THE DESERT SONG
FROM an airplane window Jordan looks a tad on the barren side – a flat desert-like land, monochromatic in orange. Descending into its capital Amman, I can’t help but wonder how its terrain could sustain a long distance hiking route, but in 2013 the Jordan Trail was unveiled. Stretching 640km between Um Qais in the north to Aqaba in the south it runs virtually the entire length of the country.
Jordan is a young state on ancient soil. From 1946 it’s been an independent and largely peaceful kingdom that sits in the rocky desert of the northern Arabian Peninsula, a land chock-full of archaeological ruins so old they make your head spin. To through-hike its new trail would take 30-40 days but I’m doing a selection of highlights on a 10-day guided trip with World Expeditions, dropping in at various points to explore canyons, deserts and forests, along with a sprinkling of ruins.
We first pull on our hiking shoes at Ajloun
