Ibn Hammad
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| | Difficulty:3A II (v2a1 III) Raps:max ↨10ft
Red Tape:Permit required Shuttle:None Rock type:Limestone | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Best season: | Apr - Oct;BEST in Apr
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31.3004, 35.6225
31.3006, 35.6270
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Introduction
An excellent hike through a narrow canyon with hot/warm water and lush vegetation overhanging the narrows. Guidebook author Tony Howard describes this as an Indiana Jones adventure. The water is typically shin deep. An entrance fee is required when entering from the top / east.
The majority of visits are an out-an-back return walk, but it is possible to walk a through-trip with a long car shuttle or arranged pick-up / drop-off.
Approach
From the Top / East:
From Karak, you will find some brown signs pointing the way to the parking area. The road down the hillside is narrow and steep, but typically suitable for 2WD vehicles.
The Google directions are: here
Jan 2026 update: road construction is taking place to widen and secure the road in-time for Summer 2026. The construction workers will tell you the canyon is closed, but there are still trip reports online of people that get through the road work with a guide to negotiate with the construction crew.
From the Bottom /West:
You can also access the canyon from the west.
- 1) North side, Dead Sea Highway (31.303000392695772, 35.53534719072229), then walk east along the dirt road to above the dam, then follow the dirt road down into the wadi. Once in the gravel bed, you have about 5km of walking east along/up the gravel wash to the narrows.
- 2) North side, above the dam (31.299614298185574, 35.56324967567959). Same as above, but driving to above the dam.
- 3) South Side, in the wadi (31.303452472374513, 35.58542264081013), on Google Satelite imagery, you can see a bulldozed and well-graded road enters the wadi further upstream at the GPS location noted. This parking location is about 2km further up the wadi than the north side parking, leaving you with about 3km of gravel walking to the narrows.
Descent
Exit
Typically a return walk, therefore, turn around and retrace your steps.
Red tape
There is a 5 JOD per person entry fee to gain access to the wadi at the top, at the hot springs.
Many reports indicate the men at the entrance will also try to pressure you to accept their guide services for 20 JOD per small group.
Reportedly, there is an extra fee to use the ladder that descends the ~4m waterfall.
Beta sites
Descente-Canyon.com : Ibn Hammad
Canyon.Carto.net : Wadi Ibn Hammad
Visit Karak : Karak Tourism Bureau
Trip reports and media
Wikiloc.com : Family hike, by Hassan Alkadi- Trip Unlocked : Wadi Bin Hammad in Jordan: wading in a wadi
- Trip Advisor : Wadi Bin Hammad
- Family in Jordan : Wadi bin Hammad near Kerak : one of the finest hikes in Jordan