each one, it’s a treat to find a river and have a dip. The Bedouins of the local Beni Hamida tribe, in particular Abu Saif, gave advice on finding the trail through this region, revealing paths used by shepherds which pass dolmens probably from the early Neolithic period. Wadi Mujib is the Grand Canyon of Jordan. If you arrive on the west-facing rim of the high plateau dividing the Hidan and Mujib gorges at sunset, you’ll see the red ball sinking behind blue-shadowed hills, lighting the Dead Sea, 400m below sea level and 1,200 metres below you, with an eerie golden glow.


SUMMIT#90 | SUMMER 2018 | 39


ISRAEL


ISRAEL


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