Things to do in Dana Biosphere Reserve
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Dana Biosphere Reserve
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Spring is the best season: wildflowers, running streams, migratory birds, and every trail and camp open.
Summer heat is brutal on the Feynan floor at 38 to 45 degrees, while Dana village stays workable at dawn.
Autumn is the second good season, with October and November best, but Rummana Camp closes after 31 October.
Winter is cold at the village, sometimes below freezing, with flash flood risk closing wadis and the Feynan track.
Best things to do in Dana Biosphere Reserve
Dana Biosphere Reserve
Jordan's largest reserve, dropping from rim scrub to desert through four vegetation zones in one area.
Dana Village
A partly ruined Ottoman stone village on the rim, with terraced gardens and the view down Wadi Dana.
Dana Visitor Centre and Museum
The RSCN centre where you confirm open trails, guide rules, and fees, with a small museum and nature shop.
Shobak Castle
A ruined Crusader hilltop castle from 1115, with tunnels, a church, and a huge King's Highway view.
Feynan Bedouin Experience
Coffee, bread making, and tent visits hosted by Bedouin families from the Feynan area, run from the lodge.
Where to stay in Dana Biosphere Reserve
Dana Village
first night, trailheads, and the visitor centre
High and cool on the rim, with the RSCN centre, the Wadi Dana start, and a choice of guesthouses.
Camps near Dana Village
groups, families, and sleeping inside the reserve
Camps above the wadi with meals and dark skies, including the seasonal RSCN camp at Rummana.
Feynan
the walk-in end of the reserve and total quiet
One off grid lodge on the desert floor, reached on foot down Wadi Dana or by lodge 4x4 only.
Think twice about
- Qadisiyya
The modern town uphill is practical for transport but has no village charm and adds a drive to every trailhead. Sleep in Dana village.
Best restaurants in Dana Biosphere Reserve
Feynan Ecolodge Restaurant
Candlelit vegetarian buffet dinners inside the all inclusive Feynan rate, the priciest meal in the reserve.
Dana Guesthouse Restaurant
Buffet breakfast and dinner on the rim terrace, the most reliable meals in Dana village.
Wadi Dana Eco Camp Restaurant
Traditional meals and hiking lunchboxes on a terrace above Wadi Dana, ordered the night before.
Dana Tower Hotel Restaurant
The cheapest full dinner in the village, a generous communal buffet eaten with other hikers.
Outdoor things to do in Dana Biosphere Reserve
Wadi Dana Trail
The signature 14 km descent from Dana village at 1200 metres down to Feynan, through four vegetation zones.
White Dome Trail
A guided 8 km half day past white limestone domes to a viewpoint over Wadi Dana, with ibex possible.
Shaq al-Reesh Trail
A guided canyon loop through a narrow sandstone slot with feather-like eroded rock, scrambling throughout.
Wadi Ghuweir Trail
A lush guided stream wadi of palms and hanging gardens, running from the Shobak side down toward Feynan.
Feynan Copper Mines Trail
A guided walk from Feynan to ancient copper mines and slag heaps worked from Chalcolithic to Byzantine times.
Feynan Sunset Hike
The daily guided ridge walk above Feynan for sunset over Wadi Araba, usually with sage tea at the top.
Jordan Trail
The 4 to 5 day guided trek from Dana via Little Petra into Petra, about 75 to 84 km of desert and canyon.
Best hotels in Dana Biosphere Reserve
Dana Guesthouse
The RSCN guesthouse on the rim edge, with terraces over the gorge and the visitor centre in the same complex.
Dana Tower Hotel
The cooperative hotel in restored village stone houses, with a roof terrace and communal buffet dinners.
Dana Hotel
The quieter cooperative hotel in the village, with simple rooms and home style meals on request.
Rummana Camp
The seasonal RSCN campsite inside the reserve, with large tents, a Bedouin tent, and White Dome nearby.
Wadi Dana Eco Camp
An off grid community camp above Wadi Dana, with en-suite chalets, tents, and a panoramic restaurant terrace.
Al-Nawatef Eco Camp
A simple ridge camp 5 km from Dana, with tents and stone cottages, home cooked meals, and dark skies.
Feynan Ecolodge
A 26 room off grid, candlelit lodge in Wadi Feynan, all inclusive of vegetarian meals and guided activities.
Is Dana Biosphere Reserve expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | JOD 35 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | JOD 80 a person |
| Splurge | JOD 175 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Feynan Bedouin Experience: a few days ahead
- Wadi Dana Trail: a few days ahead
- White Dome Trail: a few days ahead
- Shaq al-Reesh Trail: a few days ahead
- Wadi Ghuweir Trail: a few days ahead
- Feynan Copper Mines Trail: a few days ahead
- Jordan Trail: weeks ahead
- Dana Guesthouse: weeks ahead
- Book Dana Guesthouse and Feynan Ecolodge weeks ahead for March, April, October, and holiday weekends.
- Book guided trails at least the day before at the visitor centre or through your guesthouse.
- Book dinner with your room every time, and book the Feynan 4x4 and any return transfer before you walk down.
Is Dana Biosphere Reserve safe?
- Never enter a wadi when rain is forecast anywhere in its catchment, and never cross flowing water on foot or by car.
- On the Feynan floor in summer, start at dawn, carry at least 3 litres of water for the Dana descent, and stop if anyone is confused or stops sweating.
- Carry cash in JOD for entrance, guides, and transfers, and bring a headtorch and a power bank for Feynan.
- Regional airspace and flights can change at short notice: have a disruption plan that does not depend on a single routing.
Dana Biosphere Reserve travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- Arriving in Dana in the evening without dinner booked, when there is no restaurant scene to fall back on.
- Assuming the White Dome or Wadi Ghuweir trails can be walked without a required RSCN guide.
- Planning to hike Dana to Feynan and back in one day, or bringing a rolling suitcase to Feynan.
- Expecting sockets, air conditioning, or a meat menu at Feynan Ecolodge.
Getting around Dana Biosphere Reserve: public transport and more
- Dana is about 200 km south of Amman, 2.5 to 3 hours by car on the King's Highway.
- By bus, go Amman South Bus Station to Tafilah, then minibus to Qadisiyya, then 3 km walk or taxi to Dana village.
- The last minibus to Qadisiyya leaves in the mid afternoon, at about 3 to 4pm in the accounts checked.
- There is no public transport to Feynan: walk down Wadi Dana or take the lodge arranged Bedouin 4x4.
Who Dana Biosphere Reserve suits
| Solo travellers | Good |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Good |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | Not ideal |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | Not ideal |
Make Dana Biosphere Reserve your trip
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