Jordan

Jordan is the Middle East’s most accessible and rewarding destination for the international traveller — a kingdom of extraordinary historical depth, remarkable hospitality and one of the world’s great archaeological sites in Petra. The rose-red city carved into the sandstone cliffs of the Wadi Rum desert, the Dead Sea, the Crusader castles and the Roman city of Jerash together make Jordan a journey of astonishing variety contained within a small and very manageable country.

Best months: March–May and September–November. Spring and autumn offer the most pleasant temperatures (20–28°C), wildflowers in the highlands (spring) and comfortable conditions for Petra and Wadi Rum. Avoid June–August — temperatures at Petra and in the Wadi Rum can reach 38°C+ by mid-morning. December–February: cold in the highlands, occasionally snowy at Petra, but dramatically atmospheric and very quiet.

A hire car is strongly recommended for the flexibility it provides between Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea. Alternatively, a private driver-guide (widely available and excellent value at JOD 60–80 per day) removes the navigation burden entirely and adds enormous depth to the experience. Queen Alia International Airport is 35 minutes south of Amman by taxi or the Airport Express Bus.

Amman: the Jabal Amman and Rainbow Street area for local character; the Abdali district for modern comfort. Petra: the town of Wadi Musa has a wide range of hotels from basic to the excellent Movenpick at the site entrance. Wadi Rum: staying in a Bedouin camp under the stars is the defining experience of the Jordanian desert — from simple to the extraordinary Attallah Camp. The Dead Sea: the resort hotels on the Jordanian side are excellent and the floating is extraordinary.

Petra at sunrise: Enter the Siq (the 1.2km narrow gorge entrance) at 6am when the site opens, and emerge to the Treasury in the morning light with almost no one else present. One of the world’s great arrival moments. The full Petra experience requires two days.
Wadi Rum desert: An overnight in a Bedouin camp, a jeep tour of the red sand valleys and rose-coloured mountains, and a night sky of extraordinary brilliance. The landscape that provided the backdrop for Lawrence of Arabia.
Jerash Roman city: The best-preserved Roman city outside Italy — colonnaded streets, temples and a theatre still used for concerts. Go early; it takes a full morning.
The Dead Sea: Floating in the saltiest body of water on earth, at the lowest point on earth, is one of those experiences that is exactly as extraordinary as promised.
The Citadel (Amman): Roman Temple of Hercules, Byzantine church and Umayyad Palace on the hill above downtown Amman — extraordinary layering of civilisations.

Jordanian food is generous and magnificent. The national dish is mansaf — lamb cooked in fermented dried yogurt sauce, served over rice and flatbread, eaten communally with the right hand. Mezze (hummus, mutabal, fattoush, warak dawali/stuffed vine leaves) is extraordinary. The ‘Sufra’ restaurant in Amman’s Rainbow Street and ‘Fakhr el-Din’ in Abdoun are both excellent for traditional Jordanian cuisine at its most refined.

Petra involves significant walking — the main trail from the entrance to the Treasury and the Monastery (the most dramatic monument, at the top of 800 steps) is 10km return. Horses are available from the entrance to the Treasury for those who prefer not to walk the Siq; donkeys take you part-way up to the Monastery. The Dead Sea’s extremely salty water requires that you keep it out of eyes and any cuts — showers are immediately available. Wadi Rum’s terrain is all sand and rock — comfortable shoes essential.

Jordan is one of the safest countries in the Middle East for international travellers — consistently welcoming and politically stable. The Jordanian people are renowned for their hospitality. Exercise standard bag awareness in the Petra tourist zone (overcharging is the main issue, not crime). Emergency: 911.

Petra by Night (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday evenings): the Treasury lit by 1,500 candles — a two-hour candlelit walk through the Siq, with traditional Bedouin music in the Treasury courtyard. One of the most atmospheric experiences in the Middle East.
The King’s Highway (the ancient trade route from Amman to Petra via Madaba, Kerak and Shobak): a full-day drive past Byzantine mosaics, Crusader castles and extraordinary desert scenery — infinitely preferable to the Desert Highway if time allows.
A Bedouin tea ceremony in Wadi Rum: The ritual of tea preparation and sharing in the desert — sweet, strong and served in tiny glasses — is one of the most genuine experiences of Jordanian hospitality.