Cycle the Jordan Trail to Petra
Pedal through vast desert landscapes and remote nature reserves, pausing at Wadi Rum for a snooze under the Milky Way
What's Included?
Activities & Certified Guides
All itinerary activities with expert, local, English-speaking guides and bike mechanicsAll Accommodation
3 nights in a hotel, 2 nights wild camping and 2 nights glamping in a Bedouin desert campMeals
All breakfasts, 6 lunches, 4 traditional Arabic dinners, plus snacks to keep you going while cyclingTransfers & Support Vehicle
Airport transfers and everything in between, including a support vehicle to carry your kit or hop into if your legs need a restEquipment, Permits & Fees
Scott Aspect 740 bikes; all your desert camping equipment; cycling permits and entry feesSmall Like-minded Groups
Solo-friendly by design, join our small n’ sociable groups of up to 14 like-minded, active and outdoorsy people…
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What's it like?
Take on sections of the pioneering Jordan Bike Trail, all the way to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Petra
Cycle ancient camel caravan paths to the majestic Wadi Rum, hopping in a desert Jeep in search of the sunset
Swim, or float, in the Dead Sea. The lowest point on earth, famous for its healing properties
Key Information
Day 1
Arrive in Amman
The start point for today is your hotel in central Madaba. You'll be met at the airport and transferred to Madaba and are free to check in after 2pm.
Day 2
And we're off!
Cycling
Heading south, you’ll jump on the bus and head to Dana Nature Reserve where you’ll get set up with your bike before hitting the road. Cycling through this biosphere reserve is pretty spectacular - you’ll start at the Wadi Dana viewpoint before continuing on the ancient trade route known as the King’s Highway all the way to Shobak, home to one of the few Crusader castles remaining in Jordan. You'll head to a small hamlet for your first night camping, hosted by a local Bedouin family.
Day 3
The long and winding road
Cycling
After a substantial hummus-based breakfast, you’ll cycle straight from the camp, tackling a brief climb out of Shobak. Today is one of the most epic stages of the Jordan Bike Trail; you’ll follow the upper rim of the Araba Valley and gaze towards the mountains of Petra, proper wilderness riding on a mixture of dirt tracks and roads. Your reward is The Little Petra Bedouin Camp, scattered with fire torches and carpet through the desert, this is a deserving slice of luxury after a good day on the saddle.
Day 4
To the rose red city of Petra
Hiking
Cycling
An extra early start today for a spectacular hike to Petra. You’ll enter the ancient city via the 'backdoor' and will have a little time to explore the sites and learn all about its ancient past with a local specialist guide before leaving the same way, usually in the early afternoon. Following a short jeep transfer to the hilltop village of Rajif, you’ll pedal off-road for the long descent towards Wadi Rum. Your overnight spot is a remote wild campsite set up by a local Bedouin family who will cook some traditional fodder. Time to hit the hay - either climb into your tent or grab your mattress and sleep ‘open-air’ - highly recommended for star-gazing fans.
Day 5
Cross the 'Desert Highway' to Wadi Rum
Cycling
You’ll get a true taste of Middle-Eastern desert landscape today as you make your way through isolated caravan tracks, crossing the desert highway and marvelling at how ancient navigation worked in such vast spaces. Having made it to Wadi Rum, you’ll jump in a desert Jeep to explore the many valleys, canyons, gorges and vistas that make up this desert playground - hiking and scrambling is the only way to do it! Bed down in an established Bedouin camp with shared luxurious tents, this is basically glamping in the desert.
Day 6
To the Red Sea
Cycling
Driving
Last day on the bike today. A Jeep transfer will take you out of camp and then you’ll spend a couple of hours cycling on the desert mudflats around Wadi Rum continuing your journey south. Later on, you’ll hop on the bus for a short ride to Aqaba, Jordan’s ‘window to the sea’. You’ll have a bit of time to kick back and relax or grab a snorkel and marvel at the underwater life that the Red Sea offers.
Day 7
Float away...
Driving
Having made it to the very south of the country, you’ll spend today road-tripping your way back up north. You’ll stop at a few points of interest and get to the Dead Sea for lunchtime. Enjoy the sunshine at the lowest point on earth, give yourself a mud bath, gaze towards Jerusalem or simply spend the afternoon trying to keep your balance in the Dead Sea's salty waters. You'll then continue on to Amman for the night.
Day 8
Back to the airport
Driving
After breakfast and final goodbyes with your team, you'll be returned to the airport in time for your flight home. Or if you choose to extend your stay, enjoy a wander around the many sites of bustling Amman.
The Area
Logistics
Starts
Queen Alia International Airport, Amman
Catch any flight to arrive on Day 1
Ends
Queen Alia International Airport, Amman
Depart any time on Day 8
Transfers
Arrival transfers from Amman airport to the hotel in Madaba are included for any time you choose to arrive on Day 1 or Day 2 of the tour (some flights arrive after midnight so fall in the early hours of Day 2). Departure transfers from the final hotel to Amman airport are included for any time you choose to depart on Day 8. If you need a transfer on other days then your host can arrange a private transfer for you, at additional cost. See the Optional Extras section for prices.
Travel options
There are frequent flights to Amman from airports in the UK and Europe. Choose any flight to arrive on Day 1 and depart on Day 8 - or extend your stay if you wish. Some flights arrive shortly after midnight - if you arrive in Amman in the early hours of day 2 then your room will be ready and waiting for you but if your flight arrives in the early hours of Day 1, you will need to book an extra night's accommodation before the tour as rooms are not usually available for check-in until the mid-afternoon. Your host can arrange an additional night of accommodation, subject to availability. See the Optional Extras section for more prices.
Day 1
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 2
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 3
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 4
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 5
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 6 – Day 7
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
Day 8
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner
What is the food like?
For breakfast at the hotels expect a buffet typical of 3-star hotel breakfasts all over the world. Lunches will generally be buffet style at local cafes. Dinner (where not included) will be at local restaurants and will cost approx $15-$20pp. Your guide will be with you to make suggestions of where to eat and to arrange group meals. For dinner while camping, you'll experience traditional Arabic food – typical dishes are magloobah (rice with vegetables and chicken prepared in a traditional way with local spices) or mansaf (rice served with lamb and yoghurt). All these dishes come with the classic accompaniments of hummus, mtabbal (fried eggplant) and salad. Dinner at the Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum is a real experience; here they serve the famous zarb – this dish consists of rice, veggies, lamb and chicken cooked for 4-5 hours under the ground on coal, and served with salads and side dishes.
Vegetarians, vegans and other dietary requirements and allergies can be catered for – please just let your host know when booking.
What is the accommodation like?
Madaba, Aqaba and Amman
During your overnight stays in Madaba, Aqaba and Amman you will be tucked up in cosy, local 3-star hotels. The exact hotel you stay in will be confirmed nearer the time based on group size and availability, but all are chosen for their excellent reputation, location and welcoming service. Some examples are the Mosaic City Hotel in Madaba, My Hotel in Aqaba and the Toledo Hotel in Amman.
Rainbow Camp and Little Petra Camp
You will spend two nights in Bedouin camps nestled into the vast expanse of the desert at Little Petra and Wadi Rum. Each tent is equipped with beds, mattresses, blankets and pillows; with showers and toilets available also. You'll be treated to traditional Bedouin cuisine cooked on an open fire and both camps are the perfect place for a spot of star-gazing and to watch the sun rise the next morning.
Wild Camping
You will spend one night camping totally in the wild and one night camping in the garden of a Bedouin family. Your crew will set up the campsite for you, as well as a 'washroom' for a quick spruce with some hot water and a toilet tent. A local Bedouin family will also be at the campsite to prepare some delicious meals for you to enjoy under the stars. Solo travellers will get their own tent by default, for a little more privacy.
Upgrades
For solo travellers looking for their own space, your host will provide private tents as standard while wild camping on Days 2 and 4 (without additional charge). However, if you'd like your own space for every night of the tour, an optional solo upgrade can be booked for an extra charge, see Optional Extras for the price. Please request this at the time of booking (this is subject to availability).
This trip has been rated as Moderate
The terrain might be undulating and astonishing, but this trip is designed for cyclists of average fitness able to cover around 45km (average) each on back-to-back days. There are sections of smooth tarmac on deserted roads that are a joy to ride, but also some prime gravel tracks that carve through the majestic desert.
No technical skill is required, just some strong legs and a sense of adventure! There will also be a desert truck to transport your overnight stuff, so if the going gets too tough or too hot, you can always jump in for a bit of respite.
Cycling Terrain The cycling terrain is approximately 60% on gravel/dirt tracks, 10% on packed sand and about 30% on roads. There is also a mixture of gradients, including undulating rides, flats, downhill and uphill sections.
What will I need to carry?
Your main luggage will be transported in the cycling support truck so you'll only need to keep personal items needed for that day with you.
Jordan has a characterised by long, hot, dry summers and short, cool winters. The climate is influenced by Jordan’s location between the subtropical aridity of the Arabian desert areas and the subtropical humidity of the eastern Mediterranean area.
The optimal seasons to explore Jordan by bike are March to April and September to November, when the temperature is comfortably warm but not scorching! The daytimes are around 23-27°C approximately and the nights are cooler but not cold.
Travelling in December will be cooler but it also means that the main sites (such as Petra) are far quieter. While the days are usually sunny and around 15-20°C, the nights can be very cold in the desert and on occasion drop to near zero. Your reward is crisp, clear, desert night skies!
Amazing trip with a great
Amazing trip with a great team on the ground. Informative and enthusiastic guides, with unique accommodation that you’d struggle to find elsewhere. Trip logistics are really smooth as you dance across camping, biking, hiking, swimming and chilling out.
We did the trip in December and by day, a windproof was a great option for riding (and sun avoidance) and down jacket essential in the cool evenings.
If you like riding clipless, take pedals along but beware, there is plenty of sand!
Beautiful country, kindest people & lovely adventure
This was one of a kind! Such a great holiday: a perfect blend of a beautiful country, an impressive history and the kindest people. The guide was amazing, helpful & knowledgeable. Thanks a lot for this experience!!
What an adventure!
An amazing adventure more than I could have wished for.
About guide Furat is a star. I especially enjoyed learning the history and culture of where we travelled.
Special memories was tea with the Bedouin and the dawn camel ride.
Fantastic trip in a beautiful country!
Such a fantastic trip! I cannot believe how many incredible experiences we had in the space of a week. Jordan is a beautiful and varied country and cycling was an amazing way to see it. Furat is such a knowledgeable and engaging guide. Highlights included stargazing, cycling across desert mudflats, Wadi Rum, Petra, snorkelling at the Red Sea and floating in the Dead Sea (and of course the delicious food and snacks!) If you are in any doubt, book this trip - you won’t regret it!
A great way to experience Jordan
Excellent trip! Very well organised, great guide and support staff! Nice balance between cycling and other activities. The itinirary and activities gave a good impression of a very beautiful country. I would highly recommend this trip!
The best trip I've ever been on
Loved every second of it. Easily my favourite trip and country I've ever been to.
I'm so glad I bit the bullet and just went for it. Jordan is an unbelievably stunning country, and doing it by bike makes it so much more rewarding.
Furat was a top-tier guide. He loves his job and is so informative about everything around Jordan.
There where also things we done that weren't on the initial intinery, which made the camel ride and the resorts at the end so much more exciting.
11/10
The perfect adventure in beautiful
The perfect adventure in beautiful nature, with delicious food and all kinds of snacks, amazing guides, much knowledge and fun rides, with downtime to relax at Red Sea and Dead Sea.
Incredible Jordan
What an amazing trip - unbelievably beautiful country with incredibly warm and friendly people. Words dont cover the Scenery Pre trip comms was great from MBA The team on the ground (Anton & Furat) we’re fantastic and really made the experience. Would highly recommend this trip. Bikes were of high quality, new and clearly well maintained. Take me back….
Just book it - you will have a great trip!
Fantastic trip from start to finish! Guides Furat and Anton were superb and really made the experience exceptional. Delicious and plentiful food. Amazing landscapes and riding and a well thought out itinerary to give variety in riding, sightseeing and relaxing. Highly recommend this trip.
I have just returned from
I have just returned from this trip. A fabulous trip made all the better by our guide Furat and his team, who could not do enough for us. I highly recommend this trip not just for the challenge but to see and be educated about another part of the world and its people.
Fantastic Trip
Superb trip ... absolutely amazing, with great fellow travellers.
Some stunning views and experiences, all brilliantly led by Furat who was a truly gracious, funny and very knowledgeable guide who clearly has great passion for Jordan and all it has to offer.
The obvious highlights of Wadi Rum and Petra were fantastic ... but the peripheral activities (e.g Bedouin camps, snorkeling in the Red Sea, floating in the Dead Sea) were amazing as well.
Wish I could do it all over again next week!
First Class Trip
Just back from this trip and it far exceeded expectations. Cycling was harder in parts than envisaged, but in my case at least in part due to a lack of pre trip ability to train. Organisation was excellent, as facilitated through our excellent guide Furat, who really couldn't have delivered a better service. His knowledge, communication and willingness to assist with any requests was first class. I would highly recommend both Furat and MBA to others. Elements of the last two days allowing some R&R really were the icing on the cake in the locations around the Red Sea and Dead Sea after days in the saddle!