Cycle the Jordan Trail to Petra

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.