Things To Do In Jordan

Yes, I made it. I made another trip to Jordan with my girl gang, but this time only with two of them. It came as a totally unexpected, sudden and last minute plan, but the trip turned out to be really wonderful. So, we have been exploring visa-free options since the previous Serbia trip and have managed to shortlist a few countries thinking we would make it when the time comes. Voila, the time came quickly for the three of us, and we hogged on to our next flight. And this blog will detail my journey, places to visit and things to do in Jordan.

Before getting into the trip details, let me give you some insights about this incredible country, Jordan.

Jordan, an Arab nation on the east bank of the Jordan River, is situated at the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe within the Levant region. Saudi Arabia borders the country to the south and east, Iraq to the northeast, Syria to the north, Palestine and the Dead Sea to the west. Jordan is a semi-arid country, covering an area of 89,342 km2 (34,495 sq mi), with a population of 10 million, making it the eleventh-most populous Arab country.

Getting around Jordan

Considering safety and other issues, we took an authorized driver with a car. His name was Thariq, a very hospitable and friendly person who took us everywhere. You can contact him via this number +962 7 9879 2750. Tell him my name as a reference, you will get a discount.

When to visit Jordan?

It is advisable to visit Jordan during the spring months- from March until the end of May.

What to pack?

When we visited during the month of February- March, the nights were cold, and the days were warmer with a cold breeze. At night I was entirely on a winter jacket, and during the daytime, I wrapped myself in hoodies.

Make sure you carry winter jackets, mufflers, hoodies, sunglasses and sunscreens when you travel to Jordan.

Day 1- Dubai to Jordan

We took our Royal Jordanian flight from Dubai airport by evening and reached Amman airport within 3 hours. The flight was economical, with good food and hospitality on board. As soon as we reached the airport, we took a sim from orange and went straight to the dead sea, checked in to the dead sea spa resort.

Day 2- Dead Sea

Early morning we started exploring this beautiful property called Dead Sea Spa Hotel after breakfast. The Dead Sea Spa Resort is situated on the shores of the Dead Sea, 420 meters below sea level, at what is known as the lowest point on Earth. It is one of the oldest and most beautiful properties in the Dead Sea region; in fact, the resort itself is a destination to explore.

The resort provides five swimming pools, a children’s play area and aqua fun centre, beach volleyball, a fitness centre, and the largest beach on the Dead Sea when it comes to relaxing.

Things To Do In Jordan — The pictures will justify the beauty of the place.

My friends took a spa, and then we steered straight to the dead sea. The Dead Sea, located between Israel and Jordan with parts in the West Bank, is a salt lake in southwestern Asia. Also called the Sea of Death, Salt Sea, and Sea of Lot, the Dead Sea is the lowest water body on Earth, with the lowest elevation on land. The Dead Sea’s water is about ten times saltier than normal ocean water. You can expect not to find birds, fish or plants in and around the Dead Sea due to its inhospitable cobalt-blue waters, 1412 ft below sea level.

I was super excited to witness the natural wonder dead sea, where you can float like a plastic bottle. Due to the hyper salinity, people float on the sea, and my friends tried to imitate the same, but they failed. It was really cold for me even to touch the water, so I preferred to stay back on the shore and enjoyed the girls having fun.

However, they had an amazing clay spa time at the dead sea, and we had so much fun playing in the water. After playing till the evening, exploring the resort and utilising the unique experiences the dead sea spa hotel had, we went to the nearby mall to have our shawarma and slept later.

Day 3- PETRA (Things To Do In Jordan)

Jesus Christ Baptism Site

After checkout from the beautiful dead sea spa hotel, we headed straight to the baptism site of Jesus Christ.

Bethany beyond the Jordan is an archaeological world heritage site in Jordan that is considered the original location where Jesus Christ was baptised. Tickets include a compulsory shuttle bus ride (departs every 30 minutes) and a one-hour guided tour (available in seven languages).

Prophet Lot’s Wife Statue

In between, we stopped to see the statue of the prophet Lot. You can read about how the wife turned into the statue here.

Wadi Mujib

Wadi Mujib is a must-visit canyon in Jordan. This spellbinding canyon offers trekking opportunities to the visitors where they can trek through the water, beneath the towering canyons, and into the Dead Sea itself. The place itself is home to a wide variety of wildlife species.

Museum at the lowest place on the Earth

After grabbing a scrumptious falafel sandwich from a tiny shop on the way, we headed straight to the museum at the lowest place on Earth, which is dedicated to displaying different historical artefacts and archaeological remains.

Lot’s Cave

Lot’s cave is a historical site where Lot and his daughters took shelter after fleeing from the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

PETRA (Things To Do In Jordan)

Excitement aired as we took our journey from the museum to Petra. It was a long drive, and the paths were super scenic- a blend of spectacular rock formations with greenery and pine trees. After a long drive, we reached Petra.

There were 1000s of guides who came after us asking for their services, and at a particular point, I lost my patience. Guys, when you travel, make sure you don’t fall for these people. You can explore by yourself- a guide is not mandatory (also, they have this tendency to cheat you by asking hefty amount for the services).

It is a long journey from the car parking to Petra. While walking, we stopped by a shop to get the Jordanian scarf to fit into the fantastic Jordanian culture. We had a walk through the road and then through the siq where you will witness tourists, musicians, and Bedouins merrily greeting you.

After walking for some time, I got a glimpse of the treasury. I can’t explain the feeling of seeing a world wonder just in front of my eyes. It was breathtaking and beyond amazing. Dating to around 300 B.C, Petra is the capital of the Nabatean Kingdom. With a touch of the Roman empire, the beauty of this marvel can’t be put into words.

After exploring and taking some Instagrammable pictures and TikTok videos, we left the mesmerising PETRA.

Wadi Rum

After a long drive from Petra, we reached wadi rum. We parked our car in an open space and took a pickup to get to the middle of the desert, where we camped at night. It was a bubble hotel called Jamal Camp. The place looked straight out of Mars, and it was spectacular.

I can recommend this place only to those who are looking for a budget camping site. It was not that great regarding services; however, we had an amazing time having grills and star gazing at night. The drive was long and, of course, the day too. We were so tired to move our fingers and therefore slept peacefully.

Day 3- Wadi Rum

The following day, we took a drive to the beautiful desserts of wadi rum to catch the sunrise. The 74,000-hectare property, inscribed as a mixed natural and cultural site, is situated in southern Jordan, near the border with Saudi Arabia. It features a varied desert landscape consisting of narrow gorges, natural arches, towering cliffs, ramps, massive landslides and caverns. If you are from South India, you might find this place familiar as it has been featured in some Tamil movies.

The rock and the dessert had age-old stories to tell, and exploring them in a rickety vehicle driven by bedouin was an altogether different experience. En route, he sang some songs for us and showed us petroglyphs and inscriptions from prehistoric times.

Honestly, it was so cool to explore the ancient rock drawings.

Lawrence of Arabia and the Bedouin tea.

We visited Lawrence of Arabia’s historic spot, where Captain T.E. Lawrence fought his real-life battles against the Ottoman Turks. From there we made the best memory of the whole trip.

We were welcomed by a group of Bedouins from a camp nearby. They were the most exemplary hosts I have ever met who offered us traditional hospitality. Over the tea, they shared with us the Bedouin tales and elder wisdom.

We really lost count of time while we were with them and we exchanged our cultures as well. In return for our presence, they offered us gifts also. For me, small moments make the whole trip memorable.

After having a long splendid time with our Bedouin friends, we headed back to our camp, had breakfast and left this out of the world place called WADI RUM.

Cave of the Seven Sleepers (Things To Do In Jordan)

After checking out from the campsite and having lunch on the way, we headed straight to the beautiful capital of Jordan, Amman.

Before the hotel check-in, we visited the famous cave of seven sleepers.

The Cave of the Seven Sleepers is a historical and sacred site in al-Rajib, a townlet to the east of Amman. It is proclaimed that this cave housed the Seven Sleepers- a group of young men who fled the religious persecution of Roman emperor Decius, according to Byzantine and Islamic sources. Legend has it that these men hid in a cave around 250 AD, appearing miraculously about 300 years later.

House Boutique Suites

After visiting the cave, we checked into our hotel, the house boutique suites. It is one of the best properties in the capital city of Jordan. Honestly, guys, I can’t recommend this place enough. The rooms are spacious, with all the essential amenities required for your stay.

The hotel offers suites of different types according to your requirement. No matter what, the quality of your stay won’t be compromised at house boutique suites.

After getting freshened up, we headed to Amman city for exploring.

Rainbow Street

Rainbow street is a colourful and vibrant strip brimming with aesthetic cafes and restaurants. The street is very famous among both the tourists and the locals alike. Taking a stroll around the street is a refreshing thing to do, and I genuinely recommend it.

Reem Shawarma

After having a stroll on the rainbow street, we visited the most recommended food spot in Amman, Reem shawarma, to try their meat shawarma. Honestly, I was not impressed. However, you can give it a try if you want.

Hashem and Brothers Restaurant

Oh, this is a must-visit place. The falafel from Hashem and brothers, along with the dips and bread, is a must-try if you are visiting Amman.

Ala Aldin Sovenier Shop

There were plenty of souvenir shops, but this one literally impressed us with its unique pieces, and therefore I recommend Ala Aldin for your souvenir shopping. It is nearby Hashem.

LB Lounge (Things To Do In Jordan)

After taking a stroll around the beautiful streets of Amman, we really wanted to explore the nightlife of Amman. Honestly, it was splendid. We visited the top-rated one on google, LB lounge and grooved to some Arabic tunes. The crowd and the DJ were so welcoming. That was a hell of a night to remember.

After having a crazy night and a long day, we went to sleep ecstatic.

Day 4- Things To Do In Jordan (Amman)

Unfortunately, this was our last day in Jordan, and hence we wanted to make the most of it. We explored the major touristic destination in Amman, starting with-

Roman Theatre

I envisioned myself as a performer and the audience of the ancient days while I was standing in this historic spot. Constructed at the end of the 2nd century AD, this Roman theatre in Amman is one of Jordan’s most impressive ancient monuments.

Amman Citadel

Dating back to the bronze age, the Amman citadel is a historical place comprising a 1700 meter wall, the iconic Temple of Hercules, and the Umayyad Palace. If you love to explore the ruins of the ancient world, then you must not miss the Amman citadel.

King Abdulla Mosque

King Abdulla mosque is an aesthetically built mosque that reflects contemporary Islamic architecture. The intricate detailing and the spectacular interiors of the mosque are splendid to watch.

Al Quds Restaurant

We had our lunch at the Al Quds restaurant, and it is a must-visit if you want to explore the food scene of Jordan. Do try Mansaf.

Automobile Museum

If you are a car fanatic and want to explore the legendary classic cars, then you should visit the royal automobile museum.

The Jordan Museum

The accurate representation of the history of Jordan is displayed intriguingly in this museum. So, if you want to get into the detail of the history and origin of this incredible country, then visit Jordan Museum.

Amman National Park (Things To Do In Jordan)

On our way to the airport, we took a drive and a stroll inside this beautiful and green national park of Amman. After a coffee and shisha out in the cold, we headed straight to the airport.

QUICK FACTS

Currency: Jordanian Dinar
Clothing: Loose clothes during summer and winter essentials during cold months
No visa is required for Indian residents, but you have to get a Jordanian pass.
The total cost of the trip for us, including food, flight, accommodation and other travel expenses- AED 3500 approx.
We booked a Royal Jordanian flight for our trip.