Your fundraising and training are about to pay off, the big day has finally arrived! Wave goodbye to family and friends, before you board your flight to Jordan. On arrival you will transfer to your hotel in Amman. (D on Flight)
Overnight: Hotel
Today you will explore some of the sights of Amman before the start of your challenge. Take in the Roman theatre and citadel followed by a visit to the Dead Sea where you can smother your body in the mineral rich mud renowned for its healing properties, before taking a dip at the lowest place on earth, where the high levels of salt and minerals mean you can’t help but float! After a spot of lunch and relaxation, you will be transferred to Feynan Village. A fleet of 4x4 vehicles will meet you there for the transfer to your first camp from where our trek will begin. This will be your first introduction to the wonderful Bedouin support team who will host you for the week, starting with your first taste of Bedouin cuisine and an introduction to their culture and customs. (B, L, D)
Overnight: Camping
The first day of your challenge beckons as you bid farewell to the campsite and begin trekking across the dusty, gravel strewn desert (hamada) enjoying far-reaching views across the expansive Wadi Araba desert towards Israel. Dry riverbeds (wadis) break up the relatively flat route that you pass through on this first day. From the outset, keep your eyes peeled for interesting sites such as a Roman pool, watermill and aqueducts as well as an array of desert birds. (B,L,D)
Overnight: Camping
Prepare for the biggest day of the trek with a total ascent of over 1,000m! Leaving the flat terrain behind, your second day begins by heading to Abu Sakakin (also known as Ras El Feid) where the ground elevation increases and the true ascent commences. As you leave camp the incline becomes ever steeper as you traverse undulating sections before joining a steep twisting track used by goat-herders up a narrow scenic canyon. As the path becomes more challenging, you may need to make use of helpful hand and footholds to scramble your way upwards. Ultimately you emerge to find yourself on top of the mountains, your efforts rewarded by breathtaking, wide-open views of the Wadi Araba as you push up through this beautiful but challenging section to reach the summit. Take in the panoramic vista and rest before commencing the descent on a steep rocky track all the way to the river valley below, after which a level walk through Sakakin Canyon and one more steep climb out brings you into camp where you can finally rest your weary legs for the night. Enjoy the sunset before another evening experiencing desert life with your Bedouin hosts around the campfire. (B,L,D)
Overnight: Camping
Returning through Sakakin Canyon to a different goat-herders track with several steady ascents and descents along the way, the route snakes gradually upwards into the sand-covered mountains. There will be regular photo opportunities as you take in the natural geological wonders of the last 500 million years. The lunch stop offers a bird’s eye view of yesterday’s challenging hiking route, then it’s time to join the next weaving trail as it runs along the side of the wadi before eventually descending into the sand-stone mountains to your next campsite of Shkart Msei’d. It may be a long day, but the ever-changing landscape - with hidden surprises around every bend and over each high pass - is a wonderful reward. (B,L,D)
Overnight: Camping
Leaving Shkart Msei’d camp, you’ll notice a distinct change in your surroundings, from wadis and mountains to an almost lunar-like landscape. This morning is easy walking on smooth rock underfoot, through expansive walkways and passages wider than the previous days. Evidence of the mysterious Nabatean people will become apparent when dugout steps emerge as you progress along the route. Later, passing through a series of disused Bedouin camps, the trail climbs up on a wide track. Take in the sandstone landscape before crossing a rocky plateau into Beidha to camp for the evening. After freshening up and settling in, there’s the option to take a short sunset walk to a towering viewpoint with awesome views in every direction. Back in camp, you will be hosted by the people that have settled these lands. You’ll find out more Bedouin life and again experience the delights of desert cuisine cooked over the fire. (B,L,D)
Overnight: Camping
Start your day exploring ‘Little Petra’, a relatively short walk from the campsite down a steep picturesque ravine. This offers an exciting preview of the wonders to come later in the day, finishing with the evocative Neolithic village of Beidha, an ancient settlement. Setting off from ‘Little Petra’ you’ll transfer across timeless farmland before you start trekking again on rockier terrain and begins to rise, boasting stunning desert vistas. Your five days’ trekking are rewarded with a distant view of the Monastery, which gradually comes into view. Entering Petra here, as if through the city’s back door, we pose for the first of many photographs against the backdrop of this magnificent façade. Our highly experienced and knowledgeable guides will bring the history of this vast site to life as we trek back in time past the Royal Tombs, the Church and finally the Treasury, Petra’s most iconic site. From here you’re on the final stretch to your hotel just outside of the archaeological site for a long-overdue shower and the hard-earned celebration dinner. (B, L, D)
Overnight: Hotel
Today you will be transferred from Petra to the airport (3 hrs approx.). Say goodbye to Jordan and reminisce about the adventures of your challenge on the return flight to the UK. (B)
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