“The moment you stop accepting challenges is the moment you stop moving forward.”
​-Anonymous 

Dogs
Shepard dogs can be quite a challenge. Not only for those who have a fear of dogs. When you have a dozen dogs circling around you, closing in, ferociously defending their land. It scares even the bravest of us.

​Some dogs even have a necklace made of spikes, to prevent wild animals like hyenas and caracals to kill them by attacking their neck. Nonetheless, that necklace gives them an extra intimidation level.
As soon as you see sheep, be ready to hear the dogs coming and barking not long after. How to deal with them? Here are a few tips:
  • Stay calm! Even if they might be extremely intimidating, they rarely attack. (Rarely?!?)
  • Never run away! This is true with all animals you encounter (bears, cougar, wolves, and it's no different for dogs).
  • To know which dog you should really watch for (because they tend to stay in a group). Pick up a rock and fake throwing it. If the dog turns around and runs (he will eventually come back), he is not to be taken seriously. On the contrary, if they just back up slightly while keeping their front to you, this is the one you should keep an eye on.
  • While crossing land with sheep, always walk around the sheep, never head for the sheep (when you can).
  • If you see a shepherd, wave your hand, say hi, so he knows who you are and that you are simply passing by. He will probably invite you for tea, but more importantly, he will keep his dogs in check.
  • Don't stop walking. As soon as you are a safe distance from the sheep the dogs always leave you alone, so keep walking never stop.
  • While you walk, if dogs are closing in, turn suddenly and make a few swift moves towards them, or pick up a rock and throw it close to them. (Not on them!)
  • Hiking poles might make you feel more armed up.

Water
There are a few good sections with almost no water on the trail. The one section that especially comes to mind is the one from Petra to Wadi Rum. This section is 98km long and has only one water source which is a few kilometres off the trail. 

​There are 4 options available for that section:
  • I have heard people going with a truck to go hide water halfway.
  • Hire a local to drop water at a certain time and location 
  • You could rely on that only water source
  • Carry enough water for the entire section

I went for the latter. I felt the water drop and the one water source was a gamble. If you get there and it's dry or missing, you are in trouble. I have heard the water source runs year-round, but the fact to rely solely on one source is asking for trouble, in my opinion. That section doesn't have cell phone reception either, and it is one of the quietest sections of the trail, so if you get into trouble, you're on your own. 

If you are doing the trail southbound, it is one of the last sections, so by then, you should know more accurately your water intake per day. I personally carried 9 litres of water for that section (heavy!) I did it in 2 days and finished with about 1.5L left. (Those are based on my water intake, do not copy it until you know your own water intake!)

There is another good section without water, it's from Wadi Rum Village to the Red Sea (about 60km). Wadi Rum is quite a touristic sight and you will have a few Bedouin Camp scattered around in the desert. In the worst case, you can ask to buy water in these camps or wave your hands to any jeeps driving by. I carried 6L (once more, those are based on my water intake, do not copy it until you are sure of how much water you need.) Wadi Rum is not to be taking slightly it is a desert at over 1000m elevation. You will drink more water than you think.

There are a few other sections with scare water but after those two sections, they are child play. I made the mistake to go with a frameless backpack on this trip. I highly recommend carrying a backpack with a good frame since you will carry a lot more water on this trip than most other trips and 1L being 1kg, it adds weight quickly.

Food
Food can be a challenge if you like to hike with specific foods. On the Jordan Trail, you will mostly resupply at small convenience stores, those big supermarkets you might be used to, are not a thing there. It helps to bring some food you like for the first week, but then, you will have to be flexible.

​Try falafels when you get into towns. They are broadly available and a wonderful hiker treat. As well, I would recommend trying Nougat and Halva, these are awesome local treats that make good hiking food.

Flash Flood
Flash flood is a real thing in Jordan. Their lack of vegetation allows the rainwater to run down much quicker and not be absorbed. To give you an idea in November 2018, a flash flood hit Petra (which is a highly touristic sight that is prepared for those things) killed 11 people. The water rose 4m (13ft) within a short time.

​Here are a few tips to avoid being caught by a flash flood:
  • Always update your weather app when you have cellphone reception.
  • If you don't have any cellphone reception, having a PLB (like the Garmin Inreach Mini) allows you to have satellite weather forecasts on the fly.
  • If rain is expected, delay any sections with flash flood risk.
  • Be very careful in the section between Petra and Wadi Rum, close to the end, just before it opens up to Wadi Rum there is the longest section of flash flood risk, it is a canyon of nearly 10km. Truly a beautiful section, but deadly in heavy rain! 
  • In case of unexpected heavy rain, reach a higher ground!