Written by Greg Sheppard
Before arriving in Jordan I had the same picture as most probably do about the climate to expect: a desert. After living in Jordan for the past several months, experiencing the hot summer and mostly dry winter, I never expected to find lush scenes of rushing steams, waterfalls and greenery.
At first glance the route along the Dead Sea highway epitomizes Jordan’s dry and barren climate. However, take a closer look and you will find flourishing greenery, nourished by rushing steams fed by underground hot springs in between some of the canyons. I had the fortune of hiking through the Wadi Zarqa Ma’in after the much needed rain of recent. Even after reading a description of the canyon in a guide book, and hearing accounts from friends who hiked through similar canyons, my expectations were surpassed by what I experienced.
The hike starts only a few minutes drive past the Mövenpick and Amman Beach resorts, where the cement aqueduct is mostly fenced off. I learned these aqueducts pump fresh water- which would otherwise help replenish the shrinking Dead Sea- back to Amman. Not far past the canyon entrance the climate began to change. Soon I found myself working my way through brush and a steam which quickly gained momentum. In some areas the canyon’s twists and turns and multi-colored rocks reminded me of the Petra, only with rushing steams of lukewarm spring water.
As the hike continued I found myself walking underneath large overhanging rocks, between cave-like rock formations, around multi-colored puddles of rich mineral run-off and through many more breathtaking scenes. After a few more kilometers wading through the rushing spring and maneuvering around the rocks becomes a little more demanding. The most difficult part in my experience required some assistance of a rope, set up by a previous explorer.
Enjoying the hike does not require great outdoor skills or the even the best athletic vigor. On our way back, another group, which included two small children, was having lunch and making its way up the trail. The trip is not for someone who dislikes getting a little dirty and wet outdoors. Hiking through Wadi Zarqa Ma’in provides an invigorating break from city life in Amman as well as a glimpse of one of Jordan’s less traveled wonders.
