REGION 6: DANA TO PETRA
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Details
Considered one of the finest multi-day hikes in the world and recognized by National Geographic as one of the world's 15 best hikes, this section descends from the Dana Biosphere Reserve passing by ancient copper mines near Feynan into the Araba Valley before climbing through rugged mountains toward the Nabataean capital of Petra. The landscape shifts continuously, from epic mountaintops and hidden canyons to towering ridgelines and ancient sites, the trek offers constant variety. The journey culminates at one of the world’s most iconic archaeological wonders.
Important Notes: Please contact Dana Biosphere Reserve management before entering the reserve to pay the entrance fees. Phone Number: 0799111434
Entry to Petra requires a pass, which now can be purchased from the new ticket office at The Nabatean cultural village without having to first visit the main Petra ticket office in Wadi Musa. The new ticket office can be viewed in the new Google Maps Street View here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/Q4icrHaa94rcucWdA
4 days Distance: 72.4 km Ascent: 2,825 m Descent: 3,027 m Max Elevation: 1,236 m Min Elevation: 221 m
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Main sites in the region:
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Dana Biosphere Reserve
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Feynan ruins and ancient copper mines
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Feynan ecolodge
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Hidden stream and waterfall in Wadi Feid
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Little Petra, an outpost of Petra in the same city-in-the-cliffs style
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Petra, Nabatean capital and wonder of the world (World Heritage Site)
- Route Map
- Google Map
- Elevation Chart
- GPS

REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION
Petra’s neighboring town of Wadi Musa can be reached by public transportation (minibusses from Amman or Aqaba, or JETT tourist buses from Amman, which run on schedules and are more comfortable but slightly more expensive). No other point on the trail is reachable by public transit, and much of the route cannot be accessed by any vehicle!
For more information on transportation in Jordan, click here.
Accommodations
Several hotels and guesthouses are in Dana village, just above the wadi, and Feynan Ecolodge is at the mouth of the canyon. A few Bedouin camps in the area of Little Petra are close to the trail, including Rock Camp, which is on the route. Wadi Musa, given its proximity to Petra, has too many hotels to list.
Ideal wild camping locations are determined either by the availability of water, or accessibility by supply truck. All areas except the Dana Reserve (stretching the length of the canyon, ending around the Feynan area) are legal to wild camp in. A campsite at the mouth of Wadi Abu Sakakin has water about a 45-minute walk up the wadi; areas near the running water of Wadi Feid may be good for camping; and the areas of Qbour al-Wahadat and al-Farsh, before Little Petra, provide scenic but less isolated camping in areas populated by locals.

