Hike Jordan and Snorkel the Red Sea — Self-Launched
8 days · Jordan
Much Better Adventures charges £1,395
No-markup version: ~£615 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An independent 8-day version of Much Better Adventures' Jordan trek — Madaba, Dana Nature Reserve, the backdoor route into Petra, Wadi Rum and Um Ad Dami, then Red Sea snorkelling in Aqaba and a float in the Dead Sea. You book your own guesthouses and Bedouin camps, hike with local guides you hire directly or go self-navigated, snorkel on a shared boat from Aqaba's yacht club, and string it together with local buses, JETT coaches and shared taxis. Costs are approximate per person, excluding flights, and assume budget guesthouses and one or two nights in a Bedouin camp.
Day-by-day
Arrive Amman, transfer to Madaba
Madaba
Land at Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) and make your own way to Madaba — an airport taxi is around 20-25 JOD (£22-28) or take the shared airport shuttle bus toward Amman and a taxi onward for less. Check into a family-run guesthouse near St George's Church and spend the afternoon wandering the mosaic map and the old town's churches and markets. Grab a cheap falafel or shawarma dinner on King Talal Street. Sort your Jordan Pass tonight — it covers the visa fee and most of the sites you'll visit this week.
🚌Airport taxi or shared shuttle, ~£22-28
🛏Family-run guesthouse in central Madaba, twin/double room (~£28)
- →St George's Church mosaic map
- →Madaba Archaeological Park
- →Old town markets
Dana Nature Reserve hike to a Bedouin camp
Dana / Little Petra
Take a local bus or shared taxi south toward Tafilah/Dana — buses are infrequent, so booking a seat on a JETT coach to Tafilah (£7-9) then a taxi to Dana (10-15 JOD) is the simplest option. Walk the Shaq al Reesh trail from Al-Barrah, a circular route through a narrow siq and rugged cliffs with springs and traces of ancient settlement. Hire a local Bedouin guide at the reserve entrance or via your camp for around 40-60 JOD for the day. In the evening, transfer to a Bedouin camp near Little Petra tucked into a quiet valley — watch the sun drop behind the sandstone and the stars come out.
🚌JETT/local bus to Tafilah (~£8) + shared taxi to Dana (~£8)
🛏Bedouin camp near Little Petra, twin-share tent with bedding (~£30)
- →Shaq al Reesh trail hike (5hrs, 12km)
- →Dana Nature Reserve
- →Sunset from a Bedouin camp near Little Petra
The backdoor route into Petra
Petra / Wadi Musa
Early start to hike the backdoor route into Petra — cross the desert via Wadi Ghurab and follow the old Nabataean path skirting the final mountain on a natural rock terrace, reaching a hidden plateau above Wadi Siyyagh. The Monastery comes into view before you descend the steps into ancient Petra. Budget 6 hours and 14km. You can do this self-guided with the Jordan Trail GPX and a paper map, but a local guide (60-80 JOD) makes the navigation and the history far better; guides can be arranged through Wadi Musa guesthouses. Rest your legs in a Wadi Musa guesthouse and eat cheaply at the town's local restaurants.
🚌Local taxi/shared transfer from Little Petra to trailhead (~£10)
🛏Budget guesthouse in Wadi Musa, twin/double room (~£30)
- →Backdoor Petra hike via Wadi Ghurab (6hrs, 14km)
- →Petra Monastery
- →Petra UNESCO site
Wadi Rum and Um Ad Dami, Jordan's highest peak
Wadi Rum
Transfer to Wadi Rum village (shared taxi ~15-20 JOD or organise via your camp). From the visitor centre hop into a Bedouin desert truck for the hour's drive to the foot of Um Ad Dami (1800m), the highest peak in Jordan — a 4km, 4-hour return climb with a summit panorama south to the Saudi border and north to Jebel Rum. Descend to a remote Bedouin camp for the night. Dinner is zarb, cooked for 4-5 hours on hot coals underground — most camps include it in the nightly rate.
🚌Shared taxi/van to Wadi Rum (~£10) + camp desert truck transfer (often included)
🛏Bedouin desert camp in Wadi Rum, twin-share tent, dinner included (~£35)
- →Desert truck to Um Ad Dami
- →Um Ad Dami summit hike (4hrs, 4km)
- →Bedouin camp and zarb dinner
- →Stargazing
Wadi Rum canyons to the Red Sea at Aqaba
Wadi Rum / Aqaba
Do two short guided or self-led canyon hikes through Um Ishreen and Barrah — multi-coloured cliffs and towers, greener plant-rich sections and dunes, around 2 hours and 5km total. Then leave Wadi Rum for the coast; a shared taxi or the local bus to Aqaba runs regularly and takes 1.5-2 hours (5-10 JOD). Arrive early afternoon and take a first dip in the Red Sea — Aqaba's public beaches and the south beach clubs give easy shore access. Your guesthouse can point you to cheap local fish restaurants.
🚌Local bus or shared taxi Wadi Rum to Aqaba (~£6)
🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Aqaba, twin/double (~£30)
- →Um Ishreen and Barrah canyon hikes
- →Swim in the Red Sea
- →Aqaba seafront and old town
Snorkelling the Red Sea reefs
Aqaba
Walk down to the Aqaba yacht club and join a shared specialist diving and snorkelling boat trip — half or full day, typically 35-55 JOD with gear, lunch and multiple reef stops. The skipper takes you to the best coral sites with a huge variety of marine life; there's a sun deck for the surface intervals. Book directly with one of the yacht club operators (or by phone a day ahead) rather than through an online reseller. Free evening to sample Aqaba's restaurants for a sundowner and dinner.
🚌Walk to the yacht club; local taxis cheap within town
🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse in Aqaba, twin/double (~£30)
- →Shared snorkelling boat trip, multiple reef sites
- →Snorkelling and swimming
- →Aqaba waterfront evening
Dead Sea float and back to Amman
Dead Sea / Amman
Breakfast over the Red Sea, then a long road trip north to the Dead Sea — the lowest point on Earth. Cheapest option is the JETT or local bus Aqaba–Amman (£10-14, roughly 4-5 hours) and a taxi out to a public Dead Sea beach access point (or a day-pass at one of the resorts if you want a spa and mud). Float, mud up and rinse off, then continue to Amman. This is the last night of the trip — find a good downtown Amman restaurant (Hashem, Al-Quds) and toast the week.
🚌JETT/local bus Aqaba to Amman (~£12) + taxi to Dead Sea (~£10 each way)
🛏Budget hotel in downtown Amman, twin/double (~£25)
- →Float in the Dead Sea
- →Dead Sea mud bath
- →Amman downtown dinner and markets
Transfer to Amman airport
Amman
Breakfast and final goodbyes. Take an airport taxi (~20-25 JOD) or the shared airport shuttle bus from central Amman for the run to Queen Alia International Airport. If you have a late flight, drop your bags and see the Roman Theatre or the Citadel before you go.
🚌Airport taxi (~£22-28) or shared airport bus (~£5)
🛏None — onward travel
- →Optional Amman Citadel or Roman Theatre if time allows
- →Departure
Self-launched vs. Much Better Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Much Better Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£615 | £1,395 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £780 per person (56%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Much Better Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£615
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Hike Jordan and Snorkel the Red Sea — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £615 per person for 8 days in Jordan. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Much Better Adventures?+
Yes — Much Better Adventures charges around £1,395 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £615 — a saving of roughly £780 (56%) per person.
How long is the Jordan trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Jordan.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, culture trip through Jordan, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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