Feynan and Wadi Ghwayr

That's it! I'm properly back in the saddle, the leg is now officially strong enough to get out into the wilds of Jordan, and this week I had my first proper hike in a canyon in south Jordan in the Feynan region ... so good to be out of Amman and back in the little nuggets of lushness that Jordan's canyons have to offer!

The approach to Feynan Eco-lodge

Having said that, I wasn't exactly slumming it - I stayed in Jordan's first eco-lodge in Feynan, which is frankly pretty luxurious, with a fantastic location nestled in the hills with the Wadi Araba desert spread out below. It's also really well-designed - both in terms of the sustainability and the way it looks - with lots of lovely details which give it a great atmosphere - candles only at night, outdoor dining and reused wood and artifacts everywhere. And the staff there were so so friendly ... even with some of the slightly grumpy 'older' tourists staying there!

After some cracking food and an evening on the rooftop bathed in the light of the full moon, I was fully relaxed and ready for my walk the next day - I booked a guide to come with me up Wadi Ghwayr, a local valley which I've heard lots about from friends who trek a lot. It's a long walk, but by going on my own (rather than with my super fit friends) I was able to do as much as I wanted and at my own pace - perfect!

In fact, I could probably have done the walk without the guide, but it was better to have someone with me, and someone who could point things out. Salha my guide was fantastic, and we nattered all the way up and back again - she is also an archeologist and this area has lots of fascinating sites to visit, plus just swapping stories and getting some Arabic practice in was nice for me.


The walk was gorgeous, slowly walking up a valley that got narrower and narrower as we got further up. Like so may wadis here, the river creates a mini-rainforest feel in an otherwise totally barren landscape. The hills at the beginning of the walk are all volcanic, giving spiky hills and granite speckles, but then the terrain turns into soft sandstone further up. Unfortunately I didn't have time and enough energy to make it all the way up to the soft-rock canyon - called Palm Canyon locally - but that just gives me something else to look forward to next time!

There was plenty of wildlife to enjoy as well - I've heard that dragonflies are a sign that the local ecosystem is healthy, and there were hundreds on this walk, with lots of different colours. There were also frogs and river crabs, and some beautiful trees, some of which are apparently endangered.

Tree frog

After weeks of the dusty arid landscapes of Amman and the Petra region, it was refreshing to remember that Jordan also has these little pockets of green, as well as sources of water that people and animals alike rely on further down in the valleys and plains for survival. Jordan generally is running out of water, but surely these sources will survive? In sha allah ...