Wadi Rum Protected Area hosts MDS 120 from 31 October
Published on 10/18/2026 at 04:12 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Wadi Rum Protected Area hosts MDS 120 Jordan from 31 October to 7 November 2026, bringing a staged desert endurance event to southern Jordan near Aqaba. The event is listed for walkers and runners, with three route options and an overnight bivouac in the protected landscape.
MDS 120 Jordan brings three stages to the desert
The official Jordan tourism calendar lists MDS 120 Jordan from Saturday, 31 October, to Saturday, 7 November 2026, with Wadi Rum as its location. Its programme describes a week of adventure divided into three stages, while the organiser presents the event as the 2026 edition of Marathon des Sables.
Participants can choose a total route of 70, 100 or 120 kilometres. The first stage covers around 25 to 30 kilometres, the second allows a choice of 20, 40 or 60 kilometres, and the final stage again covers around 25 to 30 kilometres. The official event listing places the desert stages at the centre of the programme.
The event organiser's MDS 120 Jordan programme describes three nights at a desert bivouac. The wider itinerary also includes a visit to Petra and four nights at a hotel on the shores of the Dead Sea, placing the race within a multi-stop Jordan programme.
The protected desert gives the event its setting
UNESCO describes the Wadi Rum Protected Area as a 74,000-hectare mixed natural and cultural site in southern Jordan, close to the border with Saudi Arabia. Its landscape includes narrow gorges, natural arches, cliffs, ramps, landslides and caverns.
The site records 12,000 years of human occupation through petroglyphs, inscriptions and archaeological remains. UNESCO counts 25,000 rock carvings and 20,000 inscriptions, while the property also reflects pastoral, agricultural and urban activity over time.
That setting gives MDS 120 Jordan a specific relationship with the place: the event does not simply use a desert backdrop, but places its three-stage bivouac experience inside a protected area whose natural landforms and cultural record are internationally recognised. The UNESCO site description also identifies the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority as part of the property's management framework.
Visiting Wadi Rum Protected Area: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- MDS 120 Jordan is scheduled for 31 October to 7 November 2026, with Wadi Rum listed as its venue.
- The programme is structured around participants walking or running three stages, rather than a standard sightseeing programme. The official listing does not describe a separate public spectator schedule.
- The protected area lies in southern Jordan near the Saudi Arabian border, while Aqaba is the regional reference point supplied for the site.
- The terrain includes narrow gorges, natural arches, towering cliffs, ramps, landslides and caverns, according to UNESCO.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Wadi Rum Protected Area
When does MDS 120 Jordan take place at Wadi Rum Protected Area?
MDS 120 Jordan is scheduled from 31 October to 7 November 2026. The programme comprises three desert stages.
Where is Wadi Rum Protected Area and how do you get there?
The protected area is in southern Jordan near the border with Saudi Arabia, in the wider Aqaba region. The event listing identifies Wadi Rum as the venue.
What is Wadi Rum Protected Area?
It is a mixed natural and cultural World Heritage site covering 74,000 hectares. UNESCO records its desert landforms and evidence of 12,000 years of human occupation.
