"Hiking in Jordan" by Ben Schmida

After a few weeks in Amman the usual hustle and bustle of the city began to take its toll on me, and I was craving an escape. I had heard from a friend about a great hiking tour company based out of Amman and decided to give it a try. JoNAVIGATORS is a hiking and tourism company that focuses on “re-introducing outdoor culture to Jordan.” They do a great job of providing hiking excursions and activities for Jordanians and foreigners alike. Check them out on Instagram @JoNAVIGATORS. I decided to go on the hike from Ajloun (عجلون) to Tell Mar Elias (مارالياس) which was about three to four miles long and took around three hours to complete. Below is a collection of photographs I took during the hike.

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A lonely road in Ajloun. Shot on 35mm film with Kodak Portra 160. Photo credit: Schmida, 2022.

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A bright yellow shrub that I didn’t get the name of. Shot on 35mm film with Kodak Portra 160. Photo credit: Schmida, 2022.

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Olive trees on the road to Mar Elias. Shot on 35mm film with Kodak Portra 160. Photo credit: Schmida, 2022.

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A decorated tree at the top of Mar Elias. Shot on 35mm film with Kodak Portra 160. Photo credit: Schmida, 2022.

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The beautiful northern Jordan landscape. Shot on 35mm film with Kodak Portra 160. Photo credit: Schmida, 2022.

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A well and an olive tree at the top of Mar Elias. Shot on 35mm film with Kodak Portra 160. Photo credit: Schmida, 2022.

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A man takes in the view next to the decorated tree. Shot on 35mm film with Kodak Portra 160. Photo credit: Schmida, 2022.

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More olive trees at Mar Elias. Shot on 35mm film with Kodak Portra 160. Photo credit: Schmida, 2022.

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Another landscape shot of the north of Jordan. Shot on digital. Photo credit: Schmida, 2022.

Benjamin Schmida is a junior at American University studying on the Area and Arabic Studies program in Amman, Jordan for an academic year.