Jordan - Walks, Treks, Caves, Climbs and Canyons

• Location
• Description
• Contents
• Introduction
• Sample Route
• Maps
• Updates
• Reviews
• Further Reading

Jordan offers many spectacular and contrasting landscapes, from its flower-carpeted meadows to dramatic canyons, caves and deserts. This second edition includes new climbing areas, Jordan's newly created nature reserves, and graded routes for a range of activities.

Lakeland Walker Aug/Sept 2008

'With 331 pages and full colour throughout the softback book, this new guide is substantially bigger and a great deal more attractive, than its predecessor. Still here are the detailed and updated maps and route descriptions for many walks, accompanied by apposite quotations taken from books written by explorers such as Golden and Lawrence. With notes on sights and the different wadis and regions, to say nothing of the useful data in eight appendices and the inclusion of GPS coordinates, Jordan becomes a pleasure to flick through and dream of visiting far away places.

Jordan's known caves are not numerous and, generally, very easy to visit; do not expect to find world-class systems with raging streamways here in the desert lands. Sadly even one known at the time of the first edition has become easier still, as locals have 'modified' the entrance to Zubia Cave to remove the descent and squeeze into the main chamber - all in the name of encouraging visits. There is a separate section on caves, making it easy to see what you can find, with many notes on rumours and the realistic potential for discoveries as there are caves themselves. Nice one! Jordan costs £17, which represents good value for a book of this high standard.'

Descent, Oct/Nov 2008

'Most people think of Jordan as a bleak desert; it is actually a land of unexpected beauty and great variety. This is the 2nd edition, but a vastly enlarged edition, or a book which was published in 1999. There is a short, but very comprehensive introduction. It has the usual section on getting there, the best time to go, food, clothing, etc.

Their writing shows that the authors love the country and hope that visitors also “be as good to this land and its people as they will be to you.” Finally, this is the first guidebook I’ve seen with the foreword by a queen – HM Queen Noor of Jordan.’

Irish Mountain Log, Winter 2008

‘The biblical land of Jordan is a place of unexpected beauty, and until recently it was untouched by mass tourism. Its landscape ranges from flower-carpeted meadows in the north to spectacular canyons with fast-flowing rivers, and from ancient cities to towering mountains, caves and vast deserts.

This book describes an astonishing range of walks, climbs or simply outings. A total of 150 routes are described, varying from half-day to one-day to multi-day treks, in 5 different areas.

Led by the royal family, Jordan has in recent years created a series of nature reserves and it is likely that their unique landscape will not suffer the ravages of uncontrolled tourism, a fate that has befallen some countries nearby.’

Walking World Ireland, December 2008