Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 19 hours ago
I had just 4 days to cycle nearly 400km across Jordan.As I raced south, the entire country was gripped by protests and unrest.
Roads were blocked. Truck drivers were on strike. And in some areas, the situation was turning violent.At the same time, my drone had been confiscated by Jordanian customs, and if I didn’t make it to the Saudi border in time, I’d lose it for good.
So with time running out, I set off to pedal the Jordan Valley alone with two goals:
Recover my drone.
And understand Jordan’s relationship with protest, stability, and its monarchy, the Hashemites.
This is the story of my 2022/23 cycle across Jordan during unrest, navigating blocked roads, military stops, and long desert stretches. I’d travel from the busy streets of Amman to the shores of the Dead Sea, and down to the remote desert roads leading to Aqaba and the Saudi border, through a country often described as an island of stability in the Middle East, even during moments of tension.
Support the channel on Patreon at patreon.com/c/TieranFreedman
00:00 Cycling Across Jordan During Unrest
01:52 Amman Jordan During Protests | Life in the Capital
04:03 Jordan’s Monarchy Explained | Stability in the Middle East
05:04 Why Jordan is Stable | Arab Spring and Politics
06:32 The Price of Jordan’s Stability
07:28 Jordan Protests Explained | Fuel Prices and Unrest
09:04 How Jordan’s Hashemite Royal Family Stays Popular
09:36 Cycling South | Journey Through Jordan Begins
12:12 Dead Sea Jordan | The Lowest Point on Earth
15:04 Jordanian Hospitality | Meeting Locals
18:48 Jordan Valley Economy | Industry, Salt and Trade
24:05 Jordanian Hospitality | Sleeping at a Gas Station
26:21 Southern Jordan Desert | Leaving the Unrest Behind
31:20 Aqaba Jordan | Reaching the Red Sea
33:07 Palestinian Population in Jordan | Refugees, Identity and Stability
34:16 Saudi Border Crossing | Will I Recover My Drone?
38:08 Return to Jordan
#jordan #middleeast #cyclingadventure #traveldocumentary #jordantravel
🎥 Filming Equipment
Mirrorless Camera - Sony A6700: amzn.to/4uWfQwV
Lens - Sony 18-135mm: amzn.to/4eFXVVe
Action Cam - GoPro 13: amzn.to/4w8ZEd1
Shotgun Mic - RØDE VideoMic NTG: amzn.to/4b6Llxg
Small Tripod - GorillaPod: amzn.to/4gBu8j2
Large Tripod - Benro RoadtripPro: amzn.to/4vslFmU
Drone - DJI Mini 5 Fly More Combo: amzn.to/3Sg5dYv
🚲 Bike Equipment
40L Rear Panniers: amzn.to/44oZAK2
12.5L Front Panniers: amzn.to/3Sp5RTx
Note: With these affiliate links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
I had just 4 days to cycle nearly 400km across Jordan.As I raced south, the entire country was gripped by protests and unrest.
Roads were blocked. Truck drivers were on strike. And in some areas, the situation was turning violent.At the same time, my drone had been confiscated by Jordanian customs, and if I didn’t make it to the Saudi border in time, I’d lose it for good.
So with time running out, I set off to pedal the Jordan Valley alone with two goals:
Recover my drone.
And understand Jordan’s relationship with protest, stability, and its monarchy, the Hashemites.
This is the story of my 2022/23 cycle across Jordan during unrest, navigating blocked roads, military stops, and long desert stretches. I’d travel from the busy streets of Amman to the shores of the Dead Sea, and down to the remote desert roads leading to Aqaba and the Saudi border, through a country often described as an island of stability in the Middle East, even during moments of tension.
Support the channel on Patreon at patreon.com/c/TieranFreedman
00:00 Cycling Across Jordan During Unrest
01:52 Amman Jordan During Protests | Life in the Capital
04:03 Jordan’s Monarchy Explained | Stability in the Middle East
05:04 Why Jordan is Stable | Arab Spring and Politics
06:32 The Price of Jordan’s Stability
07:28 Jordan Protests Explained | Fuel Prices and Unrest
09:04 How Jordan’s Hashemite Royal Family Stays Popular
09:36 Cycling South | Journey Through Jordan Begins
12:12 Dead Sea Jordan | The Lowest Point on Earth
15:04 Jordanian Hospitality | Meeting Locals
18:48 Jordan Valley Economy | Industry, Salt and Trade
24:05 Jordanian Hospitality | Sleeping at a Gas Station
26:21 Southern Jordan Desert | Leaving the Unrest Behind
31:20 Aqaba Jordan | Reaching the Red Sea
33:07 Palestinian Population in Jordan | Refugees, Identity and Stability
34:16 Saudi Border Crossing | Will I Recover My Drone?
38:08 Return to Jordan
#jordan #middleeast #cyclingadventure #traveldocumentary #jordantravel
🎥 Filming Equipment
Mirrorless Camera - Sony A6700: amzn.to/4uWfQwV
Lens - Sony 18-135mm: amzn.to/4eFXVVe
Action Cam - GoPro 13: amzn.to/4w8ZEd1
Shotgun Mic - RØDE VideoMic NTG: amzn.to/4b6Llxg
Small Tripod - GorillaPod: amzn.to/4gBu8j2
Large Tripod - Benro RoadtripPro: amzn.to/4vslFmU
Drone - DJI Mini 5 Fly More Combo: amzn.to/3Sg5dYv
🚲 Bike Equipment
40L Rear Panniers: amzn.to/44oZAK2
12.5L Front Panniers: amzn.to/3Sp5RTx
Note: With these affiliate links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
