TOP 10 things to see in Jordan

TOP-10 things to see in Jordan – Petra, Wadi Rum desert, Dead Sea, hot springs of Main, biblical places, Aqaba and Jerash.

Would you like to know what to do in Jordan?

You can see several famous UNESCO World Heritage sites and ancient Roman ruins in a week. You visit the Red Desert, which is compared to Mars. Also, you can scuba dive among shipwrecks, and see several biblical sights. And go swimming at the lowest point on the planet – the Dead Sea. And drive about 1000 km on epic winding roads through the lunar valleys of Jordan.

Jordan offers a safe, compact and easy introduction to the Middle East. Only bright, tasty and unforgettable impressions remain from this country.

Check out our route along the Jordan route: Road trip in Jordan – route, main sights and costs of the trip

1. Discover the ancient place of Petra

Petra is the most famous place in Jordan, one of the new “Seven Wonders of the World”. And it deserves number one place on the list of almost every traveler exploring Jordan.

Petra was an influential and famous place in the ancient world, standing at the crossroads of several civilizations and as a cosmopolitan intermediary between them. However, in fact, Petra was forgotten for a thousand years until it was “rediscovered” by an undisguised young Swiss adventurer-scientist.

What to see in Petra?

Beautiful rock-cut facades The Monastery (Ad Deir) and Treasury (Al-Khazneh), carved right into the mountain from top to bottom.
The Siq-gorge is incredibly beautiful, which leads through the rocks to the world-famous Treasury.
And a few more no less attractive – the temple of death, tombs and cave houses that dot the sandstone rocks.
You can also hike several trails to find lookouts and hidden treasures.
Go on an excursion to Petra by night. You have to buy separate tickets for it can be purchased at the ticket office and only in cash.
If you have time, I also recommend a look at the nearby Little Petra. It’s a collection of rock-cut facades dating back to the 1st century AD.

So, Petra is much more than just a bunch of famous photos on Instagram. Honestly, we had 2 days to explore and hike through the valleys and temples of Petra. And it was not enough.

Petra – instructions for use: routes, tickets and features of visiting

Where to stay in Petra

La Maison Hotel ⋙ – The location is good, near the tourist center. There are many restaurants and mini markets nearby. It’s easy to exchange money. Great strategic location for hiking in Petra.
Mövenpick Resort Petra ⋙ – the hotel is stunning, it has a gym, a great pool and spa, a great terrace and a rooftop restaurant where you can watch the sunsets over Petra. The location is the best for Petra in Wadi Musa as the hotel is located near the entrance.
Petra Main Gate ⋙ – Just perfect location near the entrance to the Petra museum. There are no problems with parking – you can park your car right next to the street or in a private parking lot.

2. Adventure in the Wadi Rum desert

Another location that impressed us no less than Petra is the red desert of Wadi Ram, which is protected by UNESCO. One of the world’s most amazing desert landscapes, dotted with sandstone mountains, monoliths, canyons and mysteries, every traveler in Jordan must see.

The first look at the photos from Wadi Rum – you immediately recognize the locations used by Hollywood for filming the films “The Martian”, “Lawrence of Arabia” and “Dune”.

What did we do in the Wadi Rum desert?

We explored the valleys in the back of the jeep, which rushed along the rust-red sands between various rock formations.
We visited a Bedouin camp, where we drank tea with Bedouins.
We saw and climbed the rock arch, which was formed in red sandstone over millions of years due to wind and precipitation.
We spent two nights in a buble-hotel in the middle of the desert, where we looked at the stars through a film window in a bubble room.
We were treated to traditional Bedouin food, which was cooked in a sand pit over a fire.
We walked along a small route along a desert dune.
They saw the ancient petroglyphs left on the rocks of Wadi Rum.
We saw the most beautiful sunset over the Wadi Rum desert from the observation deck on the rocks.

We spent two nights in a camp under the stars and another in a traditional Bedouin camp, and we strongly recommend that everyone try to stay overnight here on their Jordan itinerary – it’s a unique, unforgettable travel experience, and it also allows you to watch an incredible sunset.

If you’re looking for something more luxurious, you can choose from several luxury campsites – super popular Rum Legend luxury camp has great reviews.

3. Visit the biblical sights of Jordan

Jordan – is part of the territory known as the “Holy Land”, a revered place of pilgrimage for Christians. Here, near the Dead Sea, there are two important biblical places – the Mount of Heaven and Bethany across the Jordan river.

The first is Mount Nebo. A rocky outcrop rising 1,000 meters above the desert and dry farmland below. It was once the highest point of the ancient kingdom of Moab, from which Moses, according to the Old Testament and the scholars who followed him, had a view of the promised land. The religious importance and the view of Israel are key reasons to visit this place. But Mount Nebo also contains some impressive and well-preserved mosaics that the region was famous for millennia ago.

.The second is Bethany beyond the Jordan river, generally recognized as the place on the Jordan River where Jesus was baptized. Located right next to the border with Israel, it is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in the Middle East and was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015.

4. Swimming in Dead sea

The Dead Sea, located at minus 408 m below sea level. It is called Dead because of such high salinity that life cannot exist in its depths. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth. Agree, you don’t often visit such unusual places on the planet. Therefore, any visitor to Jordan must swim on its surface.

The most accessible places where you can enjoy swimming on the surface and make a Dead Sea mud mask are the beach areas of Jordanian resorts at the northeastern end of the coast. For example Dead Sea Marriott Resort & Spa is the good choice if you have a good budget. Day access is common (and encouraged) with basic rates usually around €25 per person.

Fortunately, there are a small number of free swimming spots for those looking to save money. For example, here (link to Google Maps) where you’ll find a large dusty car park with a five-minute walk to the water’s edge.

I highly recommend including the Dead Sea in your Jordan itinerary. This incredible natural wonder has existed for millions of years (four million to be exact), but the construction of dams on the Jordan River, the potash industry on the part of Jordan and climate change are changing this expanse of salt water and in the next 50 years the Dead Sea may well disappear.

5. Warm yourself in the hot waterfalls of Ma’in

Near the Dead Sea, in the mountain gorge of Ma’in, there are unique thermal waterfalls, near which a spa resort and public baths – Ma’in Hot Springs – have been built. Streams of hot water gushing from the depths of the earth burst from the high rocks. Due to the healing hot moisture in the gorge, a real oasis was formed.

Here you can stop for a night in hotel Ma’in Hot Springs. Its territory has its own waterfalls and pools with hot water. The water in the springs is higher than +60 degrees, but the hotel has a system that cools the water for the pool to a comfortable +38 degrees.

If you don’t want to stay in a hotel, you can visit public baths. It is cool to sit in the hot springs with a temperature of +45 – 60℃ in the company of locals and tourists.

Or in a kind of natural sauna, formed in a cave, over which a waterfall flies rapidly from a mountain about 30 meters high. The water temperature in it is more than +60 degrees. Behind the waterfall, a natural cave has formed, in which it is hot and humid – a natural natural sauna.

6. Walking in Wadi Mujib gorge

“Wet hiking”, or canyoning in the Wadi Mujib gorge, you can follow the route along the river that flows among the sandstone eddies of the canyon.

Part swim, part walk, part water obstacle course, canyoning in Wadi Mujib provides a vivid experience, best done in warm weather, of course. A refreshing walk can take several hours or a couple of days, including exploring the famous ancient ruins and monoliths in the desert.

“Wet trails” in Wadi Mujib are open only from April to the end of October – they are closed in winter, so they had to be postponed until the next visit to Jordan. Wadi Mujib is easy to reach when traveling or stopping at the Dead Sea (it’s only a few kilometers down the road.

7. Eat Jordan meals

Food in Jordan means eating crispy falafel balls with tender hummus for breakfast, putting the most delicious eggplant sauce on the pita. And almost burst from a spicy dish of rice with chicken (lamb) called Maklyuba. Shish-kebab with camel meat, or a juicy Gallai – meat with stewed vegetables and rice – very tasty!

And I also remembered the stops along the way to drink thick, dark coffee with cardamom with an incredible view of the mountains and the Dead Sea valley. Or fresh fruit in Aqaba or sweet hot tea with chewy baklava on low chairs in a small Bedouin cafe in Petra.

For meat lovers Jordan is a paradise. But vegetarians will never be hungry – the hummus and falafel here are just fantastically delicious! And there’s a wide variety of dining options to suit every budget, whether you’re trying to keep costs to a minimum or prefer finer dining.

And if you wish, you can even take part in a master class on cooking low-fat meals.

8. Rest and diving on the Red Sea in Aqaba

The southern city of Aqaba is the center of Jordan’s modern economy and a winter resort on the Red Sea. Similar to the neighboring resorts of Egypt, located opposite, the 12-kilometer strip of sea in Jordan is mostly private beaches, luxury hotels and shopping centers in artificial lagoons.

Aqaba is still at the stage of developing resorts. But now it’s a very popular destination for locals on weekends and holidays, and its public beach is an interesting experience.

The coast of Aqaba is also a great place for diving among corals, shipwrecks, sunken tanks (witnesses of the past war) and even two military planes. Being able to go scuba diving in the Red Sea is a very good idea to make your trip to Jordan more diverse. In addition, there are many quality diving schools in and around Aqaba.

9. Go to the ruins of Jerash

Amman has a beautifully preserved amphitheater and citadel from the Roman era. The Romans ruled Petra for some time, but it was in Jerash that the cultural and historical layer of the ancient empire was best preserved. The northern city of Gerasa was the epicenter of this Roman period.

Today it lies in ruins, which is a huge archaeological site that stretches across the valley from modern “Jerash”. Competition from the better-known Petra and the Wadi Rum desert in the south leaves the ruins of Jerash a bit off the beaten track. And for good reason – this place is considered one of the best preserved places of Roman architecture outside of Italy.

A visit to Jerash can be included in a day trip from Amman, if your plane arrives at this airport. This can be done on your own by renting a car or on a popular day tour.

10. Travel Jordan by car

Let’s be honest – it’s impossible to see all these wonderful locations in one week using Jordan’s public transport or buying individual tours. Since the public transport system in the country is limited outside the big cities – Amman and Aqaba. So, I advise to travelers who are interested in active travel to see as much as possible – rent a car in Jordan.

In this article I talked in detail about our experience renting a car in Jordan. And it’s actually, not difficult to do. Driving in the country is quite comfortable, if you take into account the differences that I wrote about.

On our own wheels, we were able to really enjoy the unforgettable views and scenery on the Royal Highway, use Madaba as a base for the Dead Sea, stop at remote cafes with incredible views of the mountains and the Dead Sea, steam at the Ma’in Hot Springs and see the mountainous and desert expanses of Jordan .

The easiest way to quickly find general availability and prices for your travel dates is to search on Rentalcars.com. Most of the local companies are gathered here, as well as the main international brands. I always look for and book car rentals through them.

Useful articles and links:

Car rental – cheap car rental options Rentalcars.com
Hotels – traditionally booked through Booking.com

TOP 10 to see in Jordan during the week’s travel