Jesus and his disciples are leaving Jericho and on the final leg of their journey up to Jerusalem. Although Jerusalem is southwest of Jericho, they say going up to Jerusalem because of the climb in elevation. Jericho sits 902 feet below sea level while Jerusalem sits roughly 2500 feet above sea level. The map below shows where they traveled on this last ascent to Jerusalem. This final stretch is a hike up through the wilderness of the Judean Hills in the Wadi Qelt (Wadi Qilt). In the Middle East, "wilderness" refers to desert, not forest. See pictures below of this very road they would have traveled. This is the same road as Jesus' teaching on the Good Samaritan.