Collection guide · Ecotourism
Jordan’s Nature & Wildlife Reserves
Five protected areas, from the oak woodland of Ajloun and the wetland at Azraq to the canyons of Dana and the desert of Wadi Rum.
5Reserves
1UNESCO site
4No 4x4 needed
1On the Jordan Pass
Dana Biosphere Reserve · Photo by Alex Bezrukov
The story
Protecting a dry land
Jordan’s reserves are young. The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) founded the first, Shaumari, in 1975 to bring back the Arabian oryx, which had vanished from Jordan in the mid-20th century. Eleven oryx arrived in 1978, and some of their descendants were later moved to Wadi Rum.
Azraq followed in 1978, at the springs that fed the only permanent wetland in Jordan’s eastern desert. Pumping water to Amman dried the springs by 1992, and since 1994 the RSCN has been restoring part of the wetland.
Ajloun (1987) protects oak woodland in the northern hills, where roe deer were bred and released. Dana (1989) runs from the plateau down to Wadi Araba and became Jordan’s first UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1998; the RSCN worked with its villagers so that the reserve also brings jobs in tourism and crafts.
Wadi Rum, protected since 1997, is different again: a desert of sandstone mountains where people have lived for at least 12,000 years. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011.
At a glance
The 5 reserves side by side
Time, ticket and road conditions, taken from each travel guide. Filter the table and the map shows the same reserves.
| Site | What you’ll find | Time | Ticket | From Amman | 4x4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajloun Forest Biosphere Reserve | Oak woodland, trails and roe deer | Half day | 8 JOD | 85 km · 1 hr 30 min | No |
| Azraq Wetland Reserve | Restored wetland and birds | 1 hr | 8 JOD | 110 km · 1 hr 30 min | No |
| Shaumari Wildlife Reserve | Arabian oryx safari | 20 min + 1 hr safari | Safari 18 JOD incl. entry | 120 km · 1 hr 45 min | No |
| Dana Biosphere Reserve | Canyons from plateau to Wadi Araba | Full day | 10 JOD | 200 km · About 3 hr | No |
| Wadi Rum Protected Area UNESCO | Sandstone mountains and desert | Full day | 5 JOD Jordan Pass | 310 km · About 3 hr 45 min | Tour or own 4x4 |
Normal car4x4 needed
How to visit
Three ways to see them
Azraq and Shaumari make a day east of Amman, Ajloun a half day in the north. Dana and Wadi Rum are on the way south and worth a night each.
Full day from Amman
East: Azraq and Shaumari
The wetland and the oryx reserve are both near Azraq, about 1 hr 30 min–1 hr 45 min from Amman, with the desert castles on the same road.
Half day or overnight
North: Ajloun Forest
Walk the forest trails, or stay a night in the reserve’s cabins. Ajloun Castle is nearby.
On the way to Petra and Aqaba
South: Dana and Wadi Rum
Dana is on the King’s Highway north of Petra, and Wadi Rum is 3 hr 30 min–4 hr from Amman in the far south. Private and rented cars are not allowed into Wadi Rum: go with an organised tour, or bring your own 4x4 and pay for a vehicle pass. Plan at least a night in each.
Travel guides
All 5 reserve guides
Travel guide
Ajloun Forest Biosphere Reserve
A protected oak woodland in the hills of northern Jordan, with forest trails, cabins and reintroduced roe deer
Travel guide
Azraq Wetland Reserve
The restored heart of Jordan’s great desert oasis, with boardwalks through the reeds, water buffalo and migrating birds
Travel guide
Shaumari Wildlife Reserve
Jordan’s first nature reserve, founded in 1975 to bring the Arabian oryx back from extinction in the wild
Travel guide
Dana Biosphere Reserve
Jordan’s first biosphere reserve, falling from a stone village on the plateau to the sands of Wadi Araba
UNESCOJordan Pass
Travel guide
Wadi Rum Protected Area
A desert of sandstone mountains and red sand, with 12,000 years of history carved on its rocks
Private tours
Let us drive you
Private tours from Amman that include these reserves.
Private tour · 7–8 hr
Black Desert, Azraq Oasis & Desert Castles Full-Day Tour
$170 (120 JOD)
Fixed price per group (1-3 travellers)
Private tour · 12–13 hr
Best of King’s Highway from Amman to Petra
$330 (235 JOD)
Price varies by group size (1-3 travellers)Everything about Jordan’s nature reserves360° photos, 3D walk-throughs, photo albums, videos and articles: 38 posts
Open the topic pagePlan your visit
Want help planning a nature trip?
Tell us when you are travelling and which reserves you would like to see. We will suggest a route and a price.
