Stories from the Jordan Trail
Thoughts, photos, and videos from Andrew Evan’s adventure along the Jordan Trail
Thoughts, photos, and videos from Andrew Evan’s adventure along the Jordan Trail
From Desert to Sea: The End of the Jordan Trail
June 03, 2017
“That mountain, over there,” says Mahmoud, pointing to a jagged chunk of faraway granite, “That’s Saudi Arabia.” I slog a dozen more steps through sand before
Here Comes The Sand
June 02, 2017
In all my life, I have never felt this small—by day, I am nothing more than a sweaty speck on the land, and at night, a single star shining from a million miles away seems bigger than me, down here on Earth, alone in my tent.
Hiking each morning, I look back at the footprints I have left behind—imprecise and clumsy ovals that...
Beating the Heat on the Jordan Trail
May 12, 2017
We have a donkey now. His name is William Shakespeare and he has long whiskers sprouting from his soft upper lip and pouty chin. His tall ears move like a pair of independent limbs, pointing straight up like double exclamation points, or else whisking back coyly against his head, or suddenly...
Walking Through Time on the Jordan Trail
May 10, 2017
Just outside the village of Ma’tan we came upon some forgotten Roman city, the long and flowing stone walls following the contour of the land, each rock carefully put in place by human hands once upon a time. I have begun to recognize them now, the different ruins on the trail (Ottoman, Greek, Bronze Age,...
The Small Things are the Big Things
May 09, 2017
When you drive, you watch the road—but when you hike, you stare at the ground for hours. Perhaps there are moments when you stop and acknowledge the sapphire sky, punctuated by a single swirl of wispy cloud—or you take a quick look back at the natural architecture of the earth, with walls and slopes and...
Haircuts in Kerak & Bedouin Tea
May 04, 2017
If we accepted every offer for tea, we would never finish hiking the Jordan Trail. Instead, we would still be somewhere back in Section One, halting our way across the stony landscape and never moving more than a half-kilometer without some shepherd of sheikh demanding we sit down and drink tea with them.
What The Guidebooks Don't Tell You: Um Qais to Ajloun
April 07, 2017
If the Jordan Trail resembles the Jordanian flag, then I have just crossed the broad green stripe.
Every day the path turns greener, as if some divine hand has Photoshopped the landscape, dialing up the brightness to an implausible green that demands sunglasses and a long afternoon rest in the shade of a...
The First Day
April 04, 2017
Three drops of rain fell on my head, and then it stopped. In a few seconds, the dark mist of rain vanished in favor of the more common sunshine that matched the mood of the crowd. Ours was a small gathering—a few dozen of us, standing outside the historic ruins of Um Qais on a quiet Friday morning. Some...
Andrew Evans, an award winning author, travel writer, TV host and lover of Jordan has chosen to embark on the Jordan Trail Thru Hike. He departs Um Qais on March 31 and will reach his final destination, Aqaba, on May 13. Follow his travels and experiences here on Stories From The Jordan Trail and on the Andrew Walks Jordan homepage. If you’re interested in learning more about the adventures Andrew has been on, check out andrewevans.org.
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On March 31st Andrew Evans will depart from Um Qais on a 600-km walk through the Jordan Trail, reaching his final destination of Aqaba and the Red Sea. This 40-day hike, comprised of 8 sections, is referred to as the Thru-Hike. While crossing Jordan by foot is one of the oldest adventures in the world, the Jordan Trail is brand new. Andrew will be one of the first few to complete the Thru-Hike. Without the dedication of Andrew, Jordan Tourism Board North America, VisitJordan.com, The Jordan Trail Association, and Intrepid Travel, this trip would not have been possible. Learn more about Andrew’s 600-km trek here.