More than a gentle stroll
[S]ome of Jordan’s best sites can only be reached on foot but the long walk is worth the trek if you can manage it. Jordan caters for people of all abilities and there are plenty of options for you to explore. Arguably the best of these is the walk that takes you from the entrance to Petra, down through the siq or narrow gorge to the magnificent facade of the Treasury. If it already looks familiar it may be because you saw it in the film, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. Or it may be because it is one of the most photographed structures in the world. Either way, nothing quite prepares you for the awe-inspiring sight that appears before you.
[V]arious walks and climbs at Petra reveal literally hundreds of buildings, temples, arched gateways, colonnaded streets and rock drawings – as well as a 3,000 seat open air theater, a modern archaeological museum and if you make it into the mountains beyond, a huge 1st century Monastery.
[I]f you are a serious hiker, there are plenty of other options for you throughout the country, including Ajlun Nature Reserve – a Mediterranean-like hill country, dominated by open woodlands of Oak and Pistachio trees. The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature has set up two hiking trails and provided a special area for camping there.
[O]r there is Azraq, a unique wetland oasis located in the heart of the semi-arid Jordanian Eastern Desert. There’s the Mujib Biosphere Reserve which is the lowest nature reserve in the world, with a spectacular array of scenery near the east coast of the Dead Sea. Wadi Rum of course offers some serious trudging across the vast desert sands and one activity which attracts thrill-seekers there is mountain climbing. Ascents can range from simple hikes to serious 900m climbs up sheer granite and sandstone cliffs.
