Jordan itinerary and how much it costs to travel in Jordan?
Travelling in Jordan is very affordable, and as a major tourism destination caters to all budgets. Below we have outlined itineraries that will allow visitors to see the best part of Jordan in a limited time. We have created a 4 day itinerary and a 7 day itinerary that will allow people to maximise their experience. We have also provided some add ons for people with specific interests. These itineraries follow a circuit around Jordan and can easily be modified to add or remove destinations. For travellers who prefer a more slow paced travel, the Dead Sea and Aqaba provide the best resorts to relax. We suggest that visitors prolong either the 4 day itinerary to a week or the week long itinerary to 10 days with a day to relax at the Dead Sea and shortening some days to allow for slower travel.
The most notable area of difficulty is for budget travellers as the intercity public transport network is limited. However intercity shared taxis are relatively affordable. The major issue for shared taxi transport is that they operate within regions so all destinations are not linked. For visitors with limited time private taxis are comparable to cost of a rental car over the duration of your visit.
Price Guide (in Amman)
Bottle of Water – JOD0.50
Coffee – JOD0.50
Beer in restaurant – JOD5
Falafel sandwich – JOD0.50
Taxi ride – Double Room – JOD40-60 (Dorm beds from JOD10) Restaurant Dinner – JOD12 Shared taxi to Aqaba – JOD12 (from Amman) Bus to Aqaba – JOD8 (from Amman) 1 day car rental – JOD20 1 litre petrol – JOD0.50
Jordan 4 day highlights itinerary
Amman – Jerash – Madaba – Dead Sea – Petra – Wadi Rum
Day 1 Amman – Half day trip to Jerash. Afternoon exploring downtown Amman including; Roman Amphitheatre, Nymphaeum, Citadel and bazaars. After dinner enjoy Kunefe at Habiba’s.
Day 2 Petra via Dead Sea – After breakfast at Hashem’s in downtown Amman, travel south via Madaba with a short stop to see the mosaics in the Church of Saint George. Continue to the Dead Sea for a mud bath and float in the Dead Sea. If travelling between April and October enjoy Wadi Mujib before continuing to Petra for the night.
Day 3 Petra – Start early to beat the crowds, be at the entrance gate at 06:00 for opening and enjoy the long walk through the Siq without tourist crowds (very different experience to later in the day). See the Treasury and Monastery, along with the Roman Grand Temple and Colonnaded main street. If you have the energy visit the other major tombs overlooking the Roman sites and ascend to one of the viewpoints overlooking the site. Leave in the afternoon to reach Wadi Rum for sunset.
Day 4 Wadi Rum – Wake up in the tranquil desert with your Bedouin hosts. Enjoy a half day 4×4 desert tour before your return Journey to Amman.
The average couple can expect to spend JOD750 plus flights
2 x Jordan Pass: JOD140
4 nights accommodation: JOD200
4 days meals: JOD120
Rental car and fuel: JOD120
2 person Wadi Rum tour: JOD70
Dead Sea Resort: JOD25 each
Wadi Mujib Entry: JOD25 each
Jordan 7 day travel itinerary
Amman – Jerash – Ajloun – Kerak – Wadi Rum – Petra – Dead Sea – Madaba
Day 1 Settle in to Amman – Spend the day experiencing one fo the Arabian peninsulas most vibrant cities. Enjoy the streets Bazaars, cafes and sweet shops of downtown Amman. Find the time to see the main historic sites of the ancient city of Philadelphia as Amman was previously known including; Roman Amphitheatre, Nymphaeum, Citadel. Don’t miss the famous breakfast at Hashem’s or the Kunefe at Habiba’s.
Day 2 Jerash and Desert Castles – Jerash is one of the best preserved Roman cities throughout the mediterranean. Later developments were made across the river allowing the Roman constructions to remain as they were. Half a day should be allocated to explore the site with the remainder for exploring the nearby desert castles; primarily Ajloun and Umm Qais.
Day 3 Wadi Rum via Kerak – Travel the Desert Highway to Amman which is around a 4 hour with a small detour to Kerak with a large well preserved crusader castle. Arrive to Wadi Rum in time to reach your desert camp and settle in before sunset and the traditional Bedouin gathering for communal dinner.
Day 4 Wadi Rum – Full day in Wadi Rum with time for a 4×4 tour to see the main attractions of the Protected Area. Compliment this with your interest in other activities. Including: sunrise hot air balloon, camel rides through the desert, trekking and scrambling, cultural and historical activities.
Day 5 Petra – This day can be allocated according to individual interests. Either a second day exploring Wadi Rum or a second day exploring the archeological site at Petra, or maybe half of the day in each location. Depending what time you arrive and settle into your accommodation, you can either have dinner and get an early night to be ready for an early start or set begin your exploration of Petra. Ensure that you buy the appropriate Jordan pass as they have different options for how many days you will spend in Petra.
Day 6 Petra – For your full day in Petra start early. Beat the crowds and enjoy the experience of walking through the Siq without other people. It is advisable to arrive at the entrance ready for opening. Start your day walking through the Siq to the Treasury and then through the colonnaded street to the Monastery. If you visit these major sites early you should avoid the crowds. Later in the day when visitor numbers swell you can go to the less visited sites of high sacrifice and views of the treasury from above.
Day 7 Dead Sea and Madaba – On your final day head north along the Kings Highway. This historic route has been used since before Biblical times and is filled with old villages scattered through the mountains. An opportunity to see rural life in Jordan as this slow route winds through the mountains down to the Dead Sea. Enjoy a mud bath and float in the Dead Sea before continuing to Madaba to see the mosaics in the Church of Saint George before returning to Amman.
The average couple can expect to spend JOD1100 plus flights
2 x Jordan Pass: JOD140
7 nights accommodation: JOD350
7 days meals: JOD210
Rental car and fuel: JOD200
2 person Wadi Rum tour: JOD100
Dead Sea Resort: JOD25 each
Wadi Mujib Entry: JOD25 each
For people who prefer a more relaxing schedule and to settle in to the places they visit try the 4 day itinerary over a week or the 7 day itinerary over 10 days.
Other locations to consider
Dana Biosphere: A natural reserve in the centre of Jordan that has high plateaus with views over the surrounding valleys. Offering an alternative for visitors who want to add natural attractions to their itinerary.
Aqaba & the Red Sea – Aqaba itself lacks attractions and is a mostly modern centre built around the Port which has grown in prominence with globalisation. It is the countries only access point to the Sea. It is however located in the Red Sea and has diving opportunities with several military wrecks and offshore reefs.
Mount Nebo and Baptism sites – Mount Nebo is a significant tourist site as the location where Moses was promised the holy lands. Bethany Beyond the Jordan is considered the site of Jesus’ baptism and is the other major religious site in the region. Nebo is nearest to Madaba and Bethany is closest to the Dead Sea but both can easily be included when travelling between these 2 locations or Amman.
Ma’in Hot Springs – for visitors who want to spend a relaxing day, the resorts along side the Dead Sea have some of the best resorts in the country. The Ma’in hot springs along with Wadi Mujib are the best excursions after the Dead Sea itself for those who want to leave the pool area.
Breakdown of costs and where you can save
Flights: Jordan is increasingly well connected to Europe. Particularly during winter months when budget airlines re-route their excess capacity of aircraft to Amman and Aqaba. During summer months flights can be found for JOD100. Throughout winter prices are as low as JOD20. Consider the benefits of arriving to each airport.
Visa and Jordan Pass: Most visitors to Jordan will need to pay JOD40 for a visa. The main ways to minimise this cost is either by arriving in Aqaba, which is exempt, or buying the Jordan Pass prior to arrival.
Food: There are a number of unique local dishes for visitors to experience during their visit to Jordan. Expect to pay around JOD12 for a simple restaurant meal, and it is worth trying genuine local foodie favourites. Falafel sandwiches and local restaurants away from the tourist hubs can significantly reduce this cost.
Shopping: There are large bazaars downtown with most visitors purchasing beauty products, spices and scarfs. Prices are significantly lower than in Europe.
Transport: Uber and Careem are most reliable options within the city, cheap to get around and avoid hassle of negotiating fares. Public transport is limited in Jordan, often the most economic and efficient approach is to rent a car. Buses between many locations run only once a day, however taxis are relatively affordable. If you are on an intensive itinerary, a car will provide more flexibility an ensure you keep your schedule. You will be able to reach more sites and will pay less than with taxis. If you are on a more relaxed schedule and plan to get to know each destination better, then a rental car may not be advisable. Given intercity taxis are relatively affordable, the unused days of the rental car would be surpassed and the frequent buses between Amman and Aqaba could be used for the only long journey on your itinerary.
Souvenirs: If you are looking for authentic local souvenirs then you will need to do your research. There are groups like the womens cooperative in Wadi Rum that produce local handmade traditional products. However predominantly most souvenirs are generic replicas. These replicas are significantly cheaper and serve as nice reminders of your travels in Jordan. Generally you will find identical items throughout the country and the best value is found at the markets in downtown Amman where you can effectively negotiate the price.
Amman: Downtown Amman will be the most expensive stop on your itinerary. But it is important to stay downtown to enjoy the buzz of the city as well as the best food and local bazaars. The majority of tourist attractions are also located in the downtown area. If you have the Jordan Pass %link% you will save on entry. Dali is a hip, popular bar to interact with locals.
Location specific advice
Petra: Entry covered in Jordan Pass, limited dining options inside site, so pack your own lunch.
Wadi Rum: Details on all costs for your stay. Most sites and Protected Area inaccessible without 4×4, therefore tour is required. Alternative is to walk yourself. Although there are many notable sites in Wadi Rum the main attraction is the landscapes.
Aqaba: Tax free zone so alcohol, cigarettes and some consumer goods are cheaper than the rest of the country.
Dead Sea: You will need to shower after swimming in the dead sea. As such most visitors pay the resort fees for access to the best entry points, use the prepared mud ponds and shower with towels provided. For those who want to save there is an access point used by locals (31.60087,35.562193) where you can scramble down to the water. It is not as picturesque as the resort locations and requires some effort to descend and ascend. However there is a natural hot spring intersecting with a river by the road. Unfortunately tourists leave a lot of rubbish but there is a shallow pool where the hot and cold water mix which is perfect to rinse off. You can move closer to either of the sources to adjust the temperature. Make sure to wear flip flops or sandals as the salt forming on the rocks is very sharp.