!Update !

This article was first written in 2022 when the political situation was different from today. I edited this post very recently and all the information is up to date. However, considering the current political tension and civil unrest, I would recommend to reassess carefully your need to travel before planning your trip.

The Dream

Since the first time I saw a picture of the famous Treasury of Petra, I wanted to see it for myself. I did not know what it was, nor where it was , and even less the history attached to it. All I remember is that I was very young when I stumbled upon the photograph of the Nabatean tomb in a National Geographic issue. It looked magical, timeless, and magnificent.

Years later I watched Indiana Jones searching the Holy Grail in the spectacular settings of Wadi Rum. I decided that I too, would go on my own crusade one day and admire from close the monuments carved into the red mountains.

The Plan

What had been an undefined idea stored in the back of my mind for so long finally became a plan. I had a week of vacation to use and a big craving for some exploration. Only three and a half hour flight from the UAE where I lived at the time, and with 8 days to spend, Jordan looked like the perfect destination. Besides, it was one of the few countries that would not make it too difficult to travel to at the time, when the world was slowly and prudently easing the travel restrictions due to the Covid pandemic.

I booked my flight and started preparing my trip. My knowledge of the country was (shamefully) very basic but I already knew I wanted 3 things: see Petra, swim-or rather float- in the Dead Sea and dive in Aqaba. Then I realized that it is winter time, which is something I have the tendency to forget since I had moved to this part of the Middle East where ‘cold’ is somewhat a relative concept. Never mind, I would get ready for everything. From there the thousand questions: what’s the weather, what is the best way to move around in the country, what are all the things to see and do, what to pack, and many more.

In this post and the following ones, I will share tips and information I personally gathered along my trip. Hopefully they will answer some of your questions.

Getting ready

Where is Jordan?

Delimited by the Dead Sea on its west, a small portion of the Red Sea in the south and a lot of sandy plains on its East, Jordan is in the center of the Middle East jigsaw puzzle. From the North and going clockwise, it shares borders with Syria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the Palestinian Territories.

Why go there?

Whether you are a Nature lover, a sport afficionado, a archeology geek, a curious mind, Jordan is the place to go. People are friendly and hospitality is more than just a word. Though Petra is a marvelous site, Jordan has a lot more to offer than just one of the most iconic landmarks on the planet! I am not exaggerating, I promise. The beauty of the country will keep you amazed from dawn to sunset and the food will be tempting you at any time.

When is it a good time to go?

For outdoors activities, Spring and Autumn are the best seasons: the days are warm without the risk of a sunburn and the nights are cool. I went in February and it was sunny but rather cold most days and with a little bit of rain, but if you like your space and want the touristic places for yourself, choose Winter! Hotels were almost empty; I booked my hotels on the day I stayed there, I actually booked my hotel in Wadi Rum while coming back from the monastery Trail in Petra. I could explore most of the archeological sites with plenty of personal space and even walked the Cardo Maxima in Jerash, with no one else on the paved road. The only downside I found about traveling in Winter time was the accrued risk of flood in the Wadis, due to more rain in that season. For hikers, this can be problematic.

Is it safe?

Amidst the tension in this part of the world, Jordan is usually a heaven of calm and peace, where people from different cultures and religions have found a way to live in harmony. As a woman solo traveler, I have always felt safe in Jordan, regardless of my surroundings. However the current situation in the bordering countries is having a great impact on the safety for all and the Jordanian government recommends for a high degree of caution in Jordan overall due to the threat of terrorist attack.

You said paperwork?

I flew with a low cost airline company and was able to find a very good price from Dubai to Amman. You can also land in Aqaba, the other international airport, in the south of the country. Check the travel requirements when flying from your country. they are easily available on the airlines website. I checked both Emirates and Air France at the time, and both were very thorough.

You must have filled your Declaration form and have a travel insurance for the duration of your trip. If you are a scuba diver and/or DAN member, your diving insurance is also valid as your travel insurance. To enter Jordan you also need a visa. If you purchase the Jordan Pass(See below)online beforehand, and your trip includes at least 3 nights in Jordan, you will save on your tourist visa fee.

Before you go

• Check the weather: the North of Saudi Arabia (that is adjacent to Jordan) received heavy snowfalls shortly before my trip and camels woke up with cold hooves. In Jordan snow fell nationwide above 800m, and roads were temporarily closed earlier in January. It can be rainy in winter, especially in the central part of the country. During the short time I spent in Amman, there was some rain. On the other hand, the South, including Aqaba and Wadi Rum, were dry and warm. I bathed in the Dead Sea, near Wadi Mujieeb, and the water temperature was 26°C. When arriving back in Amman, snow had not melted yet. It was cold, sunny and beautiful.

• Buy a Jordan Pass. To benefit the most of it, buy it before your departure. The entry visa to Jordan is 40JOD, one single day in Petra costs 50 JOD. The pass itself costs between 70 to 80 JOD depending how many days you want to spend in Petra . Choose wisely as you can’t modify your ticket. I bought the One-day entry and realized I would need more time if I wanted to walk the surrounding trails. I contacted the JordanPass administrators to upgrade my ticket, to no avail. If you are not sure, but have time, take the 3 days pass, it is worth it. The Pass also gives you access to most of the museums and touristic sites of the country, including several UNESCO World Heritage sites. If you plan on going to Bethanie, the site where Jesus was baptized, take the extra option. I had to pay 12 JOD to enter.

• Print all the paperwork you will need. Better prudent than sorry.

• Learn few words in Arabic. If you can remember only 3: Sabah al Khayr, ( good morning), Shukran ( thank you), Shukran Jazilan ( a lot) is even better, and before leaving, Mah As salama. Ok, this makes it five, but they are easy and useful! Smiling is the ‘open Sesame’ to any door. However, if you are a woman avoid looking men in the eyes too long if you don’t know them; they might misinterpret it.

• Pack a physical map in your bag: seeing the whole country and the names of the towns is a great way to orientate yourself and give you a better sense of the distances than your Goggle map App. I like marking the places I want to see and trace my itinerary based on their relative proximity. It also allows you to save your phone battery. A flashlight is another easy to pack item, very handy when visiting caves and some of the ancient buildings.

• Choose what are the things you want to do in priority (unless you took a sabbatical year). There are plenty of places to see and things to do, and even if the country is not very big, traveling from one place to the next might take time; the country has quite a wide altitude range, with several mountains above 1700m but also the lowest place on Earth, so it is not Roller coasters, but it is far from flat road.

While in Jordan

• At the airport: there are two international airports in Jordan. The Queen Alia IA is the one you choose if you want to start your trip from Amman. It is 36km from the capital city, and only 21km from Madaba, another great place to use as a base.
  The King Hussein IA, in the south of the country is a lot smaller -10km from Aqaba- is is the one to choose If you plan on doing a diving trip or spend sometime in Wadi Rum, or both.
  The Jordan pass includes the price of the visa but you still need to go to the Visa counter before going through the customs. In Queen Alia airport, It is on the right side just before the lanes. I had stapled my pass inside the passport and the officer just stamped my document.

• Phone: there are two main companies: Orange and Zain. You can get a SIM card and package right at the airport. I was rushing to get the bus that goes to the city so skipped that part. The next day I bought mine in one of the numerous shops and there is a difference -good news for the long stay travelers!!!- You can get a one month validity on your SIM card for the same price as the 15 days, but the sellers at the airport will tell you otherwise, so if it is what you need, don’t argue with them, just smile and wait until you reach downtown. You can also buy just the SIM card and either buy your data online or use scratch cards. I used Orange and found the coverage great.

• Rent a car to discover amazing spots: there are buses that link the main cities. However if you want to discover more in a limited amount of time, I would really recommend you to rent a car. You can find most of the companies at the airport and if you prefer to pick up yours in Amman city, most of the companies are in the same area, in Amman West, Al Shumaysani and Umm Uthainah Al Gharbi area. I took a video of the rental car the day I picked it up, after reading a comment on a travel forum and it happened to be an excellent move; an already existing bump on the car had been omitted during the check. Without the video as a proof, the company would have charged me the damage.
  I did not use my car in the capital. There is a massive traffic jam from 4pm to 7pm; I drove in Cairo and Beirut, and it felt like a piece of cake compared to Amman.
  It is very difficult to find a place to park. On the other hand, a taxi ride in the city cost 3JOD at the maximum. Choosing was a no-brainer for me.
  Beware of the cameras and mobile radars, ( in Amman) they are numerous and the fine is expensive.
  Throughout the country, the roads are in good condition. You won’t see any cameras however Jordan has found a very efficient way to reduce speed driving: the road bumps, some of them can be as high as a camel’s back!

• Be patient: It is sometimes challenging for a Western mind to adapt to the more subtle Levantine spirit. Things might take more time; answers might not be as straightforward as you are used to. Embrace the poetry that diffuses from each sentence, enjoy the rhythm, it is part of the magic of traveling in different worlds.

• Try all the food: everything is good: the spices, the Bedouin coffee, the pastries, the bread, the Shawarma… I tried my first Mansaf (the National dish, of tender meat and aromatic rice served with a fermented yogurt sauce) in Madaba. I went most often to the small Falafel stands and restaurants. Because of the constant traffic, I am sure the food is always extra fresh. Sometimes I would sit in one of the old chairs and feel people glancing not so discretely at me. Other times I would order a take-away, like most people do, and eat while enjoying the fabulous landscapes.

• Get some cash. The currency used in Jordan is the JOD, Jordanian dinar. One dinar is divided in 100 piastres. There are ATMs in all the main towns. You can withdraw cash while waiting for your bag at the airport as there is a machine in the very same hall. The fee is outrageously high: 6.5JOD per transaction but I didn’t have any money with me. It cost me 3.5JOD in Wadi Musa. Use small change: bank notes of 1 and 5 JOD are kings in restaurants and every small shop. However I was surprised to see that you can pay your Pomegranate juice in Petra with your credit card!

• Always ask before taking a picture, even in Amman. Getting your camera out is enough to make most people uncomfortable or wary. Usually they will refuse to be photographed. I like to film artisans in their workshops or take pictures of people daily life so I always do my best to explain that they are NOT the subject of the shot. I show them my pictures once taken to reassure them. This practice is also a great way to exchange and communicate.

• Don’t believe everything people tell you: When I arrived at the Petra site, I knew there was a path leading to the cliff opposite the Treasury (you know this fabulous spot on a platform where some people get a fancy picture with the Treasury in the background?!). The guide I met told me it didn’t exist, then he told me it was forbidden to go, then that it was allowed only with a guide. Remember, when I said: “be patient”. I went to see the Rangers who showed me the beginning of the trail and gave me the direction to follow.
  In other occasions I was told that such or such place was closed or didn’t exist, well, I kept going and found them. Opened. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that I am a woman solo traveler; locals don’t want me to be lost  😉 ”Maybe” means “I don’t know”.

• Enjoy the Jordanian Hospitality: Jordanians have great values, family is important and visitors are always treated with high consideration. They will invite you for tea or coffee, they will make sure you are warm enough (it snowed when I was there) and that you are safe on the road. People gave me their phone number in case I would have a problem on the way. They care. Don’t refuse what you are offered, it would be taken as an offense. Instead feel grateful and pass it on.

• Explore. Don’t hesitate to visit the smaller towns and villages, do an excursion in the dramatic desert scenery, and cool down in the luxuriant vegetation of the Wadis  or spend a night in one of the Biosphere Reserves. Be amazed by the richness of colors and diversity of the landscape. Stop in the middle of nowhere, on the top of a hill, at a waterfall, on the seashore, and dream with your eyes wide open.

• Get you History knowledge cleaned up: Vestiges of ancient civilizations are in plain sight. You will find them in the middle of a city or on the edge of cliffs: here a Crusaders castle, or a Nabatean Tomb, there Roman columns standing not far from a Greek temple. More recently, influences by Palestinian, Iraqi, Syrian cultures have brought their own accent to the already rich and diverse Jordanian heritage.

• Become a Mosaic expert: Jordan is home to some unique masterpieces of mosaic art, including the well preserved mosaic floors in Jerash and the Madaba Map, famous for its detailed representation of the Holy Land and the numerous inscriptions. Wander the streets of Madaba, nicknamed the “Mosaic City”,and observe the artisans continuing the multi secular tradition in their workshops.

• Hike the Jordan Trail, from the Roman ruins of Umm Qais in the north to the warm waters of the Red Sea, or spend the day following one of the numerous trails that crisscross the country.

• Stay with a host family and learn the crafts and culture of the Jordanian People. Follow the shepherds while they tend to their flock or learn how to cook a traditional Bedouin meal and enjoy the evening dinning in a Petra cave.

• Find a hot spring and relax: Jordan has more than 350 hot springs, so there is plenty to choose from. Indulge in a Welness day in Ma’in, 15 km from Madaba, on the road to the Dead Sea. The place is very famous and popular with tourists and locals alike. Some areas are open to all during the day but you might choose to get pampered and enjoy the Hotel’s Spa and facilities. Definitely a place to visit! However I found an oasis hidden in the heart of the mountains and known only by the locals, charm and peace are waiting for you down the road from Tafilah!

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I hope that my experience of Jordan will inspire you to visit and explore this beautiful country. If you would like to comment, share your own experience, or have any question, please don’t hesitate to use the box below.