Craving adventure but short on planning time? Spontaneous trips are my jam, especially when visa restrictions aren’t a hurdle. Luckily, Jordan offers visa on arrival for many nationalities (double-check if yours applies!).
To be honest, I wasn’t initially convinced Jordan had much to offer. But boy, oh boy, I was wrong. From a world wonder to the deepest point on earth – I’ve captured them all! This itinerary is perfect for solo travelers, family, or even if you are traveling as a couple.
I flew Air Arabia from Bangkok to Amman. It’s a good airline with generous baggage allowances (30kg checked-in) and delicious in-flight meals. The flight, including transit time, took about 9 hours, arriving close to 6 pm.
Before your trip, consider purchasing the Jordan Pass. While it cost me around 83 JOD, it was well worth it. The pass waives your visa on-arrival fee and grants access to most Jordanian attractions. Here’s a pro tip: When purchasing the Jordan Pass, consider adding a 2-day entry to Petra, the free train ride, and the Baptism Site entry. It costs a bit extra, but read along and you’ll see why it’s worth it later!
Now there are two ways to experience Jordan – book private or group tours for each destination, or rent a car and embark on a road trip, like we did. If you’re comfortable driving, renting a car offers the ultimate flexibility and freedom. This, in my honest opinion, is the best way to go about experiencing Jordan.
Once we exited the airport, we picked up our rental car and drove to our hotel. Since we were traveling during Ramadan time, the city was heavily decorated and it was just so beautiful and aesthetic.
I booked all hotels through Agoda. In Amman, we stayed at Rafi Hotel Amman, which is right in the center of the city. Once we settled down, we ventured out for dinner and found a great restaurant to try some local delights like hummus, fatteh among others at Hashims. We then gobbled down some Kunafa and other sweet treats at Habiba nearby before calling it a night.
Pro-tip: Consider wearing modest clothing as you might attract unwanted attention otherwise. Please take note of the local culture and practices while choosing your outfiits.
Rising early, we enjoyed free breakfast at the hotel and walked to the Roman Amphitheatre. Luckily, we were too early and it wasn’t crowded. After taking in the sights, we got our car and drove all the way to Jerash, about an hour’s drive from Amman.
The spot is famous for well-preserved ancient Roman ruins and is also often referred to as the “Pompeii of the East.” We spent almost half a day exploring Hadrian’s Arch, the Oval Plaza, the South Theatre, Cardo Maximus, and the temple of Artemis among other places. (Pro-tip: wear good walking shoes and carry sunscreen).
We then returned to the city and drove directly to the rainbow street for lunch. We found this restaurant called Safra and tasted the Dimseh and Mansaf there. Mansaf is the traditional food and also the national food of Jordan. So do make sure to try Mansaf if you’re around. In the evening, we drove to the Amman Citadel and spent some time at a nearby coffee shop watching the sunset, before we called it a night.
We checked out today and left early for Petra. We drove along the King’s Highway. The route was so scenic. We stopped by Madaba en route to explore some ancient churches and the Karak Castle.
We continued on our journey and let me tell you – you don’t have to go all the way to America to see the Grand Canyons. Jordan has the Grand Canyon of the Middle East. Definitely make a pit stop at the Grand Canyon viewpoint if you are driving along this route.
Reaching Petra by late afternoon, we checked into our accommodation at Euphoria Bed & Breakfast. Since it was Ramadan, a kind shopkeeper invited us to his house to break fast with his family, and we were fortunate to enjoy a home-cooked meal of Mandi! We are just so thankful to have had this experience.
Since it was already late, we called it a night. Our accommodation was so lovely, and again, luckily no one else was there at that moment – so we had the whole house to ourselves, including the common areas.
The next day we got up really early to go and explore Petra. For some context, Petra is huge. Exploring the whole place in one day is 99% impossible unless you have an unlimited supply of energy. This is why it is important to add a second or a third day entry to Petra on your Jordan Pass. We got the 2-day entry and we started with the Monastery.
A pro-tip in visiting Petra is to start with the back-door entry. There are government-approved shuttles out at the front that can take you to the back-door entry. You can also choose to take a local taxi for a higher price. On your way to the back door, make a stop at Little Petra. Explore the nooks and corners and speak to the local people. Once done, jump back on the shuttle/ van and it will take you to the next stop near the Monastery. From the place where the shuttle stops, you need to embark on a hike to Monastery (Al-Deir). It is located a bit high in the mountains and the only way it can be reached is by foot. You will also find locals offering mule and horse rides if you are unable to walk. It takes about 1 hour to reach the Monastery by foot. Upon reaching the Monastery, marvel at its impressive facade, similar in design to the Treasury but larger in scale. There are several viewpoints here that will help you get some really good pictures for the gram. Once done, we descended from the Monastery (again, you can do this only on foot) and exited via a side entrance. We were already super tired and hence went back to our accommodation.
We rested for a while and came back for the ‘Petra by Night’ experience. Please note that the ‘Petra by Night’ experience is not available everyday – so please check ahead if you want to attend. I would highly recommend it because it’s a truly mesmerizing way to experience one of the world’s wonder. At 8pm we walked through the treasury and the siq, under the glow of candles. It was completely dark and we loved it! It was almost as if we’d traveled back in time. The tickets for Petra by Night must be purchased at the visitor center and it is not a part of the Jordan Pass. The experience ended around 10:30 pm and we drove back to our accommodation to call it a night.
We woke up early again to explore the other half of Petra. Our first stop was the High Place of Sacrifice, which required a 2-hour hike up a mountain. This ancient ceremonial site was used for religious rituals by the Nabateans, the original inhabitants of Petra. After enjoying the views, we hiked down to the Treasury, the most iconic monument in Petra. It was carved into the rose-red cliffs by the Nabateans over 2,000 years ago and still remains a mystery as to its purpose and the treasures it held. We spent a lot of time here taking photos before walking back to the visitor’s center through Al Siq, a natural formation that serves as one of the main entrances to Petra.
We had a quick lunch break before driving 1.5 hours to Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon. This desert location is known for its stunning sandstone mountains and vast sandy plains. We were excited to see where films like Dune were filmed.
Our accommodation, Desert Magic Camp & Resort, was in the middle of the desert and had a fantastic view of the mountains. Usually personal cars are not allowed into the Wadi Rum Desert protected area – so it might be worth checking with your accommodation. Our accommodation was just one of the most amazing stays I’ve stayed in. It was a studio-like room in the middle of the desert with stunning views of the mountains. Since we arrived late in the evening, we didn’t have much planned for the day. We opted to eat the Bedouin dinner (dinner prepared under the sand – about 13 JOD per head). We also got to see them pull out the prepared meals out of the sand. It was an amazing experience – and the dinner itself tasted delicious.
We started our day super early again as we opted for the Sunrise Jeep tour that starts at 6 am and ends at 12pm (inclusive of lunch). It cost us about 33 JOD per head and they kept the group size small (3 people per tour) which was convenient. Once we saw the sunrise, we set off to explore the desert. We saw a lot of sites like the Rum mountains, Lawerence Spring, Burrah Canyon among others. It was truly a unique and interesting experience. Once we were back. we were provided with some delicious lunch.
At 2:30 the drivers at our accommodation dropped us off at the train station for the train ride. The train ride (which is free and included in the Jordan pass) is a re-creation of actual train rides of the past. The amount of effort they’ve put into this is commendable. We saw glimpses of what it would have been like to be travelers in the past with hijacking, having guns pointed at our faces, and kidnapping involved – but all in all such a fun experience. I would highly recommend it.
The last activity we had planned for the day was to go stargazing. Once we finished dinner, we left the accommodation in a van for stargazing at about 10pm. It was freezing but the view was worth it. The staff helped us build a campfire, and provided tea while we looked at a sky filled with stars. It was just so beautiful and magical. Once done, they drove us back to our accommodation. It costs about 10 JOD per person.
The next day, we checked out after breakfast and continued our journey to our next destination. A beach town – Aqaba is known for its red sea beaches and colorful coral reefs. We stayed at the Bedouin Garden Village that also provided diving and snorkeling lessons and we enrolled for a Wreck dive. It was super cheap, and it was such a fun experience. We spent the rest of the evening exploring Aqaba’s vibrant downtown area which is lined with shops, boutiques, and traditional markets (souks) selling a variety of goods, including local handicrafts, spices, jewelry, clothing, and gobbling down some of the freshest seafood I’ve had. This place is worth a one-day stay.
We checked out early and started our 3-hour drive to the Dead Sea. But on the way, we stopped at Wadi Mujib Adventure Center to explore the Canyons. Here you can hike through the Canyons surrounded by sandstone cliffs, waterfalls, and pools of turquoise water. The easiest route you can take and the one which we took is called the Siq trail. It involved wading through shallow water and navigating though narrow passageways. I honestly did not expect it to be so fun and adventurous. I highly recommend making a pit stop here if this is something you’d like. The entrance was about 23 JOD per person and they do sell water shoes and rent waterproof bags at the entrance. So don’t fret if you are not prepared for a hike. Take note that you will end up getting fully drenched by the time you are done, so be prepared and bring a change of clothes.
Once done, we checked into one of the most amazing resorts in the area called the Grand East Hotel Resort and Spa. A bit more on it later, because we were rushing to get to our next spot – The Baptism site, also known as Bethany Beyond the Jordan. It’s a short drive from the Dead Sea area and the site is believed to be the place where Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist, according to Christian tradition. Excavations at the Baptism Site have uncovered remains of ancient churches, chapels, and baptismal pools dating back to the Byzantine and early Christian periods. Since it is right on the border of Jordan and Israel, private cars are not allowed beyond a certain point. We were able to get on the last tour bus for the day and we visited the place of Jesus’s Baptism and saw the ancient churches. Something about this place was just so divine and holy.
On the way back, we had some amazing dinner and shisha at a local restaurant at the mall and called it a night.
Now let’s talk about the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth – we had half a day to relax at the Dead Sea before catching the flight back home. There are 2 ways to experience the Dead Sea. The most comfortable and slightly pricey way to do it would be to book one of the resorts in the area. Most of the resorts have a direct private entrance to the Dead Sea. They usually keep the shoreline pretty clean by cleaning off the salt crystals that you could possibly slip and injure yourself on. We chose this option and had a very enjoyable experience at the Dead Sea. They even had a separate tub full of mud that we applied on ourselves. The mud from the Dead Sea is believed to have several minerals that are beneficial to the body. (Pro-tip: Do not float more than 10 minutes in the water as it can dehydrate you)
Another way to experience Dead Sea for free is to go to the public areas near the resorts. While it is free, it is often crowded, and the salt crystals aren’t cleared off. But this is a good option if you are short of time or if you do not want to spend a lot of money by staying in the resorts.
We had so much fun floating on the Dead Sea. It was unreal. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I would highly recommend that you do it. For me, it was a bucket list moment.
Around the afternoon, we checked out and drove back to the airport in Amman. The drive was about 3 hours long. On the way back, we drove through Mount Nebo viewpoint, which offered such a stunning view. A sweet goodbye to Jordan.
We just spent the last day in transit and the travel back home. I was actually surprised that Jordan had so much to offer. It has a bit of everything – the city, the desert, the beach, the mountains. It was such a cool place to visit and I would highly recommend Jordan if you are considering destinations in the Middle East. Something that I would never forget on this trip would be Star gazing. I’ve never really seen so many stars at once in my life.
