Self-Launched Jordan Active Adventure: Amman to the Dead Sea
8 days · Jordan
G Adventures charges £1,005
No-markup version: ~£745 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 8-day independent version of G Adventures' Jordan Active Adventure, following the same north-to-south route: Roman Jerash, the hilltop ruins of Umm Qais, the Ajloun highlands, the Dana Biosphere Reserve, the back-door hike into Petra, a 4x4 night in a Wadi Rum desert camp, a remote Wadi Araba trek and a float in the Dead Sea. Instead of a private coach and CEO you'll use JETT coaches, minibuses and shared taxis, book local guides directly (including a Bedouin guide for the Little Petra back trail), and stay in family guesthouses, eco-camps and Bedouin camps. Hiking is the core of this trip, so pack broken-in boots and expect 3-5 hours of walking on several days.
Day-by-day
Arrive Amman, Jerash & hike to Umm Qais via Ajloun
Amman / Jerash / Ajloun / Umm Qais
Arrive early (or pre-book a night in Amman — you need to be moving by 8am) and take an airport taxi or the Airport Express bus to Tabarbour/north station. From Amman's Tabarbour bus station take a minibus to Jerash (around 2 JOD, 1hr). Enter Jerash's Roman site (£12 with the Jordan Pass; otherwise 10 JOD) and either self-guide with the free map and info boards or hire a licensed local guide at the gate (around 25 JOD, worth it, and you can split with travellers you meet). Lunch at a women-run café in the Jerash area (Beit Khayrat Souf in Souf runs cooking classes and lunches — book directly a day ahead, roughly 15 JOD with cooking demo). In the afternoon take a minibus or taxi via Ajloun to Ajloun Castle (8 JOD entry) and hike the marked trail down toward Mar Elias church and on into the olive terraces above Umm Qais. Continue by taxi or shared car to Umm Qais (25-30 JOD from Ajloun) and check into a village guesthouse such as the Baraka Destinations houses in Umm Qais, where you can join a home-cooked dinner with your hosts (8 JOD).
🚌Airport bus + minibus Amman-Jerash (~2 JOD), minibus/taxi Jerash-Ajloun (~3 JOD), private car/taxi Ajloun-Umm Qais (~6 JOD shared)
🛏Village guesthouse in Umm Qais (Baraka Destinations-style, twin room ~35 JOD)
- →Self-guided visit to Jerash Roman ruins & hippodrome
- →Optional licensed guide at Jerash gate
- →Beit Khayrat Souf cooking class & lunch (book direct)
- →Ajloun Castle visit
- →Hike from Ajloun toward Umm Qais / Mar Elias trail
Umm Qais ruins and the Arab Dam hike
Umm Qais
Walk up to the Umm Qais (Gadara) archaeological site in the morning — 12 JOD with the Jordan Pass, and the views over the Yarmouk valley, the Golan Heights and the Sea of Galilee are the reason to come this far north. Most guesthouses will arrange a local guide for the Arab Dam trail (around 35-40 JOD per group for a half day, or cheaper if you team up with other guests). The Arab Dam hike takes 3-4 hours through wadis, basalt outcrops and olive groves, and is best done with someone who knows the route. Afternoon back at the guesthouse for mint tea on the terrace; dinner in town at one of the small restaurants (5-7 JOD). Your hosts can organise the shared car to Dana or Irbid for tomorrow morning.
🚌All on foot plus a short shared car to trailhead (~3 JOD)
🛏Village guesthouse in Umm Qais
- →Umm Qais archaeological site (Gadara)
- →Arab Dam valley hike with local guide
- →Village time & guesthouse terrace views
South to Dana Village and the canyon rim
Umm Qais to Dana
Long travel day, done the local way: shared car to Irbid (around 5 JOD), JETT coach from Irbid to Amman's Abdali station (around 4 JOD), then a JETT bus or minibus from Amman's Wahadat station to Tafilah (4-5 JOD, roughly 3hrs), and a taxi up the hill to Dana village (7-8 JOD). Alternatively, many Dana camps offer pickup from Tafilah or Qadisiyah for around 10 JOD — ask when you book. Arrive in the afternoon and walk the 2km track through Dana's Ottoman-era stone village along the canyon edge, with interpretive signs explaining the reserve's rewilding and community projects. Check into a reserve eco-camp or guesthouse such as Dana Tower Hotel or Rumana Eco-Camp, and eat a set dinner at your accommodation (8-10 JOD).
🚌Shared car (~5 JOD) + JETT coach Irbid-Amman (~4 JOD) + minibus Amman-Tafilah (~5 JOD) + taxi to Dana (~8 JOD)
🛏Dana eco-camp or village guesthouse (twin ~28 JOD per room)
- →Dana Village walk along the canyon rim
- →Reserve visitor centre briefing on the Dana Biosphere Reserve
Full-day trek in the Dana Biosphere Reserve with a shepherd
Dana Biosphere Reserve
Book your trek directly with the RSCN (Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature) office at Dana or your camp: the classic choice is the Wadi Dana Trail from Dana village down to Feynan (14km, 5-6hrs, guided fee around 60-70 JOD per guide — shareable between 3-4 hikers) or a shorter circular route along the rim (around 40 JOD). Ask specifically for a local Bedouin guide so you walk alongside a shepherd and his herd, learning how the reserve balances grazing with wildlife protection — this is the hands-on moment from the original tour. Bring a packed picnic lunch (buy bread, hummus, tomatoes and fruit in Tafilah or arrange with your camp for about 5 JOD), 3 litres of water and sun protection. Back at camp for dinner and an early night.
🚌On foot; short transfers arranged by camp
🛏Dana eco-camp or village guesthouse
- →Guided Wadi Dana or rim trek in Dana Biosphere Reserve
- →Walk with a local shepherd and learn herding tasks
- →Picnic lunch in the reserve
Little Petra and the back-door hike to the Monastery & Treasury
Dana to Petra
Take a minibus or shared taxi from Dana/Tafilah up to Wadi Musa (around 25 JOD for a taxi, 5-8 JOD on public minibuses via Tafilah). Drop bags at your hostel (Petra Cabin, Rocky Mountain Hotel or Cleopetra are all solid budget choices), then get a taxi to Little Petra (Siq al-Barid, free entry, around 8 JOD each way). From Little Petra walk the marked back trail to Petra's Monastery — 2-3hrs through gorges and open ridge with a Bedouin tea stop, ending at the largest monument in the city. Note: this route no longer needs a guide as the trail is waymarked, but hiring a Bedouin guide (around 50 JOD for the group) is a good way to support local families and get the stories. From the Monastery descend the 800 steps to the Basin, then walk the Colonnaded Street to the Treasury. A two-day Jordan Pass (£79 / 75 JOD) covers Petra and Wadi Rum — buy it before arrival. Evening free; optional Turkish bath in Petra around 15-18 JOD.
🚌Minibus/taxi Dana-Wadi Musa (~10 JOD shared), taxi to Little Petra (~8 JOD)
🛏Budget hostel or family hotel in Wadi Musa (private twin ~30 JOD)
- →Little Petra (Siq al-Barid)
- →Back-door hike Little Petra to the Monastery
- →Petra: Monastery, Colonnaded Street, Treasury
- →Optional Turkish bath in Wadi Musa
Petra by morning, then 4x4 and a night in Wadi Rum
Petra to Wadi Rum
Get up early (site opens 6am) and walk back in through the Siq to the Treasury with far fewer people, then climb to the High Place of Sacrifice or the Royal Tombs — your Jordan Pass covers re-entry. By late morning, take a minibus from Wadi Musa to Wadi Rum village (around 5-7 JOD, about 1.5hrs, several daily) or book your camp's transfer (10 JOD). Most camps include a jeep tour in their package: a 4-hour 4x4 run (around 25-35 JOD per person, shared) takes in the Lawrence Spring, red sand dunes, Khazali canyon inscriptions, Mushroom Rock and the small arch at Um Fruth. Back at camp, eat a zarb dinner cooked underground and join your hosts around the fire for Bedouin stories; then walk out 10 minutes for the darkest sky in Jordan. Stargazing sessions run about 10-15 JOD but honestly the free version is excellent.
🚌Minibus Wadi Musa-Wadi Rum village (~6 JOD), camp 4x4 transfers included
🛏Bedouin desert camp in Wadi Rum (shared tent or bubble option, ~25 JOD incl. some meals)
- →Early morning re-entry to Petra (High Place of Sacrifice / Royal Tombs)
- →Wadi Rum 4x4 jeep tour
- →Bedouin dinner and campfire evening
- →Desert night walk and stargazing
Wadi Araba trek and float in the Dead Sea
Wadi Rum to Dead Sea via Wadi Araba
Arrange with your camp or a local guide in Aqaba/Rum for a hike in the Wadi Araba section of the Great Rift Valley (around 40-50 JOD per guide, half day) — this is remote, unmarked terrain, so do not attempt it solo; the sand and flash-flood risk are real. A popular short version starts near the Rum/Araba junction and follows a dry wadi bed for 3-4 hours. Afterwards take a shared taxi or minibus north (Wadi Rum to Aqaba 5 JOD, then JETT coach Aqaba to Amman via the Dead Sea highway, around 12 JOD, or a shared taxi to Sweimeh around 15-20 JOD). Check into a budget hotel or guesthouse near the Dead Sea public beach — the Amman Beach / Dead Sea public beach charges 20-25 JOD for entry with towels and showers, which is far cheaper than hotel day passes. Float, mud up, watch the sunset. Cheap local dinner in Sweimeh or eat at your hotel (10 JOD).
🚌Shared taxi to Aqaba (~5 JOD), JETT coach Aqaba-Dead Sea/Amman (~12 JOD), local taxi to beach (~5 JOD)
🛏Budget hotel or guesthouse near Sweimeh / Dead Sea
- →Wadi Araba / Great Rift Valley hike with a local guide
- →Dead Sea float and mud bath at Amman Beach public beach
Dead Sea morning and departure
Dead Sea to Amman airport
One last early float or a slow breakfast overlooking the water, then head out. Shared taxis and minibuses run from Sweimeh to Amman's Muhajireen station (around 3-5 JOD) and from there a taxi or the Airport Express to Queen Alia (around 4 JOD bus, 20-25 JOD taxi). If you're flying out late, the Dead Sea Museum and the hot springs at Hammamat Ma'in are easy add-ons. Build in 3 hours before your flight for the drive and check-in.
🚌Minibus Sweimeh-Amman (~4 JOD) + Airport Express bus (~4 JOD) or taxi (~20 JOD)
🛏None — departure day
- →Sunrise float in the Dead Sea
- →Optional Hammamat Ma'in hot springs or Dead Sea Museum
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£745 | £1,005 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £260 per person (26%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£745
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.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Jordan Active Adventure: Amman to the Dead Sea cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £745 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 G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,005 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £745 — a saving of roughly £260 (26%) 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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