Imagine exploring the coast of the Dead Sea, the historical sites of Petra and the Wadi Araba Desert – cycling Jordan is an experience like no other. Travelling on two wheels through this diversely beautiful country is one of the best ways to discover all that Jordan has to offer in one trip, and our guided tours ensure you visit the highlights as well as the lesser-known places.
The Middle East abounds with incredible scenery as well as archaeological gems and fascinating culture. The UNESCO city of Petra will amaze you with its mountainous backdrop where ornate buildings are carved into the red rock, dating back to the 3rd-century BCE. Also known as the Red Rose City, Petra is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world, where the traditions of the Middle East mingle with Hellenistic architecture.
Our Jordan cycling holidays also allow you to soak up the country’s natural beauty as you ride among olive groves and dusty desert roads, punctuated by nomadic and hilltop villages. At Exodus we really want you to enjoy immersive experiences and one of the main highlights of our tours is an authentic Bedouin adventure camping beneath the stars in the Wadi Rum Desert. In stark contrast, visit one of Jordan’s vibrant souks where you’ll be absorbed in the sights, sounds and smells that create its intoxicating atmosphere.
On our guided cycling holidays in Jordan, you’ll be accompanied by one of our expert guides who’ll make sure you leave well informed of the culture and traditions. Visit local communities where you’re invited to learn about their way of life and enjoy delicious, locally produced dishes that give you a flavour of the Middle Eastern cuisine.
Take a closer look at the trip below for a more detailed itinerary and description.
Best Ancient Sites to Visit on Jordan Cycling Tours
Petra: The Red Rose City of Petra is one of the most significant UNESCO World Heritage sites you’ll see when cycling Jordan. Undiscovered for centuries, Petra was eventually found by the Nabatean tribe in the 6th-century BCE. When you arrive at Petra you’ll be in total awe of this architectural wonder where elaborate buildings have been carved into the red and yellow sandstone rock. Walk along the Siq, a narrow walkway where a sandstone chasm soars above, which opens to reveal the magnificent Treasury, El Khazneh. As you wander through the houses, tombs and amphitheatre, you’ll learn about how the wealthy citizens once lived in the city. Head up to the High Place of Worship for uninterrupted views over Petra and climb the 800 steps to the religious site of the El Deir monastery.
Jerash: Lying to the north of Amamm, the ancient city of Jerash dates back to the Bronze Age and is famous for its walled Greco-Roman settlement of Gerasa. The well-preserved ruins let you step back to the 2nd-century, and as you walk around the Corinthian columns of the Temple of Artemis and Hadrian’s Arch you can almost hear the sounds of a past Roman civilisation coursing through the ancient ruins. Also known as the Triumphal Arch, Hadrian’s Arch was constructed in AD 129 to commemorate the visit of Emperor Hadrian. To learn more about Jerash and its rich history, visit the Archaeological Museum where you’ll find interesting artefacts that have been recovered from the site over the years.
Madaba: Often overlooked on cycling holidays in Jordan, Madaba is a market town best known as the ‘City of Mosaics’. As the name would suggest, a collection of stunning Byzantine mosaics can be found throughout the city but arguably the most famous is the detailed map that lies on the floor of the Greek Orthodox church of St George. It’s believed the mosaic dates back to the 6th century and its colourful detail depicts a scene from Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Madaba has one of the largest Christian communities in Jordan and the locals gather every Friday before dawn to pray at the church.
Little Petra: Known locally in Jordan as Siq Al Barid (meaning Cold Canyon owing to the tall buildings which block out the sunlight), Little Petra has a rich agricultural past and was once a place for travellers who were visiting Petra with their caravans and camels to replenish their supplies. Within the ancient site there are beautiful buildings carved into the pale rock and just outside the miniature siq stands a classical Nabatean temple. Much quieter and calmer than its bigger sister, Petra, Little Petra is always worth exploring on your Jordan itinerary.
We added this trip as an extension to the Discover Sri Lanka trip which was fabulous and we highly recommend. Unfortunately
this trip for us fell far short of the standard we have come to expect from Exodus. I write this as a qualified ride leader with over 40 years of experience in bike maintenance.
Our bikes had multiple problems including excessive play in the rear wheel, unreliable gears, poorly adjusted headsets and badly set up brakes all which affected bike handling and created unnecessary risk. Having discussed this with Exodus they have assured us that changes will be made to the servicing of the bikes and that the ride leader will test ride every bike before handing it to a client.
Generally it is easy cycling on flat roads with a few minor hills on the last day. A lot of the roads are fairly busy, the Indian drivers like to toot so you know they are there, so it is also very noisy. The backwater roads are lovely but views of the sea can be limited because of the coastal defences. There is also a lot of litter and some unwelcome smells due to the lack of sanitation. The locals are generally very welcoming and friendly, plenty of smiles particularly from the children.
One of my best ever cycling holidays lead by a brilliant local team (Vini and Arun) headed up by the amazing Safi. It was good to experience the chaos of a city in Mysore with crazy traffic and cows in the road. Fort Kochi, which is a world heritage site, was laid back with lots of interesting things to see on our day off the saddle and lovely boutique shops where there was no hassle from vendors! The night on the converted rice barge was lovely and relaxing and so nice to float past everyday life on the river. Cycling along the coast, it was good to see fishermen hauling in their catch and to paddle in those warm waters.
I particularly loved waving at friendly locals as we cycled by (and them waving back) and the school children so excited to see us and practice their English.
Apart from the climb up to Ooty which is optional, I felt this holiday should be rated a difficulty level of 3 rather than 4. Once you’ve finished the Western Ghats, the cycling is very flat.
Added to all that, we had a truly lovely group of fellow cyclists on the holiday who all helped make this such a pleasurable trip.
We visited in Jan-Feb 2026. The trip includes interesting visits to a number of major palaces, forts and temples, and of course the fantastic Taj Mahal, but our key memory will be the chaos and cacophony of the traffic and the enthusiastic waving of the villagers as we passed along the country lanes. Our leaders took excellent care of us, enabling us to navigate our way around safely, whether on foot or by bike. Expect appalling road surfaces, litter strewn verges, and constant hooting, but expect also wide smiles, vibrant saris and a glimpse into a very different way of life to our own. I was worried about getting ill, but only one person in our group of 10 got a tummy bug (lasted 24 hours). One person came off their bicycle in a low speed collision in a village centre, with no harm done.
