Once upon a time I lived and worked in Jordan. During that time I was able to explore a lot of the country. And let me tell you, Jordan is INCREDIBLE! There are so many beautiful places to visit throughout the country. Here are some of my favorite spots for two weeks in Jordan + some tips for getting around.
Arriving in Jordan
Most flights from Europe to Amman arrive in the middle of the night. The airport is still very much alive at 2 am and you will be able to easily find transportation into the city at any hour. For the majority of passports, you can get your visa on arrival. It’s around 40 JD ($56) and lasts 1 month. There is a spot to change money before customs, so don’t worry if you don’t have any JD when you arrive!
Once you are through customs, you can catch the express bus (runs every 30 mins from 6:30 am – midnight) into Amman for about 3.50 JD ($5), but this will leave you at a central bus station from where you will still have to navigate to your hotel. I’d recommend taking a taxi from the airport straight to your hotel – DO NOT pay more than 20-25 JD, as the prices are fixed by law.
Tip: If you will be visiting several sites while you are in Jordan, I would recommend getting the Jordan Pass before you start your trip. You can get the pass online and it costs between $99-113, which covers the cost of your visa, and entry into petra (which is 50 JD on its own) and other places around the country. Whenever someone came to visit me I always encouraged them to get this, and it was more than worth it.
Getting Around
For getting around the country, I would recommend renting a car, which is around $25-35 a day, depending on the time of year. I will say that driving in Amman is HECTIC and an adventure, but completely doable. Once you get out of the city, driving is really easy and the sites are well marked (for the most part). See my video of a road trip I took around Jordan here. If you are too scared to rent a car, there are buses everywhere or you could take a taxi to and from places, but this will get expensive.
Safety
I’ve read a variety of crazy misconceptions about Jordan on some other blogs, and I often get asked if it is safe to visit Jordan given that it is situated in a part of the world that is currently fraught with political challenges and humanitarian needs. In my experience, I’ve felt very safe living in and traveling throughout the country. Jordan has a strong culture of hospitality – and from the hectic streets of urban Amman to the quieter more rural villages, I’m sure you’ll feel welcome wherever you go.
How to spend two weeks in Jordan:
Day 1: Amman
Many people will say to skip Amman, but I lived in the city so it has a soft spot in my heart. If you know where to look there really is a lot to see, do and eat! The city itself is 3,300 feet above sea level, so contrary to what people think about Jordan, it get’s cold! If you’re visiting anytime outside of summer, bring layers (it can snow!). I will also say that Amman has a lot of stairs, and I mean a lot. If you are seeing the city by foot be prepared for a good workout and some tired legs.
Eat: Have coffee at Rumi in the trendy Weibdeh neighborhood, lunch at Shams El Balad, eat Kanafeh at Habibah Sweets and falafel at Hashem, drink cocktails at Copas, and try fruit smoothies at any of the stands downtown.
Do: Visit the Roman Theatre ($1) and the Citadel ($1) – sunset is particularly good from the Citadel. Wander the chaotic streets and shops of downtown, and keep an eye out for all the amazing street art! The Duke’s Diwan is a hidden gem downtown, which is easy to miss but if you manage to find the uneven stairs that lead up into the house you will find yourself in Amman as it was in the 1920s. Visit the Trinitae Soap House in Jabal Amman (near Rainbow Street). There are also so many beautiful mosques in Amman to see, but my favorite is the black and white Abu Darwish Mosque.
Stay: Hawa Guesthouse ($70), La Locanda Boutique Hotel ($100)
Day 2: Day trip to Ajloun (72 km) and Umm Qais (60 km)
Ajloun and Umm Qais are both a short drive north of Amman, and you could easily visit both as a day trip from the city. In Ajloun, I would visit the Ajloun Castle which provides a sweeping view of the area. If you are up for some walking, the nearby Ajloun Nature Reserve is a beautiful spot to have a picnic (which is a Jordanian favorite – you’ll see people on picnics everywhere!). Umm Qais is a bit more off the beaten track, in the northwest corner of Jordan with views of Jordan, Palestine and the Golan Heights in Syria. It’s a great spot to end the day, because the sunset from there is incredible.
Day 3: Day trip to Al Salt (32 km) and Jerash (43 km)
Al Salt and Jerash are also an easy day trip from Amman. Al Salt is a nice town to just wander around in – check out the main street of the market, Hamman Street, the many churches, and a view of the city from Al-Qala’a Lookout. Jerash is an incredible city filled with Roman ruins that you could spend the whole day wandering around in.
Day 4: Dana Nature Reserve (198 km)
Dana Nature Reserve is one of my favorite spots in Jordan, and a must see on your way south from Amman to the more known Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba. The easiest and fastest way to drive south is on the Desert Highway, but if you’re navigation skills are high and you are up for an adventure the King’s Highway is the more beautiful and interesting way to go.
Stay: Rummana Campsite ($60-90)
You can read my specific post on visiting Dana Nature Reserve here.
Day 5 and 6: Petra (55 km)
After a morning hike in Dana, head south to Petra. If you get there on a Monday, Wednesday or Thursday go to Petra by Night. This is a pretty magical experience – the Siq and the Treasury are lit by over 1,500 candles. If you aren’t in Petra on one of the Petra by Night days, I would spend the afternoon at the lesser known, Little Petra.
There is so much to see in Petra – from walking the Siq, to the famous Treasury and even more impressive Monastery, and the High Place of Sacrifice – but I manage to only spend one-day in Petra every time I visit, and usually find it’s enough. Entry into Petra for one-day is a whopping 50 JD ($60), which is why the Jordan Pass is great if you have Petra on your list.
Stay: Petra Moon Hotel ($90) and Movenpick Petra (from $200), which are near the main gate to Petra. When booking a hotel, I’d keep in mind that Wadi Musa is the main area where hotels are located, and it’s a 15-20 minute walk from the main gates of Petra, which after a long-day of walking can be a struggle to walk back to.
Day 7 and 8: Wadi Rum (114 km)
Glorious Wadi Rum – see my specific post on this magical desert here. Spend as much time as you can here because it is unreal – the most amazing sunsets, sand dunes, sandstone cliffs, and topography that makes you feel like you’ve landed on Mars (the movie Mars was even filmed in Wadi Rum!). If you have the time (and money!) you could also see the desert from above in a hot air balloon.
Stay: Jordan Tracks Campsite. Depending which trip you do with them, this can be from $150-250 a person (covers food, accommodation and a guide). I recommend the Bedouin Summits trip, which was well worth every penny! There are some other cheaper companies to go with in Wadi Rum if you are on a budget.
Day 9 and 10: Aqaba (71 km)
From Wadi Rum, Aqaba is a short drive away and is a great spot to spend a day or two on the beach or go scuba diving in the Red Sea. I’d spend the first day on the beach – if you plan to be in a bikini and want to feel more comfortable I’d recommend going to a private beach or stay at a hotel with a pool and beach access.
Stay: Darna Village Beach Hotel ($45), Movenpick ($130)
Day 11: The Dead Sea (272 km)
On the way back to Amman from the south, stop at the Dead Sea – the lowest spot on earth at 400 meters below sea level and a must see in Jordan. Don’t shave before going to the Dead Sea or get water in you eyes because it will burn and I mean really buuuuurn!
Stay: Kempinski ($200), Dead Sea Spa Hotel ($100). Like in Aqaba, it’s easier to be in a bikini on one of the hotel beaches. The public beach is free but tends to be less clean, and I’ve generally not enjoyed being in my bathing suit so publicly there.
Day 12: Amman (50 km)
Finish the trip with some down time in Amman before leaving beautiful Jordan!!
30 Comments
Rhiannon
April 15, 2017 at 9:58 amI love all your pictures, Jordan looks like such a beautiful place! Super detailed itinerary, awesome job! 🙂
Eleonore Everywhere
April 23, 2017 at 3:46 pmThanks, Rhiannon! Jordan makes it easy to take a beautiful photo! 🙂
C-Ludik
April 15, 2017 at 10:37 amI love this <3 . I've visited Jordan few years ago and I really enjoyed this country. Jordan is chock full of interesting places to see and adventures to explore ! My favorite places are: Ma’in Hot Springs (love to relax in the Spa), Dead Sea, Camp in the Wadi Rum (love beautiful Landscapes) and of course the amazing Petra !! Another thing I kept in mind is that the tea never stops flowing in Jordan. People offered tea wherever you go, and it’s served in tiny glasses with sugar and sometimes mint. Delicious 🙂
Eleonore Everywhere
April 23, 2017 at 3:45 pmMa’in is a great spot – i’ve only been for the day but have heard it’s nice to stay there at the hotel too. You’re right about the tea too! I never managed to figure out how to make it as perfect as they do 🙂
Hannah
April 15, 2017 at 10:50 amI went to Jordan with my family when I was very, very young and I’d love to go back. This is such a great itinerary! I absolutely love your photos. I find it interesting that driving is totally doable. Of course, now that I think about it that makes perfect sense, but I did just think it would all feel a bit hectic!
Eleonore Everywhere
April 23, 2017 at 3:44 pmThank you for reading, Hannah. I hope you can make another trip back! Driving is really easy outside of Amman, but yeah it’s definitely hectic in the city. And sometimes I wonder if maybe I just got use to it, which is why I wasn’t afraid to drove. I drove many times in Jordan though, and never had any accidents or anything. 🙂
Lolo
April 15, 2017 at 10:58 amOooh I would love to go to Jordon one day and this guide is amazing! I rarely see guides for more than just visiting Petra! Will pin this asap! #blogpostsaturday
Eleonore Everywhere
April 23, 2017 at 3:42 pmThanks, Lolo! Yeah – I often only see guides on Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea, at most. There are so many beautiful spots in Jordan, and a lot of fun outdoor activities as well. 🙂
Morgan
April 15, 2017 at 11:03 amI’ve never thought about visiting Jordan for this long and you’ve totally inspired me. Definitely adding this destination to the list. Thanks so much for all of the helpful advice. xx Morgan
Eleonore Everywhere
April 23, 2017 at 3:41 pmThank you for reading, Morgan! If you end up planning a trip to Jordan – let me know if you have any questions! Xx
Julianna
April 15, 2017 at 11:12 amWhat a fabulous guide – so much detail and it looks like a really cool itinerary. I’ve always heard that Amman isn’t that special but from what you’ve put up it looks like it’s definitely worth a stop. Thanks for sharing.
Eleonore Everywhere
April 23, 2017 at 3:39 pmThank you for reading, Julianna! Yeah – I’ve read and heard from so many people that they didn’t really like Amman. But I think most people just do the Petra, Wadi Rum, Dead Sea circuit and miss a lot of great spots in Amman and the rest of the country. <3
Amy - Page Traveller
April 15, 2017 at 12:09 pmOh my goodness, these photos are incredible. Thanks for all the info too. How did you find living in Jordan, were you tempted to stay for longer?
Eleonore Everywhere
April 23, 2017 at 3:38 pmThank you! I really enjoyed living in Jordan – I lived in a nice neighborhood and made a lot of great friends, which helps in any new place. I was really tempted to stay longer but my boyfriend lives in London so after so long apart (and the end of my work contract there) I decided to move back to London. I still really miss Jordan though! <3
Kaisa Lee
April 15, 2017 at 3:21 pmWhoa. Did not realize how badly I wanted to go to Jordan, until I read this. I think you just changed my next travel plans!
Also, awesome pics. Especially anything involving camels!
Eleonore Everywhere
April 23, 2017 at 3:36 pmI hope you go, Kaisa! If you end up planning a trip, let me know if you have any questions! 🙂 I have so many camel pictures (i love their eyelashes!) – I should probably just do a post of my camel pictures around the world 🙂
Kendal
April 15, 2017 at 3:38 pmHectic roads and I disagree, but with those do-able rental car prices it may be a possibility. I’ve dreamed about visiting Jordan for a while now…hopefully I’ll visit sooner rather than later! Also, the sheep part of your Jordan made me laugh out loud 🙂
Eleonore Everywhere
April 23, 2017 at 3:35 pmHaha – yeah, I think for most people driving in Amman would be too crazy! Maybe after having been there for so long I thought the crazy driving was normal! I hope you can go to Jordan, who knows what will happen in the region in the future, so sooner rather than later is probably better. If you end up planning a trip, let me know if you have any questions. Thanks for reading, Kendal! <3
Gudrun Christine Noyen
April 15, 2017 at 3:50 pmDefinitely gonna safe this one for when (hopefully!) I’ll go to Jordan in winter this year!
Eleonore Everywhere
April 23, 2017 at 3:33 pmI hope you can go, Gudrun! It’s really an incredible country – beyond just Petra and Wadi Rum <3
Shelley T
April 15, 2017 at 4:00 pmThe camel in the back of the Nissan 😂 Awesome post — what a beautiful place to live and work. It reminds me a lot of Greece with its ruins 💜
Eleonore Everywhere
April 23, 2017 at 3:32 pmhehe – I laughed so hard watching the camel hanging out in the back of the truck. He seemed so content! Thank you for reading, Shelley! <3
Telma | Blank CAnvas Voyage
April 15, 2017 at 5:26 pmEleonore,
Could not miss the opportunity to comment on this post! And ask a few questions, of course!
The best way to know a country is either living there or spending as much time as you can, and that’s why we travel slow. We spent 3 months in Australia,Fiji, Nepal and India. Other countries a minimum of 2-3 weeks. So thank you for your great input. Because I think your guide is really valuable information!
Definitely keeping and following your adventures too 🙂
When is the best time to visit?
(not just in terms of weather, i guess when its 40 degrees it’s not a good time, but also regarding tourism. I hate peak season, like Portugal in July and August, is just awfully crowded!!)
How much roughly do you think it would cost staying 10-15 days?
Thank you 🙂
Telma @ Blank Canvas Voyage
Eleonore Everywhere
April 23, 2017 at 4:02 pmHi Telma – thanks for reading! I’d love to go to Nepal and India – when I start trip planning I’ll be sure to send some questions your way about both countries!
I think the best time to visit Jordan is in the Spring (March or April…May already starts getting hot!) or in the fall (September, October or November) before it’s too cold. If you are spending time in Wadi Rum or doing any camping, bring layers because it can get really cold at night, especially in the desert! I’d say the months I mentioned are the ‘peak’ season, BUT Jordan has really been suffering from lack of tourism since 2011 so you’ll never really feel like it’s peak season.
In terms of cost, it depends what you want to do. Jordan is more expensive than I think most people would expect – if you get the Jordan Pass ($99) this will cover your entry visa ($56) and entry to Petra ($70). If you do a desert trip in Wadi Rum this is also a bigger cost, around $150 for two nights but covers (yummy!) food, a guide, accommodation in a bedouin camp etc. The company I mentioned in the post, Jordan Tracks, is really great. Otherwise, food is cheap if you stick to local spots, like falafal or shwarma shops ($5 or so for a meal). Mid-range hotels are around $60 night. If you did all of those things and rented a car, I’d budget around $1500-$2000 for 10 days (without flights included), depending how “comfortable” you want to be with where you stay etc.
Hope that helps – let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂
Holly
October 28, 2017 at 3:28 pmHi Eleonore,
Just planning our two week trip to Jordan and loved all of your tips. Can you recommend an area in Amman to stay in?
Thanks so much!
Holly
Eleonore Everywhere
November 8, 2017 at 12:42 pmHi Holly,
Hawa Guest House (http://www.hawaguesthouse.com/) is in the Jabal Weibdeh neighbourhood which is really nice. I lived in that area and really enjoyed it – there are some nice cafe’s (Rumi and Café Kepi. Fann Wa Chai does a lovely weekend breakfast/brunch too!) in the area, taxi’s know where it is and you can easily walk to downtown. It will be much quieter than staying in some of the hotels downtown or near Rainbow Street (which is a recommended place to visit in Amman on a lot of other sites but really wasn’t my favorite area!).
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions. 🙂
Xx, Eleonore
Lula
February 9, 2018 at 6:05 pmHi Eleonore, thank you for this beautiful journal!
appx. can you estimate a budget for a two weeks itinerary based on your?
cheers!
Eleonore Everywhere
February 17, 2018 at 10:10 amHi Lula! Thanks for reading. When budgeting for Jordan, it really depends on what you want to do. Also Jordan is more expensive than I think most people would expect! I’d recommend getting the Jordan Pass (from $99), which will cover your entry visa (around $56 on its own) and entry to Petra (around $70 on its own), among many other sites in Jordan. I’ve included a link to the Jordan Pass in my post. If you want to go on a desert trip in Wadi Rum this will also be a bigger cost, around $150 for two nights but covers (yummy!) food, a guide and accommodation in a bedouin camp etc. The company I mentioned in the post, Jordan Tracks, is really great. Otherwise, food is cheap if you stick to local spots, like falafal or shwarma shops ($5 or so for a meal). Mid-range hotels are around $60 night. If you did all of those things and rented a car, I’d budget around $1500 – 2000 for two weeks (without flights included).
Let me know if you have any other questions 🙂
Jayvir (Jay)
August 30, 2018 at 3:53 amUp at 5am on the interwebs musing an Egypt/Jordan trip and I remembered your Instagram photos…and now I’m here! Wealth of awesome info..hope you well!
Eleonore Everywhere
December 19, 2018 at 11:40 amAre you going to Egypt and Jordan?! They’re amazing sooooo you definitely should! Hope you are well, Jay! Xx