5. Madaba to Dhiban

Enjoy the challenge of crossing two of Central Jordan’s major wadis: Wadi Zarqa-Ma’in and Wadi Hidan. While the route sounds difficult (and it is!), you’ll actually encounter less total elevation gain today than any other day up to this point. Start the day descending from Madaba through Wadi Zarqa-Ma’in, before embarking on a steep (but paved) climb to Makawer and Jabal Bani Hamida. From there, you head straight back down into Wadi Hidan — take a moment to stop and enjoy the views on the way down. Shade trees in the wadi bottom offer a nice break (or camp) spot, before the long ascent out of Wadi Hidan to Dhiban.

BEGINNING:
In Madaba you can find plenty of stores and restaurants.

ON ROUTE:
Ma’in has a shop with basic supplies (not open early).
There is a store and a good bakery off-route in Jabal Bani Hamida, and a tiny store in a home in Shuqayiq (hard to find without asking, it just looks like a regular house).

END:
Dhiban offers many grocery stores and restaurants.

Please note: Most springs in Jordan are seasonal, and may not carry water all year round.

Jabal Bani Hamida: Abu Seif – Bedouin Tent (00962 777 037559))

Dhiban: Dhiban Farm (00962 7 75055404)

Camping
The bottom of Wadi Hidan offers a serviceable campsite (stock up on water at the spring before you reach the wadi bottom — the water there is cleaner than the water in the wadi; still requires filtering).

• • Dhiban has pharmacies and ATMs.
  • The bottom of Wadi Hidan offers a serviceable campsite (stock up on water at the spring before you reach the water bottom — the water there is cleaner than the water in the wadi; still requires filtering).

There’s a bus stop by the bakery in Jabal Bani Hamida.

• Both major climbs start from low elevation (200m) and can be hot—carry plenty of water.
• The store/bakery in Jabal Bani Hamida is your only refill spot between Ma’in and Dhiban; stock up on food/water here.
• A shaded/flat area at the Wadi Hidan crossing is a nice break spot before the final climb out of the wadi.
• If you’d like to camp in Wadi Hidan, but don’t have camping gear, Abu Seif can arrange camping and meals in Wadi Hidan.
• You can find pharmacies and ATMs in Dhiban.

• Wadi Zarqa Ma’in and Wadi Hidan
• Machaerus