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Étaperia

Jordan itineraries, day by day

A concentrate of wonders in a small, stable and welcoming kingdom: Petra the Nabataean city carved into the pink sandstone, the Martian dunes of Wadi Rum where you sleep under the stars, the Dead Sea where you float without effort, the Roman colonnades of Jerash and the corals of Aqaba. Everything can be covered in around ten days along the King's Highway, which makes Jordan one of the densest journeys in the Middle East.

Capital
Amman
Currency
Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Language
Arabic
Direct flight
≈ 5 hr from Paris
Time difference
+2 hr in winter, +1 hr in summer
The façade of the Monastery carved into the pink sandstone cliff, at Petra

Itineraries

Our trip ideas in Jordan

Or take it one module at a time

The Monastery at Petra, Ad-Deir, carved into the sandstone at the top of the site

Module

Jordan in 8 days: Dana, Feynan and Petra, day by day

Eight days in Jordan's largest reserve, then at Petra: the Ottoman village of Dana, the 14 km descent of Wadi Dana, the candlelit Feynan Ecolodge, the Wadi Ghuweir canyon, the Krak de Montréal, Little Petra, the Khazneh, the Monastery and the High Place of Sacrifice.

8 days €39

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The Umayyad Palace and its dome on the Amman Citadel, the city in the background

Module

Jordan in 12 days: Amman, Jerash and the North, day by day

Twelve days from the capital to the hills of Ajloun: the citadel and souks of Amman, Qasr al-Hallabat and the Umayyad baths of Hammam as-Sarah, the basalt town of Um el-Jimal, Gadara facing the Sea of Galilee, Pella, the fortress of Ajloun, Jerash and the Ottoman old town of Salt.

12 days €39

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The shore of the Dead Sea and its salt formations in the light of sunset

Module

Jordan in 12 days: the Dead Sea, Madaba and the canyons, day by day

Twelve days from the lowest point on Earth to the gorges of the King's Highway: the Baptism Site, floating in the Dead Sea, the mosaic map of Madaba, Mount Nebo, Um er-Rasas, the hot springs of Ma'in, the Siq of Wadi Mujib and the crusader castle of Karak.

12 days €39

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The red sand and sandstone massifs of Wadi Rum, a tiny 4x4 in the middle of the valley

Module

Jordan in 15 days: Wadi Rum, Aqaba and the desert castles, day by day

Fifteen days in the south, then the east: a five-day trek in Wadi Rum with a Bedouin guide, the Jebel Burdah arch, the summit of Jebel Um Adaami, the ride out by camel, the Red Sea wrecks off Aqaba, the frescoes of Qusayr Amra and the oryx of Shaumari.

15 days €39

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The right season

When to go in Jordan?

March-May and September-November are perfect: 25 °C at Petra, mild nights in Wadi Rum, a swimmable Dead Sea. Summer brushes 40 °C at the desert sites, reserved for early risers. Winter remains visitable and luminous, but desert nights drop below zero and Amman can see snow.

  • January : In-between
  • February : In-between
  • March : Ideal
  • April : Ideal
  • May : Ideal
  • June : Pleasant
  • July : Avoid
  • August : Avoid
  • September : Pleasant
  • October : Ideal
  • November : Ideal
  • December : In-between
  • Ideal
  • Pleasant
  • In-between
  • Avoid

Quick guide

Understanding Jordan

Getting around

A rental car is the best option: decent roads, short distances, calm driving outside Amman. Otherwise, the JETT buses link the main stages and taxis are negotiated per ride.

Money

The Jordanian dinar (JOD), one of the strongest currencies in the world: the prices surprise. The Jordan Pass, bought before departure, includes the visa and Petra's entry, the saving is substantial.

Language

Arabic. English is very widespread in tourism and among the young. A "salam aleykoum" and a "shukran" are enough to trigger the country's legendary hospitality.

Useful apps

Careem (the local Uber) in Amman, the Jordan Pass in your pocket from the airport, and Maps.me for the off-grid hikes of Wadi Rum and Dana.

Accommodation

Bedouin camps under the stars of Wadi Rum, Dead Sea resort hotels, guesthouses of Madaba: sleeping in the desert at least one night is non-negotiable.

Etiquette

Accept the tea, dress soberly outside the resorts, and ask before photographing people. Ramadan shifts the timetable, restaurants discreet by day.

Must-sees

The iconic places

  • Petra

    Wadi Musa

    The Nabataean city carved into the sandstone: the Siq, the Khazneh, then 800 steps up to the Monastery. Allow two days, the site is immense.

  • Wadi Rum

    Southern desert

    Arches, canyons and red dunes crossed by 4x4 with the Bedouins, then a night in camp under a sky saturated with stars.

  • Dead Sea

    Sweimeh

    At 430 m below sea level, you float without swimming, coated in mineral mud. The sunset over the mountains of Judea is sumptuous.

  • Jerash

    Jerash

    One of the best-preserved Roman cities of the East: the oval forum, the paved cardo, theatres and triumphal arches.

  • Amman Citadel

    Amman

    The temple of Hercules and an Umayyad palace overlooking the capital and its Roman theatre. Perfect at sundown, when the white city catches fire.

  • Dana Reserve

    Dana

    Jordan's grand canyon, 320 km² of gorges and stone villages. The hike down to Feynan is one of the finest in the Middle East.

Pick a point on the map, or browse the list below.

Also on the map

  • Mount Nebo : Moses's panorama over the Promised Land
  • Madaba : The mosaic map of the Holy Land
  • Aqaba : Corals and beaches of the Red Sea

Ready to go in Jordan?

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