Trip Date: September 25, 2025
2025 JORDAN ADVENTURE VACATION
Burdah/Bardeh Bridge Day Scramble
Wadi Rum Desert
Burdah/Bardeh Mountain
Burdah/Bardeh Bridge
Trip Report Summary
Region: Jordan
Sub-Region: Southern Jordanian Highlands
Area: Wadi Rum Protected Area
Starting Point: Northern base of Burdah Mountain (Elev. 3630 feet / 1100 meters)
Way Points: Viewpoint ledge & Bardeh Bridge (off-trail hike & rock scramble via North Cleft; descent via Northwest Cleft)
High Point: Bardeh Bridge (Elev. 4370 feet / 1330 meters)
Ending Point: Northwestern base of Burdah Mountain (Elev. 3630 feet / 1100 meters)
Executive Guiding Service & Guide: Adventures Beyond; James Slaton
Regional Guiding Service & Guide: Experience Jordan Adventures; Mahmoud Bdoul
Local Climbing Guide: Odai
Approximate Stats (round trip): 2.5 miles / 4.0 kilometers traveled; 780 feet / 240 meters gained & lost; 3.0 hours elapsed.
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Trip Overview
During our time in Jordan, Eileen and I spent two nights in Wadi Rum with our 15-person trekking group, which included executive guides Brooke and James of Adventures Beyond (provisional name); regional guide Mahmoud of Experience Jordan Adventures; and ten other clients: Barbara, Brian, Courtney, Edwin, Elizabeth, Josh, Laura, Melissa, Stephen, and Storm.
Occupying the southwestern corner of Jordan, Wadi Rum is an incredible highland desert that comprises innumerable sandstone mountains sprouting out of a vast sandy plain. It has the appearance of icebergs floating in an ocean. Because a large portion of the sand has a distinct red color, the entire area has been compared to Mars. In fact, The Martian movie was filmed here!
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Our group stayed in a Bedouin desert camp consisting of six “luxury” cabins, several “basic” cabins, and a dining hall. Each night, we were served a dinner of marinated meat and vegetables cooked in the traditional zarb, or sand barbecue, method. This ancient method involves placing food in a cylindrical pit with wood embers and then covering it with sand for several hours. The result is visually impressive and very tasty.
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Besides having a Mars-like landscape, Wadi Rum displays the most bizarre sandstone textures I’ve ever seen. The cliffs surrounding our camp had the appearance of molten candle wax! This texture, geologically known as tafoni, results from extreme differential erosion and weathering due to variable crystallization and expansion of calcium salts within the rock.
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Full Trip Report
During our group’s stay in Wadi Rum, James and Mahmoud teamed up with Odai, a local climbing guide, to lead a scramble up Burdah (or Bardeh) Mountain. Seven of us clients—Brian, Edwin, Eileen, Elizabeth, Laura, Storm, and me—were excited to join the fun. Meanwhile, Brooke was leading the rest of our group on a camel ride.
Nomenclature Note: Because the English geographic names used in Jordan were transliterated from the original Arabic names, there is little agreement on the spelling of many names. As such, Burda, Burdah, and Bardeh are variant spellings used for the same feature.
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We all took a 4X4 ride through the desert to reach the mountain’s northern base, where we began our ascent. Burdah Mountain consists of an elongated sandstone landform featuring multiple humps rising up to 1200 feet / 360 meters above the desert floor.
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Odai led us on a convoluted route up a major cleft in the northern side of the mountain. His chosen route involved lots of Class 2 and 3 scrambling up ramps, ribs, cracks, and chimneys. The sandstone was solid and grippy and totally fun!
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After a steady gain of nearly 800 feet / 250 meters, we gained a look at our destination: the Burdah (or Bardeh) Bridge. This natural sandstone arch provides a dramatic photo opportunity for anyone making the ascent. A short but fairly exposed Class 3 scramble took us to the top of the arch.
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From the area around the arch, we obtained a great view of the surrounding plains and peaks of Wadi Rum. It has such an otherworldly appearance. The endless desert plain with the sandstone “icebergs” looks so much like a contrived movie set!
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Rather than descending the same route, Odai took us down a different cleft feature on the western side of the mountain. This descent route involved lots more fun scrambling that ended with a long Class 3 crack. He set up a fixed line here for anyone who needed a little assistance.
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Once back at the 4X4 trucks, I presented Odai with my beloved yellow Osprey Cinch rucksack. He had been admiring it throughout the climb, and I knew he would put it to good use for many years.
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Route Map & Profile
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Photo Gallery
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