Cycle the Jordan Trail to Petra

Good Adventure The Cycling Experience was great The Locations were great Great Cultural Experience and Beautiful Roads. Very professional support Crew, and Laith is an excellent guide. Got picked up and dropped off at the airport on time.

Thoroughly enjoyable trip. Came for the cycling but the non cycling activities were a real bonus.

Very well organised and superbly delivered. Lots packed into every day, with amazing scenery, great food from local sources all shared with a group of positive, like-minded people.

This was one of the best holidays I’ve had … and at 61 years of age, I’ve had a few!

It was an amazing and hugely rewarding experience to cycle and hike through some more remote parts of the central and southern Jordanian landscape. Our route was ‘off the beaten track’ and gave us a taste of rolling hills, craggy mountains, sandstone canyons and majestic deserts.

Our guide, Laith, somehow managed to cater for a range of ages (from 20 to 74), fitness levels and cycling abilities and provided a really fascinating insight into Jordanian history and contemporary life. Ahmed, our support driver (aka ‘ginger man’), took excellent care of the group and our bikes, with an abundant supply of water and energy boosting treats (nuts, sultanas, dates, pretzels and candied ginger, as well as chocolate). When the terrain got a little more challenging, Ahmed provided an unobtrusive pick-up service in the 4x4 support vehicle.

Overnight, we wild camped (2 nights), glamped (2 nights) and stayed in very comfortable hotels (3 nights). Having vowed, more than 20 years ago, never to camp again, I can’t believe how much I enjoyed wild camping or how well I slept. We arrived at our camp sites to find tents and crude but functional ‘facilities’ erected. It was such fun to get back to basics and sit around a fire digging into traditional fare prepared by local people. The glamping every other night provided an opportunity to freshen up and recharge our batteries -metaphorically and literally.

I was part of a group of 11 people, three couples/pairs and five singletons. A major joy of the holiday was to get to know new people from all over the world and to share some extraordinary experiences with them - breathtaking landscapes, long downhill freewheeling, cycling in sand, covering our bodies in mud and laughing like children as we floated with feet and arms aloft - to name but a few.

Somehow, we managed to cover the ‘sites’ of Jordan (Petra, the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, the Red Sea the Dead Sea) and I enjoyed them all enormously. This holiday was so much more than the sum of those parts, however, and was an experience that I’ll treasure in my memory for years to come.

The question is, where to next!

Excellent all round trip that combines, cycling, local gastronomy, history, Our guide made a big difference.

My week in Jordan happened to be the best holiday I ever had. The landscapes are breathtaking, the cultural sites wonderful and the Jordanians are the nicest you'll ever met. Every day came with new stunning views and surprises. The organization of the trip and ethics of the staff were to the highest standard. Already thinking of my next booking with MBA.

I've done a few group cycling holidays before and they were great. This was above and beyond the best, though. Every day was different, the riding was exhilarating, challenging but not overly so, and the landscapes spectacular. The wild camping, which I thought might be a chore, was actually one of the highlights, looking down on the desert from high up in the hills, the glow of the campfire, the moon and stars and the far-off lights of some distant village. Food was brilliant all the way through, Petra didn't disappoint and snorkelling the Red Sea and dipping in the Dead Sea felt like nice ways to end. Our ride leader, Laith, was outstanding all the way through, always offering historical and cultural insights everywhere we went, and our support driver\bike mechanic Ahmed was quietly effective in everything he did. Between them, they made what was already brilliant, something truly special. They helped ensure that Jordan, a country I didn't know a great deal about, will be strong in my memory for years to come.

If you've arrived at this page and this review, you clearly have some interest in your own adventure in Jordan. Don't think twice about it, you won't find too many other experiences like it.

This a well thought out and coordinated experience following parts of the Jordan Trail. Each day was perfectly balanced between cycling and engaging with genuine Jordanian people and their customs. Our tour guide, Laith, was always keen to impart fascinating information about the areas and communities we were visiting in a very thorough and passionate manner. His knowledgeable, friendly and professional manner made this experience so much more than just a cycling trip. The variation on basic and luxury Bedouin camps whilst cycling were perfect and allowed you to truly feel you were having an authentic tour of nature as well as feeling refreshed. The support vehicle was extremely well equipped with water, snacks, spares and the ability to “tap out” when needed. This in particular made my experience possible due to an aversion to heights which meant that some of the vistas and terrain were too challenging. Ahmed, the support driver, was amazing. Rest breaks and lunches were very well coordinated, and mostly included toilet facilities, which is always a bonus! Would strongly recommend this trip to anyone wishing to have an immersive cycle tour of Jordan.

Everything about this trip was incredible. I booked it for the cycling, but there were so many highlights to this trip, that the cycling ended up being just a part of what made it so special.

From the moment we set off on the bikes, we were treated to spectacular landscapes, culminating on the first day with a wild camp and mountain views.

Our guide Laith was exceptional. His humour, knowledge and enthusiasm for cycling and Jordan more generally was such a highlight. It enhanced everything that we saw and did throughout the trip. The support vehicle was also amazing, with Ahmed keeping our bikes in top condition each day, and supplying us with the best mid-ride snacks. The food more generally was another unexpected highlight. Everything we ate was delicious and kept us fuelled for an action-packed week.

The team takes improving and perfecting this trip so seriously. It was great having Anton cycling with us to check the recent updates and improvements in the itinerary. Our group were unanimous that changing the campsite on the first cycling day was a brilliant update and a fantastic way to end our first day on the bikes.

There really are too many highlights to mention, but hiking to Petra, camping in the desert, watching the sunset in Wadi Rum, mastering cycling through the short stretches of sand, gliding over mudflats on the bike and snorkelling in the Red Sea are all things that I will remember for life.

With the current uncertainty with Jordan’s neighbours, I got to experience Jordan’s hospitality, warmth, friendliness and stability without the usual tourist crowds that sometimes detract from these experiences.

This trip was excellent. The first day's cycling was a good break in, although the route was nothing special. However after that the route, the views and the coutryside we cycled through just got better and better. The highlights were of course Petra and Wadi Rum, which was just so stunning! The additional extra of an early morning camel ride out into the sand dunes to watch the sun rise should not be missed, it was simply stunning. As a celiac I had been worried about the food, but I did not need to worry, I was so well looked after and there was always plenty of options for me including GF protein bars as additional snacks.

It was a little cold when we arrived and I would recommend plenty of warm clothes for camping and nightimes if you are going in March but the daytime temperatures were great for cycling.

I loved this trip, it was well organised, well guided and attracted a great group of fellow travellers. Highly recommended.

Don’t do this trip if you like a lie-in! Every minute is filled with an activity. If you’re not cycling you are going on a camel ride, a desert safari by jeep, visiting Petra or snorkelling in the Red Sea.

Our guide, Furat, was excellent. His advice on the cycling, knowledge of his country and religion plus a great sense of humour added immeasurably to our experience. The driver of the support vehicle, Ahmed, was a great bike mechanic and supplier of endless delicious snacks and much needed water.

The cycling was challenging, mainly due to the off road surfaces which changed from loose stones on tracks to deep sand.

The accommodation ranged from one night in a tent to glamping to hotels. For one night the accommodation was changed from a tent to a hotel because the weather was cold - very thoughtful and much appreciated.

The communication from the company was excellent. Right from the beginning we were kept informed of unseasonably cold weather plus arrival flight issues. And the setting up of a WhatsApp group was a great way for the group to get to know each other before the holiday started.

We’ve done several group holidays, but we have never been with a group that bonded so quickly or had so much fun together. Thank you Much Better Adventures for introducing us to so many lovely people!

I’ll start by saying that I have had many adventures and this was my 5th with MBA and they have all great! The Jordan trail to Petra probably makes into the top two I’ve ever been on.

Highlights for me were the watching the Sunset in Wadi Rum, visiting Petra, and the dip in the Dead Sea, and of course, the people on the trip.

The views whilst cycling were amazing.

The level of cycling was fairly easy - although a level of fitness is required - and it’s all rollable - the ability to handle an MTB on loose gravel, rocky sections of jeep tracks, and over/ through potholes would be beneficial to those with limited MTB experience.

Furat, the guide, was immense. His knowledge of his country was fantastic and his willingness to share personal insights into his culture made the trip even more memorable.

Missing Jordan and my fellow adventurers already!

Definitely be back for another MBA!

Well organised trip with lots of highlights (Dead Sea, Petra, Wadi Rum). Tasty food and great snacks during the rides.

mixed types of accommodation as mentioned in the itinerary (you need to be ok with basic at times but always clean).

Cycling is mostly off road and not too challenging apart from 2 of the days. Had fun trying to master the sand with the rest of our group.

Furat was very knowledgeable and helpful. His colleague Laith who will start to take tours soon was also fabulous.

I would highly recommend the trip, Jordan is needing tourist support more than ever and was perfectly safe to visit.

Tour was compromised a little by the Heathrow shutdown which delayed most of the group by a day, however from airport pick-up everything ran really smoothly. Some of the cycling was challenging however most managed without a problem, even the not especially fit 64 year old that was me. The itinerary was pretty well packed full and Furat, the group leader kept us all fully appraised of what was ahead of us at every juncture. The support driver was brilliant, sorting the odd flat tyre or chain issue and keeping us fed and watered at the frequent stops along the way. We had a really great group that got on really well together, hugely supportive and encouraging with plenty of laughs and banter along the way. Highlights; there were so many, but Camel ride to sunrise at 6am, Jeep desert safari in Wadi Rum, Petra, Dead Sea to name but a few. Accommodation was grand, tents one night, a couple of nights Glamping and decent hotels the remainder. I would highly recommend this tour.

The whole trip was well managed by the MBA appointed Experience Jordan adventure guide Furat and his team in Jordan. On our first day of cycling we did set off at too fast a pace and I would advise a slower start, with some added guidance on techniques, so all riders can be become accustomed to the terrain. This, would I believe have prevented the accident which one of our party suffered. I am aware that the injured rider had to pay in cash before the hospital would treat their injuries, so MBA could improve how this is managed in future. The rest of the trip went well and there was clear evidence of excellent planning by Furat and the team. This was a tremendous trip which I would urge others to book and marvel at the sights through the desert, Petra, Wadi Rum, Red Sea, the Dead Sea. Everyone on the trip pulled and bonded together so well and this made it so much more rewarding to experience the sights and sounds with new found friends. Highly recommended trip and huge Thanks to all the group and Furat for making it such a memorable trip.

The heat adds a lot to the effort required, but it's a good itinerary and the areas cycled are just beautiful. What makes the trip though is the people, the right group makes the time just fly by!

This was 1 of the best trips I've done. It was an amazing way to see Jordan. It was all planned extremely well, the guides were brilliant and everyone on the trip was lovely and so supportive of eachother. I would definitely recommend!

The tour of Jordan was one one of the best organized, challenging, enjoyable and insightful trips I have ever undertaken. Furat was one of the best guides I have ever experienced and he genuinely sets out to provide the best experience possible, not only on the bikes, but during the evenings and other side trips.

Every minute is filled with a new experience, whether through the riding, the hike into Petra, the Camel rides through Wadi Rum, the float in the Dead Sea, or the various opportunities to sample the local food. The food is plentiful and tasty throughout the trip, and they catered well for both the coeliac's and vegetarians in the group.

The trip is absolutely packed with experiences, and you don't have much time to relax, so I recommend that you add a day to either end of the trip just to reflect and take it all in.

The riding is challenging, so I recommend you get fit before you go to ensure that you enjoy it to the max. Some of the downhills are on loose gravel so you need to take them at your own pace and not try and keep up with the rest of the party. However, if you get too tired, the pickup truck is always behind you, so you can just jump in whenever you need to.

On our trip, we had a great group of people who gelled really quickly, from single males and females to couples and best friends. The camaraderie of the group made it a great trip.

Overall, if you are considering going on this trip, go for it, just ensure that you have a couple of rides on a mountain bike and build up the strength in your legs to get the most out of the trip.

Wonderful week in Jordan. Great organisation. Thank you.

This was an incredible, really enjoyable trip. The itinerary is well designed and there is plenty of variety in terms of the cycling, scenery and accommodation (not so much variety with the food, although it is excellent throughout – a particular shout out to the succulent ‘zarb’ cooked lamb at the Rainbow Camp in Wadi Rum).

The guides were excellent – Furat leads on all the MBA trips and has been doing this for a couple of years now which means he knows the trip inside out and the logistics ran absolutely seamlessly. He also adds value with (among other things) his sense of humour, photography skills and knowledge of the history and culture of Jordan. Driver/‘snack man’/bike mechanic Anas was also excellent with his ever present cheeky smile.

The ‘moderate’ rating feels about right to me. As a mostly road cyclist the distances are shorter than I would normally prefer but with the off-road terrain (including deep sand in places), the stunning scenery to look at throughout and everything else going on, this didn’t feel at all like a shortcoming of the trip. The mountain bikes provided were spot on for the terrain and well maintained.

It’s difficult to pick out highlights because it was consistently high quality, but to mention a few: the day 3 cycling along a section of the Jordan bike trail where the views were spectacular and the mostly off-road terrain (with a couple of punchy climbs and rocky descents) was great to cycle and provided just the right amount of challenge.

The hills and desert expanse of Wadi Rum (the “massive rampart of redness” as T. E. Lawrence described it) were also pretty breathtaking. Also the incredible hike via the ‘backdoor’ into Petra, which fortunately for us was mostly empty of other tourists due to the ongoing conflicts elsewhere in the region. This is obviously not so fortunate for the Jordanian tourist industry, but Jordan itself is absolutely fine, like an oasis of calm in the middle of all the upheaval, so now is actually a good time to visit.

Although you can get booze in Jordan (far more easily than in Morocco), there were a few ‘dry’ nights and what booze there is can be overpriced (JOD10 for a 500ml can of Petra beer at the Seven Wonders Bedouin camp in Little Petra felt like daylight robbery!)

It's not mentioned in the itinerary but there were a couple of optional paid add-ons - JOD30 to do an early morning/sunrise camel ride into the desert at Wadi Rum (I can recommend) and JOD35 to do an introductory Scuba dive at Aqaba (I elected to go snorkelling instead - JOD7 to hire a mask, although I was a bit underwhelmed with what I saw; it compared poorly to Dahab just 100 miles along the coast in Egypt, and to Bali, both being places where I've gone snorkelling on MBA trips this year).

Madaba is a pretty small place and there are no official activities on day 1 (you don’t meet Furat until the morning of day 2) so if you are short of things to do on that day and have the time, maybe check out Mount Nebo which is a short Uber/taxi ride from Madaba. And it’s worth adding a couple of days at the start or end of the trip to see Amman and various other sites that the MBA trip does not visit.

And if you are staying on, don’t bother booking the private transfer via MBA to get to the airport from Amman. Ubers are plentiful in Amman and mine cost JOD20 which is a lot less than the price MBA are charging (although to be fair their price is more in line with the going rate for getting to Madaba from the airport at the start of the trip).

TLDR: Stop thinking about it, just book! This was an amazing trip, everyone in our group had a blast, but if you're the kind of person who likes details read on.

The tour The this is really well considered and organised, most of the harder rides happen towards the start when you're still fresh. There's plenty of non-bike stuff too which I wasn't sure I'd be as into, but it was great way to break up time in the saddle. Furat is an unreal guide, he's always smiling, happy to answer the most inane questions and some pretty tough ones too. I really think he made the trip for a lot of us. The tour covers all of Jordan's hits and in my opinion there's no better way to see them. That said, you move at pace this means early starts and lots of packing and unpacking.

The riding It wasn't easy but very doable for anyone used to riding, you definitely don't need to be a mountain bike specialist. The off road sections aren't technical, you can take them as slowly as you want or just jump in the support vehicle. The sand sections are very challenging and take some getting used to. If you ride clipless consider getting pedal with flats so you don't need to be clipped in for these parts, this would have made a huge difference. The bikes themselves are great. They're well maintained with gearing perfect for the terrain and Anas is always there to help is anything goes wrong.

Accommodation This really varied from a homestay to wilderness camping to hotels and glamping. It's never luxury but you always have access to showers and a loo. You'll need earplugs although they didn't cut it in one spot where the neighbourhood wildlife were intent to keep us up. I loved the wilderness camping even though I'm usually someone who likes a plush hotel. Almost all of them have Wi-Fi and power (the wilderness camping being the exception). If you want to stay connected and juiced up get yourself a eSIM which gave me coverage even in some very remote places and make sure you've got a couple of power banks and multi USB charger. Many of the places you visit have a mix of outlets, take UK AND EU as some outlets will have one or the other.

Food This is usually the main reason I travel. There are loads of different dishes on offer, but you'll have hummus and pita with everything. Pro tip: Ask Furat how to pronounce hummus. We had a veggie and gluten free person in our group, both seemed to be looked after but I can't speak to their experience. As curious omnivore, there was always enough food, and it was tasty. It was always middle-easter fair so if you're a fussy eater you might be out of luck, no one is going to make you beans on toast. Shout out to Anas on the bike snacks: nuts, dates, candied dried fruit, chocolates the man had it all!

Safety I didn't feel unsafe at any point in the trip. Whether you're concerned about the terrain or the events across the border, my experience was smooth sailing all the way. If anything, it meant that many of the sites were quieter.

The trip was absolutely wonderful, if you like riding, exploring and learning about culture this trip is a must.

Words don't do justice to this trip. It was perfectly organised down to the last detail thanks to Furat and Anas' care and attention. I am so glad to have stumbled across this beautiful country and what a privilege to have experienced it by bike.

Jordan delighted us every single second of this trip. What a breathtaking country. Experiencing this on bikes allowed for a much greater experience, a real taste of Jordan! Challenging riding, delicious snacks, wonderful group dynamics, stunning scenery and a fantastic guide - best trip EVER.

The trip was well organised throughout, with good communication from MBA prior to departure. I really enjoyed the week cycling through challenging terrain with wonderful views. Furat was an excellent guide, patient and informative. The wild camping in the desert was spectacular and the Red Sea and Dead Sea experiences at the end of the week gave a luxurious end to the week.

I recently returned from an unforgettable group cycling tour in Jordan, and I wish I could give more than 5 stars! The entire experience was beyond amazing, with breathtaking landscapes and a perfectly planned route. The bikes were top-notch, and the journey was an absolute joy from start to finish.

Our guide, Farut, was exceptional – professional, patient, and always there when needed. He was not only incredibly knowledgeable but also brought so much fun and humor to the group. You couldn’t ask for a better guide!

A big shoutout to Anas, our backup driver, who was always nearby with a friendly smile, ready to help with anything. His snack stops were always on point, and his support was impeccable throughout the tour.

This trip exceeded all my expectations, and I can’t recommend it enough!

It was honestly the most amazing thing I have ever done. I arrived very late on the night before we set off which meant everyone else had already met and introduced themselves. As a solo traveler I was a bit nervous but was made to feel very welcome from the outset. The cycling was slightly harder than I anticipated but it was extremely well planned with frequent stops for food and rest. The accomodation was different every night and gave a real feel for the real Jordan. It was all amazing. Our hosts in the Bedouin camps were fabulous. The food was amazing . There were some amazing surprises along the way which made the trip even more spectacular. The scenery was breathtaking. Furat was our guide and he was fantastic. He was extrememly knowledgeable and very helpful. He managed to guide us, look after us and entertain us all at the same time. He explained everything so we knew what we were doing, when we were doing it and what was going to happen. Just fabulous.

Jordan is a truly stunning country - extraordinary landscapes, generous people and fabulous food. Seeing it by bike is such a privilege, and this tour is a non-stop sensory delight. From meeting families and enjoying their hospitality to the filmic desert surroundings, to the kindness and good humour of the guides, Furat and Anas, to the magical dawn camel ride, the whole week was a nonstop carousel of memories, set in biblical surroundings. And if you aren't big on cycling (I'm not). Anas is happy to scoop you up when the going gets tough and feed you dried apricots while he teaches you Arabic in the back of the truck, as you watch everyone else sweat it out.

I had a great time, the people on the trip all got on well, our Guide Furat Mai was brilliant, knowledgeable and led us superbly. the programme and routes gave a great insight into the history and geography of Jordan, I recommend a day in Amman either before or after to take in the museums and archeological sites there, easily arranged via the site. The collection & delivery to & from the airport was seamless. I will definately consider another trip with MBA.

Many sights taken in en route. Getting to see, and deal, the sand and rock as well as some of the key sights.

Every day was special