4 New Things to Do in Madaba Governorate - Experience Jordan Adventures

There are now more things to do in Madaba!

An EU-financed grant for sustainable adventure tourism development and promotion in the Mediterranean region was allocated to Jordan. So we at Experience Jordan Adventures teamed up with Carob House and applied to help bring a critical mass of tourism activities to Madaba and Mukawir, elevating those areas’ statuses on the (adventure) tourism map.

After our work together we are proud to announce some of the new experiences. There is now an awesome new farm-to-table food experience in Madaba, a local homestay and walking tour in Mukawir, and two cycling routes connecting the two areas from Mount Nebo to Mukawir Fortress! See more details, photos, and descriptions of these experiences below. Of course, let us know if you want to be one of the first people to try one of these new things to do in Madaba.

1. Carob Experiences

Carob House and Carob Farms are exciting new establishments in Madaba. Carob House describes itself as “a farm-to-table community kitchen, café, and cultural space … in the heart of Madaba.” The space is a down-to-earth foodie experience. Their carefully crafted menu showcases locally-sourced ingredients and Jordan’s natural flavors.

Likewise, Carob Farms is a nearby farm in Madaba with a similar mission. They aim to be a green-sustainable farm that produces great food, restores a portion of Jordan’s soil, and helps create a community of like-minded people.

Carob Farms and Carob House (together referred to as “Carob”) aim to push forward a local movement. “Carob is a holistic grassroot[s] initiative aiming to reimagine the way food is produced and consumed in Jordan by engaging communities in inspiring food experiences, from farm to table.”

Now you can be a part of that movement, and taste some delicious food with Carob Experiences. Currently, they have two experiences, one involves a tour of Carob Farms followed by a delicious 5-course meal at Carob House and the second experience skips the farm tour and jumps straight to the amazing meal. For the meal, you’ll sit around a large community table with the other guests and your hosts will tell you the story behind every dish.

Carob Farm Gallery

Links
https://carobhouse.org
https://www.facebook.com/carobhouse.org
https://www.instagram.com/carob.house/

Carob House Gallery

Links
https://carobhouse.org/carob-farms/
https://www.facebook.com/carobfarms
https://www.instagram.com/carob.farms/

2. Cycle Mount Nebo To Mukawir

Here we are publishing two new cycling routes in Madaba! These routes are now publicly available and downloadable from Google and RidewithGPS. The two new routes start and stop at the same points but offer very different experiences. They offer an opportunity for cyclists of different skill and fitness levels.

Cycling Route 1: Mount Nebo to Mukawir (Moderate – Road)

First, we have a new road cycling route from Mont Nebo to Madaba. This route was designed for Moderate physical difficulty and 100% road terrain. Up on the Madaba plateau, the elevation changes along the route are not large, allowing the ride to not have too much climbing or descent.

For an easy option, the trail can start from Libb village and end in Mukawir. The distance would be shortened to 17km.

Cycling 2: JBT Mount Nebo to Mukawir (Difficult – Mixed Terrain – 81% Paved)

Next, we have segmented a portion of the Jordan Bike Trail. Like the rest of the longer trail, the route is an adventure ride along mixed terrain. This route is a little more physically demanding than the road version above, but it is a lot of fun! Traverse along the plateau before descending through Wadi Zarqa-Mai’in and finish with a climb along a paved road to Mukawir Fortress. Along this stretch the characteristic large canyons and wadis of Jordan’s central region are apparent.

3. Mukawir Walking Tour

New Walking Tour! For those looking for a nice walk and view over Mukawir’s Fortress, this is a good short, and pleasant walk. The Fortress is a site with historical and religious significance, as well as the pretty wild story of “The Beheading of John the Baptist.”

We are excited to announce that a woman in Mukawir is now providing some local services for tourists. She provides great meals, a cooking class, a homestay, and a weaving class as well as this walking tour. Being in adventure tourism, we have to tell you more about the walking tour.

From Halimeh’s house, head down the street and pass the Bani Hamida Weaving Project and the Mukawir Visitor’s Center (under construction). Then take a left, perpendicular to the road, heading off-road for about 170 meters. There you will a nice view with a clear line of sight of Mukawir Fortress. After taking in the view, take another 90-degree left turn and continue off-road. For the next 425 meters, you will be roughly parallel with the street and heading back in the direction of Halimeh’s house.

Hike Stats:
Distance: ~1000 m
Paved: 48%
Difficulty: Easy

Photos from Beit Halimeh (Halimeh’s House)

We hoped you enjoyed this post on new things to do in Madaba.

If you are interested in doing any of the experiences above feel free to contact us. Also, if you are looking for more things to do in Madaba check out these other blogs below:

Lastly, follow us on social media. We look forward to announcing more related activities and service expansions soon.

4. Foraging Wild Herbs

A new food adventure! Enrich your visit to Mukawir’s Fortress by learning all about the wild herbs of Jebel Bani Hamida from a local expert, and enjoy a traditional homemade meal.

Halimeh will talk with you on a walk around her village to show you how she forages for various wild herbs. You’ll enjoy seeing those plants and learning about their indigenous uses – be it food flavoring or medicinal properties. You’ll then go back to Halimeh’s guest house where she will demonstrate how she and other locals use these herbs in their kitchen. Finally, she will prepare a delicious meal for you, likely with some of the herbs you have gathered!

Difficulty: Easy