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Dana is Jordan’s largest nature reserve, covering some 320 square kilometers of spectacular mountains and wadis along the face of the Great Rift Valley
From scorching sand dunes in the west to cool mountain tops in the east, the Dana Biosphere Reserve is home to a great variety of wildlife. There are plants and animals characteristic of true desert, of Mediterranean forests and of the dry plains of Russia. In fact, Dana is really a melting pot of species from three continents: Europe, Africa and Asia. Such a combination of natural communities in a single area is unique in Jordan and many of Dana’s animals and plants are very rare. So far, a total of 700 plant species, 190 bird species, 37 mammal species and 36 reptile species have been recorded in the Reserve, of which 25 are known to be endangered, including the Sand Cat, the Syrian Wolf, the Lesser Kestrel and the Spiny Tailed Lizard. Without special care, some of these could disappear from the Earth forever, which makes the Dana Biosphere Reserve a place of global importance.
The Dana Village area, overlooking the scenic Wadi Dana, has been occupied since about 4000 BC. Archaeological evidence indicates that Palaeolithic, Egyptian, Nabatean, and Roman civilisations have been drawn to the area by the fertile soil, water springs, and strategic location. Today, Dana Village is inhabited mostly by clans of the “Al Ata’ata” tribe, which settled in the area during the Ottoman period, about four hundred years ago, and built the present village. Over the years, many of the families in Dana Village have moved to the nearby village of Qadissiya, in search of better jobs, schools, and housing. The crumbling Dana Village was nearly abandoned, but thanks to the fund-raising efforts of the Friends of Dana, a dynamic women’s group in Amman, over 70 of the traditional stone housed have been restored, enabling some families to remain in the village.
There are three places where you can sleep in Dana Reserve, this cache is hidden in the area of Rumana camp (there is also Feynan & the Dana village guesthouse).
In the Rumana camp there are three self-guided trails, this cache is hidden in the caves trail (Round Trip Distance: 1 km / Time 1.5 hours / Grade: Medium / Open 15th March to 1st November)
The Cave Trail is a rugged trail leading from the campsite access road to a group of 27 ancient caves carved into the side of a mountain. The hike follows along the slopes of Shagg al Kelbe, “Wadi of the Dog”. The caves were used from the Nabatean to early Islamic periods. Several animals, including the Hyena, Wolf and Wild Cat, are known to frequent these caves. The caves provide an excellent spot for viewing the reserve. From the caves, you can see Shagg al Kelbe in front of you, and Wadi Dana and the old Dana Village to your left.
For more information, prices and open dates, visit: www.rscn.org.jo
The cache is a tiny container, containing a hair clip, a tiny pencil, the log sheet and the geo-explanation note
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Pyvzo gur ovt ebpx (ba gur evtug unaq jura jnyxvat gb gur pnirf), yrg lbhe onpx gb gur jnqv, erzbir fbzr fgbarf naq svaq vg