Jordan biking - Dead 2 Red

Day 1: Arrive in Madaba

Rendezvous at the group hotel in Madaba. A single group transfer will be provided from Amman Airport to the group hotel in Madaba. This transfer is normally in the late evening and a representative of our local agent will accompany the group on the 30 minute journey to the hotel. Meals included: None.

Day 2: Via Mount Nebo to Mukawir

After breakfast this morning, we have time to assemble our bikes before setting off on the first stage of our unique mountain biking journey. Bike bags and boxes will be left in storage at the hotel for those bringing their own bikes. Riding straight from our hotel, we follow quiet back roads leading westwards to Mount Nebo. Reputedly the place from which Moses viewed the 'promised land', Mount Nebo does offer a fantastic view across the Dead Sea and the Jordan River to the West Bank. On a clear day, it is even possible to see the holy city of Jerusalem, some 45 kilometres away. Heading south from Mount Nebo, we follow a minor road between isolated farms to the village of Main, then join the 'King's Highway' (an ancient route linking Madaba with Petra, which is actually a little-used local road). After just a few kilometres, we drop off onto a dirt track and follow this to Libb, where we meet a narrow and hilly road that takes us back westwards to the ruins of King Herod’s palace, where John the Baptist was imprisoned and beheaded. We stop off at this viewpoint and enjoy another striking panorama across the Dead Sea. The day's ride ends at the nearby village of Mukawir, where we stay in simple 'homestay' accommodation run by the village cooperative. Whilst this homestay is basic, the food is great, there are minimal facilities including a hot shower and there are 4 sleeping rooms which will be shared appropriately by the group. There really is no alternative accommodation in this area and being able to take our dinner with a local family does allow us a fascinating glimpse into life in a Jordanian household. Ride distance 68 km (42 miles) with 1090 metres of ascent and 1070 metres of descent. 6 to 7 hours riding including stops. Meals included Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (B,L,D)

Day 3: The Dead Sea and Karak Castle

Mukawir is at around 800 metres and the start of today's ride will take us rapidly down to the lowest point on earth, on the banks of the Dead Sea, at an amazing elevation of 400 metres BELOW SEA LEVEL. We will have an early start and make this descent on a minor road with little traffic. Cycling along the shores of the Dead Sea, we arrive at the Mujib Nature Reserve and have the opportunity to take a dip and test the incredible buoyancy of the salty waters (10 times as salty as normal sea water). The Jordan River flows into this vast inland sea, but it has no outlet and this factor, together with a high rate of evaporation, is responsible for the extreme saltiness and lack of animal or plant life. After our swim, we can take a shower, before continuing our ride southwards beside the sea for around 20 kilometres. Reaching a junction, we turn off to begin the challenging 25 kilometre climb back up onto the Eastern Plateau at an altitude of over 900 metres. If you don't want to tackle this amazing 1300 metre ascent, the support vehicle is on hand. Arriving at Karak, we should just have time to visit the magnificent Crusader fortress before checking into our hotel. Situated in a commanding position on the King's Highway, this fort is an excellent example of 12th century Crusader architecture. Ride distance 89 km (56 miles) with 1890 metres of ascent and 1620 metres of descent. 9 hours riding including stops. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Via Wadi Hasa to the Dana Reserve

Today's ride takes us southwards along the Eastern Plateau. After a short transfer away from the traffic of central Karak, we will follow the quiet King’s Highway again, passing agricultural fields, ruins and several small villages, until we reach the edge of the Al Hassa Canyon. We will stop to admire the views, before making our descent into this impressive rocky chasm. What goes down, must go up? It's an 800 metre climb back out of the wadi, but we are spurred on by the thought of our picnic lunch and the chance to rest once the 22 kilometre ascent is over. After lunch, it's back on our bikes for the continuation of our southward ride. We avoid the town of Tafila by contouring around it’s east side on minor farm roads and gain height steadily, en route to a high point at around 1600 metres, close to the rocky summit of Jabal Ata'ta. A final descent of 400 metres takes us to the village of Dana (1250m) and our basic but friendly hotel. Here, we are on the edge of the Dana Biosphere Reserve, Jordan’s largest reserve area, comprising hundreds of square kilometers of spectacular mountains and wadis along the face of the Great Rift Valley. Ride distance 87 km (55 miles) with 1830 metres of ascent and 1750 metres of descent. 9 hours riding including stops. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Off-road on the Eastern Plateau, then down to Wadi Musa

Dana village has been the home of the Al Ata'ata tribe for 400 years. This morning, we will have the chance to look around this tranquil settlement, before setting off on our bikes towards Shobak Castle. This is another of the great chain of Crusader fortresses, which stretches across Jordan and was built in the year 1115. Beyond the castle, an initial steep climb through small villages leads us to an excellent off-road track that contours around the edge of the Eastern Plateau and provides us with magnificent views down to the desert of Wadi Araba. Regaining the King's Road, we cruise down to Wadi Musa (the ‘Valley of Moses’) which is the little town that acts as a gateway to the 'Rose-Red City' of Petra. Here, we check in at a comfortable hotel for 2 nights. Ride distance 69 km (43 miles) with 1435 metres of ascent and 1670 metres of descent. 8 hours riding including stops. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Petra sightseeing

A day off the bikes today, as we have arranged for a sightseeing visit to the ancient city of Petra, accompanied by a knowledgeable English-speaking guide. Making an early start, we will walk to the Visitor Centre, pick up our tickets and set off through the narrow 'Siq' which leads to the heart of this site. The Petra fees, which are included in the trip cost, allow you to ride a horse for the first few hundred metres of the approach to the site - it's up to you whether you want to take advantage of this! Petra was created by the Nabataeans, an industrious people of Arab descent who came to this part of Jordan some 2000 years ago. Ancient Petra was occupied for around 400 years at around the time of Christ. It appears that the city lay entirely deserted and forgotten for a period of approximately 300 years before its more recent rediscovery in 1812. Approaching through the gloomy kilometre-long chasm of the Siq provides a dramatic contrast as we reach arguably the most spectacular of the city's rock-hewn buildings, the magnificent Treasury, with its intricately carved facade. There are over 800 individual monuments at Petra, including temples, tombs, arched gateways and entire streets, carved from the colourful native sandstone. Other highlights are the High Place of Sacrifice, which offers views across the whole area, and the Monastery that is even bigger than the Treasury and is reached by way of 800 steps. The guide will be with the group for 3 hours or so, after which time you are free to continue your exploration independently. A packed lunch is provided. We spend a second night at our hotel in Wadi Musa. (B,L,D)

Day 7: Petra to Wadi Rum across the desert

After breakfast at the hotel, we have a short transfer south on the King's Highway to Rajif (1565m), where we mount up and start the day's ride with a swift descent to the village of Delagha, where we find an off-road track that takes us south-east through an amazing desert landscape (and by way of scattered Bedouin camps) to Al Humaimah. This is an old stopping place on the 'Spice Route', once used by camel caravans. We stop here for lunch and for a rest, then cross the Desert Highway (Jordan's main north-south link) and head out into the desert towards Wadi Rum. On this part of our ride, we will be aware of the changing desert landscape, as the sandstone mountains start to get bigger and even more colourful. We will cross the 5 kilometre-long dry mud flats of Disieh, surrounded by amazing sandstone formations, to finally arrive at Rum Village (950m), between the towering peaks of Jebel Rum and Jebel Um Ishrin. Here, we will meet our Bedouin host and transfer by 4WD into the heart of the Wadi Rum Protected Area. Our overnight accommodation is in a traditional Bedouin camp and we will be able to watch the spectacular desert sunset, before sitting down to enjoy a well-deserved 'zarb', a traditional Bedouin dish of meat and vegetables cooked beneath the embers of the campfire. Wadi Rum has a unique desert landscape, described by T.E. Lawrence as 'vast, echoing and god-like'. Much of David Lean's movie, Lawrence of Arabia, was filmed in Wadi Rum. Ride distance 91 km (57 miles) with 600 metres of ascent and 1160 metres of descent. 9 hours riding including stops. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Bike to Aqaba and then return transfer to Madaba

After breakfast and time to enjoy morning in the desert, we will start our last ride of the trip at the foot of the peak of Al Qattar. Crossing the western edge of the Wadi Rum reserve, we bike on hard desert trails with areas of soft sand, which can be challenging. After a couple of hours we reach a tarmac road that soon takes us to the main road that we follow into Aqaba. We bike right to the edge of the sea to mark the completion of this very special journey. We have a quick lunch at a popular local hangout in the town, then head to Aqaba’s South Beach to spend a couple of hours in a beach resort by the Red Sea. Whether you’d like to swim, snorkel or just relax on beach with a cold drink in hand, the choice is yours. After a shower and change, in the late afternoon, we transfer back to the group hotel in Amman, where we will repack our bikes for the journey home. Ride distance 52 km (32 miles) with 95 metres of ascent and 1020 metres of descent. 3 to 4 hours riding including stops. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Depart from Amman Airport

KE Land Only package services end with the early morning transfer to Amman Airport for the homeward flight. (B)