Day 1: Dana in One Day
Dana Village & Sunrise Over the Rift
Arrive at Dana Village — a 15th-century Bedouin settlement perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Wadi Dana gorge and the Rift Valley beyond. The sunrise view from the village edge is one of the most dramatic in Jordan — sandstone cliffs dropping away to a vast, empty valley stretching to the Dead Sea. Walk the village lanes past restored stone houses and meet the local families who still live here.
Wadi Dana Trail
Hike the Wadi Dana trail — the reserve's signature trek (14km, 5–6 hours, JOD 8 guide fee). The trail descends 1,000m from Dana Village through four eco-zones: sandstone cliffs, juniper woodland, Mediterranean scrub, and Saharan desert. The final stretch through Wadi Feynan is hot and flat. End at the award-winning Feynan Ecolodge (or arrange a pickup back to Dana Village if not staying).
Candlelit Feynan or Stargazing at Dana
If at Feynan Ecolodge: the lodge runs entirely on solar power and candles. Evening is a candlelit dinner of local Bedouin food, followed by stargazing on the roof terrace. If staying at Dana Village: the RSCN guesthouse has a terrace overlooking the gorge where the night sky — with zero light pollution — is extraordinary.
