Plan your hike in the Middle East
Despite many beautiful mountain ranges, the Middle East is not often considered as a hiking destination – even by the locals. We hope the hikes and walks listed below will inspire you to discover the region’s mountains, wadis and canyons for yourself!
Guide or independent travel?
We usually had a guide in the Middle East as we were not sure how good the trails would be. We also believe in helping the local economy, especially in areas where there are not many employment options apart from tourism. A guide also makes the trip easier: no need to navigate unfamiliar or bad roads, or organize accommodation and meals in remote areas. But having said that, if you have good mountain and map-reading skills then you could easily do the hikes listed here by yourself.
Is the Middle East safe for hiking?
The countries we visited were perfectly safe when we were there, and the hiking trails were good. However, the situation of some Middle Eastern countries has changed since then. I recommend checking current travel warnings and advisories before heading off yourself.