From Ma’tan village, head west on the paved road, turning left to find a path passing between boulders that descends via an old donkey trail down the steep hillside with terraced orchards and olive groves. Pass Ein Hiyere, and be sure to pay attention to finding the old path, which is well graded, as well as less exposed and slippery than other nearby options. Continue downhill, crossing over a dirt road and finding the donkey path again lower on the hillside, using it to descend all the way into the bottom of Wadi Ma’tan/Hamayde, with sandstone carved walls forming a slot canyon. Head right and then ascend steeply uphill on an old graded set of switchbacks, passing through cultivated fields to a 4×4, turning left then right to reach a footpath up to a paved road.

Continue up the paved road for about 1.5 km, then turn right to cross a washed out stone slab across another paved road to reach the southwest side of Wadi Buseirah. Follow a small footpath up along the side of the wadi, climbing higher to reach a similar level to the town of Buseirah visible across the valley. Follow this path for 3.3 km (with a break in the shade of an olive grove midway) until the top of the wadi where near where it reaches the paved road at 8.4 km. If needing supplies in Buseirah, you can backtrack from this point.

Continue over a saddle at the ruins of Khirbet Um Za’aroura, and cross the paved road, joining a 4×4 up on the west side of a wadi with pine forests below. At the top of the wadi, take another 4×4 to cross a very wide dirt road which heads to a quarry, walking south through a small forest to emerge on a flat agricultural area overlooking the immense view of Wadi Dana, which descends 1km vertically down to Wadi Araba. Take a moment to soak it all in and try to spot tomorrow’s route.

Head south in the direction of communication towers visible on the hilltop, dropping down in steps to the west to reach a footpath through cultivated fields in the direction of Dana village visible below. Find wider track that switches back to the north to descend through a small oak forest around a small set of cliffs, connecting down to the smaller paved road that passes by Dana spring and eventually descends to the entrance of Dana Village, where many guests houses and hotels can be found.

Important Note:

Before entering Dana Biosphere Reserve, please contact the reserve’s management to pay the entrance fees.

Dana Biosphere Reserve number: 0799111434