Welcome to Jordan Travel Guide!

Jordan is a Middle Eastern country known as the essential trade center for all great empires since the ancient world. This mysterious country of red sands, ancient sites and rich culture, has been popping up and making its way onto the travel ranks in recent years. The beauty and history of the incredible landscapes, nature reserves and archaeological sites dating back to 6750 B.C. will leave you speechless.

It’s a destination like no other, are you ready to check it out?

Jordan Pass

Jordan Pass is a cost-effective and hassle-free way to get the most out of your visit for the best price. It’s a sightseeing package pass that covers over 40 attractions across Jordan, but most importantly, it also covers your visa into Jordan (minimum required stay is 3 nights), so be sure to purchase it before your arrival.

It’s beneficial to anyone who is coming to Jordan and planning on visiting Petra, and here’s why:

Without Jordan Pass:

Entry visa to Jordan = 40 JOD
Petra one-day entry = 50 JOD

With Jordan Pass:

Entry visa and Petra one-day entry (plus entry to 40 other attractions) = 70 JOD

It’s a no-brainer really, it’s cheaper and you get more for your buck. You can make a choice between three passes – Jordan Wanderer, Jordan Explorer and Jordan Expert. The only difference between them is the number of consecutive days you can enter Petra – we got the Jordan Explorer pass and got 2 days to explore Petra. We were satisfied but could have easily spent another day or two in there, go on a longer trek or explore more of the stone carvings.

There really are so many things to see in Petra and if you’ve got the slightest bit of an explorer in you, one day will just not be enough.

You can find more info and purchase your pass at jordanpass.

Tip for those visiting Jordan on a longer stay – the Jordan Pass expires 2 weeks after the first use (not when you enter Jordan, but when you scan the barcode at the first attraction). To get the most out of it, make sure to plan your Petra visit within those 2 weeks, as the entry prices there are the highest out of all the sites in Jordan.

Top three places to visit

Jordan has a lot to offer to its visitors, from cultural encounters and historical sites to natural habitats and local experiences. making it hard to squeeze everything into one trip. These three top places to visit are a must, so make sure to include them on your Jordanian itinerary.

Also see Jordan 7-day itinerary by car and Jordan 7-day itinerary by bus if you want a done-for-you travel plan for your trip!

⋅ 1 ⋅

Petra

The ancient city of Petra is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Founded over 2000 years ago, this historic and archaeological site is believed to have been the capital centre for trade between Arabia, Egypt and the Mediterranean. Mostly known for the impressive façade of The Treasury, Petra is becoming the real showstopper, with visitors hitting record numbers every year – thanks to social media!

⋅ 2 ⋅

Wadi Rum

If you’ve ever wondered what life in the desert would be like, dreamed of a trip to Mars or longed for a romantic night under the stars of a clear sky – then Wadi Rum is the destination for you. Also known as the Valley of the Moon, the fire red color of the desert and the sandstone mountains make you feel as if you just landed on Mars.

The mountain walls here are filled with inscriptions from early inhibitors, with some dating back to 12,000 years ago, reminding you that in fact, you are still on planet Earth. Our space enthusiasts will be happy to know Wadi Rum served as Hollywood’s backdrop for movies like The Martian or Red Planet. This place really is one of a kind and a must-see when visiting Jordan.

⋅ 3 ⋅

Dead Sea

There are so many interesting facts about the Dead Sea that it’s hard to know where to start! First of all, let’s clear the air – the Dead Sea is in fact a lake, not a sea. It is tideless and called ‘dead’ for a reason – the high levels of salt in the water mean no fish or plants can survive here.

My favorite part about the lake is got to be the float! It’s like gravity is overtaken by salinity here, leaving you floating above the water at all times. It’s so much fun getting into the water – you literally feel like you’re levitating.

Tip: If you’ve any cuts or open wounds, be prepared for pain – that salt is no joke. Also, it’s fun to try push your body under, but keep your head above the water at all times (your eyes will never forgive you if you dip them in).

Best time to visit Jordan

When your plane begins to decent and you get below the clouds, you’ll start asking yourself: ‘at what point did I teleport from an airplane to a rocket ship and how on earth did I get to Mars so fast?’. As you look out your window, you’ll see nothing but red sand stretching far and wide.

Welcome to Jordan!

Jordan’s climate is half Mediterranean and half desert, although personally, I think it’s a lot more desert-like. Honestly, I would give it a solid 80%. This desert weather means the best times to visit Jordan are spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). The weather during these months is considered the most pleasant, but it also means they are the more crowded times to visit.

Summer months (with July being the hottest) are not recommended for sightseeing, because most of the iconic places, like Petra, are open-air, middle of the desert sites with very little shade. It’s hard to enjoy and get the full experience out of these places when you’re half blinded by the sun and feel like your body is on fire (:

On the other hand, winters can get really cold, especially if you’re staying in the Wadi Rum desert. We visited in September and the evenings were already chilly. Make sure to pack accordingly to the time and season you plan to visit in.

Getting around

⋅ Car ⋅

Renting a car is definitely the most convenient way to travel around Jordan. Due to our long stay in Wadi Rum, we needed to pay extra for a one-way rental from Aqaba to Amman airport, and it still turned out to be the most cost-efficient way to see the country.

There are many benefits to renting a car in Jordan, like being able to see the less touristy places along the Dead Sea, not having to deal with money-grabbing taxi drivers or arriving at the entrance of Petra before the opening time (on our second day, we were the first two people entering this ancient city!).

The average price of car rental is around 20 JOD per day.

For anyone looking for a one-way rental from Aqaba to Amman, I can recommend Al Thuraya Rent A Car. We paid 122 JOD for a 4-day rental (price is inclusive of the one-way fee) which was very cheap in comparison to other companies at the time, and the service was good too.

⋅ Bus ⋅

In general, public transport in Jordan is not the most tourist-orientated, but bus travel here can be comfortable, easy and budget-friendly. JETT is the traveler-friendly bus company and you can grab your tickets online here.

The booking process is relatively straightforward, the only tricky part can be selecting your departure stop and destination when traveling from Amman, as there are multiple stations there.

Tip: Intercity buses travel on the same route both ways, so if you select your departure stop and your destination doesn’t show up, reverse the process and put your destination as your departure stop – this way you can see what stops the bus will depart from for your destination – choose one closest to you.

On the day of your travel, all you do is arrive at the stop, show your e-ticket and you’re good to go. Onboard the bus, you’ll be offered tea, coffee and some snacks – be aware, these are not complimentary! The prices are fair though – we paid 1 JOD each for a cup of tea.

There are also the minibuses – small buses mainly used by locals. These are a little harder to find, don’t run on schedule and can get pretty crowded – but hey, they are the cheapest way to get around and bussing with the locals is an experience in itself.

You can read more about both bus options and the roadside security checkpoints in Things to know before visiting Jordan.

⋅ Amman airport bus ⋅

There is a bus connecting the airport to the city of Amman. When you exit the arrivals terminal, you’ll see a small kiosk in front of you – this is where you purchase your bus tickets. The bus arrives right in front of the terminal entrance, you really can’t miss it. The price is 3.300 JOD, and it is cash only, meaning you’ll probably have to use the overpriced ATMs in the airport.

Be wary of taxi drivers telling you that the buses aren’t running, they’re just trying to get you into their cab. When in doubt, always check at the kiosk or go back into the terminal and ask at the information desk.

The buses run every 30 minutes between 6:30am and 6:00pm and every 60 minutes from 6:00pm to 12:00am. Once you get to the city, you’ll notice that the bus doesn’t really stop at designated bus stops, but rather on the side of the main street.

Best solution here is to pull up your maps, pin where you want to go and then search the different areas and see which one is the most convenient for you. Then tell or show the bus driver where you need to get off.

The bus covers the areas of North Bus Station – Housing Bank Complex – 4th Circle – 5th Circle, 6th Circle – 7th Circle – Amman Airport (Queen Alia Int.).

⋅ Taxi ⋅

Metered yellow taxis (and Uber in some places) are available in Jordan. If grabbing a standard taxi, always make sure the driver puts the meter on!

You don’t ever have to worry about catching a taxi in cities like Amman or Aqaba, taxis are everywhere – literally speaking. If you look anything less than Jordanian and think you can take a lovely stroll through Amman city, think again! You will be honked at constantly and drivers will pull up by your side trying to start the ‘how are you, where are you going?’ conversation. We walked for 20 minutes from the bus stop to our hostel WITH our big backpacks on, and the taxis were almost fighting for us on the street.

Taxis become trickier in smaller towns or villages. In Wadi Musa (where Petra is situated) you won’t get an Uber. Taxi drivers are smart, they know you want to be the first in the door at Petra, and they don’t hesitate to charge you crazy amounts to get you there.

Even worse when trying to leave Wadi Rum, where nobody wants to tell you about the local bus to Aqaba (these don’t run on timetables, but rather depart when the bus gets full). Instead, a handful of taxi drivers line up outside of the village, ready to take you to Aqaba – unfortunetaly, many realize that so many visitors don’t think there’s another way to get out of Wadi Rum, so they not only quote you higher rates, but often the price they agree on in the village magically doubles by the time you reach Aqaba.

Remember to always agree on a price before jumping in the taxi, make sure that the price they tell you is the total price for the journey (for all passangers) and stand your ground if they try charging you more on arrival. Many people do pay more out of fear, but this only motivates the taxi drivers to continue doing so.

Cost of traveling

Jordan is not a cheap country but can be done on a reasonable budget when planned ahead. We found a lot of tours/trips to be very pricey, which is why we opted for the car rental, meaning we could still do things on our own schedule and not pay the extreme and unexpected taxi prices (as mentioned above).

Entry prices can be quite high too, which is why we recommend the Jordan Pass and sticking to exploring the places that it covers. Accommodation can be reasonable too, but when booked in advance (we tried booking a 1-night stay in Aqaba on the same day and the prices started at $150!).

In general, food prices vary on the style and type of dining you want to go for, but you’re sure to find local restaurants and international fast-food chains in bigger towns for around 10 bucks a meal. Plus, there’s also the supermarkets – a good way to try everyday local foods and snacks.

Want a done-for-you travel itinerary for Jordan? Check out Jordan 7-day itinerary by car and Jordan 7-day itinerary by bus!

Happy travels,

Vicky