Next week I'll be travelling to Jordan and I would really like to do some multi-day desert trekking to areas that are not too touristy. Now I have read some online articles about people trekking from Dana to Petra that seems nice because it crosses different types of landscapes and will involve some overnight desert stays.
I am wondering how difficult it will be to arrange a guide once I'm in Dana. Most articles I have read all use the same guide from Jordan Adventures, but personally I really like the flexibility of just showing up somewhere, talking to some local people, and probably paying a local to come with us as a guide. No fuss with a support crew of cooks or porters.
Does anyone know whether it's easy to arrange guides in Dana (or any other town nearby)? What would be the approximate costs?
And based on what I've read, I believe the area is too wild and harsh to travel without a guide. Any thoughts on that?