Dana is a 320 sq km reserve that drops from a highland village at 1,500m straight down a canyon to the desert floor of Wadi Araba — and almost nobody stops here on the standard Amman-to-Petra run. Most visitors fly past it on the Desert Highway. The ones who don't get multi-day hiking trails, a Bedouin-run eco-lodge with zero light pollution, and a village guesthouse dinner table instead of a tour-bus buffet. It pairs naturally with Petra rather than replacing it — hike here first, arrive at Petra unrushed after.
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When to go
March-May and September-November are best; June-August pushes the Wadi Araba desert floor near Feynan past 40°C by midday.
Dana Biosphere Reserve right now and the next 7 days
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Dana Biosphere Reserve, planned for you
A satellite map for every day with each stop pinned in order, photos of the places, timings, what each part costs, where to sleep and eat, and a checklist. One PDF that works offline: print it, or send it to everyone going.
- Day 1 Arrive in Dana Biosphere Reserve · Rummana / Dana Village viewpoint loop
- TravelShared taxi/minibus: Tafilah or Qadisiyah to Dana Village₹250
- 11:00Rummana / Dana Village viewpoint loopFree
- 14:30Wildlife spotting walk (Nubian ibex, 200+ bird species)₹2,500
- Day 2 White Dome / Shaq al-Reesh trail
- Day 3 Bronze/Roman-era copper-mining ruins at Feynan
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Dana Biosphere Reserve on the map
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The area
Places to see
Day trips
Dana Biosphere Reserve · Open in Google Maps ↗
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Step 3 of 11Next: Cost↓What your trip costs
Change anything and the numbers update. Every price is what the bus, room or ticket itself costs. We take no commission and sell no packages, so this is what you pay booking each piece yourself.
Ballpark ranges, not live quotes. Prices last updated 10 October 2026. Prices move with season and demand, so check live fares before you book. Spot a wrong price? Tell us and we fix it.
On the ground: stay, food, local travel and tickets. Pick a route above to add the journey.
Dana Biosphere Reserve in 3 days: a day-by-day plan
Our suggested plan, in a sensible order with times. Move things between days, remove them or add more. It saves on this device, and you can share it.
- 11:00Rummana / Dana Village viewpoint loop2-3 hours · free · the half-day option — canyon views without the multi-day commitment, no guide needed
- 13:30Lunch break
- 14:30Wildlife spotting walk (Nubian ibex, 200+ bird species)2-3 hours · ₹2,500 each · early morning with an RSCN ranger gives the best odds
- 08:00White Dome / Shaq al-Reesh trail4-5 hours · ₹3,500 each · guided sandstone-canyon route, a quieter alternative to the full Feynan descent
- 13:00Lunch break
- 08:00Bronze/Roman-era copper-mining ruins at Feynanhalf day · free · an easy add-on once you're already at the lodge
- 13:00Lunch break
How to get to Dana Biosphere Reserve
One-way prices per person. The cheapest sensible option is marked. Each button opens live times and fares for the date you picked above.
Flight
₹14,000Emirates, IndiGo, Air India Express and Qatar Airways all fly this leg daily
Flight Last leg
₹12,000Royal Jordanian, Qatar Airways and Emirates connect same-day; total India-Amman one-way runs roughly ₹24,000-32,000
Bus (public)
₹400a handful of departures daily; ask at the station for the current timing, schedules shift
Shared taxi/minibus Cheapest
₹250service taxis wait near the bus stop — agree the fare before boarding
Getting around once you're there
Walk the marked trails yourself (Rummana, Dana viewpoint)
Freeshort trails near the village don't need a guide
RSCN-licensed guide (required for Feynan and longer trails)
₹3,500book at the Dana visitor centre a day ahead; price covers a small group, not per person
4WD desert transfer (Wadi Araba side)
₹7,000the only way in/out from the Feynan side without walking the full trail
Shared service taxi between villages
₹15cheapest way to reach Qadisiyah or Tafilah for onward transport
Where to stay in Dana Biosphere Reserve
Price per night for the room. The buttons open live availability for your dates.
Shoestring
₹3,200/nightbasic stone-house rooms, shared bath, home-cooked meals on request
Budget
₹5,500/nightdinner and breakfast included — best value in the reserve
Mid
₹6,500/nightfixed tents, shared facilities, run by RSCN rangers
Splurge
₹12,500/nightoff-grid, candle-lit, reachable only via the Wadi Dana trail or a 4WD detour; half-board included
What to eat, and what it costs
Bedouin tea and bread at a trailside stop
₹150offered along the trail — pay what feels fair
mezze platter (hummus, mutabal, falafel)
₹500filling and reliably vegetarian
mansaf (lamb in fermented yoghurt sauce over rice)
₹900Jordan's national dish, best at the guesthouse dinner table
half-board dinner at Feynan Ecolodge
₹1,400communal, candlelit, included in the lodge's own room rate
Places to visit and things to do in Dana Biosphere Reserve
Tap “Add to my plan” and it goes into your day-by-day plan above.
Wadi Dana to Feynan trail (full reserve descent)
₹3,50014km, drops 1,350m from the highland village to the desert floor; guide required, ends at Feynan Ecolodge
Rummana / Dana Village viewpoint loop
Freethe half-day option — canyon views without the multi-day commitment, no guide needed
Stargazing night at a Bedouin camp
₹1,200Feynan and Rummana both go fully dark after sunset — no light pollution for miles
White Dome / Shaq al-Reesh trail
₹3,500guided sandstone-canyon route, a quieter alternative to the full Feynan descent
Wildlife spotting walk (Nubian ibex, 200+ bird species)
₹2,500early morning with an RSCN ranger gives the best odds
Bronze/Roman-era copper-mining ruins at Feynan
Freean easy add-on once you're already at the lodge
Day trips and next stops
Petra
₹1,500bus or arranged taxi via Wadi Musa
Wadi Rum
₹2,500shared taxi or transfer via the Aqaba road
Little Petra (Al Beidha)
taxi, usually combined with the Petra leg
Shobak Castle
₹800taxi from Dana or en route to Petra
Know before you go
Mistakes to avoid
- summer (Jun-Aug) hits 40°C+ on the desert floor near Feynan — hike early morning only, or skip that stretch entirely
- the Dana-Feynan trail and most longer routes require a paid RSCN guide and cap daily visitor numbers — book at the visitor centre a day ahead, not the same morning
- reserve entry and guide fees change season to season — check the current RSCN/Wild Jordan rates before you go rather than trust an old number
Ways to spend less
- the RSCN Dana Guesthouse dinner (open to non-guests too) is home-cooked and cheaper than anything in Petra town
- walk in from Dana to Feynan instead of driving — the 4WD route from Wadi Araba skips the canyon entirely, which is the whole point
- stop here on the way to Petra, not after — Dana's dark skies beat anything near the Petra tour buses, and arriving unrushed makes Petra itself better
Say it in Arabic
A few words go a long way, especially when you ask a price.
The pronunciation is a simple guide, not a native recording. Spot a mistake? Tell us.
Before-you-go checklist
Dana Biosphere Reserve in pictures
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Step 11 of 11Next: FAQ↓Questions people ask
When is the best time to visit Dana Biosphere Reserve?
On our month-by-month scores, the best months are Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov. March-May and September-November are best; June-August pushes the Wadi Araba desert floor near Feynan past 40°C by midday.
How do I reach Dana Biosphere Reserve?
Flight: Delhi/Mumbai/Bengaluru to Dubai or Doha, 4-4.5h, about ₹14,000 one way. Bus (public): Amman (Wihdat south station) to Tafilah/Qadisiyah, 2.5-3h, about ₹400 one way. Shared taxi/minibus: Tafilah or Qadisiyah to Dana Village, 20-30 min, about ₹250 one way.
How much does a 3-day trip to Dana Biosphere Reserve cost?
On the ground (stay, food, local travel and tickets), one person spends about ₹9,600 on a shoestring, ₹18,000 mid-range or ₹33,000 in comfort over 3 days. Add the journey: the cheapest sensible option is shared taxi/minibus (Tafilah or Qadisiyah to Dana Village) at about ₹250 each way.
How many days do you need in Dana Biosphere Reserve?
3 days is right for most people. That covers Rummana / Dana Village viewpoint loop, Wildlife spotting walk (Nubian ibex, 200+ bird species), White Dome / Shaq al-Reesh trail, Bronze/Roman-era copper-mining ruins at Feynan without rushing.
Is Dana Biosphere Reserve good for families or solo travellers?
Out of 5 on our scores: solo 5, couples 4, families 2, groups 3. It is harder with young children or older parents. It is easy to do on your own.
Is vegetarian food easy to find in Dana Biosphere Reserve?
Jordanian mezze culture — hummus, mutabal, falafel, ful — means vegetarians eat well and cheaply everywhere in Dana; guesthouses will do a vegetarian rice dish on request.
Will my phone and cards work in Dana Biosphere Reserve?
Phone signal: buy a Zain or Orange Jordan SIM at Queen Alia airport arrivals — signal drops out once you're in the canyon Cards and UPI: accepted at Feynan Ecolodge and Amman hotels, not on the trail or in the village Cash: Jordanian dinar (JOD) only — carry cash, Dana village has no bank
Guides for Dana Biosphere Reserve
Longer reads from our blog that cover this trip.
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Set your dates and group at the top, shape the days, then book each piece directly.
Back to the planner ↑Costs are indicative ballparks for doing it yourself and change with season and demand. Always check live fares, rates and opening rules before you book. Trip Under is not a travel agency: we don't sell packages or bookings, we take no commission, and we link to maps and official sites, never to booking sites. Every guide is free; our only paid products are optional downloadable trip plans and itineraries. Photographs come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences; see credits.
By Gokul · Updated 10 October 2026 · Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · Photo: hikinginjordan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · Photo: Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · Photo: Joe Roe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
