We’ve done some tough hikes in New Zealand, but in Jordan, everything was different. We couldn’t just put our heads down and trudge – we had to check the GPS continually, try to safely navigate the sharp, rocky terrain with loose footing, and watch out for heat exhaustion. We heard stories of other hikers needing to get evacuated by helicopter due to dehydration, heat exhaustion, and lack of water. On the first two treacherous days of the trail, we each drank 5L of water and didn’t need to go to the bathroom all day – that’s how much the heat dehydrated us.
We hiked for 8+ hours every day – every day for 30 days (we had 5 rest days) with 20kg on our backs in a very hot desert climate with elevation changes from below sea level to 1200m. And unreliable water sources. It was hard. Very, very hard.
Having said that, after the first 10 days or so we developed a routine, a rhythm, and of course fitness. We loved it. But our advice is, do not underestimate the walking itself.