October, 2022
A long-cherished wish came true and we could finally travel to Jordan. We travelled mid October and the climate is very pleasant at this time of year. Jordan is a country of hikers and historians, scientists and culture lovers, nature fanatics and yoga-fans. Whatever your thing, you'll find your soulmate here. But one thing is certain, if you ever get the chance, you have to see Jordan with your own eyes...
Where we stayed & our itinerary (4-days roadtrip)
Day 1: Queen Alia International Airport Amman - Mount Nebo - Dead Sea - Ma’in Hot Springs - Wadi AlMujib - Wadi Dana Biosphere Reserve. Total km: 225
Overnight: Dana Tower Hotel
Day 2: Dana - Little Petra – "Lost City of Petra”. Total km: 55
Overnight: Over Mountains Hotel Petra
Day 3: Petra - Wadi Rum. Total km: 116
Overnight: Rahayed Desert Camp
Day 4: Wadi Rum - Amman Airport. Total km: 295
Completed road trip Jordan: approx. 700 km
Car rental: Sixth
Useful to know
Traveling in Jordan
Jordan is one of the easiest Middle Eastern countries to travel in. Safe, friendly, simple transportation options, and very visitor-oriented. We rented a car at the airport and it was very easy to come around. Roads are generally good, traffic outside Amman is light and GPS works well. If you want freedom and comfort; car rental is the best option.The distances in Jordan aren’t very large, so you can visit quite a lot in a short amount of time.
Jordan pass
You need a visa to enter Jordan. You can apply online (e-visa). We recommend this pass:
(1) if you are visiting Petra (1-day entry)
(2) if you stay 3+ nights (then it will save you money)
(3) it gives you free access to over 40 tourist attractions
(4) you avoid paying the 40 JOD visa fee. The pass costs 70 JOD and you can purchase the pass online.
Traditional values
Jordan is modern and welcoming, but it’s still a Muslim-majority country with traditional values. Jordan does not require tourists to wear hijab or Islamic dress. However, modest clothing is recommended both for comfort and respect—meaning covering shoulders, chest cleavage, and upper thighs, especially in certain religious or rural areas. Tip for ladies: carry a light scarf; it’s useful for sun protection, wind, and visiting mosques or conservative neighborhoods.
Our highlights
-
Mount Nebo
-
Dead Sea - Ma’in Hot Springs - Wadi AlMujib
-
Wadi Dana Biosphere Reserve
-
The Nabataean city of Petra; Little Petra &The Monastery
-
Wadi Rum
Here is the route map of our roadtrip through Jordan.
Completed road trip through Jordan: approximately 700 km of unforgettable landscapes, desert highways, ancient cities, and breathtaking views.
Mount Nebo
Dead Sea
Dana Reserve
Petra
Wadi Rum
On August 22, 1812, Swiss traveler and orientalist Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, in the disguise of an Arab-traveler, discovered the ruins of the ancient city of Petra, one of the most compelling archaeological sites in existence, in today's Jordan. Known today as one of the seven world wonders!
Dead Sea
Day 1: Start roadtrip
We landed in Amman at 7am (after a 3-hour flight from Dubai) and after our car rental pick up, we went straight to Mount Nebo, mentioned in the Old Testament as the place where Moses was granted a view of the Promised Land before his death.
Mount Nebo
The view from the summit offers a panorama of the West Bank across the Jordan Valley. The city of Jericho is usually visible from the summit, as is Jerusalem on a very clear day.
After visiting this sacred place, a coffee and breakfast, we hit the road again for a salty float at the lowest point on earth - the Dead Sea.
Dead Sea
We went for a swim, but got no further than bobbing on our backs.
Ma'in hot springs
To wash off the salt, we jumped into Ma'in hot springs, with several waterfalls, each with a temperature of 30-37 degrees in a Roman bath setting. We bought some snacks at the local shop to keep us going to our finish destination for the day.
We stopped at Wadi Almujib, a beauty among all the wadis we saw.
Dana Biosphere Reserve
We ended the day with a perfect sunset over Wadi Dana Biosphere Reserve and stayed overnight at Dana Tower Hotel.
This hotel was built in the ruins of Dana, after the earthquake in the early 1900s. Dana is an example of what Arab villages looked like in the late 1800s. Located within the Dana Biosphere Reserve, the once abandoned village has been given a second life in recent years by a growing ecotourism sector. We stayed in one of the former houses that have been restored into a cute ecolodge.
Sunrise Dana Biosphere Reserve
Day 2: Perfect start
The day started magnificent with a beautiful sunrise over of the Wadi Araba wilderness at Dana Biosphere Reserve.
On to Petra
After enjoying a local breakfast, we set out along King’s Highway (35), a route traveled for more than 5,000 years.
It was finally time for the crown jewel of our journey: the ancient city of Petra, often called 'the lost city', tucked away in Wadi Musa.
Dating back to 312 BC, this archaeological wonder lay hidden for centuries until it was rediscovered in 1812 by Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, a Swiss traveler.
He captured Petra’s majesty in words, describing it as follows:
“It seems no work of Man's creative hand, by labour wrought as wavering fancy planned. But from the rock as if by magic grown, eternal, silent, beautiful, alone.…. a rose-red city half as old as time“. (Johann Ludwig Burckhardt)
Little Petra
We decided to hike from the North gate to Petra Visitors Center which starts in ‘little Petra’, as the name suggests, is Petra's smaller sister.
Hiking to The Monastery
A 4x4 jeep dropped us off (after quite a long drive through the desert) at the higher north gate where ‘the back door hiking route to the Monastery‘ starts.
A tough hike (+/-2 km) on the ridge of the mountains, that mesmerized us with stunning views Wadi Araba around each corner and over every peak.
Donkeys were there to help us but we wanted to do this ourselves.
After about a 45-minute hike, we reached The Monastery, where we took a little break at the cute 'As Deir Café' to soak in this serene place.
The Monastery Petra
Pilgrimage
From here we hopped on the Ad-Deir monastery trail (+/-2 km) to the ancient city of Petra, which is over 2000 years old, and The Qasr al-Bint, a religious temple in the Nabataean city of Petra.
This trail led us down 900 steps and it felt like a pilgrimage with so many people going up and down the monastery trail.
Along the way we passed several stalls where merchants tried to sell their Arabic souvenirs and goods.
The lost city of Petra
After arriving at the ancient city of Petra, we followed the main trail (+/-4 km) via Colonnaded Street to the Treasury, taking in the Great temple, the Theatre and the Royal Tombs.
This breathtaking UNESCO site, which is one of the ancient worlds' seven wonders, felt unreal to us.
The Siq
We continued on through the gorgeous Siq, a narrow gorge that leads to the Petra Visitor Center.
After this rewarding 8-km walk, we went to Over Mountains Hotel where we had booked a room. Ahmad, the owner, was already waiting for us with tea and Jordanian sweets. We had a fantastic dinner at Al Wadi Restaurant, which was within walking distance of our hotel.
The Siq
Day 3: On to Wadi Rum
After a delicious breakfast (with pancakes), we jumped in the car on our way to our final destination of this road trip: Wadi Rum, also known as the ‘Valley of the Moon’ or ‘Mars on Earth’. With reddish sand and mountains looking like the arid, red surface of Mars, Wadi Rum is a Hollywood favorite for movies set on the red planet.
We booked a private jeep and our driver Ahmad showed us all the beautiful spots:
Lawrence’s Spring Rock Cliffs
We walked into high reddish cliffs (gorge) with a small spring and green patch. Beautiful colors and formations.
Burrah Canyon Little Bridge Arch
Wadi Rum is famous for its spectacular rock formations, created by millions of years of wind and sandstone erosion.
To reach the top of the natural rock arch, we followed a short and relatively easy climb over smooth sandstone. The ascent only took a few minutes, but it added a little sense of adventure to the experience. Once at the top, we were rewarded with sweeping, panoramic views over the vast red sands of Wadi Rum. The dramatic rock formations, endless desert landscape, and ever-changing shades of orange and red made the effort more than worthwhile. Standing there, surrounded by silence and open space, felt both exhilarating and peaceful at the same time.
Mushroom Rock
This is a naturally shaped stone mushroom. We also had to do a little climb to reach the top. It was also great fun for the kids (climbing and clambering).
Jabal Umm Fruth Rock Bridge
This natural rock arch is a bit more difficult to reach: a 5- to 10-minute climb. The arch isn't very wide either, so standing on it is quite nerve-wracking. A quick few photos and back to the wider section...!
Sunset
Wadi Rum is famous for its breathtaking sunsets, and the view from the soft red sand dunes certainly didn’t disappoint — it was absolutely stunning. As the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, the desert lit up in deep shades of orange, pink, and gold, creating a magical and almost surreal atmosphere. It was one of those moments where time seems to stand still.
Overnight
We spent the night in a traditional Bedouin tent at Rahayed Desert Camp deep in the breathtaking desert of Wadi Rum. The experience felt authentic and serene from the moment we arrived.
Dinner was absolutely delicious—freshly prepared and full of local flavors, enjoyed under the open desert sky. Later, as darkness settled in, the stars appeared brighter than we had ever seen before. With no city lights around, we simply couldn’t stop gazing up. The silence, the vastness, and the peaceful atmosphere made it an unforgettable night.
Day 4: Sunrise and back to DXB
We got up at 6:30am to watch the sunrise. Just beautiful! We went for a walk and climbed on the rocks. Then we had breakfast at the camp and packed the bags for our return trip to Dubai.
From Wadi Rum, we drove straight back to the airport, enjoying our final views of the desert landscape along the way. We picked up a quick lunch for the road and returned our rental car to Sixt before heading to the terminal. At 16:45, we boarded our flight back to Dubai.
It was a perfect road trip through Jordan — filled with rich history, dramatic landscapes, biblical stories, adventure, and plenty of laughter. Petra was just one of the many highlights on this action-packed journey, and the memories will stay with us for a long time.
Create Your Own Website With JouwWeb