This is the last Friday in this fascinating
country. We’ve enjoyed the pleasure of its people, culture, and beauty. Jordan
is a great country for lots of reasons, but perhaps mostly because it is so
compact and achievable. We’ve had the great opportunity to share with guests as
well. Even though you may have missed your chance to visit with us, We
thought we could leave you with our ideal itinerary for a visit of 7 to 14 days
to help you or your guests get the maximum out of your stay. You should
definitely consider tackling some of this list.
First, get travel insurance. The world is a dangerous and unpredictable
place, and getting to care or safety can be super expensive anywhere. One crazy
driver and you can bankrupt yourself. It could be well worth the hundred bucks
or so.
Next, get the Jordan Pass. You can only get this online before you arrive. It will cover
your entry visa and entry to most of the sites below. If you go to Petra, the
price will pay for itself. The visa you receive does allow you to enter Israel
and return within a two week period.
Once you arrive, make your way to your hotel in
Amman. Plan to stay here for few days. Stretch your legs. Sleep off the jet lag. There are most major hotel chains. All are
nice, though the Marriott is a little far away from stuff.
Do you like gladiator movies? If you’re coming
from the States, you’ll be up early from jet lag anyway. Start early on your
first day. Hire a driver and/or guide, we have used Go
Jordan Tours for ourselves and our
guests and been very happy, and head to Jerash. It’s about an hour north of Amman and contains some of the most
complete Roman ruins to be found anywhere. Your guide should be able to
give you some history since the dawn of recorded time and lots of good basic
knowledge about how and why the Romans did what they did. Count on about 2-3
hours depending on how fast you walk and how many questions you have.
If you time it right, it’ll be close to lunch
time. Hop back on the car and head to Lebanese
House for lunch. Nearly
all their food looks good, but some highlights include Makdous, Moutabal, and
shish Tawouk. Don’t eat the falafel
though, you’ll be having this for dinner.
Show your Jordan Pass
and get your ticket at the bottom of the hill and walk or drive up to the
castle. This being the land of crusaders, you’re never more than a camel’s
spitting distance away from a castle of some sort. I like Ajloun because it’s
seems to be the most intact and the best curated and labeled, so things are in
context. Wander clear to the top for some impressive views. Let your kids climb
and roam a bit.
If you’re staying in Jordan for a couple weeks,
consider booking nearby into Umm Qais B & B . A Nice little project with an amazing breakfast. If you
pre-schedule it they can send you down the road to a home cooked family meal
that is quite lovely. Get up the next morning and see Umm Qais, another
Roman ruin with good views of the Sea of Galilee, Israel and Syria. Plan to
have lunch at the Umm Qais Rest House for good food and a great view.
If you don’t have the time, head back from
Ajloun to Amman. After a brief rest,
head to Hashem for dinner. It’s not much to look at but has been around for
years and is billed as the oldest restaurant in Jordan, serving a simple
falafel meal to anyone 24/7. It is the Waffle House of Arabic food. It will be,
without a doubt the cheapest meal you’ll have in Jordan. They speak reasonable
English. There isn’t really a menu, just nod to whatever they say, you’ll be
satisfied. It will open your mind to what falafel should be along with moutabal
, hummous, foul, fresh pita and scalding hot mint tea. Try and ask for some of
the big (kibear) falafel you will thank us later.
After dinner, walk out of Hashem and turn left.
Walk a block or two down the main street. This is the Souk area, so there is
lots of activity here. Lots of people watching and souvenir opportunities. You’re
looking on the left hand side for an alley. There is a book kiosk on the
corner. Just find the line. This is Habiba Sweets. Stand in line. When you get to the window, ask for a 100
gram slice of knafe. Pay your money and go gather your little plate. Eat it
there in the alley before it gets cold. It’s not as good when it’s cold.
Head home it’s been a long day.
If you’ve got some time in Amman, The Jordan Museum is a great collection and explains more about the area. They also
have some of the Dead Sea scrolls which you should see since you came all this
way.
The
Citadel is also nice.
Interesting mosque and ruins as well as a museum, and a great view of the city.
A guide can be helpful and should run about 20jd. It’ll take an hour or two to
see it all. Once finished, wind your way down to the Roman
Amphitheater. There are signs, but
just keep, heading down hill you’ll run into it. It’s still in use for concerts
and performances. If you’re in town during one, catch it. Just like the
Romans did way back when.
In the evening wander down Rainbow
Street, Amman’s main tourist
street. Compared to others in the world, it is not much, but it’s theirs and
there are some shisha joints and restaurants to try and an amazing view of the
city and the The Citadel . For a nice meal try Soufra or Cantaloupe. If you’re there on a Friday in the summer, Souk
Jara is a nice street market that goes until late.
Don’t be up too late, you’ve got a busy day ahead!
After a good breakfast, grab your car or guide
and head to Mt Nebo in near by Madaba.
It's about a 45 minutes drive. Read up
on your Moses before you come especially about all the wandering he did. Mt
Nebo is where it all ended for old Mo. He came, he saw, he died. There is a great
set of mosaics inside the church there. They just finished restoring them and
it’s well worth a look. Allow an hour or two.
You can head into Madaba proper if you’ve the
time. The St. George’s church has the oldest map of Jerusalem in its mosaic floor. There is a small presentation. You can
eat lunch in town and shop for mosaics and other things. Haret
Jdouna it right down the
street from St. George's and has great food if you are looking for a relaxing
meal.
Back in the car. You’re descending around
4000 feet to the Dead Sea. One of the lowest points on earth, the totally dead
body of water is disappearing, so take it in while you can. For the tourists,
check into one of the hotels, all have spas and beach access. We can recommend
both the Marriott and the Movenpick. Head down to the water, slather yourselves in mud, grab a
newspaper and your camera for the prototypical, floating on the Dead Sea pic.
Instagram that sucker and then go rinse off. Go relax in the regular pools or
have a spa treatment. Mrs. S.A.M can vouch for the spas at both of the above
hotels.
If you’re in a time crunch, most of the hotels
have day passes that allow use of the pool and beach and may include a meal.
Ammon Beach is just down the road and is the beach the locals use. It is
cheaper and is definitely a cultural experience.
If you’ve got time, I’d stay in the Dead Sea hotel
for two nights. If it’s between April and December, go hike Wadi
Mujib. There are lots of
hikes along the Dead Sea, but Mujib is the coolest. It will cost you around
25JD. Prepare to be wet and prepare to work. It is less a hike than a
salmon spawn. You and some placed guides
will haul your carcass up and over several waterfalls to the end. The whole
hike is about 2 hours, but you’ll think you’ve hiked 4. This will be a
high point!
If you’re more sedate and spiritually inclined,
you can also try The
Baptism Site. You need cash here, as
your Jordan pass won’t work. You are also required to take the bus and the
guide, because you’re getting dangerously close to Israel here. You can see
where The Son of God was baptized according to the Greeks and the Catholics who
so deem it. You can see Israel about 12 feet away. If you want, you can even
baptize yourself. Holy water is for sale on site, to take home to your friends.
If this story has meaning for you, you will enjoy. If not, you will think it
looks like a reedy puddle and will wonder about all the fuss.
From the Dead Sea, you’ve got a two or three
hour drive ahead of you, so plan for that. As always in Jordan, it’s best to
stay off the roads after dark. Your next step is the town of Dana in the Dana
Biosphere Reserve. This place is situated
at the top of several canyons. There are a couple of camps ranging from spartan
to a little less spartan and a lodge. They all include dinner and breakfast.
You can ask for a room with lights or just a tent. You can even sleep under the
stars. The meals are ample and Arab and largely free of choice. We like it.
Eat, sing, play games by candlelight or go stargazing. But don’t be up too
late. Tomorrow is a big day.
Today you’re headed to the Feynan
Ecolodge. There are a couple
ways to get there. The Wadi Dana hike is the less strenuous 6-hours. The Wadi
Gweheir hike is 8-10 hours and is beautiful. The latter requires a guide and
some physical ability as there is some scrambling and minor rappelling. If
you’re able, this is highly recommended. A guide will help point out
some of the animals and history. Bonus points if you find a blue headed lizard.
Your camp can provide a box lunch. Take plenty of water. They should also be
able to provide that, unfortunately it’ll be in single use plastic bottles.
If you’re self driving, you can pay a Bedouin to
drive the car down to Feynan for you. If it’s not a high clearance vehicle, you’ll
need to carry some clothes and toiletries for your night at the lodge, as
they’ll need to leave your car in the town. You can catch a ride in the
morning. Otherwise, just leave your bags in the car, it will be parked right at
the lodge. Oh yeah...Start the day early.
Feynan Ecolodge is a super cool destination and
a great place to relax after your long hike. There is minimal electricity, and
the place is largely cell signal-free. Dinner is served at 7 by
candlelight. Indeed the whole place is via candlelight at night except your
bathroom. BYOB if you want. If you still want to walk or stay the next day they
can take you for a sunset hike or over to a Bedouin tent for a bread making
lesson. Later in the evening they pull out some mattresses on the roof along
with a telescope for some stargazing. I always fall asleep. It is the
best! Breakfast starts at 7 AM. And
includes the finest falafels you will eat your entire trip. Mrs. S.A.M. has
been known to go back for seconds and thirds.
After breakfast, load up the car. It is
onward to Petra! This will take an hour or two over some pretty nice roads and
views. You have to climb all the way back up to where you hiked from.
In the town of Petra, we like to stay at one of
three places. The
Movenpick is right across the
street from the entrance and is pretty posh. Nice breakfast included and nice
rooftop lounge that is open in the warmer months.
The Petra Guest House is right at the entrance. It is Holiday Inn Express level.
Comfortable with a mediocre breakfast. Location is the best thing it has to
offer.
The
Marriott is really nice with
awesome sunset views. The downside is that you’re trapped outside of town
requiring a drive and parking to get into Petra proper. Not a dealbreaker, but
factor it in.
If you can spend a couple days in Petra, do it.
There is lots to see. If I had to choose, I would hike in from the back
entrance at Little Petra. This way you can see Little Petra, hike up to the
Monastery and out the front. It is pretty spectacular. It’s a long day if
you walk the whole thing. Some guide companies can drive you part of the way.
On your way out stop at The
Cave Bar, ostensibly the oldest
bar in the world. They have good and cold drinks. The food is decidedly
average. Eat elsewhere. We recommend The
Oriental Restaurant. It is not Chinese
food.
The following day you can enter through the
front entrance and see the dramatic entrance to the Treasury just like Indiana
Jones did way back when. Then see the royal tombs or hike up to the place of
high sacrifice or other hikes.
If you only have one day in Petra, enter via the
front. Aim to make it all the way to the Monastery. You can walk the 850
steps up or pay for a donkey for the hard part. Negotiate it. It should be between 5 and 10JD. Both walking
or donkey have their drawbacks.
A word about Petra By Night. Three nights
a week they light up the path and the whole Treasury with thousands of candles.
The photos look cool. It costs extra and is not covered by your Jordan
Pass. If you can get in early, it is amazingly magical.
How do you get in early? We used the
guides at Go Jordan to hike with us during the day. They have connections.
Through them they walk you in early while they’re still lighting the
candles. They sit you off to the side and you have the place entirely to
yourself. It is quiet and calm and oh, so cool. 45 minutes later your party is
crashed by 1000 strangers jostling for a place on the ground. There is some
music and a small speech and then everyone gets up and trounces back. Children
are lost, babies are crying. The entertainment is cheesy, but buying the time
by yourself is spectacular. I wouldn’t do it again unless I could get there
first. But if you go with Go Jordan Tours, the night experience is worth the guide price you pay for the
rest of your Petra visit.
In preparation, it’s good to watch Lawrence of
Arabia. Probably good to watch it anyway before your trip. There are lots of
ways to do this place. Here is our favourite. We book in with Bedouin
Lifestyle Camps. These guys are great.
Super flexible, accommodating and good cooks to boot. Plan to get there by 9,
but 10 is okay if there is summer lighting. You can do a short camel ride into
the desert and then a Jeep tour for the rest of the day. Lunch is included.
In the evening, you can choose to stay at their
desert camp with dinner and a music show, or pay a little extra and sleep under
the stars. Do yourselves a favor, sleep under the stars. The guys will find a
secluded site that is all yours. They throw some mattresses and some blankets
down on a mat, start a fire, light some candles and your guide prepares a feast
from scratch in an hour or two. You can explore or relax. Then as it gets
dark you can count the stars until you fall asleep. Wake in the night and watch
the constellations twirl overhead all night. People may worry about wildlife,
but don’t worry. Nothing will bother you.
In the morning they drive you to the camp to
clean up and eat breakfast. Then they drive you back to your car. Another option
is the hour long camel ride. It is beautiful for the first 30 minutes. The the
wooden saddle will greatly degrade your sense of wonder.
There are a number of camps in Wadi Rum. You’ll
see photos of glass domes and air conditioning and comfy beds. Those are a
different kind of experience. You’ll pay more and get less.
Hit the southernmost point on this trip in
Aqaba. We like the Movenpick
at Tala Bay. It is out of town and
you’re trapped at the resort, but it’s a very nice resort with good food and
great staff. It’s a relaxing way to wind down after all the hiking and
dust you’ve been through. There’s a nice spa. And a dive shop on site. Sign up
for a dive with Sinai Divers or rent some snorkel equipment and go explore the Red Sea, some
of the best diving in the world. Stay for a couple days. You earned it!
It’s about a 5 hour drive back to the airport,
so your flight time will determine your last day. If you want to wind your way
back slowly, you can stop at Shobak
Castle or Karak
Castle or both! Karak is
the more famous, Shobak, I think, is the more imposing.
If you’ve followed this itinerary to the letter,
you’ve already ticked off a number of World Heritage Sites. If you want one
more, Umm Al
Rasas is on the way. Roman
and earlier ruins, with some great mosaics. There are also some ascetic pillars
nearby.
There is the usual duty free shopping at the
airport, but don’t dawdle. If you’re headed directly back to the U.S., there is
an extra screening where they rifle through all your belongings. This takes
time. They line up early, so plan accordingly. Flights through Europe are less
strict.
And there you have it! Mr and Mrs. S.A.M’s
ultimate trip to Jordan. Do it all or do it in part, but buy travel insurance
and do this trip!!
