Highlights of Jordan: Petra, Wadi Rum, Dead Sea, & More - 14 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Amman

Welcome to Jordan! Depending on your arrival details, your driver will collect you from the Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA) or a border and take you into Amman and to your hotel. If you arrive in the morning, spend the day at your leisure touring the capital's main attractions in old Amman, including the L-shaped Jabal al Qal'a (Amman Citadel), the 2nd-century RomanTheater, the historic Temple of Hercules, and the great souks (markets), in particular, the Jara souk.

Day 2: Drive to Ajloun - Explore Jerash 

Meet your driver after breakfast and head an hour north to explore the impressive Roman ruins of Jerash. Stroll down the north-south Colonnaded Street (or "cardo maximus" as it is known in Latin) to climb the steps of the remarkable Temple of Artemis, the highlight of Jerash, before you take in the excellent acoustics of the South Theater with a performance of traditional Jordanian bagpipers.

Find your way to the restaurant on site for lunch before continuing the 40 minutes west to the town of Ajloun in the highlands. Here you will discover the 12th-century Ajloun Castle, a fortress built to guard the surrounding three wadis (a valley or dry riverbed). In the late afternoon, you will have time to explore the Ajloun Forest Reserve before checking into your cabins on the reserve for your overnight stay.

Day 3: Drive to Pella & Umm Qais – Return to Amman

After breakfast, you'll continue the 40-minute drive north to the Roman ruins of Pella on the Jordan-Israel border to wander the sprawling complex. Next, you'll drive another 40 minutes to Umm Qais in the northwest of the country. Together with Pella, both ancient cities make up two of the 10 Decapolis cities of the Roman Empire. Lose yourself amid the ruins taking in the stunning panoramic vistas of the Yarmouk River gorge and the Sea of Galilee (sometimes referred to as Sea of Tiberius) in the distance.

Return to your hotel in Amman (2.5 hours).

Day 4: Drive to Petra - Explore Karak & Shoubak 

Leave early this morning and head south toward Petra. Along the way, you’ll stop at Karak (2 hours) to visit the expansive Crusader castle, one of the largest in the Levant (a sizeable geographical area in the Eastern Mediterranean). From there, you’ll carry on down the ancient trade route commonly referred to as the Kings Highway to your second Crusader castle of the day, Montreal Castle in Shoubak (2 hours). In the late afternoon, you'll drive the short distance to Petra and your accommodation.

Day 5: Full day in Petra

Spend the day experiencing this ancient Nabataean city. Walk through the Siq, the three-quarter-mile narrow gorge (1.2 km) that opens up to the famous Khazneh (or Treasury), carved into the sandstone cliff. Then explore the Street of Facades, a row of monumental Nabataean tombs, as you work your way to the steps that lead you to the High Place of Sacrifice, one of the better-preserved altars of its kind. Take in the view of Wadi Musa below and if you have the energy, why not climb up the additional 800 steps to Petra's largest monument, the Monastery.

After a full day of exploration, sit down with a local family, and enjoy a traditional meal while gleaning further insight into Jordanian culture and customs.

Day 6: Drive to Wadi Rum

Meet your local Bedouin guide at your hotel lobby this morning and load into your 4WD to the starting point of a rugged, but scenic route that will bring you to an alternative entrance to the Monastery. After a second look, you'll leave Petra behind and transfer to Wadi Rum, where you will have the peaceful experience of spending the night in a tented Bedouin camp, sleeping under a blanket of stars.

Day 7: Explore Wadi Rum

After breakfast, you'll have the fun opportunity to go on a three-hour camel ride for a unique way to experience the expansive wadi. Return to camp for lunch and a rest before heading out on a jeep tour of the desert. Drive through valleys and canyons and stop at several sites to hike and scramble. 

You'll spend another night in Wadi Rum, this time in a tentalow at Khaled's Camp.

Day 8: Explore Wadi Rum – Drive to Aqaba

Start your morning early with a four-hour jeep tour of Wadi Rum's famous attractions as you follow in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia. You'll climb over red dunes, through rock bridges, and over rock canyons to discover millennia-old rock inscriptions, petroglyphs, and fantastic photo opportunities. You'll even visit the ruins of a building erected on an old Nabataean cistern believed to be where Lawrence hid out during the Arab Revolt (1917-1918). Meanwhile, enjoy sweeping views of the mountains and gorges in the background.

In the afternoon your driver will bring you to Jordan's only coastal city, Aqaba (1-2 hours) where you can spot the city lights of nearby Israel and Egypt.

Day 9: Full day in Aqaba

Today is yours to spend as you choose. Relax on a beach and go swimming to cool off, or head to Tala Bay to enjoy one of the private beaches available. The more adventurous might enjoy snorkeling, or scuba diving to check out the marine wildlife as well as explore old shipwrecks. If getting wet isn't for you, sign up for a walking tour of downtown Aqaba and do a little gift and souvenir shopping at the same time. 

Day 10: Drive to Dana Biosphere Reserve

After a relaxed morning, your driver will take you to the Dana Biosphere Reserve (2.5 hours). Jordan's largest nature reserve, you'll visit the 15th-century stone village of Dana where you can take in views of Wadi Dana and Wadi Araba. If there are time and interest, there's the option to go on a short hike through part of the nature reserve before checking into your accommodation for the evening.

Day 11: Wadi Mujib hike - Drive to the Dead Sea

Meet your driver this morning for an early start and head north to the mountainous landscape of Wadi Mujib, the "Grand Canyon of Jordan" (2 hours). Together with your guide, you will trek the Siq Trail—a hike through the narrow river gorge where you can expect to get wet (open April to October). After your excursion, you will continue east along a road offering stunning views of the Jordan Valley as you work your way to the lowest point on earth: the Dead Sea.

Day 12: Full day at the Dead Sea

Today is yours to experience all that the Dead Sea has to offer. Take a dip in the sea's calm, salty waters, or soak up the sun from the sandy expanse of Ein Bokek beach. Alternatively, visit one of the spas for a wellness treatment like a massage or mineral-rich mud wrap. 

Day 13: Drive to Madaba - Discover Mount Nebo 

Today you visit the market town of Madaba (one hour away). Along the way, you'll stop at Mount Nebo for breathtaking views over the Dead Sea as well as to check out the site where Moses is reputed to be buried. In the early afternoon, you will reach Madaba, where you will spend some time discovering the beautiful Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics and the well-preserved mosaic-rich churches, like the Church of the Virgin Mary.

Day 14: Depart Madaba

Time to say farewell to your Jordan holiday. Depending on your departure details you may wish to complete any last minute souvenir shopping in the street markets of Madaba before transferring to the AIAI airport in Amman (or to a border crossing) for your onward journey.