Dana, Petra

Perched up high on the edge of Wadi Dana, a river valley, was the ramshackle village of Dana. Inhabited since the Ottoman era this once thriving farming community was largely abandoned by the mid-20th century with most families moving to nearby towns for better infrastructure, jobs and education. 

With the deserted houses crumbling and traditional culture fading, a group of women from Amman intervened in the 1990s and slowly revitalised the village by repairing houses and installing electricity, phones and water supply. In 2012 Dana was further renovated with hotels, restaurants and shops opening to tourists. 

My journey to Petra began on the outskirts of the village at an elevation of 4100ft (1250m). As I stood at the edge of the mountain plateau I pondered the journey to come, the ruggedness I would encounter, the people I would cross and the food I would savour. 

Whilst I’m talking about food, before I started my trek I filled my belly with Jordan’s national dish called Mansaf, made of lamb cooked in a fermented yoghurt sauce served with rice and sprinkled with parsley.

Pleasantly full with a good dose of protein and carbs, I made my way down into the valley on a well-tended and well-marked trail. The first mile was a series of difficult switchbacks as the descent to the valley floor was a fairly quick drop of 1300ft (400m). Having to maintain my balance on a gravel track with small loose rocks, each step was careful and measured.

Once in the valley I took in the vastness of this wadi. The towering cliffs on either side, the discernible geological layers illustrating its age and the hues of pink on its rock face. Somewhere in the distance is Feynan Ecolodge, my overnight stopover.

Geared up with snacks and plenty of water, as there aren’t any top-up facilities before Feynan, I headed into the wadi following the still well-marked trail.