Jordan

Discover the wonders of Jordan with our comprehensive travel guide. Learn about Jordan's weather patterns and the best times to plan your visit. Find tips on how to get around the country easily and efficiently. Explore top cities and stunning destinations, including ancient ruins and natural landscapes. Taste authentic Jordanian cuisine and uncover hidden gems that most tourists miss.

Weather and Best Time to Visit

Amman and Northern Jordan: March to May and September to November offer mild temperatures ideal for exploring historical sites. Summer (June-August) can be extremely hot.

Dead Sea Region: October to April provides comfortable temperatures (20-30°C/68-86°F) for floating in the mineral-rich waters. Avoid summer when temperatures regularly exceed 40°C/104°F.

Petra and Southern Jordan: March to May and September to November are perfect for exploring the ancient city without extreme heat. Early morning visits are recommended year-round.

Aqaba and the Red Sea Coast: September to November and March to May offer warm waters and pleasant conditions for diving and snorkeling. Winter (December-February) remains mild enough for beach activities.

Wadi Rum Desert: March to May and September to November provide moderate daytime temperatures for desert safaris and stargazing with cool, comfortable evenings.

How to Get to Jordan

Three international airports serve as entry points to Jordan, each connecting travelers to different regions of the country. Queen Alia International Airport is located 35 km/22 miles south of Amman and functions as the primary international gateway. It receives daily flights from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America.

In southern Jordan, King Hussein International Airport serves Aqaba on the Red Sea coast. This airport provides convenient access to Aqaba's beaches and coral reefs, with nearby mountains visible upon arrival.

Amman Civil Airport (Marka International) handles regional flights and private aircraft, offering an alternative and typically less crowded entry point to the country.

From these airports, travelers can access Jordan's major attractions, including:

• -The ancient city of Petra, with its carved facades
• -The Roman ruins at Jerash
• -The desert landscape of Wadi Rum
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How to Get Around

Moving across Jordan reveals stories in every mile traveled. 

Buses connect the dots between cities, with JETT's coaches making the journey between Amman and Petra as comfortable as settling into your living room chair. 

Families often rent cars, giving them freedom to stop at roadside sweet shops or pull over when desert landscapes call for photos.

Local Jordanians hop on minivans, known as "servees," every day, where conversations flow freely between strangers who might share candied dates or offer travel advice. 

In cities, taxi drivers know every corner and shortcut, often explaining the history of neighborhoods as they drive. Just remember to agree on the fare before doors close.

Along the Dead Sea, ferries carry passengers across waters so salty that swimmers read newspapers while floating. Though planes fly between Amman and Aqaba, most people choose to take the roads instead. The country isn't large, and the changing landscapes tell Jordan's story better than clouds ever could.

For city travel, ride apps like Careem and Uber work well in Amman and other large towns. When planning longer journeys, services from ASRI Tours Travel and Tourism or JETT help secure seats without hassle.

Food Scene

The story of Jordan unfolds through its food — a collection of dishes that tell tales of history, geography, and community connections. 

In Amman, mansaf brings together tender lamb, rice, and tangy jameed sauce, creating the national dish that families share during celebrations. 

Morning often begins with falafel made the same way it has been for decades — crisp on the outside, herb-green inside  — served with bowls of hummus that carry just the right balance of lemon and tahini. 

Downtown, Amman's souk fills with the aromas of food by afternoon. Join the crowd watching as workers pull hot knafeh from the pan. The sweet cheese pastry topped with crushed pistachios tells stories of regional connections across borders. 

Those wanting to bring food stories home can join Beit Sitti's cooking classes, creating meals alongside local women before sharing what they've made. 

Travel north to Jerash, where the kitchens prepare makmoura, a hearty chicken and bulgur casserole that sustained families through countless winters.

In Wadi Rum, Bedouins place zarb, which includes meat and vegetables, into underground sand ovens, returning hours later to find it infused with the essence of the desert. 

At Aqaba's coast, sayadieh combines freshly caught fish with rice colored by spices that arrived via ancient trade routes.

Hidden Gems

1. Umm Qais

From its hilltop position, Umm Qais quietly watches over the Sea of Galilee, offering visitors a rare vantage point where three countries meet. Jordan, Syria, and Israel spread out below like a living map. The black basalt theater stands in stark contrast to the pale limestone buildings common elsewhere in Jordan, telling stories of Roman innovation.

In spring, red poppies and purple thistle push through the ancient stones, and the air feels just right, not too hot, not too cold. You could spend hours here, walking where residents of ancient Gadara once gossiped and traded. 

To get there, the two-hour drive north from Amman takes you through changing landscapes, or simply board a JETT bus from Tabarbour Station and watch the countryside roll by.

2. Ajloun Forest Reserve

The oak trees in Ajloun Forest Reserve stand tall and proud, creating patches of shade for hikers and shelter for the quick-moving Persian squirrels that dart between branches. The trails wind through terrain that feels nothing like the deserts Jordan is known for. Here, birds call from the canopy, and the air smells of earth and leaves. 

October brings a transformation as green leaves turn copper and gold. Anyone needing a break from city noise will find the forest's quiet rhythm a welcome change. 

It sits just 70 km/43 miles northwest of Amman, and a short taxi ride from Ajloun puts you at the trailheads.

3. Qasr Al-Abd

In a valley that feels forgotten by time, Qasr Al-Abd rises from the landscape, a palace built over 2,200 years ago with stone blocks larger than a person. Nearby caves hold centuries-old inscriptions, faint whispers from the past. The women at the local cooperative continue traditions passed through generations, creating handmade paper and weaving patterns their grandmothers taught them. They'll likely offer you tea if you stop to watch them work. 

The valley feels most welcoming in spring and fall, when sunlight warms the stone without the summer heat. 

From Amman, it's an easy day trip by taxi, just 30 km/18 miles southwest.

Scenic Routes

Jordan's landscapes tell stories of ancient civilizations and geological marvels, with roads that connect moments in time across changing terrains.

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• Amman to Dead Sea: The road drops 1,400 meters through desert canyons, with each curve revealing another layer of the earth's history. In March through May, red anemones and purple iris dot the roadside. From the bus windows, you'll see the land transform from city to stark wilderness as you approach the world's lowest point.

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• Amman to Wadi Rum: The desert that captivated T.E. Lawrence unfolds along this route. October and November bring golden light across the red sand. The bus climbs and descends through mountain passes, offering moments where the desert seems to stretch forever.

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• Aqaba to Wadi Rum: Watch as seaside mountains give way to open desert. Winter trips mean clear skies and comfortable days. Jeeps navigate between towering rock formations, stopping at places where few travelers venture.

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• Amman to Jerash: The road meanders through hills covered with silver-green olive trees before arriving at 2,000-year-old Roman columns. In spring, hillsides turn green against ancient stone. Buses follow roads that Romans themselves might have walked.

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Events, Festivals and Local Markets

When September arrives in Amman, books take center stage at the Amman International Book Fair. Rows of stands fill with volumes in Arabic and languages from around the world. Authors sign copies of their works at wooden tables while nearby, conversations about poetry and politics blend together in the afternoon air.

Summer Fridays transform Rainbow Street in Amman when Souk Jara appears like clockwork. Craftspeople arrange their week's work on tables: silver jewelry hammered by hand, scarves dyed in small batches, toys carved from olive wood. The scent of street food mingles with evening air as musicians set up in corners, ready to play as the sun sets.

Saturday mornings at the Wild Jordan Farmers Market in Amman begin with farmers arranging vegetables picked hours earlier. Women set out jars of pickled olives made with family recipes. Young entrepreneurs display soaps made with Dead Sea minerals or reusable bags sewn from discarded fabric. People gather around sample tables, tasting honey collected from different regions of the country.

The ancient stones of Jerash echo with music during the Jerash Festival for Culture and Arts. Dancers move in patterns passed down through generations while musicians play instruments their grandparents taught them to use. The stone amphitheater, built by Romans centuries ago, now holds audiences watching the same dances that rural Jordanians have performed at weddings and celebrations for hundreds of years.

Best Places to Visit

1. Petra 

Deep within Jordan's rocky landscape sits Petra, where rose-colored temples emerge from sandstone cliffs as if the mountains themselves decided to build a city. The Nabateans carved their homes, tombs, and gathering places directly into the rock faces over 2,000 years ago. As you walk through the narrow Siq pathway, the Treasury building suddenly appears, its columns and detailed facade telling stories of ancient craftsmanship without a single word.

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Come during spring or fall when the air feels gentle against your skin. The sun won't drain your energy as you explore the hundreds of structures scattered throughout the valley.

Three evenings each week, candles light a path to the Treasury after dark. Sit on mats spread across the sand, sip tea, and listen to traditional music while shadows dance across the ancient facade. Later, stop by the Archaeological Museum, where pottery and tools help piece together the lives of those who built this stone city.

How to get to Petra

-Fly to Amman and take a 3-hour drive south

-Join an organized tour from Amman or Aqaba

-Take a public JETT bus from Amman to Wadi Musa (Petra)

2. Wadi Rum

The desert at Wadi Rum doesn't just sit still; it tells stories. Massive sandstone formations rise from the red sand like islands in an ocean that dried up millions of years ago. Rock bridges span between cliffs, created by centuries of wind that sculpted the stone grain by grain. This same landscape convinced filmmakers they'd found Mars on Earth for movies like "The Martian."

Between October and April, the desert becomes friendly. The intense heat retreats, especially from December through February, when hiking feels comfortable even at midday.

When night falls over Wadi Rum, the sky transforms into a cosmic theater. Thousands of stars appear, undimmed by city lights. Bedouin guides point out constellations while serving sweet tea around campfires. During daylight, these same guides drive visitors in open jeeps to hidden valleys where ancient people carved pictures and symbols into rock walls thousands of years ago.

How to get to Wadi Rum

-Take a direct bus from Amman or Aqaba

-Hire a private taxi from Petra (about 1.5 hours)

-Join an organized tour that includes transportation from major cities

3. Amman

Amman spreads across hillsides like an amphitheater facing history itself. Roman columns stand tall on the Citadel hill, having watched the city grow from an ancient settlement to a modern capital. Below, in the valley, the Roman Theater's stone seats have held audiences for nearly two thousand years. A few streets away, coffee shops serve cardamom-spiced coffee while business deals happen in glass-walled offices.

Visit during spring or fall when the city breathes most comfortably, with warm days for exploring outdoors and cool evenings for rooftop dinners.

Each week, local musicians, dancers, and actors take stages across the city. On Mondays, the art galleries in Jabal Weibdeh stay open late, creating an informal walking tour through contemporary Jordanian creativity. The Terra Sancta Theater regularly fills with the sounds of orchestras performing pieces that bridge Eastern and Western musical traditions.

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• How to get to Amman
• -Fly directly to Queen Alia International Airport
• -Cross by land from neighboring countries (Israel, Palestine, Syria)
• -Take long-distance buses from other Middle Eastern cities

Tips for Traveling to Jordan

VISA & ENTRY

• Most visitors need a visa (obtainable on arrival: 40 JOD/~$56)
• Single-entry visa valid for 30 days
• Passport must be valid for 6 months

CULTURAL ETIQUETTE

• Dress modestly (shoulders/knees covered)
• Remove shoes when entering homes/mosques
• Right hand for eating/greeting
• Ask permission before photographing locals

MONEY MATTERS

• Jordanian Dinar (JOD) 
• Limited ATMs outside cities
• Cards accepted at hotels/restaurants; cash for markets
• Tipping (10-15%) is expected

HEALTH & SAFETY

• Emergency: 911
• Travel insurance essential
• Hepatitis A/B vaccines are recommended
• Drink bottled water
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TRANSPORTATION

• Taxis (use meters/negotiate)
• JETT buses run between major cities
• Car rental requires an international permit
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