An 8-Day Itinerary of Jordan Highlights

Arrive at Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) in Amman and transfer to your hotel. During check-in, ask for a quick tour of the hotel (if this isn’t already offered), so you have your bearings for the duration of your stay.

Meet your guide for a walking food tour—the perfect way to immerse yourself in the culture by eating where the locals eat while exploring the bustling streets of downtown. If your arrival flight lands late afternoon, you may want to defer this tour to the evening of the following day.

A visit to Amman wouldn’t be complete without stopping to get kunafa at Habibah Sweets. This popular spot always has a long line of locals and tourists alike waiting to get the popular traditional dessert.

Head out to the city of Jerash with a private driver to explore one of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world. The drive takes less than an hour and I highly recommend arriving when the site opens at 8am as you will have the place all to yourself—or at least close to it—which is pretty special. It’s no surprise why this is the second-most visited site in Jordan after Petra.

Make your way back to Amman for visits to the Roman Theater and the Citadel. Visit the 6,000-seat Roman Theater, which is one of the most famous historical sites in Amman. Walk around the Citadel ruins high above the city where you will find the Temple of Hercules and one of the best panoramic views of the city and its monochromatic buildings.

The last stop of the day is to the King Abdullah I Mosque. This beautiful mosque with its distinctive blue dome can be seen from all over the city. A strict dress code is enforced. Men must wear long pants and women must have their head, legs and arms covered. Hooded gowns are provided, if needed.

If you like checking off lists, this day is for you! After a leisurely breakfast, your driver will transport you to one of the Seven Wonders of the World and the crown jewel of Jordan—the ancient city of Petra. Arrive in the afternoon, check into your hotel, and begin exploring the site. The walk from the Visitors Center to the Treasury is 1.2 miles. There are also golf cart transfers available for visitors with mobility challenges. Once you reach the entrance to this ancient city, Bedouin guides are plentiful and you can negotiate a price for one to take you up to one of the lookout points for that classic photo of the Treasury, the iconic facade of Petra.

The early bird gets the best views. Arrive at the site as early as possible. This will be the best time to get unobstructed photos of the Treasury, and it is pretty peaceful during the early mornings. The site opens at 6am and the big tour busses start to arrive around 9am. Once the busses arrive, the experience will be much different.

While the sun is still low in the sky, start the uphill hike to the Monastery— Petra’s most impressive facade. Be aware this hike includes climbing 850 steps. Not up for the climb? No problem. There are plenty of archaeological wonders to see without the elevation. If you really want to see the Monastery, but without the hike, there are donkeys that can carry you the distance, but there is controversy around riding the animals within Petra due to the poor treatment they receive.

Ready for an epic adventure? After breakfast, get on the road to Wadi Rum and see with your own eyes what Mars must look like! You’ll undoubtedly recognize this stretch of desert from the many movies that have been filmed here. The landscape here is breathtaking!

Explore the vast Wadi Rum desert during an all-day Jeep tour with a Bedouin guide. Spend the day exploring the beautiful sites of this red-rippled desert. Enjoy an authentic Bedouin lunch. For one of the most unique accommodations you’ll find, stay in one of the luxurious “bubble tents”, where you can see the Milky Way as you lay in bed!

Wadi Rum is magical. It's mesmerizing, and it will never leave you even long after you return home.

Before departing Wadi Rum, start the morning on a hot air balloon ride or a camel ride… or both!

An hour’s drive away is the only port city in Jordan—Aqaba. Enjoy a glass-bottom boat tour of the Red Sea. Have a leisurely lunch before heading to your hotel at the Dead Sea for a relaxing late afternoon and evening.

Cover yourself in therapeutic mud and float in the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, with a clear view of Israel in the backdrop. The best way to access the Dead Sea is to stay at one of the hotels located along the shore and use its private beach.

If Biblical history interests you, Bethany Beyond the Jordan is the baptism site of Jesus. This guided tour walks you to the baptism location as well as to the River Jordan, where you’ll be able to dip your toes in if you’d like. The river is the border between Jordan and the West Bank, so it is heavily guarded to prevent illegal crossings.

Another notable spot with Biblical significance is Mt. Nebo, which will put you in the place where Moses looked out on to the Promised Land just before his death. The vantage point allows panoramic views of the Dead Sea, Bethlehem and if the skies are clear, even Jerusalem.

After hotel check-out, your driver will transport you back to Amman for your return trip home.