Travel to Jordan
Jordan
It’s entirely fitting that the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, which is enjoying renewed interest as a destination, was a favorite of travelers even in ancient times. From the hustle bustle of Amman, to the splendid World Heritage ruins of bygone civilizations, to the mystery of the Dead Sea, Jordan serves up a wondrous array of travel experiences.
A safe haven in a region of tension, Jordan is a laid back, friendly country where people are welcoming and visitors feel secure while touring, free to immerse themselves in this exotic yet approachable Middle Eastern culture. In keeping with Bedouin values, strangers are always met as friends.
An excellent infrastructure, quality accommodation, delicious cuisine and compelling sights inspire and delight visitors.
Amman Whether you spend a day in Amman on arrival or prior to departure, you’ll appreciate its refreshingly down to earth vibe. It houses several important monuments, but it is also a livable capital city. Highly recommended as a contrast to visiting antiquities is an afternoon on Rainbow Street, an artsy, creative community, where you’ll find a trendy cafes, galleries and boutiques.
Petra is the jewel in the crown of Jordan’s dazzling collection of antiquities, and a World Heritage Site. Dating back to 300 B.C., Petra is a pink hued Nabataean necropolis carved into sandstone escarpments, two days are recommended to fully explore. Sites are a distance apart, and walking is required. Touring is recommended in the morning and late afternoon. The walk through Al Siq to the Treasury is a highlight.
Wadi Rum is also known as Valley of the Moon, with good reason. A ride through Wadi Rum at sunset is all that is needed to understand how TE Lawrence - ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ - was so drawn to this land of weathered sandstone and reddened dunes. Modern day visitors start in the village of Rum, and explore the mountainous terrain by jeep or camel. Jordan’s dramatic Wadi Rum, with its colors and contour, is everything one expects of a desert landscape.
The Dead Sea is a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and Israel and Palestine to the west. Its surface and shores are 1,412 feet below sea level, while the floor of the Dead Sea is a further 997 feet. The Dead Sea is almost 10 times saltier than the ocean, where plants and animals cannot flourish. The Dead Sea is 31 miles long and 9 miles wide. It’s main tributary is the Jordan River. One of the world’s oldest health spas, even Herod is said to have frequented it, and to this day it is considered to have health giving properties.
Madaba Just 18 miles from Amman is the calm, historically rich city of Madaba. Not to be missed there is Madaba’s incredible 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land, found in the Basilica of Saint George.
Aqaba If a few days relaxing at the beach is what is needed, Aqaba is the answer. A popular place for snorkelers and divers, Aqaba is all about water sports and recharging.
Overview
Images of the ancient Nabataean city of Petra, carved from the rock over a thousand years ago, have long been most people’s strongest impression of Jordan.
While Petra is truly one of the most stunning attractions in the Middle East, Jordan offers so much more. A well-traveled bridge between sea and desert, east and west, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is a land of mesmerizing beauty and contrasts, from the Jordan Valley, fertile, ever changing, to the remote desert canyons, immense and still. Visitors can explore splendid desert castles, gaze in awe at the haunting wilderness of Wadi Rum, or bathe in the restful waters of the Red Sea.
People
Sunni Islam is the dominant religion in Jordan. Muslims make up about 92% of the country’s population of 7,800,000. Jordan also contains some of the oldest Christian communities in the world, dating as early as the 1st century AD. Minority religions are Druze and Baha’i.
Language
The official language is Modern Standard Arabic, a literary language taught in the schools. English, though without official status, is widely spoken throughout the country and is the de facto language of commerce and banking, as well as a co-official status in the education sector; almost all university-level classes are held in English and almost all public schools teach English along with Standard Arabic.
History
Jordan was first settled by the Amorites in 2000 BC. In the ensuing years, many other ancient nations and empires would settle or conquer Jordan. Among these were the Hittites, Egyptians, Israelites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks and Romans.
One of the most impactful Jordanian civilizations was the Nabatean Kingdom. They built the famous capital city at Petra, which became a major trade center for the region. They also developed the North Arabic Script, which would later become the Modern Arabic script. At the peak of its power, the Nabatean Empire controlled much of current Jordan as well as surrounding lands. Jordan was later taken over by the Persian Empire and eventually the Roman Empire.
In 1516 Jordan became part of the Ottoman Empire. It would stay a part of the Ottoman Empire until the end of World War I when it would be awarded to the United Kingdom. The British created the Emirate of Transjordan ruled by Prince Abdullah, but under British rule. In 1946, Jordan became an independent country.
Travel Guide
Currency
The Jordanian Dinar (JOD) is the currency of Jordan. The USD to JOD rate of exchange is 1 USD = 0.71 JOD
Weather
Spring and autumn are the best times to travel to Jordan as the days are warm, with temperatures into the high 70s, but nights are cool. Exploring the sites in this climate is pleasant, it is not too hot for hiking in the nature reserves and both flora and fauna are abundant.
The summer months are very hot, with temperatures reaching in excess of 100 degrees F. In the winter months, Jordan often experiences snow and the nights get cold; especially in the desert regions. Winter is also when the majority of the rain falls, but showers tend to be short and sharp.
Health Requirements
COVID PROTOCOL:
Please check current covid-related requirements for entry to Jordan under Entry and Exit Requirements here:
https://jo.usembassy.gov/covid-19-information/
GENERAL:
Yellow fever inoculation is not required for entry to Jordan. Please check with your travel clinic for their recommendations based on your personal health profile.
Visa Requirements
A passport with a validity of at least six months and a visa are required to enter Jordan. Jordan issues single-entry visas to U.S. citizens upon arrival at Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport and at most international land border crossings at a cost of 40JD (approximately 60usd). Multiple entry visas must be obtained in advance of travel.
Credit Cards
Visa and MasterCard are widely accepted, American Express less so.
Electrical Appliances
In Jordan the power sockets are of type C, D, F, G and J. The standard voltage is 230 V and the standard frequency is 50 Hz. US visitors will need both a voltage converter and a plug adaptor. For more information, please go to https://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/us/jordan/
Water
Tap water in Jordan is generally safe to drink, but for a short trip it’s better to stick to bottled water which is readily available.
Map
A: Akagera National Park
B: Alexandria
C: Amboseli National Park
D: Arusha
E: Aswan
F: Bazaruto Island
G: Benguerra Island
H: Botswana
I: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
J: Cairo
K: Cape Town
L: Cape Winelands
M: Central Kalahari Region
N: Chobe National Park
O: Denis Island
P: Desroches Island
Q: Drakensburg
R: Dubai
S: Dubai Beaches
T: Dubai City Center
U: Dubai Desert
V: Dubai Marina
W: Durban
X: Eastern Cape
Y: Eastern Cape Safaris
Z: Egypt
AA: Ethiopia
AB: Etosha National Park
AC: Franschhoek
AD: Garden Route
AE: Ghana
AF: Greater Kruger National Park
AG: Greater Winelands
AH: Hermanus
AI: Hwange National Park
AJ: Johannesburg
AK: Jordan
AL: Kafue National Park
AM: Kampala
AN: Kariba
AO: Kenya
AP: Kigali
AQ: Knysna
AR: Kruger National Park
AS: Kwazulu Natal
AT: La Digue
AU: Lake Manyara NP
AV: Lake Nakuru
AW: Lewa Wildlife Conservation
AX: Linyanti/Savuti Region
AY: Livingstone
AZ: Lower Zambezi National Park
BA: Luxor
BB: Madagascar
BC: Madikwe Game Reserve
BD: Mahé
BE: Mana Pools National Park
BF: Masai Mara
BG: Mauritius
BH: Mombasa
BI: Morocco
BJ: Mozambique
BK: Nairobi
BL: Namibia
BM: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
BN: North Island
BO: Nyungwe Forest National Park
BP: Okavango and Moremi GR
BQ: Oman
BR: Oudtshoorn
BS: Plettenberg Bay
BT: Port Elizabeth
BU: Praslin
BV: Qatar
BW: Queen Elizabeth National Park
BX: Quirimbas Archipelago
BY: Rwanda
BZ: Sabi Sands
CA: Samburu National Park
CB: Selous Game Reserve
CC: Serengeti National Park
CD: Seychelles
CE: Sharm El Sheik
CF: Sheik Zayed Road
CG: Silhouette Island
CH: Skeleton Coast National Park
CI: Sossusvlei
CJ: South Africa
CK: South Luangwa
CL: Stellenbosch
CM: Swakopmund & Walvis Bay
CN: Tanzania
CO: Tarangire National Park
CP: Timbavati Region
CQ: Uganda
CR: Umhlanga
CS: Victoria Falls
CT: Vilanculos
CU: Volcanoes National Park
CV: Windhoek
Destinations
Explore the rest of our Jordan destinations:
- Akagera National Park
- Alexandria
- Amboseli National Park
- Arusha
- Aswan
- Bazaruto Island
- Benguerra Island
- Botswana
- Bwindi Impenetrable National Park
- Cairo
- Cape Town
- Cape Winelands
- Central Kalahari Region
- Chobe National Park
- Denis Island
- Desroches Island
- Drakensburg
- Dubai
- Dubai Beaches
- Dubai City Center
- Dubai Desert
- Dubai Marina
- Durban
- Eastern Cape
- Eastern Cape Safaris
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Etosha National Park
- Franschhoek
- Garden Route
- Ghana
- Greater Kruger National Park
- Greater Winelands
- Hermanus
- Hwange National Park
- Johannesburg
- Jordan
- Kafue National Park
- Kampala
- Kariba
- Kenya
- Kigali
- Knysna
- Kruger National Park
- Kwazulu Natal
- La Digue
- Lake Manyara NP
- Lake Nakuru
- Lewa Wildlife Conservation
- Linyanti/Savuti Region
- Livingstone
- Lower Zambezi National Park
- Luxor
- Madagascar
- Madikwe Game Reserve
- Mahé
- Mana Pools National Park
- Masai Mara
- Mauritius
- Mombasa
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Nairobi
- Namibia
- Ngorongoro Conservation Area
- North Island
- Nyungwe Forest National Park
- Okavango and Moremi GR
- Oman
- Oudtshoorn
- Plettenberg Bay
- Port Elizabeth
- Praslin
- Qatar
- Queen Elizabeth National Park
- Quirimbas Archipelago
- Rwanda
- Sabi Sands
- Samburu National Park
- Selous Game Reserve
- Serengeti National Park
- Seychelles
- Sharm El Sheik
- Sheik Zayed Road
- Silhouette Island
- Skeleton Coast National Park
- Sossusvlei
- South Africa
- South Luangwa
- Stellenbosch
- Swakopmund & Walvis Bay
- Tanzania
- Tarangire National Park
- Timbavati Region
- Uganda
- Umhlanga
- Victoria Falls
- Vilanculos
- Volcanoes National Park
- Windhoek
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Hotels/Lodges
Vacation Packages
Historic and…
9 Days, 8 Nights
From $2469 per person based on double occupancy*
Amman . Madaba . Bethany .…
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Jordan & Aqaba…
8 Days, 7 Nights
From $2299 per person based on double occupancy*
Amman . Jerash . Ajloun .…
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Jordan for Families
8 Days, 7 Nights
From $2299 per person based on double occupancy*
Amman . Jerash . Ajloun .…
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Jordan Walking…
8 Days, 7 Nights
From $2599 per person based on double occupancy*
Amman . Ajloun . Jerash .…
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Jordan’s…
7 Days, 6 Nights
From $2389 per person based on double occupancy*
Amman . Madaba . Ajloun .…
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Jordan, Naturally
9 Days, 8 Nights
From $2869 per person based on double occupancy*
Amman . Ajloun . Wadi Rum .…
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Women’s…
8 Days, 7 Nights
From $2399 per person based on double occupancy*
Amman . Dead Sea . Petra .…
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