200km hike in the Middle East, self-supported

200km hike in the Middle East, self-supported

let’s go to Petra World wonder Petra along one of the 
toughest sections of the Jordan Trail All women completely self-supported No 
guides no backup just grit and teamwork Finding water in the desert meeting beautiful 
souls going beyond what we thought capable of This journey was about more than adventure 
It was about showing that this region is far more welcoming than the headlines say 
and that all you need is a team to take on any challenge Come hike with us through 
the magnificent mountains and canyons of Jordan We are Nick and Matild and we’ve left 
everything behind to travel the seven continents with our land defender the Albatross Europe North 
America South America Antarctica Australia Asia and Africa A world tour for real We want to see 
it all This is day 1,121 and we are in Jordan This is the next Meridian expedition passports It’s the first time I come back after 10 
years I lived one year in the country 10 years ago I really loved my time here This is a completely 
different adventure We are four women and we’re going to hike a big portion of the Jordan Trail 
It’s super super exciting Uh the others are not in town yet I’m going to prepare a few things 
today and wait for them to arrive so that we pack up everything We review all the gear we 
have and we leave on the track It’s pretty stressful but pretty exciting I’m really really 
excited to see this beautiful country in that way I usually travel around the world with my partner 
Nick and our 4×4 camper but this was an adventure I needed to experience on my own Well not entirely 
alone obviously but with other like-minded women It was time to return to a country I deeply 
love and take on unusual hiking challenge We’re almost ready to leave But before we 
leave I had one last surprises for the girls I asked Hadil my Arabic teachers from 10 years ago 
to give a little Arabic dialect lesson for useful things we can use on the hike And so we’re doing 
the lesson Hadil is pretty shy She doesn’t like the camera but she allowed me to film just the 
back of the lesson I’m so happy they get to meet After a few final moments of relaxation 
we made our way to the start of the hike We drove alongside the Dead Sea which 
lies 430 m below sea level making it the lowest point on Earth all the way 
to the castle of Karak a large medieval fortress dating back to the year 1,100 
This would be the starting point of our long through hike 200 kilometers south 
all the way to the world wonder of Petra finished packing yesterday It’s not really 
the problem of fitting everything in the bag is to put things in a smart way that 
you’ll be able to use them later when you need it in a logical order But the big 
challenge now is getting the bag on the back I see you again Day one on the Jordan Trail Everyone is 
carrying the bags Everyone is wondering   if it’s going to last for the entire 8 
days like this It’s heavy but it gets better when you walk The first section 
we have 30 kilometers It’s surely one of the longest but it’s not one of the hardest 
We’re leaving Kak The castle is just in the   back So it’s time to introduce the team when 
they’re still fresh before the first climbs Always from France originally and now live 
in Vancouver Canada And yeah I’m excited to see all the views of the Jordan Trail Yeah 
To experience all the different landscapes It’s going to be fun Next we have Kelly Kelly 
where are you from hello I am I am from the US born in Oregon and currently living in Phoenix 
Cool And what are you excited about for this trail jordan Trail I not sure if excited is the 
right word Um type two I know I I uh I’m super excited about this opportunity to hang out with 
a bunch of awesome women and make new friends and uh see a bit of a land that I am not familiar 
with And last but not least Ena Hello Where are you from Ena so I am German currently living 
in Norway H yeah super excited to come here It’s been on my bucket list for a while 
but I never dare to go alone So I’m very   happy to go with like-minded people hiking So 
we’re checking out that list that list Nice Woohoo Our first day led us through shepherd’s 
valleys where we saw more donkeys sheep and guard dogs than people Okay Arabic 
lesson We made our way through rolling hills When we did meet locals they kindly 
offered us water to help in our journey Gabir There is water Some disgusting water We’ve done halfway of the track The 
bags are heavy The trail is easy to find but we’re getting through little 
fields now And how are the spirits come here Come in Come here 
Wake up Wake up Wake up You are very uh young Welcome Sit down Sit down 
This is my wife Hello Abdan we’ve been welcome at the house of Abu 
Sophian We were just asking if there was a little shop in the village where 
we could buy water and he gifted it to   us obviously and now they’re preparing 
the tea They showed us the latest kitten They have three kids Super nice Super nice 
encounter The first in the first in Jordan We finished today girls We finished the first 
day It was 30 kilometers It was heavy bags We need to get used to the bags It found a 
pretty beautiful camp spot right in front of the valley Uh we will be able to sleep 
without the cover of the tents just to see the stars There’s a little breeze It’s fresh I 
think it’s a success I think everyone’s happy And yeah and tomorrow we continue We go down in 
the same valley and up through the other side So painful but successful and we can’t 
wait to see what day they have to offer It was our first night camping out in Jordan And 
what a first day What a first night I have to say I’m particularly proud of something I managed 
to sleep Um it might sound surprising because I camp every day in 3 years and I live in a car 
and we’re camping every day But a year and a half ago an event happened I got really scared as 
people tried to get us out of our car in the middle of the night and it stayed as some sort of 
like traumatic experience for me and after that I just couldn’t I just couldn’t sleep anymore 
camping and for months and until now recently I mentioned it to some friends who were telling 
me the mat on the videos you always look like everything is okay there’s just many things that 
never make the cut just before the trip in Jordan maybe a few weeks ago We got an opportunity 
an offer to try the service of today’s video paid partner Better Help It’s an online therapy 
service I was like you know what maybe it’s the moment I tackle this issue because I’m going to 
be camping without Nick in a tent not in a car in the middle of a new country So maybe I should 
like take the problem by the horns and solve it The process of matching me with a therapist was 
really fast and I filled up a questioner and very quickly I was matched up with someone I had three 
sessions since I signed up and before this trip better helped answer all my question very quickly 
and if I had to do everything again I would say I would not wait a year and a year and a half and I 
would probably seek help faster Don’t hesitate to reach out to Peter Help to rule out your anxiety 
You can check their services using the link in description or go to betterhelp/nextnextmariden 
and with that you get 10% off your first month of therapy Okay so the sun is rising everyone’s 
getting ready Let’s go cross Jordan by foot Day two on the Jordan Trail Today we have 
23 km and we left from our little camp and look what we found Huge canyon toal 
taboon where we slept It’s just above its cliffs and we’re going all the way down 
to find water cuz there’s a river and that’s our only chance to refill for a little bit 
Huge cliffs The girls are on the track down there and I need to catch them up because 
I’m getting delayed talking here But wow Wow So yesterday was rural Jordan little 
village of the plantation Today is epic Jordan Descending into a lush valley we discovered 
another face of Jordan Fresh gardens irrigated by a small year round stream Fruits everywhere Life 
here depends entirely on this narrow flow of water Kelly is happy We finally find some running water 
is the first stream we see filtering So it takes a bit of time We fill up the filtering 
packs and then we fill our water back with that I mean we need to help them This is what Matild is But the dream didn’t last long What came next was 
one of the hardest climbs yet In the scorching midday sun we ascended 1,000 meters Our bags 
made heavier by the water we just collected With no patch of shade in sight and it was only 
day two And I think the topic everyone tries to avoid here is the brutal climb from the garden 
to where we are And we are not there yet We have still 10 km left But it’s supposed to be bit 
easier Yeah But only half of the climb total So should be okay So we I think we all have 
pains everywhere like feet or back So we all took painkillers and now we’re waiting for the 
painkillers to kick in while eating lunch So Kelly is preparing and once we eat the painkiller 
kicks in The sun gets a bit lighter we keep going They too taught us pain but also that pain can be 
overcome We didn’t let it break our spirits After a short rest and some reorganization we tackled a 
4 km stretch of Talmarmac There’s a long section of road now So we hitched a ride because we have 
bins everywhere but makes for a fun experience When a sheep transport pickup truck 
offered us a ride to the nearby   village to refill our water we said yes A 
small ride for most a huge relief for us So good And it comes up and look nice huh wow Cheers How’s everyone feeling good now Good now 
Fresh Coke Water Water Ready to fight the heat My friend Abdullah and Shai Montes Alhawa Montes Recharged by the kindness of strangers 
and toughened by our first two days we pressed on through steep hills under 
the bright sun More systems more way   marks and occasional bricks under rare 
olive trees helped us find our reason We thought we would be able to find water end 
of day three uh at this it’s called the tourism center but there’s really no one So we’re still 
enjoying the shade of the teras and I was trying to find people around to ask for water I didn’t 
find anyone but I found some assistance So now we’re refilling all of our water cuz tomorrow 
there’s no water on the trail And yeah so it’s a two-step process I fill up this and then 
we use one good filter we have with like a three liter pouch to refill everyone’s camel 
back So it’s a bit of a work but it’s relaxing Now we have shade This is where we’re stopping 
We’ll find a camp next to here So pretty easy Little one Heat Heat It’s already boiling hot and it’s 7:00 a.m 
and we’re still in the shade of the canyon and we have to climb on the other 
side maybe in an hour or two So the   sun will be real high up It’s going to be 
crazy It’s going to be crazy I’m sweating I don’t know how we will survive today but 
if we make it till the end we have a day rest   tomorrow and we have a hotel where we can take a 
shower So we just have to make it through today We reached the bottom of the canyon Woo what did you find in a 
turtle looks like a airman or We’re arriving in Dana That was the 
first day on the hike and it’s also   halfway Dana is this gorgeous 
valley that seems to be diving into the desert full of vegetation and 
rocks and cliffs And we’re exhausted But down there somewhere there’s a hotel with 
a shower for everyone So looking forward to it This is us being ready for day five 
the first of the section that will bring us all the way to Petra And the troops look amazing They look This is day five on the Jordan Trail Look 
around It’s beautiful We’re going down the valley of Dana It is the beginning of our way 
to Petra our end destination From there no more farm no more villages We’re in the Jordan 
of the canyons the Jordan of the desert So we won’t be able to ask for water around There 
won’t be cell network Only bedwin camps from time to time It’s beautiful The cliffs around look 
like they have eyes and they look at us And we still seen no hiker on the trail It’s been Yeah 
it’s the fifth day on the trail actually And we didn’t meet anyone which is pretty insane 
considering the beauty of the place Road to Petra Man he’s come We’ve got our very own herd We dropped 1,000 m in elevation The cool mountain 
winds were gone Down in the desert there was no breeze to cool us Even after waiting for the 
heat of the day to pass the last 8 kilometers were among the hardest Nowhere to hide from 
the sun just the sound of hiking pools and rocks crushing beneath our feet We had three 
days left until Petra But we knew something had to change We couldn’t handle another day like 
that one Alise fixing her blisters You’re a trooper Day what six of the Jordan This 
morning we woke up super early at 3 to be gone at 4 because it’s so hot outside 
really want to get some walk in during the night but honestly it doesn’t even feel that 
fresh Hopefully we go back in elevation We were at 200 m elevation and we’re going to 
reach 1,000 I think which should make the temperature better Fingers crossed We have a 
pretty short day but it’s going to be steep 13 kilometers and hopefully up there a bit 
more freshness and one step closer to Petra The next morning brought another punishing climb 
into the mountains but this time we welcomed it After 6 hours of steady ascent we finally felt 
the fresh cooling winds of elevation We didn’t see another soul for hours when suddenly 
a bedwin man appeared hunting in the hills Those are the real brave souls of the desert We’re walking up what Shane and there of 
the spring with the river where we could rest and re feel fill water And now we’re 
going up another branch of it that is full of flower and so beautiful Looks like 
the Jordan we didn’t know we would find It was without a doubt the most beautiful 
day on the hikes 17 kilometers from the dry desert to the Rocky Mountains Then down 
again into the lush valley of Wadifay surrounded by thick vegetation One final 
climb brought us to a campsite overlooking the canyons we had just crossed 
We had two days left until Petra What do you say it smells 
like we’re arriving in Petra tomorrow The landscape slowly transformed into 
a world of colorful boulders Red pink orange white The canyons narrowed the rocks twisted 
into wild shapes Around each corner a bedwin tent or a herd of goats It was time to set up 
camp one last time But we were worried Just days earlier flash floods had claimed lives 
in this very spot Little Petra Uhhuh Huh um what is name ah Ra Yeah Welcome She sleep here Uhhuh Sleep This is water 
here Okay Okay Uh-huh Okay Okay Okay Huh Sleep Uhhuh Okay Okay Okay Okay Oh wow They’re coming They 
know the goods huh they respond What’s his name dabul Daburi Yeah Now I’m coming Perfect Okay Here She sleep No water Yeah is good How she sleep yeah perfect comes here Okay Okay Okay Bigra Okay Okay Does she stay here i don’t know Okay See oh wow 
Sal Facebook Okay Hisb Husband.B Okay Okay Okay Tomorrow Yeah She sleep here Sea 
water So where do you sleep where do you sleep you she sleep Uhhuh 
Fil village Okay Okay Village Okay Minraim Salim Uh Raha Tarafna What his name matild 
Matild You should picture Picture Picture Sure You’re a kid Should I do with this one yeah If 
you want to be on it Yeah you should be on it Oh I can take it No no no It’s okay This is our 
last night camp on the way to Petra Tomorrow is the last walking day We’re in pain I have to 
say We were pretty tired but it was a beautiful journey And this last day was as amazing as 
the day before Really the last few days have been all the time And the fact that we met Taka 
just earlier that she showed us where the bed stay when there’s a risk of rain it makes 
I mean I don’t know It I don’t know It was the additional experience I think we were all 
wishing for Meeting really people from here I   don’t know It makes the whole thing extra special 
Plus I mean this campsite is really really nice Maybe wiggles the tail I wiggles the Tell me 
something interesting doggy Tell me something Made it as the last day on the on the Jordan trail We 
spend it’s the eighth day so seven day hiking And coming through this process of hiking for eight 
days to get there makes it extra special And it’s something I wanted to do for a long time and I’m 
just so happy it happened eventually Let’s go to Petra Our strength loing when it got 
hard Our blessing Jordan its people its land and its peace Far from 
the headlines The lesson We can   take on anything we put our minds to Our 
certainty This is not our last adventure We’re getting there We’re getting there 
We’re just 500 m from the beginning of   Petra We’ve walked all through it 
It’s amazing We can see just the tip of Petra’s back door the monastery and 
it’s just here And here are the girls Yes After eight days we made it Y I’ve always wanted to go to the Middle East 
Like all the people you meet along the way are super friendly and always trying to help 
you out And I had just an absolute epic adventure Um but ibuprofen is uh wonderful It 
was I think a bit more challenging than what I expected We’ve all been suffering to our own 
extent just walking with that amount of weight was uh was something that I I wasn’t I guess I 
wasn’t really prepared for Well you know like if you’re in pain you get painkillers and thank 
God for painkillers But we saw no one and then in the middle of uh of the canyon suddenly 
you have one bed between man that just like appears It was so nice to be able to talk to 
people meet people The people here in Jordan um amazing just overtly friendly and opening 
their their hearts their homes their um what whatever whatever they had And it was so fun to 
do that together with the girls Um I’m happy of the team we had because everyone was like super 
resilient But yeah I really liked that team spirit and how everybody was so optimistic and uh and it 
was really a team was a team effort and I truly appreciated that and to to be around to be around 
strong women that that nothing nothing’s going to stop them Um that was that was pretty cool It’s 
sometimes you know you keep a dream in the side of your head and you don’t take the time to do it or 
put the energy to do it but it’s just so worth it Now I’m just like I feel so accomplished suddenly 
So and doing it with those persons is the best See I said goodbye Hi to everyone The Jordan 
Trail is over I could not have dreamt of a better team to do it Honestly every single 
of those women pushed themselves so much to   make it till the end It was super hard but we 
really I think we’re all like so fulfilled at the end I would go to Indonesia Car needs a bit 
of attention Uh we had batteries issues There’s probably some molds creeping up because of 
the rainy season Hit subscribe Next time you’ll see Nick’s wild adventure motorbike 
riding in Madagascar the most challenging trail he has ever done And let’s just say 
things didn’t quite go exactly as planned In the following weeks we also head back to 
Indonesia to find our home on wheels and we continue our journey through Asia together 
And this is the water we’re going to drink They’re so cute Yeah the ears are are a statement

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What happens when a group of women set out to hike nearly 200 kilometers across one of the toughest sections of the Jordan Trail, all the way to the ancient wonder of Petra – with no guides, no backup, and no shortcuts?

In this raw and inspiring journey, we relied only on ourselves and each other as we crossed remote deserts, climbed rugged mountains, and found our way through breathtaking canyons. Along the way, we carried everything we needed, searched for water in arid stretches, and met kind-hearted strangers who showed us the true spirit of Jordan – far from the headlines.

This wasn’t just an adventure. It was a statement:
➡️ Women belong in wild spaces.
➡️ The Middle East is more welcoming than you think.
➡️ Teamwork can move mountains.

Join us as we share the highs, lows, and life-changing moments of this self-supported expedition, and experience the raw beauty of Jordan like never before.

📍 Route: Jordan Trail – Dana to Petra
👣 Distance: ~200 km
👭 Team: All women
🎒 Style: Fully self-supported (no guides, no porters, no vehicle support)

Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe, and if you want to participate to one of our expedition you can sign up on this form: https://forms.gle/1of1uPtRyL1KqbVH8

#JordanTrail #WomenWhoHike #Petra #AdventureTravel #HikingDocumentary #MiddleEastTravel #FemaleExpedition #SelfSupportedJourney

Episode 143 | Filmed 3rd May 2025 | Jordan

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WHO ARE WE?

Join us as we travel the world on an expedition throughout the 7 continents, crossing about 88 countries, making new friends, meeting the locals, exploring cultures, traditions, foods and every corners of the continents. Join us!
We are traveling in our Land Rover Defender, our tiny home on wheels for the next 4 years.

5 Years | 88 Countries | 7 Continents | 300 000km
Nick; 30 y/o, French/Italian. 🙋‍♂️🇫🇷🇮🇹
Mathilde; 31 y/o, French.🙋‍♀️🇫🇷
Albatross; 11 y/o, UK. 🚙🇬🇧

We are incredibly grateful to be able to continue doing something we love every day. 😊🎥🌎 Thank you to everyone who has been a part of our journey!

@NextMeridian.Expedition

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title optimised for YouTube algorithm:
4 Women, 200km, No Guide – Hiking the Middle East’s Toughest Trail
200km Across the Middle East With No Guide – All-Women Adventure
No Guide. No Backup. Just 4 Women Hiking 200km to Petra
4 Women. 200km. One Trail Across Jordan – Self-Supported Adventure
We Hiked 200km Across Jordan With No Help – Just 4 Women and Grit
Middle East Trek: 4 Women Go 200km Alone to Petra
4 Women, One Goal – Hike 200km to Petra With Zero Support
What It’s Like to Hike 200km Across Jordan With No Guide
Self-Supported Trek Across Jordan: 4 Women, 200km, No Fear
Hiking to Petra Without a Guide – 4 Women Take on 200km Alone