For us, the trail required a ton of logistical planning. While travelling through Central Asia, we spent hours researching the trail, reading as much as we could find from people who had done the entire thru hike – which wasn’t much. All we could find was the blog of an American guy named John who hiked it solo a few years ago, and his blog (since removed) was one of our main guides, along with the Jordan Trail Association website. We developed our own guide, combining all of the info we could find, to make sure we knew what to expect each day, how much water to carry, where we would find food, water, cell service and a place to charge our phones. If our phone batteries died, we’d have no GPS, and the trail cannot be done without navigation.
This site is collection of our planning, and some initial planning considerations are below.
General advice
- Get the Jordan Pass before arriving in jordan (we didnt and it was a costly mistake! )
- A Jordan tourist visa (included in Jordan Pass) is valid for 30 days – but if you are unable to extend 30-day visa during the hike, 1.50JD/day fine can be paid upon departure at the airport. This is a very easy process.
- Carry a facilitation letter from the Jordan trail office – its in Arabic and English and was useful to answer queries from officials and locals
- Get an Orange SIM card instead of Zain as it has better coverage – we used Zain 🙁
- Download Arabian weather app
- Gaia is a useful app for GPS
- Carry cash – we learned the importance of carrying cash in Jordan the hard way.
To Do in Amman
- Arrange transport from Amman to Um Qais (we hired a taxi for 40 JOD after some negotiation from our helpful hotel). The other option was a bus from Amman to Irbid and then a different bus from Irbid to Um Qais.
- Store any extra stuff with accommodation provider
- Go to Treks in Amman if you need to buy any gear
- Download GPX files to gaia or garmin
- Inform JTA and treks of exact itinerary
- Plan for Stage 1 of the trail.
- Food options in Amman are far superior (but still not great) to what you will find in the tiny stores along the trail, so if you have certain requirements and must haves, consider stocking up in Amman. Things like tuna and bread are widely available, many other items are not.
Disclaimer: The website content is based on our research and our experience on the trail. The website is intended for information and convenience. Your use of this web site is at your own risk. We cannot accept any liability for its accuracy or content. Visitors who rely on this information do so at their own risk and should consult the Jordan Trail Association regarding any trail questions and the latest information.