Redesigned

Bike Trails of Jordan

Day 1: Meet in Amman

Welcome to Amman, the capital of Jordan! We suggest arriving a day early to explore this enigmatic city, where ancient history meets contemporary Levantine flair. If you’re short on time, you can also tick off the main sights in the afternoon before we meet for our trip briefing and welcome dinner. Don’t miss the Citadel for panoramic views of the "White City," the 2nd-century Roman Theatre carved into the hillside, and a stroll through the colourful markets of Al-Balad. Please let us know if you require assistance with airport transfers and pre-tour hotel bookings.

La Locanda Boutique Hotel
Dinner

Day 2: Amman - Karak Castle - Dana

It is time to head for the great Jordanian outdoors. In the morning, we transfer around 1.5 hours south to Karak Castle, an imposing stronghold built by Crusaders in the 12th century but refined by the Islamic sultans who captured it. We explore the maze of weathered, stone-vaulted halls and subterranean passageways before emerging onto the ramparts for sweeping views across the Moab plateau. This sets the scene for the tour’s first ride, taking us across this high-altitude limestone prairie blanketed by wheat fields and olive groves. After around 20 km we begin a thrilling descent to join the King’s Highway as it coils down into the Wadi al-Hasa canyon. From here we jump in the support vehicle and drive around one hour further south to the village of Dana where we spend the night. Dana is no ordinary village — it is a lovingly conserved 15th-century stone settlement perched on the edge of a vast UNESCO-recognised Biosphere Reserve, offering cool mountain air and spectacular sunset views.

Dana Tower Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 42km
+540m
-1233m

Day 3: Dana - Shobak Castle - Little Petra

We start the day with a 30-minute drive to Shobak Castle, one of the earliest Crusader strongholds in the Levant, once the site of fierce sieges but today a silent ruin perched on a hilltop. After exploring the castle, we hop on our bikes and dart off into one of the most epic stages of the tour, taking us on a mix of dirt and gravel tracks etched into the rugged escarpment that rises sharply above the Jordan Rift Valley. After around 27 km, we’re back on tarmac and rejoin the King’s Highway before branching off onto a side road that leads us down into a labyrinth of red rock canyons. We roll right towards the entrance of Little Petra, a suburb of the main city which served as a reception area for incense and spice trading caravans. Known for its shaded, rock-cut passages that block most sunlight, Little Petra is home to beautiful and exceptionally rare 2,000-year-old frescoes displaying scenes of birds, vines, and Greek mythology. After our exploration, it is only a short ride to tonight’s lodgings: a bespoke Bedouin camp with cosy ensuite tents tucked away in the rocky gorge.

Little Petra Bedouin Camp
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 50km
+968m
-1313m

Day 4: Petra Exploration

Today is dedicated to Jordan’s most treasured archaeological wonder and one of the world’s most fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Petra. Built more than 2,000 years ago by the Nabataean civilisation who controlled the vital trade route connecting the Arabian Peninsula to the Mediterranean, the 'Rose City' remains a marvel of ancient engineering chiselled directly into the red-hued sandstone cliffs. We start by transferring a short distance to Wadi Musa, the gateway town to Petra, where we drop off our bags and walk to the Visitors Centre. We then enter the city with an expert guide and take in the trio of Petra’s most iconic sites: the Treasury, with its towering rock-cut facade made famous by Indiana Jones; the Colonnaded Street, the grand Roman-style thoroughfare at the city's heart; and the Royal Tombs, colossal chambers carved into the cliffside. Following lunch, you then have the option of joining the guide on a hike up 800 rock-cut steps to the Monastery, Petra’s largest and most imposing monument, where you are rewarded with sweeping views across the Wadi Araba. You can also explore independently and make your way back to the hotel at your own pace.

Petra Icon Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Petra - Wadi Rum

Our journey today takes us to another of Jordan’s unmissable attractions: the otherworldly desert landscape of Wadi Rum. From Petra, we drive around 30 minutes to the top of a pass along the King’s Highway and hop on our bikes for a fabulous descent through a barren, high-altitude mountain plateau into the Arabian Desert. While we ride primarily on gravel and dirt trails, the gradients are fairly mild so it doesn't feel too technical, and there are a few uphill bursts mixed in to make sure we’re not getting too comfortable! Once we reach the ‘Desert Highway’ – Jordan’s busiest commercial thoroughfare – we swap for the support vehicle and fast-track ourselves to the Wadi Rum Protected Area, another UNESCO World Heritage Site. Also known as the “Valley of the Moon” for its vast, open sand valleys and towering sandstone monoliths, the region has famously served as the extraterrestrial backdrop in The Martian. After arriving, we experience Wadi Rum in its full splendour with a sunset jeep ride to witness the striking rock formations, ancient petroglyphs, and sand dunes up close. We spend the night at a secluded yet cosy Bedouin camp where we sleep under a spectacular and unpolluted starry sky.

Rum Magic Nights
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 49km
+325m
-1030m

Day 6: Wadi Rum - The Red Sea - Aqaba

Intrepid cyclists are in for a real treat this morning. Our bikes will be waiting right outside of the camp, ready for us to zip our way out of Wadi Rum. We weave along jeep tracks pressed onto the desert sands, surrounded by red-hued sandstone massifs. After around 27 km we reach the village of Tetten and switch to tarmac for a final stretch to the Desert Highway. That’s our cue to hop in the support vehicle and drive 30 minutes to Aqaba, Jordan’s window to the Red Sea. In the afternoon, after lunch, you are provided with a day pass to one of the fabulous beach resorts on the coast. Here you can relax by the sea and the pool or get yourself some snorkelling gear and dive in the nearby reef. The cost for additional activities is not included. After sunset we head back to Aqaba and check into our centrally located hotel from where you can join an optional stroll through the city’s local souk (market) and browse the colourful array of spices, nuts, and local handicrafts on offer.

Captain's Hotel
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 42km
+167m
-690m

Day 7: Aqaba - Mount Nebo - The Dead Sea

This morning we settle in for a roughly 3.5-hour drive back north. Our destination is Mount Nebo, an important pilgrimage site for Jews, Christians and Muslims alike where Moses is believed to have looked out across the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering the desert. On a clear day, the view from the top reveals the shimmering waters of the Dead Sea, the green palm groves of Jericho, and the distant, sun-drenched hills of Jerusalem. From here it is only a short distance to the start of our final ride near the city of Madaba. On a delightful mixed-surface route, we transition from olive groves and wheat fields to the barren canyons that drop toward the Dead Sea. Our final downhill simply couldn’t get any more grand as we are literally cycling to the lowest point on Earth's land surface, finishing at the shores of the Dead Sea, 430 metres below sea level. A short transfer along the highway then delivers us to an elegant palm-fringed resort where we reconvene in the evening for a farewell dinner.

Hotel Holiday Inn Resort Dead Sea
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 39km
+412m
-1570m

Day 8: Dead Sea Departure

Our tour has ended but you shouldn’t miss the quintessential experience of effortlessly floating on the Dead Sea. While it is technically a lake, the Dead Sea is nearly ten times more saline than the actual ocean, providing a weightless sensation that is the ultimate therapy for tired legs after a week in the saddle. You can also treat yourself to a rejuvenating spa treatment with salt scrubs and mineral-rich mud wraps on the menu. If you are flying out today, the airport is just an hour’s drive away. Please let us know if you require assistance with post-tour hotel bookings or airport transfers.

Breakfast

Disclaimer: The adventure cycling tours we operate often go beyond the beaten track, and the countries where we ride are not always predictable. Due to these reasons, it is occasionally necessary to reroute or update itineraries. Our guarantee is that we will not change a trip unless for safety or to improve it. Our listed hotels are always accurate at the time of writing, but should we have to change any hotel, it will always be for a similar or better one.