Are you visiting Jordan and renting a car to get around? Well, you’ve chosen perfectly! The best way to see everything the country has to offer is by driving it. In this post, we’ll go over the ultimate itinerary for your road trip to Jordan.
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If you want to have the most extraordinary time traveling in Jordan, you’ll need the perfect itinerary. Luckily, you’ve already chosen to rent a car – that’s the first step! This surely is the best and easiest way to get around!
All of Jordan’s must-see places and attractions are on this itinerary. So you can be certain you’ll have the most terrific road trip through this Middle Eastern country.
Whether you’re excited about floating in the Dead Sea, riding camels in Wadi Rum, or gawking at the ancient city of Petra, I’ve got you covered! Here is the perfect week-long Jordan road trip itinerary.
About Jordan
Jordan is a rather small country located in the Middle East. It’s become a popular tourist destination because of Petra but there is more to see than just that. Wadi Rum is also a spectacular desert to explore and camp in.
Jordan also has the privilege of access to the Dead Sea. The only other country to border the Dead Sea is Israel. Visiting and floating in the Dead Sea is a must! It was one of the many highlights of my trip there.
Even though Jordan is in the Middle East, it is a very safe country with friendly locals. They are helpful if you have any questions and like to get to know tourists. I found Jordan to feel way safer and more hospitable than Egypt.
Best Time To Visit
The best time to visit Jordan is either in the Spring or Autumn as the weather is manageable this time of year. Summers tend to have scorching high temperatures which makes outdoor activities a bit more unbearable.
Alternatively, Winter months can get quite cold – especially in the desert. I visited in February and was super happy with the weather. Mornings were a bit chilly but by the time the sun came out, it warmed up and was comfortable enough.
What to Wear in Jordan
Jordan is a Muslim country which means many of the women dress modestly. They tend to wear loose-fitting garments and often a hijab or face veil to cover up their heads. It may be surprising at first to see how differently women dress there.
However, as a tourist, you are not expected to dress like this. As long as you don’t wear clothing that is too tight or too revealing, you should be just fine. Shorts are acceptable as long as they’re a modest length.
Overall, just keep in mind that Jordan is a different culture and you never want to be rude or offend people in their own country. So just be sure to dress respectfully and comfortably. If you want to know more about what to wear in Jordan as a woman, you can read my blog post here.
Tips & Tricks
- I would recommend at least 7 full days in Jordan to complete this road trip itinerary. However, the more time you have – the better. Because of this, I didn’t label the number of days but merely my suggestion for how many days to spend at each location.
- Before you visit Jordan, make sure you have checked your visa requirements. If you are an American traveler, you can apply for one online or get a visa on arrival. The cost at the airport is 40 JD ($56 USD).
- I highly recommend getting the Jordan Pass which allows you entry to most of the main attractions. It’s a sightseeing pass that includes Petra, Wadi Rum, Amman Citadel, Jerash, and many more!
- The best part about the Jordan Pass is that it waves the cost of your visa so it ends up paying for itself. Depending on how many days you choose to visit Petra, the cost of the pass varies between $99-$116 USD.
- If you are a woman, be sure to carry around a lightweight scarf or pashmina. It’s useful to have a cover-up with you in case you get cold but also if you plan on entering any mosques. It’s respectful, but sometimes mandatory, to cover your head before entering.
- Be careful of speeding while driving. I got a speeding ticket while visiting. The authorities were nice about it and just told me to slow down but I did have to pay a fine of course.
- If you want to go shopping inside Petra, be aware there are so many stores further in with cheaper prices. I totally got robbed by paying $50 USD for two head scarves. The store owner told me his mother handmade them which obviously she did not. You shouldn’t pay more than $5-$10 for one scarf. Beware!
- Make sure you don’t go into the Dead Sea with any cuts or wounds – it will sting badly! It’s also recommended not to shave a few days prior for the same reason. You also don’t want to soak for more than 10-15 minutes to avoid skin irritation since the Dead Sea has high levels of salt.
Jordan Map: Road Trip Itinerary
Above is a map of Jordan I created to give you a rough idea of the road trip route. You’ll be driving down The King’s Highway and returning up on The Dead Sea Highway. This way you get to experience two of the three main roads in Jordan.
If for whatever reason you find yourself arriving in Aqaba, then you can easily adjust the itinerary to fit your location and schedule.
Amman (2 Days)
You will likely arrive in Amman as it’s the main airport in the country. Amman is located in northern Jordan and the city center is quite close to the airport, making for a short drive.
You may be eager to head south to visit Petra but Amman has a lot to offer as well. I would recommend spending at least two if not three days in the capital city.
You should take a stroll down the rainbow street as there is a lot of shopping and dining available. The Roman Theater is also nearby and a great place to see the sunset. Amman Citadel is also a must-see site!
Roman Theater
The Roman Theater is conveniently located in the city center of Amman – you can’t miss it! They are open every day from 8 am to 8 pm, except for Saturday and Sunday when they close at 10 pm. The entrance fee is covered with the Jordan Pass.
The amphitheater is quite impressive and even built into the rock face. It also gives you excellent views of the whole city from the top. Definitely take some time to walk up and down these stairs and visit the museum right next door when you are finished.
Amman Citadel
The citadel in Amman is a popular tourist destination and is also included in the Jordan Pass. It’s an archaeological site located atop the tallest hill in the city. Here you can walk the grounds as long as you’d like exploring the ruins.
The main ruin to see is the Temple of Hercules which is the one with the tall standing pillars. There is also a neat archeological museum here you can visit as well.
Hashem Restaurant
Let’s be honest, one of the main reasons we travel is to try the local delicious cuisine – am I right? Falafel is quite popular in middle eastern countries and as a vegan, I was so happy to try some. Of course, it did not disappoint!
One of the best restaurants serving falafel is Hashem Restaurant located in the city center. They are open 24 hours and are unbelievably cheap. They do not have a menu because they only serve falafel, hummus, and moutabel (eggplant dip like baba ganoush) with pita.
Not only is one order enough for two people but it’ll only cost you 3 JD – that’s less than $4 USD. Trust me, you have to visit this place and I’m sure you’ll go back for seconds and even thirds as I did! If you would like more information about this place you can check out my post, The Best Falafel In Amman Guaranteed – Hashem Restaurant.
Jerash
If you have time, I hear Jerash is the second best place to visit after Petra. I unfortunately did not get the chance to visit and wish I had. The archaeological site is considered one of the largest and most well-preserved sites of Roman architecture in the world outside of Italy.
Jerash is less than an hour’s drive north of Amman. However, it is a large site so plan to spend most of the day here. If you can’t swing it at the start of your trip, you may have another opportunity at the end before you fly back home.
Travel Day to Wadi Musa (With Attractions Along the Way)
The next stop on your road trip itinerary through Jordan is Wadi Musa – the town of Petra. This will be about a five-hour drive south but there are plenty of stops to see in between.
The earlier you start your day and hit the road, the more time you will have at each attraction.
Mount Nebo
After a 45-minute drive from Amman, you’ll reach your first stop of the day – Mount Nebo. Mount Nebo has a viewing platform with an incredible panoramic view of the Jordan Valley.
Mount Nebo is important as it is said that Moses may have been buried here. Whether or not that’s true, nobody quite knows but he supposedly spent his final days here which is why there is a statue to commemorate him.
There is also a Memorial Church for Moses located here. You can walk inside and see the beautiful design of the inside and floor. This stop shouldn’t take you too long, but it is a nice place to visit while on your way.
The King’s Highway
If you look at a map of Jordan, you will notice three main roads that lead to Petra. However, Route 35 also known as The King’s Highway, is one that offers a more scenic drive.
This way you will drive through the Jordan Valley and have a lot of windy roads and pretty views. Don’t worry, you will drive back up a different road which follows the Dead Sea. This way you get the best of both worlds.
Moujib Panorama
Along the road, you should stop at Moujib Panorama for an excellent view of the windy part of the King’s Highway as well as gorgeous views of the valley. There is plenty of parking here and even some stands with people selling water and snacks.
AlKarak Castle
About an hour away from the panoramic viewpoint will be your next stop at Kerak (Alkarak) Castle. Even though you should still be okay on time, be mindful that the castle closes at 6:30 pm. This castle is also included in your Jordan Pass.
Kerak Castle is one of the largest medieval castles in the middle east. Here you can spend as long as you’d like walking around and exploring. However, once you are finished, it will be a two and half hour drive to arrive to Wadi Musa.
Wadi Musa
Wadi Musa has become a small touristic town due to its proximity to Petra. This means there are plenty of restaurants, shops, and accommodations. If you don’t have time to explore the town when you arrive, you certainly should after visiting Petra.
There are plenty of hotels and guesthouses to choose from in Wadi Musa. We stayed at Nonna Aisha B&B and loved it. It was a quaint guesthouse with complimentary breakfast in the morning. It was a little cold at night as they didn’t have heat but you shouldn’t have this problem if you aren’t visiting in winter.
Wherever you choose, I would book at least two nights – maybe more depending on how many days you are going to take to see Petra. This way you can be sure to relax and get a good night’s sleep before and after your Petra visit.
Petra (1-3 Days)
The day of this Jordan road trip itinerary we’ve all been waiting for – the ancient city of Petra! The site opens up at 6 am so the earlier you get there, the less crowded it will be.
There are one, two, or three-day options when buying your tickets to Petra. I spent one full day exploring when I visited and am perfectly content with that option. It’s just enough time to see all of the major highlights (The Siq, Treasury, & Monastery) without rushing through them.
However, this is totally up to you. If you’re super interested in archaeological sites and the history and culture of the Nabateans, then you may decide one day is not enough. After all, Petra is a Wonder of the World and absolutely spectacular.
Also keep in mind they do Petra By Night, every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 8:30 pm. You do need a valid day ticket (Jordan Pass works) but you also need to purchase a night ticket. These are 17 JD ($24 USD). They light up over 1,500 candles making the Treasury a totally different experience at night.
If you want more in-depth information about Petra and the main highlights to see, be sure to check out my post all about Petra, Jordan: The Greatest Wonder of The World.
Drive to Wadi Rum (stop at Little Petra)
After you’ve spent enough time in Petra, it’s time to continue with the road trip itinerary through Jordan. But first, you should make some time to stop at Little Petra.
LITTLE PETRA
Little Petra is exactly what it sounds like – a miniature version of Petra. It’s only about a 15-minute drive from Wadi Musa and I think well worth the visit if you haven’t got enough of looking at facades yet.
The main highlight of Little Petra is the Triclinium. I enjoyed walking through here as it’s smaller and way less crowded. I imagine most people skip this attraction but I believe that would be a mistake.
It’s so close by you may as well visit. Besides the carvings in the rocks, there was a nice little hike through a gorge and up to a good view of the area. An hour or so spent here should be enough time to see it all.
Wadi Rum Village & Desert
Now you will continue your drive to the Wadi Rum Village which is about two hours south of Wadi Musa. You cannot drive yourself into the Wadi Rum Desert. Only local Bedouin guides with 4×4 vehicles can drive inside the protected area.
So you will drive into the village where you can park your car for the duration of your visit. You will first drive through the visitor center where you must pay or show your Jordan Pass (told ya the pass would be worth it!).
Depending on which activities or camps you book, they will coordinate a pickup time with you. You must take a tour or book a camp to spend time in Wadi Rum. It’s not a place you can visit by yourself. It’s totally worth it – trust me!
Wadi Rum Desert (1-2 Days)
There are many activities to choose from in Wadi Rum but one of them you should definitely choose is to camp in the desert. They have options from luxury camps to tent or cave camping with local Bedouins (nomadic Arabs of the desert). The prices obviously range quite a bit here.
I stayed one night at Memories Aicha Luxury Camp and absolutely loved it. I’m not one to usually spend so much on a fancy hotel but I figured this would be the time to do it. The camps are gorgeous and have everything you need included. There are a variety of these camps to choose from.
Besides just camping, you can take sunset camel ride tours, jeep tours all throughout the desert to the most popular attractions, as well as even rock climbing in the red mountains. The options are endless as the guides are kind and accommodating. They can curate a tour with your perfect day in mind.
We arrived the first day and met up with our driver who took us to our camp to check in around 2 pm. We then spent the rest of the day in the beautiful camp where dinner and breakfast were included. The next day I had booked a half-day climbing, half-day jeep tour.
This tour included a more traditional tent camping experience for the night complete with dinner and tea by the fire. However, we felt that one night in the desert was more than enough for us so we decided to continue on from there. The choice is totally up to you for how long you want to spend here and what activities you’d like to participate in.
Aqaba (1 Day)
The next town on our Jordan road trip itinerary is the beach town of Aqaba on the Gulf of the Red Sea. Aqaba is about a one-hour drive east of Wadi Rum. I personally loved Aqaba! It wasn’t originally on my itinerary when I visited but it was nice to spend some time near palm trees.
There are plenty of bars and restaurants as well as stores to do some shopping in this area. There is also a small beach where you can walk around or go swimming. Here there are plenty of boats offering rides around the Red Sea. You can also see Israel from across the sea which I thought was also really cool.
You likely could just spend one morning or afternoon here and continue driving. We ended up staying the night but that’s because we didn’t stay an extra night in Wadi Rum. Aqaba is small enough to where you could see it all in a few hours.
Aqaba Fortress (Castle)
The castle in Aqaba is one of the main sites to see. Once again, it’s included in the Jordan Pass and a lovely way to pass the time strolling through here.
You can even walk up some stairs to the top of the castle walls, giving you some even better views. I really enjoyed this small castle and had the whole place to ourselves.
The Dead Sea (stop at Wadi Mujib)
Another unbelievably gorgeous spot you can’t miss is the Dead Sea! This one is the next and last stop on this road trip itinerary through Jordan. The Dead Sea is less than a three-hour drive from Aqaba heading back up north.
This time you’ll be driving on Route 65 also known as The Dead Sea Highway. You will be driving right along it getting incredible views most of the way there.
The Dead Sea
Now there are a few ways to visit The Dead Sea. I prefer the free method which you can read more in-depth in this post – How To Visit The Dead Sea In Jordan For Free (2023). However, I will also mention the other ways here.
The first way is the free way. You’ll notice that you can’t really just pull off anywhere and get to the ‘sea’ because there are many drop-offs and the salt crystallizes making it difficult to walk in some places.
You can find this free spot by typing in ‘Dead Sea Free Swimming’ into Google Maps. It’s located near Wadi Mujib to give you a better idea.
The second way is by visiting public beaches like Amman Beach. A fee still applies here but it’s cheaper than the third option. They also have more amenities like bathrooms and showers in these public spaces.
The third and most expensive option is visiting a Dead Sea resort. These are obviously a lot nicer, have pools, and give you private beach access. You can choose to stay a night in these hotels or I believe day passes are offered in some locations.
Regardless of which option you choose, experiencing the Dead Sea is something everyone should do at least once. Because of its high salinity content, nothing can survive there which is how it got its name. You can try to swim but you will instantly realize that you just float instead.
It’s a strange but exciting sensation! You shouldn’t soak for more than 10-15 minutes at a time and do not get your head or face wet. Water shoes or sandals are also recommended because the ground can be hard to walk on.
Wadi Mujib
Wadi Mujib is a river that empties out into the Dead Sea. It’s nestled between a large canyon in which you can go canyoneering. They are only open at certain times of the year and I believe generally open in April.
I did not get to do this adventure because I went in February but from the pictures, it looks awesome and something you should plan into your itinerary. I believe tour guides are required so book in advance if you want to explore the canyon.
If not, there is a bridge and a small viewpoint nearby. I stopped by here just to look into the canyon since I couldn’t go exploring in it.
Head Back to Amman
After you’ve soaked and explored around the Dead Sea, it’s time to head back to Amman. I prefer to stay the night in Amman that way the drive to the airport is seamless.
Maybe you have time to squeeze in another visit to Hashem for that delicious falafel before you head home. Or if you have an extra day now would be a good time to take a day trip to Jerash if you didn’t already.
That pretty much sums up all of the outstanding attractions and activities you should do while in Jordan. Hopefully, this Jordan itinerary gives you the perfect road trip and I hope you love and enjoy this country as much as I did.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days in Jordan is enough?
In order to see the best attractions in Jordan, a minimum of seven days is required. If you have the time, at least 10 days is recommended to make the most out of your trip without rushing.
What is the most beautiful road in Jordan?
Arguably, the two most beautiful roads in Jordan are The Dead Sea Highway (Route 65) and The King’s Highway (Route 35). Route 65 runs right along the entirety of The Dead Sea making for excellent views. Route 35 takes you through winding roads in the Jordan Valley.
Is it safe to go on a road trip/drive in Jordan?
Yes, Jordan is one of the safest countries in the Middle East. The people are kind, helpful, and welcoming. It’s easy to rent a car and the roads and signs are easy to understand. And yes, women are allowed to drive in Jordan as well.
For more Jordan information, you may also like:
- Petra, Jordan: The Greatest Wonder of The World
- What To Wear In Jordan As A Woman: Everything You Need To Know (+ Excellent Tips)
- The Best & Complete Jordan Road Trip Itinerary (With Map)
