11.05.2020
7 min.

Wadi Mujib is one of Jordan’s most famous attractions and an unforgettable experience, but one should not go unprepared.

Perfect for adventure-seekers looking to spice up an otherwise cultural and historic visit to Jordan, Wadi Mujib is one of the absolute top destinations for the Jordanian traveler. Nearly everyone who goes to Wadi Mujib says it is one of the absolute top highlights of their Jordanian trip and even ex-pats living in Jordan try to go at least once a year to the region.

Don’t know what it is? Well, you’re missing out. Wadi Mujib is a breathtaking canyon that follows the Mujib River. It is the world’s lowest-elevation nature reserve and an engrossing natural landmark that many have called the Grand Canyon of Jordan. Hikes and trails abound throughout Wadi Mujib, which spans 70 kilometers and includes the entire Mujib Biosphere Reserve. It’s famous not only for its stunning scenic landscapes but also for the rich variety of plant and birdlife that makes its home alongside the running waters. But it can also be a source of confusion to an incoming new tourist, who often does not know very important and relevant pieces of information that could make or break their adventure.

Don’t let that happen to you. This is why we at Zaman Tours have written this article: to ensure your trip to Wadi Mujib is as flawless as it should be. These nine tips will clear up any confusion you may have before going there, and more importantly ensure that you can instead keep your focus on the most important thing: having a good time.

1. There are three different types of hikes

There’s no one “Wadi Mujib Jordan” experience, and in fact, three different treks exist that each tailor to the different traveler.

The Wadi Mujib Siq Trail is by far the most popular trail for tourists and it’s easy to understand why. It’s the shortest of the three trails, lasting only about 2-3 hours. In terms of Wadi Mujib’s difficulty, it’s also the easiest of them all. But by no means does it skimp out on the experience. Instead, hikers are treated to an absolute picturesque trek throughout the canyon waters that end with scaling and swimming next to a large waterfall. Travelers spend most of the time within the river, which varies from being ankle-deep to waist-high depending on the recent rain levels. It’s also the only trail that you can hike without having to hire a guide, making it preferred by some of the more adventurous travelers who prefer to go solo or stick with their friend groups.

The Canyon Trail is also extremely popular and lasts for around three to four hours. After taking you through a series of hills, it follows an opposite route of the Mujib River and brings you to the top of a 20-meter waterfall. Here, guides will help you expertly climb down. Afterward, visitors will follow the river much like the Siq Trail as they return to the Visitors Center, being able to experience the rich canyon depths and native wildlife that flourish along the gorge. This hike is more difficult than the Siq Trail, but still should be extremely doable to the vast majority of individuals.

Seeking the full-day experience? Wanting to make the absolute most of your time at Wadi Mujib? The Malawi Trail is the most difficult of the three trails, oftentimes taking between 5-7 hours. But we often hear from those who take it that it was their favorite of the three hikes. Like the Canyon Trail, visitors will follow rugged white hills until they reach inside the canyon and descend the waterfall. Malaqi is Arabic for the confluence where two rivers meet, and you will come to this intersection of the Hidan and Mujib Rivers before returning to the Visitors Center. One of the best parts of this trip is the hour-long lunch break that you have after reaching the “Malaqi”, meaning you can relax and swim to your heart’s content in these cool, refreshing waters.

2. You should know how to swim

Knowing how to swim is an absolute must. While many tour sites and blogs will tell you that swimming is not required, and they are right in the sense that you *might* not need to, you will likely fall into the water by accident at least once during the trip. The rocks by the water are slippery and you will have to hike over large rocks and even waterfalls.

Although lifejackets are provided, we know instances where they have not worked and other people have had to jump in to rescue others. Wadi Mujib is not dangerous as long as you know how to swim, but you need to make sure to fulfill that requirement.

3. Bring the right clothing and waterproof bags

Unfortunately, hundreds of trips to Wadi Mujib have started with laughter and excitement only to end in frustration. The Wadi Mujib landscape can be very tricky at times and it can be easy to fall inside the water. Make sure to bring a waterproof bag and provide an extra layer of protection by carrying your phone, wallet, and other valuables inside a sealed ziplock bag. The Visitor Center provides waterproof bags on site but these are not always reliable, and we have had friends who have had phones and wallets permanently destroyed because they used this equipments and water nevertheless got in. Reliable lockers, however, do exist within the center where you can safely store your belongings.

Wear comfortable clothing that you expect to get wet (and are okay with getting wet). Small pebbles and rocks oftentimes get into the soles of your shoes, so make sure to bring sturdy, hard shoes you are okay with getting messy. Ensure that your boots or shoes do not lose traction easily. We do not recommend bringing sunglasses or a hat. They can easily get lost or ruined during the hike.

4. There’s an age limit

Don’t bring children to the nature reserve because they will not be able to get in. That’s right, Wadi Mujib’s age limit is 18, and for good reason. As we have said, the trails can be tricky, especially if it follows a period of heavy rain during the winter. During these times the waters are faster and deeper than normal, and the rest of the trail grows accordingly more dangerous. Plan a romantic adventure, a fun get-away, or just an exhilarating night with the boys. But make sure everyone is at least 18.

5. There’s no public transportation to Wadi Mujib

You won’t be able to take a bus to Wadi Mujib and taking a taxi is way too prohibitively expensive. Instead, there are two great options for you to get to your favorite adventure spot in Jordan. If you are coming to Amman or another major city, there are plenty of private car rentals that you can take. This is not only a great way to get to the nature reserve but is also a fantastic way to enjoy driving alongside Jordan’s beautiful hills, mountains, and coast. You will need to have a valid driver’s license from your country of origin and have to refill the gas tank, which will cost you more money than renting the car itself due to gas prices being high in Jordan.

Alternatively, there are plenty of fantastic tours you can book with travel agencies that provide transportation. Zamaan Tours, for instance, offers tours that cover both transportation and the entrance fee. You can find pre-made tours here on our website or make your own custom travel plan from wherever you are.

6. There are going to be lots of people if you go between April-November

Wadi Mujib is a huge tourist attraction and has hundreds of people traverse the river every day. This is particularly true during the peak summer months when plenty of tourists come in for their summer vacations. Even the best tourist or adventure site can become a bit less exciting when it is swamped by tourists and we recommend that you try to avoid that. The easiest solution is to show up early regardless of the season you decide to show up. The Visitors Center opens at 8:00 AM and you can start any of the tours nearly right away. It will also make the hot weather early in the hike more bearable, although of course, the trek becomes much cooler anyway as you get quickly draw closer to the water.

7. Check the weather

Wadi Mujib is closed any day where there is rain and oftentimes if there was significant rain the day before. In fact, it’s well known that Wadi Mujib is closed during the winter, but this is not just because it is cold but also because it rains frequently.

Fortunately, if you’re going during the summer months, you’re practically guaranteed to be able to enter because it rarely rains during the hot dry summer. Watch out during the fall and spring, however, because it can rain infrequently. This past year, for instance, we had frequent rain all the way up until April! Check the weather to make sure you don’t waste a day-trip to Wadi Mujib.

And by the way, don’t worry about the temperature. Even during the hottest summer days, the climate feels extremely cool and refreshing as you embark upon your hike and draw closer near the flowing waters. That’s part of the famous Wadi Mujib weather that attracts so many tourists even during peak blistering temperatures.

8. You might need a guide

Wadi Mujib is a spellbinding experience, but it’s also one that can require expertise in navigation. In fact, if you decide to take any of the designated tours from the Visitors Center beside the Siq Trail you will be required to hire one. Throughout the different hikes, you will traverse large rocks, scale a 20-meter waterfall, and navigate for hours alongside the river. Even for the Siq Trail, we recommend taking a guide unless you are in a large group with several strong people to help out in case of a rare but vital emergency.

9. Plan what you are doing afterward

It’s an absolutely amazing experience, but it will definitely take the breath out of you by the end. This is particularly true if you decide to take longer hikes such as the Canyon or Malaqi Trails. To end the day perfectly, we recommend planning a fun, relax night to supplement the amazing day adventure.

One perfect ending is to travel to the Dead Sea and enjoy alongside the beach, where you can experience effortless floating in the salty waters and rubbing Dead Sea mud all along your body (known to have healing and medicinal properties). There are plenty of hotels near the Dead Sea where you can rest in comfortable beds to finish off the day. We’re not sure you can beat this. I mean, after all: Wadi Mujib? The Dead Sea? Sounds to us like an unforgettable day.

Wadi Mujib is an absolute must. It’s a great way to add the spice of adventure to the rest of the culture and history that you will experience traveling across Jordan. With these tips and tricks, you can come to Wadi Mujib without having to worry about anything except simply having fun and basking in the wonders of the Grand Canyon of Jordan.

Have any questions? Have you been to Wadi Mujib? Share your thoughts and comments below hand!

Silvia P
Silvia P
2023-09-10
Fantastic tour with an Italian speaking guide We received an excellent service and support from zamantours. Our Italian-speaking guide, Abdullah, was outstanding: he gave us precise and comprehensive information about places and culture, he was highly flexible in the program and tireless in his work. He has been a reference for us throughout our trip. Also Yusef, the driver, was kind and flexible. All the personnel were always punctual and professional.
Paula S
Paula S
2023-07-27
Amazing experience It was a wonderful experience. Petra is an awesome place, breathless sunset at the Wadi Run desert, there are many archeological sites and significant religious places of the Bible.Floating on the Dead Sea was just incredible. Thanks to Ahmed, our tour guide, he's really professional and kind, with a great sense of humor and Samir, excelent and safety driver, both of them are the best advicers in Jordan.
Alberto D
Alberto D
2023-07-01
Best experience in Jordan We enjoyed one week touring Amman, Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea. The sites were extraordinary, the guide Fadl very competent and the driver Samir very kind. Hotels were first class, people always very friendly. Food very appreciated.
Maclain N
Maclain N
2023-06-13
Skip the Petra by Night experience. Don’t be tricked into doing Petra by night. We saw it last night on 6/12/23 The production value is horrible and the show is really short. Basically by the time you hike down the show is over within 30 min and it is not lit well. The city of Petra is amazing by day and the donkey ride to the monastery was the an incredible experience but I would NOT recommend the night experience.
Deepan P
Deepan P
2023-06-04
1-week trip to Jordan Excellent organization, accomodation, and meals. Our driver Hisham is very knowledgeable, great communication and attitude that made our trip memorable. Hisham is a very safe driver, took us often on interesting side routes, and made extra effort to show as much of Jordan as he could in the time we had. He is punctual, and checked on our accomodations and visits. Hisham cares deeply about Jordan and his guests
John Moorcraft
John Moorcraft
2023-04-18
Family Holiday with 5yr old expertly delivered. We booked our holiday for our five year old through Zaman and couldn’t have been happier. Everything around booking was painless and easy. All airport procedures were a breeze and they fast track you through immigration. We were out of the airport with all luggage within 15mins of landing! Our driver, Sayall, was outstanding with my daughter and ensured she was the focal point of the whole trip. First class. I would strongly recommend the Hilton in the Dead Sea if you have young children. Very friendly and great swimming pool. The Labdmark Hotel in Amman also good for kids and 100pct do the children’s museum. Our kid loved camel riding in Wadi Rum and found Petra fascinating (she climbed up to the high place of sacrifice). She enjoyed snorkelling as well. I’d caution against the Intercontinental in Aqaba. The policies there on swimming pool access work against 5-10yr olds. I’d look elsewhere there given the pricing structure. Overall, if you want to go to Jordan (and you should) and you want to travel with young children then Zaman will have you sorted. Top agency and it really worked for us.
fabrizio g
fabrizio g
2023-04-06
Grazie Sam! Grazie Mohammad Saleem ci hai guidato attraverso la Giordania con professionalità competenza simpatia sempre molto attento alle nostre esigenze. Lo abbiamo molto apprezzato
Cheri R
Cheri R
2023-03-05
Terrific value, tremendous fun Samanta of ZamanTours, whom we accessed through KimKim, was honestly fantastic. She planned our itinerary around our dates and requests, got us luxury hotels and meals, and best of all--arranged for driver/guide Hamdi Das. We were able to contact her anytime and she was immediately responsive (we made an error and she was able to help us rectify it--cheerfully!). All communications were clear and easy--fantastic Hamdi accompanied us to every entrance (even hotels) and made sure there was never a problem. We had 6 terrific days in Jordan, and are so completely happy. On our flight home, we talked with others who had used a luxury tour group and our experiences were hugely better --at half their price! We highly recommend Samanta at Zaman Tours and Hamdi, guide/driver-extraodinaire.
Carmelo L
Carmelo L
2023-03-05
Amazing tour of Jordan Dear Zamantours, We would thank you for the quality of the service provided us during our travel in Jordan. We were very happy for the assistance we got at the Airport and especially for the professional driver Mr. J. Al Z. who has safely and kindly driven us for the entire week across Jordan A special thanks for our tourist guide Mr.M. Al-S. that made an excellent job explaining us a lot of things about Jordan History and beeing available for each of our need. Thank a lot for your great work Kind regards Carmelo & Fiorella
Peter Tass
Peter Tass
2023-02-23
Petra once in a lifetime tour Zayed was extremely helpful. Beautiful waiter. He attended to us all the time. And the cocktails were very well priced.