Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Set in magnificent multihued desert, Feynan Ecolodge is 22km off the Dead Sea Highway, via the Bedouin vil-
lage of Greigra. Park at the office on the edge of the reserve and you'll be transported the rest of the distance by
4WD.
For a pit stop an hour's drive north of Aqaba,
Beir Mathkour
has a restaurant, craft shop and petrol station with-
in a garden of palms.
Mujib Biosphere Reserve
Straddling the Dead Sea Highway, this wonderful reserve, which ranges from 900m above
sea level to 400m below, was originally established by the Royal Society for the Conser-
vation of Nature (RSCN) for the captive breeding of the Nubian ibex. It now supports a
surprising variety of over 400 species of plants (including rare orchids), 186 species of
birds and 250 animal species, including Syrian wolves, striped hyenas, caracals and
Blandford's fox. It's also an important staging post for migratory birds travelling between
Africa and Europe.
The reserve faces several challenges. Water in the permanently flowing wadis of the re-
serve has significantly reduced as water is siphoned off for use in Amman and the Dead
Sea resorts. With illegal hunting, overgrazing of livestock and the demands of mining
companies for licences to start mineral extraction, the future of the park is looking precari-
ous. Against all the odds, the RSCN is doing a first-class job in managing the 215 sq km
reserve and it can only be hoped that increased tourism to the reserve - with its crystal-
clear pools of water, hanging gardens and desert escarpments - will increase the pressure
on the government to guarantee its long-term protection.
Hiking
Siq Trail
(per person JD15.500)
The easiest hike on offer, this exciting 2km wade and scramble in-
to the gorge ends at a dramatic waterfall (
Click here
).
HIKING
Malaqi Trail
(per person JD64)
This wet trail is the reserve's most popular hike. It's a half-day trip in-
volving a hot and unremitting climb into the wadi, a visit to the natural swimming pools
of Wadi Hidan and descent (often swimming) through the siq (gorge). The finale involves
HIKING
