Once the stopover for ancient nomadic Bedouins, Jordan is now enthralling a new generation of adventure travellers. Follow in the footsteps of Roman Emperor Hadrian, the Prophet Moses, and Lawrence of Arabia and explore the majestic ruins of bygone civilizations, the uber-salty Dead Sea, and the bare sands of Wadi Rum. Mountain biking on former caravan routes offers a local perspective, getting you up close and personal to the shepherds and perhaps even to a camel or two.
The trip was a truly memorable experience. All of us had a great time. It was genuinely an amazing time. Can't believe we experienced so much!
The tour leader and cycling team looked after us extremely well. We all enjoyed each others' company as we were tested to our physical and mental limits!
I have to say it again, a fabulous trip!
The combination of guides was the best collection of logistical skills, country and biking knowledge, tour leadership and friendship that I have encountered on an 'activity package holiday' - and I have tried most of them!
Outstanding in every way. We had the most memorable week of cycling and sightseeing. Thank you.
DestinationsJordan
Tour MeetsAmman
Fly in toQueen Alila International Airport (QAIA)
Group Size2-16 riders
SpiceRoads jerseyWater bottleSupport vehicleGuide(s)Meals (as indicated)Airport drop offAccommodationSnacks and drinks
International flightsDomestic flightsAirport pick upVisa feesAlcoholTipsJordan pass (Mandatory purchase at US$99)
We ride 192 km, about 80% off road, in 5 cycling days. The trails are single track to gentler dirt roads. We will be riding through valleys, alongside and into streams, and there will be some climbing. Please note that the daily ascents and descents listed in the itinerary. There are a few sections with limited vehicle support on this tour due to the remoteness of the trails. In case of an emergency, we will be able to call for assistance. Please bring a camelbak or similar hydration system for water and to carry snacks. Your guide’s expert knowledge of the area and terrain means that you always know what is coming up in terms of distance and difficulty.
Suitability: You should be confident of your physical condition and bike handling skills. Some climbs are challenging, and so you should have a good level of fitness to cope with more than 1,000 m of climbing on Day 4. As mountain biking surfaces require competent bike handling skills, it is advisable to have off-road, and preferably some single-track experience, although difficult obstacles can always be avoided. Suitable for cyclists with a keen attitude and adventurous nature!
Biking Conditions: This tour follows a mixture of dirt trails, rocky surface, gravel paths, off-road biking as well as tarmac. The daily distances aren't long, between 20-54 km in a day, but we will be stopping to see sites along the way and be challenged by the ascents and descents.
Welcome to the Kingdom of Jordan! We meet at the hotel for a welcome dinner and go over the details of our upcoming adventure.
Larsa Hotel
DinnerAfter breakfast, we see the highlights of the city and visit the ancient citadel and the Roman amphitheatre, a 3,000-year-old piece of history built into one of the many hills in downtown Amman. Time to see more of Jordan, so we transfer north to our cycling start point at 625 m. We have an easy start on a ridge, giving you a chance to get used to the bike. A gradual 2 km climb will be a good test of your gears. Then, enjoy the dirt track as you start the long descent to the Zarqa River. In biblical times, the river was known as the Jabbok River, where Jacob wrestled with God. The beautiful long descent caps off one of the best sections of the Jordan Bike Trail. After crossing the river, we hop in our vehicles for a transfer to the Dead Sea. We arrive early in the afternoon, so you can enjoy a float in the salty waters at the lowest point on earth, 410 m below sea level.
Holiday Inn Resort Dead SeaBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 19km
+253m
-908mAs we are starting below sea level, we have a 1,000-m transfer up the mountainside to the plateau for a visit to Mount Nebo, where Moses looked across at the Promised Land before he died. We continue to the Christian town of Madaba to see the mosaic map of the Holy Land, before we reach our start point. We cycle south on quiet roads across the plains of the Madaba Plateau and through the village of Ma’in. The route then starts a long descent following Wadi Zarqa Ma’in on smooth roads passing the Zarqa Ma’in Dam and continues following the river. This portion of the trail is another scenic highlight with rocky brown mountains on one side and lush green mountains on the other. The terrain includes road, dirt track, rocky paths, and gravel roads. We overnight on the edge of the Dana Biosphere, Jordan’s largest nature reserve and home to a great variety of wildlife. Our hotel is in Dana Village, occupied since about 4,000 BC. Today, Dana is inhabited mostly by clans of the Al Ata’ata, who settled in the area during the Ottoman period, about four hundred years ago, and built the present village. The crumbling village was nearly abandoned, but now 70 of the traditional stone houses have been restored, enabling some families to remain in the village.
Dana Tower HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 28km+282m-836mThis morning, we drive a short distance to visit Shobak Castle. The first of the Crusader Castles built in Jordan, it was constructed by Baldwin I in 1115 and surrendered in 1189 to the Great Salahdin. We will have more climbing today than any other day, and we start with an incline on a paved road, curling around the castle, until we reach the top of the hill. Here, we hit a dirt trail and begin a stunning section, traversing the side of the mountain, overlooking the mountains of Ras Al-Feid, Mount Safaha, and Gbour Wahdat. The jeep width dirt track crosses dry streams and then climbs to a higher elevation giving us our first glimpse of Petra, Wadi Musa, and the small town of Um Sayhoun, with Aaron’s Shrine barely visible in the distance on top of Jebel Haroun. Finish with a slightly technical descent to the entrance of Petra. Then we take a tarmac road to the entrance of Little Petra. We walk through and clamber up to a dining room with 2,000-year-old frescoes recently discovered in 2010. It is a short cycle from here to our Bedouin camp for the night. We are in tents with cots and shared facilities.
Seven Wonders CampBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 56km+1248m-1539mA highlight of any trip to Jordan is to see first-hand the archaeological wonders of Petra. Famous for its rock-cut architecture and water conduit system, the Rose City is not to be missed. After breakfast at camp, we drive to the modern visitors’ centre and start our walk to the narrow and famous entrance to the Treasury. Then, you enter the Siq, exploring the ancient rock carved ruins of Facades Street, the theatre, and the court. After lunch, you explore on your own to discover some of the less visited monuments, such as the monastery, the Khubtha Mountain, and the High Place of sacrifice.
La Maison Petra HotelBreakfast, Lunch, DinnerA long, gradual downhill takes us through quintessential Middle-Eastern desert landscape on caravan tracks. We transfer uphill to the small town of Rajif where we get on our bikes for the desert descent. After a short section on the King’s Highway, the fun begins with a downhill dirt track through pure countryside. On reaching the desert highway, we transfer to Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon. Cut into sandstone and granite rock, it is Jordan's largest Wadi. Scenes of Wadi Rum in “Lawrence of Arabia” kick-started Jordan's tourism industry, but you may also recognize it from “Red Planet” and “The Martian”. We go for a sunset jeep tour to experience a beautiful night under the stars in the desert.
Rahayyep Desert CampBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 47km+462m-1038mA morning cycle on the desert salt flats around Wadi Rum will give you yet another perspective on this stark and harsh landscape. Mid-morning, we transfer to Aqaba, Jordan's window to the sea, to enjoy and relax on a well-deserved boat ride on the Red Sea. We have a leisurely lunch onboard and ample opportunity to see the vibrant coral while snorkelling. Meet up for our farewell dinner at the hotel and the last night of the tour.
Grand Swiss-Bel Resort Tala Bay HotelBreakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Ride 40km+367m-213mAfter breakfast at the hotel, there will be one group drop off at Queen Alia International Airport at approximately 11:30 am. Please schedule your return flight accordingly. If you wish to extend your stay in Jordan, Aqaba is the perfect place to dive or snorkel the Red Sea, and the city also borders Israel and is a popular place to cross.
BreakfastBecause some people can't imagine going on a trip without their own beloved bicycle, we do not provide them as part of this tour. However, you can hire bikes locally for the price listed in the tour pricing section. The bikes are Scott Aspect mountain bikes with lightweight alloy frames, 30-speed Shimano gearing, disc brakes, and front suspension. If you bring your own bike, please make sure it is a mountain bike, preferably with front suspension, and that it is in good mechanical order.
Basic spares and tools are carried by the guide and on the support vehicle, though we cannot guarantee having spares for every conceivable problem. Carrying a basic tool kit, a spare tube and a pump while riding is recommended.
Wearing a helmet is required on all our biking adventures and is non negotiable. If you do not wear a helmet you will not be allowed to cycle. Your tour leader is trained in first aid and emergency rescue, but to a large degree you must be responsible for your own safety while riding. It is therefore compulsory that you take out travel insurance that will cover you for a mountain biking tour.
You will be led by a local English-speaking guide and if the group is 9 people or more we will add another guide to the tour. All our guides are well informed in the history, culture and religions of the area where you are biking and are skilled at passing that knowledge on to you. Your guide is also medically trained and an experienced cyclist, able to handle most minor repairs en route.
No vaccinations are needed.
The optimal months to visit Jordan is March – May, and Sept- Nov when the temperature is comfortably warm, not scorching. The heat will hit in summer from June – September, when temperatures can rise up to 40 C, and lots of water and sun cream is a must! However, it's dry heat rather than humid. December – February is winter time; snow and rain can be found throughout the country along with short days and freezing nights. It is also regarded as a quiet time for visiting.
Meals are included as per the itinerary where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner. Middle Eastern cuisine is a highlight of this tour in both Israel and Jordan. Popular everyday snacks include hummus, falafel, baba ghanioush, tabbouleh, olives and pita bread. Israel continues to adapt, elements of various styles, but also incorporating local agricultural products such as avocado. As Jordan is one of the largest producers of olives in the world, olive oil is the main cooking oil. Jordanian cuisine ranges from baking, sauteeing and grilling of meats to stuffing of vegetables – leaves and eggplants. Also common is roasting or preparing foods with special sauces. In Southern Jordan a specialty and delicacy of the area that you will get to enjoy is the Zarbs, which is prepared in a submerged oven called a taboon.
Keeping you completely hydrated is a job we take very seriously, especially in a desert environment. Cold water, some energy-restoring soft drinks are included in the tour price while riding. Soft drinks and other beverages during meals are not included. But you may also want to bring electrolyte in powder or tablet form. Alcoholic drinks are available in Israel everywhere but only in hotels in Jordan. Alcohol is NOT included in the tour price.
SpiceRoads does not require you to pay a surcharge for traveling alone. We will arrange for you to share accommodation with another traveler of the same gender and if we can not match you up we will provide a single room at no extra charge. If you prefer not to share a single supplement is payable to guarantee your own room. The cost of the single supplement is listed above.
We recommend that you tuck away a few extra liras for possible incidentals that might arise. It is always wise to have some paper currency in case of ATM absence or credit card problems. This will save you a lot of unnecessary worries. It is also customary to tip local tour guides and drivers; however, the amount you give should be dependent on the level of service you receive.
The Jordanian Dinar (JOD) is the currency of Jordan. ATMs are available in Amman and Aqaba. The use of credit cards; American Express, Visa, Master Card, Diners club are accepted at some hotels, however, it is recommended to have some cash at hand.
Overall, the level of petty crime is much less than in most Western countries. However, take the usual precautions about avoiding rowdy political demonstrations, not flashing money around and being aware of pickpockets in crowded places.
If this is the tour for you here's what you need to do to confirm your place: Read our Booking Conditions
From the tour page click the 'Book Now' link. All departures for this tour will appear, just select the date you'd like to travel. There is a minimum number of participants (usually 2) required to enable the trip to go ahead. Once the minimum number is reached, the trip status will change from 'Available' to 'Guaranteed to Depart'. Once a trip is guaranteed to depart you are free to book your flights and make other travel arrangements. If you are unsure about the trip status, please email us or call our office. For the next steps you'll need to know the names of the people traveling and have either a Visa or a MasterCard. If you wish you can also provide extra details such as passport numbers, height, or you can add that later by logging into Manage My Trip (we'll set up an account for you automatically if you don't already have one). However, if you wish to get a children's discount, please do fill out the date of birth of the riders. If you are having any problems, please send us an email, or give us a call (+66 2 381 7490) and one of our travel specialists will assist you with your booking.
For Long Tours (7 days or more) to guarantee your place we require a 30% or 500 USD deposit, whichever is the greater. For Short Tours (6 days or less) we require full payment to guarantee your place. We also require that you take out travel insurance when you book your holiday. Besides covering you during your holiday it will also enable you to claim for any money that you have paid to us, including your deposit, should you have to cancel your trip.
Full payment must be paid 45 days before the departure date with fees for any bicycle rental(s), single supplement(s) and extra hotel nights. Our confirmation will include personal details you provided us (including your flight information), visa application advice, a packing suggestion list and a detailed tour itinerary. It will also include a checklist to ensure you get everything ready for your holiday.
On the rare occasions when we, SpiceRoads, must cancel a trip, all payments received to date will be 100% refunded, which constitutes full settlement. There will be absolutely no deductions. If you, the client, must cancel your reservation, your cancellation fee will be determined according to when you cancel. For full details, please read our cancellation policy.
For those who have been on several long tours with us we reward customer loyalty by offering repeat customers a special discount off the tour price (excludes single supplement and bike rental). If this is your fourth scheduled tour or more you will receive a 5% discount. If this is your eighth scheduled tour or more we will extend a 10% discount. The discount will be reflected in your online booking, but please contact us if any questions. Loyalty discounts can not be used in conjunction with any other offer. Note: Only tours of 7 days or more will be applicable for loyalty discount.
International flights, to and from the start and finish points are not included in the tour price. Once your tour is Guaranteed to Depart you can book your flight. Please contact us for advice before arranging flights for the best arrival and departure times. We would only cancel a trip for an extreme circumstance, but in that case, where we cancel your trip, we cannot be liable for losses incurred relating to any flight booking you have made. Please claim any losses from your travel insurance that you acquired when you booked your holiday.
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The information in this document is given in good faith, and covers the average range of conditions likely to be found on this trip. Please note that the itinerary is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances, however, we will always do our best to adhere to this original itinerary
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My Son and I had a fantastic ride in Jordan with the SpiceRoads Crew. Wow, what an experience, the perfect way to be a tourist in an amazing country. I also took my own bike and the crew did a great job of looking after it like it was one of their own, however my sons bike was perfect for the ride.