ABOUT JORDAN
Jordan is best known for the ancient city of Petra. Such a stunning place, it is even on the list of one of the seven world wonders! However, Jordan has more to offer than just Petra. Expect hikes through unique landscapes, deserts like no other and the Dead Sea where you will literally float. Welcome to Jordan!
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WHAT TO DO IN JORDAN
Our route through Jordan
AMMAN
Amman is the capital of Jordan. There isn’t much to do over there, so we recommend just staying here for the night. Nomads hostel is the perfect (cheap) option for this. After just a brief stopover, the journey continues towards Dana, where the stunning natural beauty of Jordan awaits. We rented a car via Monte Carlo, which is a local car rental and will provide you with the best cars for the best prices. Their service is amazing (we had a broken battery during our trip and it was fixed within the hour). The car even had WiFi!
A lot of camps / accommodations offer their services for this trail. Since you walk in one direction, it is necessary you are dropped off and picked up again at the end of the hike. You do not need a guide, since it is just a one way hike. We stayed at Al Nawatef Eco Camp, which offers stunning views and an almost iglo like shaped accommodation.
Wadi GhuweirDANA
Dana itself is a very small village, not known by mass tourism, yet. The Wadi Ghuweir Trail is the reason we stayed here for two nights. It offers a journey through a breathtaking canyon, right out of an Arabian dream. Stretching approximately 14 kilometers, the trail contains diverse ecosystems and provides stunning views, when walking through. 14 kilometers may sound long, but Bren did this with his mom, who has a basic condition (sorry mom) and managed to make it.
PETRA
Petra is the main reason we visited Jordan. Normally, 10.000+ people visit Petra every day. We visited Petra in October 2024 and because of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Petra had almost no visitors during our stay. This is very sad for the locals, since tourism is the main source of income for most of them. However, it did provide a very unique experience for us. We basically had Petra for ourselves. Below our 3 day itinerary.
The Treasury of PetraDay 1: Arrival and initial exploration
Arrive in Petra and settle into your accommodation, ideally within walking distance of the archaeological site. We stayed at Petraone, which is hosted by a local family. They are one of the cheapest options in Petra and will spoil you during your stay, so we definitely recommend them!
We recommend visiting Petra very early, since Petra will be at its finest and the least crowded. Start your exploration by entering through the Siq, a narrow canyon leading to the Treasury, one of Petra's most iconic structures. This is the spot you will recognize from all the photo’s.
Afterwards, wander through the ancient city, visiting the Street of Facades, the Theater and the Royal Tombs, which dates back to the 1st century AD. This is the day with the least amount of hiking, to start easy. End your day with some own brought food, or relax at the (tourist priced) restaurant in Petra, next to the Great Temple.
The Monastery of PetraDay 2: In-depth Petra experience
Dedicate this day to experiencing the heart of Petra. Start early (06:00) to hike up to the Monastery, a less-visited spot, also known as the backdoor of Petra. A taxi will take you there for 15 JOD. Along the way, you will have to walk up about 900 steps, but the panoramic views of the landscape will make it easier. Once you reach the Monastery, it will all be worth it! After a cup of tea with this amazing view, we decided to walk down to the the same spot we ended our walk the day before, which is the restaurant at the end of the Street of Facades. From there on we walked back to our hotel. A long day of hiking but oh so beautiful!
Day 3: The last parts of Petra
On your final day, take the opportunity to explore beyond the main trails of Petra. We decided to visit lesser-known spots such as the High Place of Sacrifice, where you can enjoy spectacular views of the valley below. Even though these hikes were getting pretty intense, we do not recommend going on a mule, since this is mostly a scam and the animals themselves do not really have a choice either.
We went on to the Garden Temple and wanted to visit the Viewpoint of the Treasury to conclude our day, but this was closed due to archeological discoveries. Fun fact: Tourists are allowed to visit only 20% (!) of Petra. The rest of this massive ancient city is not accessible, and still being discovered by archeologists.
WADI RUM
Wadi Rum, a stunning desert valley in southern Jordan, was our next stop. A famous backdrop for different movies such as Dune and the Martian, we can definitely confirm this place is magical. It is a long ride from Petra to Wadi Rum, so we had our first activity the next day.
A day tour exploring this UNESCO World Heritage site typically begins with a jeep ride through the rugged terrain, which allowed us to witness the breathtaking natural beauty that has made Wadi Rum famous. As the jeep navigates through the ancient rock formations, we stopped here and there to explore historical petroglyphs as well as viewpoints of the desert.
After a full day of exploring, our day ended at an amazing viewpoint, which really was the cherry on top. After a long week of intense traveling we decided to take a rest day, the day after. Our base camp, Magic Nature camp, was amazing! They offered the tours, as well as good food and a great experience overall.
View from our traditional Bedouin tentDEAD SEA AREA
The Dead Sea area, known for being the only sea in the world where you will float due to its high salt levels and therapeutic properties. It was the perfect stop to end our trip through Jordan. Located along the shores of this remarkable sea, the Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea stands out as one of the best hotels in the region. Quite pricey, but oh so worth it, with its luxurious accommodations, world-class spa services, and direct access to the mineral-rich waters. Normally we don’t do luxury hotels that much, but this was a perfect solution for our visit to this area. During our 2 day stay, we fully recharged from our intense trip.
Hi, we are Bren and Tess! We travel to the most beautiful places in the world, and with our video's, we hope you feel inspired to do the same.
