Hiking Adventure in Jordan — Self-Launched
6 days · Jordan
Much Better Adventures charges £1,180
No-markup version: ~£460 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 6-day self-launched version of the classic Jordan hiking route: Madaba's mosaics, the little-hiked Dana Nature Reserve, entering Petra via its backdoor from Little Petra, climbing Jordan's highest peak Um Ad Dami in Wadi Rum, and floating in the Dead Sea before a final night in Amman. Everything the group tour does, but booked independently using local guides, public/shared transport and budget guesthouses and Bedouin camps — at roughly half the price.
Day-by-day
Arrive in Amman & transfer to Madaba
Madaba
Land at Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) and make your own way to Madaba, 'the city of mosaics', about 30 minutes south of Amman. Take an airport taxi or the shared Sariya/airport shuttle bus to Madaba (taxi ~10-15 JOD / £11-17; shared shuttle cheaper). Check into a budget guesthouse and spend the afternoon wandering the streets — see the 6th-century Holy Land mosaic map at St George's Church (entry ~2 JOD) and the Madaba Archaeological Park. Optional taxi to Mount Nebo for sunset views over the Jordan Valley (~10 JOD return). Eat dinner at a local falafel/hummus spot and buy your Jordan Pass online tonight (see Notes) — it covers your visa fee and Petra entry.
🚌Airport taxi or shuttle to Madaba ~£11-17; local taxis on arrival
🛏Budget guesthouse in Madaba (e.g. Mariam Hotel or similar), double/twin ~£20-30/night
- →St George's Church mosaic map
- →Madaba Archaeological Park
- →Optional Mount Nebo sunset
Dana Nature Reserve hike & Little Petra Bedouin camp
Dana / Little Petra
Take a bus or shared taxi south from Madaba/Amman toward Tafilah and Dana (public bus Amman-Tafilah ~5-7 JOD, then taxi to Dana; total ~3.5-4 hrs). Hire a local licensed guide at the Dana Reserve visitor centre or arrange one via the RSCN (Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature) for the Shaq Al Reesh / Nawatef trail (5 hrs, 12km, ~250m up/800m down) — passing jagged mountains, natural springs and Nabataean ruins. Budget ~£35-50 for the guide, split between however many you travel with. Afterwards continue to Little Petra and overnight at a Bedouin camp among the sculpted sandstone (B&B-style fixed tents, dinner included).
🚌Public bus Amman-Tafilah ~£5-8 + local taxi; ~3.5-4 hrs total
🛏Bedouin camp at Little Petra (fixed tents, shared facilities), ~£25-40/night incl. dinner
- →Shaq Al Reesh / Nawatef trail with local RSCN guide
- →Dana Biosphere Reserve
- →Bedouin camp evening
The backdoor into Petra
Petra / Wadi Musa
Set off on foot from Little Petra and cross the desert via Wadi Ghurab, following the lesser-used Nabataean backdoor route into Petra (6 hrs, 14km, ~500m up/520m down). You'll skirt a carved rock terrace and drop into the site near the Monastery, arriving well away from the crowds. Hire a local Bedouin/Petra guide for this route in advance (essential — it isn't waymarked; ~£40-60 split between the group). Explore the Monastery, Royal Tombs, Street of Facades and the Treasury, then exit through the Siq into Wadi Musa. Overnight in a budget hotel in Wadi Musa, a short walk from the site entrance.
🚌On foot; local taxi from Little Petra to trailhead if needed ~£5
🛏Budget hotel in Wadi Musa (e.g. Petra Gate Hotel or similar), twin/double ~£25-40/night
- →Backdoor hike into Petra from Little Petra
- →Monastery, Treasury & Royal Tombs
- →Exit via the Siq
Wadi Rum & summit of Um Ad Dami (1,800m)
Wadi Rum
Travel from Wadi Musa to Wadi Rum village — shared taxi/minibus ~10-15 JOD (~1.5-2 hrs). At the visitor centre pick up a Bedouin jeep tour; a 4x4 desert transfer to the foot of Um Ad Dami plus the guided summit hike (4 hrs, 4km, ~400m up/down) typically runs ~£40-55 per person or is bundled into a camp package. From the top you look south to Saudi Arabia and north to Jebel Rum. Descend to a remote Bedouin camp for the night — ask your hosts for the traditional zarb dinner cooked underground on hot coals, then stargaze in the clear desert sky.
🚌Shared taxi/minibus Wadi Musa-Wadi Rum ~£11-17; Bedouin 4x4 inside the reserve
🛏Bedouin desert camp in Wadi Rum (fixed tents), ~£30-45/night incl. dinner & jeep
- →Um Ad Dami summit hike
- →Wadi Rum jeep tour
- →Zarb dinner & stargazing
Wadi Rum to the Dead Sea, then Amman
Dead Sea / Amman
Catch sunrise over the dunes near camp, then arrange a shared or private transfer north toward the Dead Sea (Wadi Rum-Aqaba or Wadi Rum-Amman shared transport ~£20-35; a private car is ~£70-90 split between passengers). Stop at a public/private Dead Sea beach (e.g. Amman Beach or a hotel day-use pass, ~£15-25) to float in the hypersaline water and mud-bathe — the lowest point on Earth. Late afternoon, carry on to Amman (~1 hr) and check into a budget hotel in the downtown/Jabal Amman area; eat dinner at Hashem or another falafel institution.
🚌Shared/private transfer Wadi Rum-Dead Sea-Amman ~£20-35 pp
🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Amman (e.g. Jordan Tower Hotel or similar), twin/double ~£25-40/night
- →Dead Sea float & mud bath
- →Amman downtown souks & dinner
Final morning in Amman & departure
Amman
After breakfast, explore the capital on foot: the Roman Theatre, the Citadel with its Temple of Hercules and views over the city, and the bustling souks for spices and sweets. Grab one last Jordanian snack (knafeh, shawarma) before heading to Queen Alia International Airport — a taxi from downtown Amman is ~20-25 JOD (~£22-28), or take the airport coach from Tabarbour/7th Circle for ~3.5 JOD. Depart any time.
🚌Downtown Amman to AMM airport taxi ~£22-28, or airport coach ~£4
🛏None (departure day) — hotel can store bags if you have a late flight
- →Amman Citadel & Roman Theatre
- →Downtown souks
- →Knafeh stop
Self-launched vs. Much Better Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Much Better Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£460 | £1,180 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £720 per person (61%) | |
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.~£460
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 Hiking Adventure in Jordan — Self-Launched cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £460 per person for 6 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 £1,180 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £460 — a saving of roughly £720 (61%) per person.
How long is the Jordan trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 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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