Easy scrambling for 5 days
This is a trip of 5 days easy scrambling all around
Wadi Rum.
Day 1: 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 going down steeply
into a narrow ravine: "Goat Gulley". When we start inside,
you'll realise how much labyrinths exist inside the
impressive mountain. Canyons start off in every directions,
and you need either a sharp eye for terrain or a well
experienced guide with you. It should take us about 2 hours
to get to the end of the canyon. After lunch in Wadi Um
Ishrin, we will have an easy hike to the Barragh Canyon, and
sleep in a camp there.
Day 2: 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 3: 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 4: 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 5: 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.
The price for at least 2 people: 70JD/person/day, 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 program
of less than 5 days will be charged at 75JD/person/day.
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