A new 400-mile hiking trail running the length of Jordan has opened. But will the Jordan Trail boost tourism in a country that’s been hit hard?
I’m walking between two sandstone cliffs, the cool rock providing respite from the sun as I hike toward Petra. The ancient city may be Jordan’s most visited site, but there are few people around me this morning. Most visitors enter through the front and face throngs of salespeople pushing donkey rides; I’m coming in from the back, via a hiking trail that’s Jordan’s newest attraction.
The Jordan Trail, which launched at the end of March, is a 400-mile trek across the country, running from Umm Qais in northern Jordan all the way to the Red Sea in the south. Tackling the whole thing takes dedication – it takes a biblical 40 days. Luckily, it’s been designed with amateurs and holidaymakers in mind as well as serious adventurers, and has been broken into eight sections, each across diverse and dramatic landscapes. You can easily strike out for one or two nights, or even do a day trip.
This is an excerpt from an article first published by The Independent. Read the original article here: Jordan Trail: 400-mile hiking route rebooting Middle East Tourism.Â
