Easily one of Jordan’s most spectacular hidden treasures, Dana Biosphere is a staggeringly beautiful nature reserve spanning some 320km².
As Jordan’s largest reserve, encompassing all four of the country’s bio-geographical zones, Dana Biosphere Reserve offers an impressive range of biodiversity, providing a protected home to some of Jordan’s most rare and diverse animals and plants.
According to the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, some 800 species of plant, 180 species of birds and 449 species of animal have been recorded in the reserve, including the endangered Sand Cat, the Syrian Wolf, the Lesser Kestrel and the Spiny Tailed Lizard.
Extending the full length of the valley, from the quaint little 15th-century stone village of Dana which teeters on a precipice 1700m high above the valley floor, all the way down to 50m below sea level at the Wadi Araba desert, the reserve features a variety of terrains from sandstone cliffs, protected valleys and red-rock ridges. These different ecosystems make the reserve a fascinating place for hiking, exploring or wildlife spotting.
Visitors to Dana can stay at the famed eco resort, Feynan Ecolodge with its candle lit sandstone passages and its rooftop observatory, or at Dana Guesthouse perched high at the top of the valley with spectacular views all the way down to the sea.
Located in the south central region of the country Dana Biosphere Reserve can easily be combined with visits to Karak, Petra and Aqaba.
