Western Asia (Middle East)
A rose-red city carved into a cliff, a Martian desert you sleep in, and a Roman city that still has its chariot track — in a country you can cross in a day.
Photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0
Jordan is about the size of Portugal, and in that space it holds a remarkable proportion of the ancient Near East. The Nabataeans carved their capital, Petra, into the sandstone here two thousand years ago. Rome left Jerash and a chain of Decapolis cities across the north. The Crusaders and their opponents fought over the castles along the King's Highway. And Christian tradition places the baptism of Jesus and the last view of Moses within a short drive of the capital.
The landscape is as varied as the history. In the south the desert of Wadi Rum is a maze of sandstone and granite towers, with Bedouin camps that offer a night under a very dark sky. To the west the land falls away to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on the surface of the Earth, and to the south-west it reaches the Red Sea at Aqaba, where you can snorkel a coral reef the same afternoon you stand in a desert.
It is also an easy country to travel in. The distances are short, the roads are good, and Jordanians are widely known for hospitality that is not a sales technique. Visitor numbers have moved with regional events over the last few years, which means the headline sites are often quieter than their reputation suggests, but it also means you should read current government advice before you book.
Where to go
Ordered roughly by how strongly we would recommend each for a first visit. Petra and Wadi Rum are the two that justify the flight; the rest can be assembled around them along the King's Highway or the Desert Highway, and nothing is more than about five hours from anything else.
Ma'an Governorate, southern Jordan
The Nabataean capital that the desert hid from the West for centuries, with tombs, temples, a theatre and a colonnaded street cut from the sandstone of a hidden valley.
Don't miss The Monastery — an 800-step climb to a rock-cut facade almost as large as the Treasury, with a fraction of the crowd.
Explore Destination — PetraAqaba Governorate, southern Jordan
A protected desert of sandstone and granite that looks like another planet, explored by jeep, camel or on foot, and slept in under the stars.
Don't miss A night in a Bedouin camp, with a zarb dinner from the sand oven and a sky with almost no light pollution.
Explore Destination — Wadi RumAmman Governorate, central Jordan
Jordan's relaxed, layered capital, where Roman columns, Umayyad palaces and bustling souks sit beside cafés, galleries and a good museum.
Don't miss The Citadel at sunset, with the Temple of Hercules in the foreground and the white city spread across its hills below.
Explore Destination — AmmanJerash Governorate, northern Jordan
The ancient Decapolis city of Gerasa, with its arch, theatres, temples and colonnaded street still standing an hour north of Amman.
Don't miss The Oval Plaza and the Cardo, where a column-lined Roman street runs on for several hundred metres, still rutted by chariot wheels.
Explore Destination — JerashBalqa and Madaba governorates, western Jordan
A salt lake about 430 metres below sea level with spa hotels, mineral mud, hot springs, a canyon walk and the traditional site of the baptism of Jesus.
Don't miss Floating on your back in water too salty to sink in, with the hills of the West Bank across the water.
Explore Destination — The Dead SeaMadaba Governorate, central Jordan
A small Christian-majority town famous for Byzantine floor mosaics, and a nearby mountain that has drawn pilgrims for centuries.
Don't miss The Madaba Map, a Byzantine floor mosaic showing Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and the view from Mount Nebo across the Jordan Valley.
Explore Destination — Madaba & Mount NeboAqaba Governorate, southern Jordan
A relaxed Red Sea port city with warm winters, coral reefs, a Mamluk fort and a good base for Wadi Rum and Petra.
Don't miss Diving or snorkelling a coral reef in the morning, and standing in the Wadi Rum desert by the evening.
Explore Destination — AqabaTafilah Governorate, southern Jordan
A protected reserve of mountains, canyons and desert with an Ottoman-era village, a range of wildlife and Jordan's best walking.
Don't miss The Dana–Feynan trail, a one-way descent of about 16 km through changing landscapes to an eco-lodge lit only by candles and solar power.
Explore Destination — Dana Biosphere ReserveKerak and Ma'an governorates, southern Jordan
Two of the best-preserved medieval castles in the Middle East, built by the Crusaders in the 12th century and fought over by Saladin and the Mamluks.
Don't miss Kerak's underground galleries and corridors, a vaulted labyrinth that you can explore with a torch.
Explore Destination — Kerak & Shobak CastlesAjloun and Irbid governorates, northern Jordan
Northern Jordan's green highlands: a 12th-century Ayyubid castle above forested hills, and a Decapolis hilltop town with a view across three countries.
Don't miss Umm Qais at sunset, with the black basalt columns of ancient Gadara in the foreground and the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights beyond.
Explore Destination — Ajloun & Umm QaisExperiences
The experiences that recur across the country and that make a Jordanian trip feel like one.
The approach is half the drama: a 1.2 km canyon between rock walls up to 80 m high, narrowing until the Treasury appears in a slot of light at the far end. Then keep going — the Royal Tombs, the Colonnaded Street and the climb to the Monastery are all still ahead. See Petra.
Tip Arrive at opening, walk straight through to the Monastery first while it is cool and quiet, and come back to the Treasury when the tour groups thin out.
A Bedouin-run camp, a jeep tour through red-sand valleys and rock bridges, a dinner cooked in a sand oven and a night with almost no light pollution. It is a touristy experience and a good one. See Wadi Rum.
Tip Book a camp directly or through a reputable local operator, and check what is included. Winter nights are close to freezing, so ask about heating and bedding.
The water is nearly ten times as salty as the ocean, so you cannot sink. Read a newspaper if you must, coat yourself in the mineral mud, and rinse off afterwards. See the Dead Sea.
Tip Do not shave that morning and keep the water away from your eyes. Fifteen to twenty minutes in the water is plenty.
Jerash is among the best-preserved Roman provincial cities anywhere, with a triumphal arch, a colonnaded main street, an oval forum and two theatres. Umm Qais in the far north adds a black basalt theatre with a view over the Sea of Galilee. See Ajloun and Umm Qais.
Tip Go on a weekday morning, and walk the site from the south gate to the north so the light is behind you.
Jordan holds sites that pilgrims have visited for centuries: the Baptism Site at Bethany beyond the Jordan, Mount Nebo where tradition says Moses viewed the Promised Land, and the 6th-century Madaba Map. See Madaba and Mount Nebo.
Tip Most of these are within an hour of Amman, so they combine easily with the Dead Sea for a single day.
A one-way walk of about 16 km from the stone village of Dana down through several ecosystems to a solar-and-candle-lit eco-lodge in Wadi Feynan. It is Jordan's best introduction to walking. See Dana.
Tip Book through the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, and do it between October and April.
Food and drink
Jordanian cooking sits within the Levantine tradition — mezze, grilled meat, olive oil, yoghurt — with a strong Bedouin core built around lamb, rice and spiced bread. Portions are generous and sharing is the default.
The national dish: lamb cooked in jameed, a sauce of dried fermented yoghurt, and served over rice and thin bread, often with toasted pine nuts and almonds. It is traditionally eaten communally at weddings and celebrations.
Where to try it Traditional restaurants in Amman and Kerak, and Bedouin-run camps if you ask ahead. In Kerak it is a point of local pride.
Fried chickpea balls in fresh bread, and hummus served warm with olive oil, often with fuul (stewed fava beans) for breakfast. Simple, cheap and eaten everywhere.
Where to try it The old downtown of Amman, where crowded, no-frills places have served the same menu for decades.
A hot, sweet cheese pastry, crisp on the outside and soft within, soaked in syrup and topped with crushed pistachio. It is served straight from a large tray and eaten on the street.
Where to try it Sweet shops in downtown Amman, where you can buy a portion by weight.
Sweet, sage-scented black tea and cardamom coffee poured from a dallah (a long-spouted pot) into tiny cups. Accepting is polite; shaking the empty cup from side to side is the signal that you have had enough.
Where to try it Everywhere, and often offered free. Take it whenever it is offered in a shop or a camp.
Before you go
The essentials, current for 2026. Jordan is straightforward to travel in, but visa and ticket prices change, so check the official sites before you go.
Excludes international flights. Figures are typical rather than absolute — cities and peak season run higher.
When to go
Jordan has a desert climate that is mild in spring and autumn, cold at night in winter and very hot in summer, particularly in the south, at Aqaba and around the Dead Sea. The shoulder seasons are the reliable window for Petra, Wadi Rum and the walking.
The best period. Warm, dry days of 20–28°C, wildflowers on the hills in March and April, and comfortable conditions for the long walks at Petra and in Dana. It is also the busiest time, so book ahead.
Very hot in the south and the valleys — Aqaba and the Dead Sea regularly exceed 40°C, and Wadi Rum in the middle of the day is punishing. Amman and the northern highlands are pleasant, and the Red Sea is warm for diving.
Very comfortable from late September, with warm days, cooler nights and the sea at its warmest. October is arguably the finest month for the whole country.
Cool and sometimes wet in Amman and the highlands, with occasional snow in the north; it is cold at night in Wadi Rum and Petra. Prices and crowds fall, Aqaba and the Dead Sea stay pleasant, and heavy rain can briefly close canyon trails.
Worth planning around: The middle of summer for the south, and the days around Eid holidays, when domestic travel and prices peak. Ramadan changes opening hours and restaurants outside tourist areas may close by day, though the major sites operate normally.
Trip length
Jordan is compact enough that a week covers the essentials, and distances between the main sites are measured in hours rather than days. The constraint is Petra, which deserves two days, and the pleasure of the desert, which is best given a night.
Getting around
Jordan is small, the roads are good and public transport is limited, so most visitors either hire a car or use private drivers between the main sites.
Sample route
Amman, Jerash, the Dead Sea, Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba, with a hire car or a private driver between them. Covers eight of the ten destinations in this guide, counting a stop at Kerak Castle on the drive south.
Culture
Jordan is a Muslim-majority country with a significant Christian minority and a long tradition of hospitality. Amman is cosmopolitan and relaxed; smaller towns and rural areas are more conservative. Dress and behave with modest respect and you will be met with warmth.
Shoulders and knees should be covered in towns and at religious sites for both men and women. Swimwear belongs at the beach or the pool; in Amman and rural areas, loose lightweight clothing that covers your arms and legs works best.
You will be offered tea, coffee and often food. Accepting is polite, and refusing more than once can be seen as rude; you can say 'shukran' with a hand on your heart if you have had enough.
Eat, pass things and shake hands with your right hand. Wait for a hand to be offered before shaking with a person of the opposite sex.
Always ask before photographing people, especially women and children. Do not photograph military or security installations, or checkpoints.
The Hashemite monarchy is widely respected, and pictures of the king are everywhere. Do not make jokes or critical remarks about the royal family in public.
Avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during daylight hours during Ramadan, particularly outside tourist areas. Evenings are festive and often a good time to be out.
Travel tips
The things that most often catch visitors out in Jordan, several of which are specific to how the country works.
FAQ
The places covered in this guide — Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, Aqaba and the King's Highway — are generally regarded as safe for visitors, and Jordan has been stable compared with much of the region. The wider security situation can change, so read your government's current travel advice before you book and again before you travel, and avoid the border areas with Syria and Iraq.
Seven to ten for a first trip. A week covers Amman, Jerash, the Dead Sea, Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba comfortably; four or five days does the highlights in a rush. Petra deserves two days if you can spare them.
March to May and September to November. Spring and autumn have warm days and cool nights, and both suit the long walks in Petra. Summer is hot in the south, and winter is cold at night in the desert and the highlands, though it is a good time for Aqaba and the Dead Sea.
Most nationalities can get a visa on arrival, usually for a fee of around JD 40. If you buy the Jordan Pass in advance and stay at least three nights, the visa fee is waived. Rules change, so check the official government site or Jordan Pass site before you travel.
For most visitors, yes. It combines the visa-fee waiver with entry to Petra (one to three days, depending on the tier) and dozens of other sites, and it usually costs less than paying for the visa and Petra separately. It is not worth it if you are not staying three nights or are not visiting Petra.
Lightweight, loose clothing that covers shoulders and knees, particularly outside Amman and at religious sites. Bring a scarf or light layer for the sun and for mosques, sturdy shoes for Petra, and a warm layer for desert nights. Swimwear is fine at hotel pools and beaches.
Yes, and many trips do. Land crossings connect Jordan with Israel and the West Bank, and Aqaba and Eilat sit side by side on the Red Sea. Border crossings can change opening times or close at short notice, and rules for onward travel are strict, so check current conditions with your government and the border authorities.
The full travel guide covers routes, budgets, regional differences and how to string these ten destinations into a trip that actually works.
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