Three women hikers say crossing 600km Jordan Trail an ‘eye-opening’ experience

AMMAN — When Dina Aqel, Karma Tabbaa and Duha Fayyad decided to hike the trail connecting Jordan’s north and south, they did not know it will be a “unique life-changing” experience.

The three young Jordanian women were part of a group of six that volunteered to explore the entire 600km-long route through the Jordan Trail Association (JTA), which has developed the trail.

The group’s journey, which started in Um Qais, 90km north of Amman, and ended in Aqaba, 330km south of Amman, started on October15, 2016 and lasted for 38 days, including 33 days of hiking.

Commenting on their journey, the three women said it was “eye-opening”, allowing them further self-discovery and educating them about Jordan’s diverse landscapes and the lifestyles of people outside cities.

Aqel, 28, said she was initially provoked by the idea behind the trail and what it has to offer as it passes through many villages and lesser known areas. 

“People often create similar trails abroad, so I thought why not try to explore it? ... and it turned out to be a very pleasant experience,” she told The Jordan Times in a recent interview.

At the time, Tabba, 29, had recently closed down a restaurant she owned, so hiking through the trail seemed to her like a new challenge she wanted to take on.

Her family and friends initially did not believe she was serious, but when she started sending them pictures from several areas across the country, they were happy to see her enjoying the journey of exploration.

Fayyad, a 30-year-old lawyer, said the hike for her was a chance to disconnect from life’s various distractions, and to reconnect with nature and examine ruins of ancient civilisations instead. 

“It was also a great opportunity to interact with the local communities of areas I have never visited before,” she noted.

Despite the different motives behind their participation, the three women agreed that the Kingdom’s safety allowed them to go on this adventure.

During their trip, the “slightly” experienced hikers did not only enhance their physical endurance, they said they also enhanced their mental fortitude, with determination to keep going despite the difficulties.

“The first week was tough, but we grew stronger then and started appreciating what we were seeing more,” Aqel said, adding that she was impressed by villagers, who said they would never think of trading their simple lives with city life.

As the local communities are an essential part of the trail, where they provide paid meals and home stays for hikers interested in living this experience, Tabbaa expected more local businesses to open along the trail.

Fayyad agreed, adding that residents of areas along the trail provide a learning experience to hikers by introducing them to traditional songs, folk music and storytelling, in addition to showing them aspects of rural life.

While the three women had the opportunity to hike the entire trek, people with tight schedules who are interested in hiking and getting to know the country better can walk through one segment of the hike at their convenience.

JTA Co-Founder Amjad Shahrour noted that the trail was designed to cater for all needs and preferences. He added that hikers can download the GPS coordinates of the intended trip based on the desired difficulty level. 

Also, the hike could possibly cost hikers nothing, as they can bring their own sleeping bags and food supplies, or can sleep at a home stay or lodge and request cooked meals at local houses. 

“At the end of the day, the biggest beneficiary is the local community,” he told The Jordan Times. 

While Tabbaa described the trail as “the best tourism off the beaten track”, she said the next time she hikes it, she will make sure to spend more time at each stop to fully appreciate the beautiful landscapes.

Fayyad noted that a US friend of hers has hiked the entire trail during his visit to Jordan in order to get a comprehensive picture of what nature in the Kingdom has to offer. 

“Locals often stopped him to ask if he needed any help,” she said.

Aqel added: “It is impossible for a hiker to get bored... The nature of stops along the trail is constantly changing.” 

The official launch of the trail will be through a public hiking trip along the entire path. The event is scheduled to start on March 31 and to end on May 13. More information is available on the JTA’s website http://jordantrail.org/old/ 

Around 20 hikers are expected to hike the trail, with some 200-300 people joining along the way for shorter hikes, said Bashir Daoud, JTA general manager. 

He added that the first 80km of the trail are way marked, with ongoing efforts to way mark the entire trail.