The 'Key' Trip - 5 days easy scrambling
This is a programme of 5 days easy scrambling that takes us all around Wadi Rum
Day One: We head off straight away to the Rakebat Canyon through the massif of Jebel Um Ishrin. The beginning involves scrambling up a big slab, before descending steeply into a narrow ravine – this is “Goat Gulley”. When we start inside, you will realise just how much of a labyrinth exists inside the imposing mountain. Canyons start off in every direction, and you need either a sharp eye for terrain or a good guide with you. It should take about 2 hours to get to the end. After lunch in Wadi Um Ishrin, we have an easy hike to the Barragh Canyon and sleep in a bivouac there.
Day Two: The Barragh canyon leads between magnificent cliffs, with high sand dunes heaped up against them. These cliffs are the site of many world class climbing routes, and perhaps a team will be climbing here. From the Canyon we make our way to Jebel Burdah and a climb to the famous Arch. This is easy scrambling, but as in the Rakebat Canyon, the guide will have a rope with him for safety, but the climb should provide no difficulty for active scramblers. To go up and down again usually takes about 4 or 5 hours. In the afternoon we hike towards the "Middle Arch" of Um Fruth. This is very simple climbing compared to the Burdah Arch.
Day Three: We drive south to the Khasch Ridge. This is a long ridge stretching from east to west across the desert. There is no particular difficulty about this walk, although perhaps you might need to use hands to go up and to come down again at the end. We shall take a picnic lunch with us and stop somewhere to eat. Be sure to cover up against the sun here, there is little shade around, but the views to the north over Wadi Rum and to the south towards Saudi Arabia are magnificent.
Day Four: the views are even better. We are heading to Jebel Um Adaami, the highest mountain in Jordan, right on the Saudi border. This is a difficult drive for the 4x4, but as passengers you should enjoy it, especially the wide and lonely Wadi Saabit close to the mountain. When we reach the foot of it we shall start up through a gully : this is the only difficulty in the ascent. The rest of the path is a stony one, leading to the cairn marking the summit. Here we are right on the border and can see far into the Saudi mountains. Make sure you have plenty of film with you!
Day Five: The last day comes too quickly. Today we are circling the base of Jebel Rum between the steep cliffs above and the heaps of fallen scree, first of sandstone and later of granite, below. Many wadis are crossed, each offering the possibility of a different ascension of Jebel Rum (more than 10kms long and between 3 and 4 kms wide). We shall try to finish at Lawrence’s Well in Wadi Shelaalia close to the village of Rum, where the transport onwards will be waiting. If this is too far, we shall be picked up by jeep for the last few miles.
Day One: We head off straight away to the Rakebat Canyon through the massif of Jebel Um Ishrin. The beginning involves scrambling up a big slab, before descending steeply into a narrow ravine – this is “Goat Gulley”. When we start inside, you will realise just how much of a labyrinth exists inside the imposing mountain. Canyons start off in every direction, and you need either a sharp eye for terrain or a good guide with you. It should take about 2 hours to get to the end. After lunch in Wadi Um Ishrin, we have an easy hike to the Barragh Canyon and sleep in a bivouac there.
Day Two: The Barragh canyon leads between magnificent cliffs, with high sand dunes heaped up against them. These cliffs are the site of many world class climbing routes, and perhaps a team will be climbing here. From the Canyon we make our way to Jebel Burdah and a climb to the famous Arch. This is easy scrambling, but as in the Rakebat Canyon, the guide will have a rope with him for safety, but the climb should provide no difficulty for active scramblers. To go up and down again usually takes about 4 or 5 hours. In the afternoon we hike towards the "Middle Arch" of Um Fruth. This is very simple climbing compared to the Burdah Arch.
Day Three: We drive south to the Khasch Ridge. This is a long ridge stretching from east to west across the desert. There is no particular difficulty about this walk, although perhaps you might need to use hands to go up and to come down again at the end. We shall take a picnic lunch with us and stop somewhere to eat. Be sure to cover up against the sun here, there is little shade around, but the views to the north over Wadi Rum and to the south towards Saudi Arabia are magnificent.
Day Four: the views are even better. We are heading to Jebel Um Adaami, the highest mountain in Jordan, right on the Saudi border. This is a difficult drive for the 4x4, but as passengers you should enjoy it, especially the wide and lonely Wadi Saabit close to the mountain. When we reach the foot of it we shall start up through a gully : this is the only difficulty in the ascent. The rest of the path is a stony one, leading to the cairn marking the summit. Here we are right on the border and can see far into the Saudi mountains. Make sure you have plenty of film with you!
Day Five: The last day comes too quickly. Today we are circling the base of Jebel Rum between the steep cliffs above and the heaps of fallen scree, first of sandstone and later of granite, below. Many wadis are crossed, each offering the possibility of a different ascension of Jebel Rum (more than 10kms long and between 3 and 4 kms wide). We shall try to finish at Lawrence’s Well in Wadi Shelaalia close to the village of Rum, where the transport onwards will be waiting. If this is too far, we shall be picked up by jeep for the last few miles.
Price : 70JD/person/day for this trip for a minimum of 2 people, including all meals, guide services, jeep transfers where necessary and equipment for sleeping in the desert.
The days can be done separately if you wish, but a programme of less than 5 days will be charged at 75JD/person/day.