Where the Wadi Mujib — the biblical River Arnon — meets the Dead Sea, a narrow sandstone gorge opens onto the shore. The Mujib Biosphere Reserve protects some 212 square kilometres of canyons and mountains here, from about 400 metres below sea level to some 900 metres above it, and its Siq Trail is one of the great adventures of Jordan.
Where Is the Mujib Biosphere Reserve?
The reserve lies on the east shore of the Dead Sea, in the governorates of Madaba and Karak, between Wadi Zarqa Ma’in in the north and Wadi Shegeig in the south. Its visitor centre is on the Dead Sea shore, and the canyons rise eastwards towards Al-Lahun and the King’s Highway.
History and Protection
The Wadi Mujib is identified with the Arnon of the Bible, which marked the northern border of ancient Moab. The reserve was established in 1985 and is managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN). It was added to UNESCO’s World Heritage Tentative List in 2007 and became Jordan’s second UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, after Dana, in 2011. Upstream, the Mujib Dam was built in 2004.
Landscape and Wildlife
Three river systems — the Mujib, the Hidan and the Zarqa Ma’in — flow all year through the reserve, carving gorges through some 600 metres of sandstone. The reserve shelters Nubian ibex, caracal, striped hyena, rock hyrax and badger, more than 400 plant species and about 150 bird species, including Egyptian vultures and Bonelli’s eagles. A captive breeding programme begun in 1989 returned the Nubian ibex to the wild in 2006.
The Siq Trail
A self-guided wade up the narrow canyon to a waterfall, open April–October, 2–3 hours.
From −400 to 900 m
The reserve climbs from the Dead Sea shore to the mountain plateau.
Nubian Ibex
A captive breeding programme from 1989 returned ibex to the wild in 2006.
Birds of Prey
At least nine raptor species breed here, including Bonelli’s eagle.
The Trails
The famous Siq Trail is a self-guided water hike up the narrow canyon to a waterfall, open from April to October depending on the weather and taking two to three hours. From November to March the guided Ibex Trail takes three to four hours. Other trails, such as the Canyon and Malaqi trails, also need a guide, and the Al-Hidan trail starts at the visitor centre.
Visiting the Mujib Biosphere Reserve Today
Book through RSCN; participants on the wet trails must be at least 18. Come prepared to get wet: wear shoes that can go in the water and leave valuables behind. Trails open and close with the seasons and the weather. The reserve also has 15 chalets for overnight stays.
Further reading: RSCN: Mujib Biosphere Reserve, UNESCO: Mujib Biosphere Reserve.
