Planning a Trip to Jordan

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We only spent 11 days in Jordan but it has taken us months to finish writing our posts about this wonderful country. From olive groves to desert, ancient ruins to scuba diving, there’s plenty to do and see in Jordan, and its small size makes it easy to fit a lot in. Some people are wary of travelling to the Middle East so in this post we want to answer any questions you might have and help you plan your own trip to Jordan, which we feel is the perfect introduction to the region.

Is Jordan Safe?

Yes. Despite Jordan’s location surrounded by Israel, Syria, Iraq and Saudi Arabia, it is a peaceful country with good diplomatic relationships with the UK and US. The British government’s FCO travel advisory is notoriously cautious but it currently only recommends avoiding the Syria border area which isn’t near anywhere tourists usually visit.

We felt very safe in Jordan and had no problems at all. People have been put off from visiting the country since the Arab Spring and tourist numbers were down when we were there. This is a shame as I don’t think there’s any reason not to visit.

Visas

Most nationalities are able to get a one month visa on arrival for 20 JOD ($28). You can change money at immigration or pay by credit card.

When to Visit

April and October are the best and most popular months to visit when the weather is warm but not too hot. We were there in October and the weather was perfect (usually late 20s celsius) and it didn’t get too cold at night in the desert as I thought it might. April might be a better option as the weather is just as good but the landscapes are greener after the winter rains. It’s steaming hot in the summer months and can get surprisingly cold in the winter.

What to Wear

Jordan is a Muslim country and women in particular should dress conservatively. We saw some very scantily clad foreigners and they got away with it but I think it’s best to be respectful. You don’t need to cover your hair but I followed the example of the Jordanian women I saw and always covered my legs in linen trousers or jeans. Most Jordanian women cover their arms too so I tried to wear a loose shirt or cardigan over a tshirt, but sometimes it was too hot and our guide told me it wasn’t necessary. I kept a cardigan on hand just in case I was in a situation where it felt more appropriate to cover my arms (like when visiting a Bedouin camp). At the very least cover your shoulders and knees.

Us at Mount Nebo
Us at Mount Nebo. Wearing my long sleeved shirt and jeans
Us at the Dead Sea
Us at the Dead Sea. Wearing a short sleeved top and linen trousers.

At the Dead Sea and Red Sea resorts it’s fine to wearing a bikini or swimming costume.

You’ll want sturdy shoes for hikes in Petra, Wadi Rum and the many nature reserves. As it was hot I wore hiking sandles the entire time except for horse riding when I wore hiking shoes. Simon wore hiking shoes most of the time.

Do I Need to Speak Arabic?

Many people in Jordan speak English so unless you are getting really off the beaten track it isn’t essential but I’d recommend at least learning a few basic phrases as it’s appreciated.

Can I Drink the Water?

Our guide told us that he drank the water but that he recommended we didn’t, just in case. We drank bottled water instead, except one night when staying in a cabin in the remote Ajloun Nature Reserve we ran out of water at night when it was too late to ask the staff for more. I risked it and drank a glass of tap water and spent the night very ill. So no, don’t drink the water!

What to Take

  • A head torch was useful when we stayed at Feynan Ecolodge which doesn’t have electricity
  • A hat, sunglasses and suncream for hikes
  • An Arabic phrasebook or iPhone app
  • Spare camera batteries—you’ll be taking a lot of photos!

How to Get Around

As guests of the Jordan Tourism Board we were lucky to have our own guide and driver in a private car. You can reach the main sites by public transport (most aren’t more than five hours apart) but having a car gives you the freedom to cover more ground in a short period of time and get to places that are difficult by bus. The roads are in good condition (well except for the crazy shortcut we took once) and we’d be comfortable driving ourselves, but also consider hiring a car with driver so you don’t have to worry about directions and you can learn more about the country from your driver.

The drive from Feynan Eco Lodge to Petra
Views along a spectacular mountain road from Feynan Eco Lodge to Petra

How’s the Internet?

Jordan is well connected and many hotels have WiFi. The tourist board provided us with a Zain USB Broadband stick and it had fantastic 3G coverage, even in the most remote places.

Costs

Costs vary widely in Jordan. Some things are very affordable like a falafel sandwich for 0.50 JOD ($0.70), and a taxi within Amman for 1 JOD ($1.40), but hotels, activities and upmarket restaurants are pricey. A big but essential cost is the entrance to Petra at 50/55/60 JOD ($71/78/85) for a 1/2/3 day pass (3 days is recommended). As we were guests of the tourist board we don’t have our travel costs to share. It’s definitely more expensive than Egypt or Syria but cheaper than Europe.

How’s the Food? Is it Vegetarian Friendly?

Jordanian food is influenced by its neighbours such as Lebanon and Palestine and it’s delicious. Meals start with many small dishes called mezze mostly consisting of salads and dips served with bread—they are very vegetarian friendly and we were happy to skip the meaty main courses. See our vegetarian guide to Jordan to find out which mezze and other snacks to look out for.

Fattoush salad
Fattoush salad

Where to Go

In a week you can see the highlights of Jordan but two weeks or more would be much more leisurely. There are many places that we would have loved to stay longer.

These are our top picks for places to visit in Jordan:

  • Petra—An ancient city carved out of the mountains over 2000 years ago. Petra lives up to the hype and there is some fantastic hiking amongst the ruins. We only had one long day there but it’s worth 2-3 days.
  • Dana Biosphere Reserve—This nature reserve isn’t on most visitors “must-see” list but our stay in the remote Feynan Eco-lodge was a close contender for our favourite experience in Jordan. The scenery here is stunning, there are plenty of interesting hikes and visits to Bedouin families, and Feynan is run exactly how an eco-lodge should be.
  • The Dead SeaFloating in the Dead Sea is a lot of fun and definitely worth a day or two. If you can afford it splurge on one of the fancy hotels right on the Dead Sea, or you could come for the day from Amman or Madaba.
  • Wadi Rum—Explore this wonderful desert by camel, jeep, horse or hot air balloon, and then spend the night in a Bedouin camp. It definitely deserves one night and if you don’t mind roughing it a bit then a few days would be even better. Wadi Rum is best at sunrise and sunset when the mountains and dunes glow orange.
  • Aqaba—If you like to dive or just want a place to relax after Wadi Rum then the Red Sea is only an hour away. I think budget accommodation options are limited but if you want to splurge we loved the Kempinski Hotel.

If you have more time you could also visit the well-preserved Roman ruins at Jerash, the capital city Amman, or the surprisingly green pistachio forests of Ajloun Nature Reserve. If you are interested in the religious/historic side of the country (we weren’t so much) you can see an ancient mosaic map of the Holy Land in Madaba, or go to the Mount Nebo viewpoint where Moses saw the Promised Land. Due to my illness we had to skip our hike in the Wadi Mujib canyon which was something we were really looking forward to.

Hiking from Feynan Eco-lodge
Hiking from Feynan Eco-lodge

Getting There and Away

We flew into Amman on Royal Jordanian (recommended) from Rome and left overland from Aqaba through Israel to Egypt.

We originally planned to take the ferry from Aqaba to Nuweiba in Egypt but that isn’t as simple as it seems and we ended up taking taxis via the thin slither of Israel that divides the two countries. It was an easy journey and quicker than the ferry but there are some complications and things you need to consider before doing the journey yourself—read the full story here.

Films to Watch Before You Go

There are a couple of classic films to watch before you visit Jordan.

Recommended Reading

Websites

Books

  • Married to a Bedouin by Marguerite van Geldermasen—A fascinating read about a young woman from New Zealand who falls in love with a Bedouin man and lives with him in a cave at Petra, becoming part of the Bedouin community. Definitely read this before you get to Petra and you might even be able to meet Marguerite who still has a stall within the ruins.
  • The Language of Baklava by Diana Abu-Jaber—I loved this humorous memoir about being raised by a food obsessed Jordanian father in the US. It’s an enjoyable read and you’ll learn about Jordanian food and culture along the way.
  • Our Last Best Chance by King Abdullah II—Written by Jordan’s forward-thinking King this is an interesting insight into Jordan’s history, the King and his urgent plea for a solution to the Arab-Israeli crisis.

Our Jordan Posts

For more about our Jordan experiences take a look at these articles:

Jordan was one of our highlights from the last three years of travelling the world and an excellent introduction to the Middle East. From dramatic landscapes and adventurous activities, to delicious food and friendly people, there are many reasons to visit Jordan and we hope our guide will help you plan your own trip to the country.

A big thank you to Visit Jordan who hosted us during our stay in Jordan.

31 Comments

  1. Thanks for sharing about your wonderful trip to Jordan! It is a perfect introduction to the region and a lovely destination. Great highlights on your itinerary and helpful tips!

    All the best in your voyages!
    Daniel

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  2. Ah! We are just about to go and this post popped up on my search feed. Super helpful – thanks! :) We are so looking forward to this!!!

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  3. This is such a helpful post. I also really loved your vegetarian food in Jordan post. Everything looks so delicious, cannot wait to get there! I’m looking at booking accommodation there for a couple of weeks and will probably buy the Jordan Pass to see all the sights but was wondering if I should just stay in Wadi Musa or better to stay in another area to see everything? Or is it better to book accommodation in different areas rather than basing yourself in just one spot?

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    • I would stay in a few different places. Wadi Musa is the best base to see Petra but then you might also want to stay at the Dead Sea, Wadi Rum, and Aqaba. Distances are a bit too long for easy day trips.

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  4. I am planning a visit to Jordan during the month of Sept 2016 form the 9th for 3-4 days . is there any one travelling during the same period. or will any one Join me.

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  5. This blog is so helpful and definitely gives me an insight into what my experience may be like. I am wanting to visit my friend in Jordan who is a student in Irbid in July/August time. I am a little concerned with the conflict and political state in that part of the world but according to you there dosent seem to be much to worry about.
    Once again, this blog is so helpful and interesting to read!

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  6. We plan to visit Jordan next April. Would you please give me a name of the company you used for driver and car service? Thank you.

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  7. Thank you for sharing your experience and for all of the information. I planned my trip with isram But still had many questions. You’ve answered a lot of them. Thank you gain for the info. Love the pictures too!

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  8. My friend and I are starting to book hotels and finalize an itinerary but we had a few more questions given we only have 4 days 5 nights in Jordan. Is this feasible or too ambitious? Your blog was very helpful and since you’ve traveled, any insight would be much appreciated!

    10/12 Flying from Beirut into Amman (could possibly entertain idea of driving post airport directly to Kempinski hotel and stay the night there)

    10/13 Dead Sea in AM, then head Wadi musa for Petra night tour?

    10/14 Petra day tour, drive to Wadi Rum evening

    10/15 Aqaba morning, drive back to Amman in evening

    10/16 Jerash and nearby castles, citadel, shopping

    10/17 Flying from Amman to Dubai

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  9. I am wondering if you have any thoughts as to whether a solo female traveler would be reasonably comfortable/safe in Jordan? I’ve wanted to go for some time now, even more so after reading your posts. :-) I’d like to visit Petra and go trekking in Wadi Rum, but am fairly certain I’d get a lot of strange looks.

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    • I think you’d be fine as long as you dressed conservatively. We know quite a few solo females who’ve been there and had no problems.

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  10. We are planning a three day trip to Jordan and then to Greece. The situation in Jordan seems fluid. We are going through Istanbul and getting to Amman in the early morning. Should we hire a driver to take us to Petra or drive ourselves. Syria has heated up since January and we are wondering if it is still safe.
    Don’t know how often you check this website, but we would love to hear your recommendations.

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    • Driving in Jordan seemed fine so you could drive yourself but as you are only there fr a short time it might be easier to get a car with a driver. Local knowledge is always helpful. I don’t know anything about the situation in Syria I’m afraid, but it won’t affect your trip to Jordan.

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  11. Thanks for the really thorough overview. Jordan looks amazing – who doesn’t dream about visiting Petra after seeing Indiana Jones? :-)

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  12. Jordan sounds like an amazing place. I’ve always found the Middle East and it’s history intriguing, and now I only want to go more. Are you visiting any more Middle Eastern countries?

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  13. Jordan has been on my bucket list for a while now and I’m really hoping this year might be the year when I finally get to visit it. This entry was so useful and interesting to read! Thanks for it!

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  14. Hi Erin and Simon,
    This is probably the most comprehensive and concise guide to traveling Jordan. Really a great resource. You have inspired me to keep up with my destination guides. I think Im going to check out Our Last Best chance and find out whyJordanians love the king sooo much. Hope to keep in touch, safe travels, Leif

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    • Thanks Leif! I was really impressed with the King after reading the book and watching him be interviewed on Jon Stewart.

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  15. I am so happy to have found your blog! My husband and I are currently traveling the US and seeing all 50 states before moving on to our travels abroad. I love finding posts like this one and imagining our abroad time! Jordan was definitely not on my list before, but it is now!

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  16. Wow, thanks for all of the great travel planning tips! Jordan is a place that I would love to visit…maybe if I can get my husband to read your post, I can convince him that it is safe! The food looks amazing, and I love the idea of spending the night in a bedouin camp and hiking for a couple days around Petra!

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    • I hope you manage to convince your husband. We really felt very safe there and the people are lovely. Stay away from the Syrian border (easy to do, we weren’t anywhere near it) and you’ll be fine.

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