Jordan – full itinerary

I’ll start by saying that Jordan is the country with the friendliest and most hospitable people I’ve encountered (out of the 57 countries I’ve visited). Everywhere we went and everyone we interacted with left us with the same impression.

We organized our own itinerary, landing at Amman airport and spending a total of six days in Jordan. We purchased the Jordan Pass a day before our trip (which includes the visa, entry to Petra, and other entries/discounts).

Itinerary: Amman Airport – Wadi Musa (Petra) – Wadi Rum – Amman – Dead Sea – Amman Airport.

We rented two cars, one from Ace Rent a Car and another from Monte Carlo, both with full insurance for all days. Both companies were equally professional, the cars were similar, but Monte Carlo was slightly cheaper (they also had a better child seat, though more expensive).

Day 1 – Amman – Petra (Wadi Musa)

First thing first – internet. We bought an esim from the airport, 30GB for 15€.

After we picked up the cars from the airport and headed straight to Petra. In the evening, we attended Petra by Night, which is magical but a bit pricey—30 JOD per person. To reach the light show at the Treasury, you need to walk 4 km round trip, or you can take a golf cart for 15 JOD one way per person.

We had dinner at Elan restaurant, which was extraordinarily good.

Day 2 – Petra

After breakfast, we set out for Petra, determined to take the route known as the backway. What is the backway route? A route that we thought it would be easy 🤣, especially since we were traveling with my parents and our 3-year-old child… but…

We took a free bus from Petra’s main entrance to a certain point, then a jeep (5 JOD per person) that dropped us off somewhere behind the Monastery. From there, you can either hike (approximately 13 km of ups and downs – including close to 1000 stairs) or take a mule (for the appropriate sum of 100 JOD per person). Honestly, I don’t see why you’d need a mule if you’re a healthy person between 5 and 75 years old :).

We chose this route and slowly made our way to the Monastery, where we took a break for photos and food (there are bars there), then continued by descending 850 steps until we reached all the monuments… and kept going until the Treasury… and finally to the main entrance through the Siq canyon.

Petra? No wonder it’s one of the 7 wonders of the modern world—it’s absolutely impressive. The entire route is superb, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

At the end of the day, after many hours of walking in the sun, we had dinner at My Mom’s Recipe restaurant. Unfortunately, it was below average.

Day 3 – Wadi Musa – Wadi Rum

We left right after breakfast for Wadi Rum, the desert where many films were shot, including Dune. We drove for about 2 hours and checked into desert tents. We had lunch prepared by the hotel and then set out to explore the desert on a 4-hour jeep tour.

It’s hard to describe how unique and beautiful it was. Even photos don’t do the place justice… absolutely wow.

The accommodation was also dreamy. Dinner, cooked underground for 6 hours, was divine. Afterwards, we sat by the campfire, enjoying Arabic rhythms. The hotel staff was incredible, but our experience was truly top-notch thanks to Hani.

Day 4 – Wadi Rum – Amman

After admiring the desert a bit more, we set off back to Amman. The drive from Wadi Rum to Amman took 4 hours. The road is very good, except for unexpected speed bumps, so you need to be very attentive while driving.

After lunch, we arrived in Amman, checked in, and went for a short walk in the city center to explore and have dinner. We didn’t manage to see much, so we promised ourselves to return to Jordan (okay, not just for sightseeing, but also for the food and the people!).

Day 5 – Amman – Dead Sea

Normally, in May, the weather in Amman should be very warm, but we weren’t that lucky (it was 17°C on May 5th), so we decided to leave early in the morning (aka around 12 😅) for the Dead Sea.

Amman is situated at 800 meters above sea level, compared to the Dead Sea, which is 432 meters below sea level (lowest point on Earth on land). The difference in elevation also means a difference in temperature, so we went from 17°C to 30°C in just an hour.

We rented a house just for ourselves and relaxed by the pool. In the evening, the hosts offered us the service of sending a chef for dinner (barbecue). The food was top-notch, the service equally excellent—a total pampering.

Day 6 – Dead Sea – Airport

Since our flight was in the evening and we hadn’t managed to find a public beach the day before, the only remaining option was to pay for entry to one of the resorts in the area and enjoy their offerings (private beach at the Dead Sea, mud, pool). We chose Hilton Resort (50 JOD entry per person, which included a 25 JOD voucher for use at the restaurant or bar).

Floating in the Dead Sea is a unique experience, and we left very happy that we got to enjoy it.