Day one– Fly into the bustling capital of Amman. Spend at least one day here. Enjoy the amazing food on the famous rainbow street, the shisha cafes lining the streets, the Roman remains and end your day with a stunning view over the city at the Citadel. Try and make it for sunset.
Day two:
Take a day trip to the well preserved Roman city of Jerash, and if time the desert castles of Karak. I didn’t make it on this trip but maybe next time..
Read more about it in this informative blog post:
Day three:
Time to go to Petra! Hire a car or take a bus and around two and a half/three hours later you will be at Petra. Explore Petra in the afternoon until closing time.
Go up to the viewpoint above the treasury for amazing views!
Read my blog post about Petra here
Stay overnight in Petra because you need two days to fully appreciate Petra!
Day four:
Wake up early and get to Petra no later than 7am.Walk up to the monastery. Enjoy a drink at the cafe in front of the monastery before the tourists come.
And when they come do some people watching – I find it hilarious watching them pose for their photos and selfies.
After this visit the viewpoints behind the cafe… each has a Bedouin offering tea.
Tip 1JD but don’t accept offers to see the sunset in a secluded place or to make a bbq in the desert. Read this as to why…
Every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday you can visit Petra at night lit by candles from 8.30pm-10.30pm. Buy tickets for 17JD at the visitor centre.
Day five:
Head to the Wadi Rum desert and camp out. The local bus and Jett bus both leave around 6.30am and the journey takes about two hours. Most camps offer a fairly similar experience. Be warned many charge extra for everything- meals, Jeep tours, camel rides etc. I stayed one night and that was enough for me and my budget. I wasn’t as impressed as I thought I might be, but maybe that’s because I live in a desert. Plus my camp was filled with a German tour group who kept to themselves and went to bed by 9pm.
I loved the red sand, and at night be sure to walk away from the camp to see the amazing stars.
Day six: Go to the Dead Sea
After all of the walking and uncomfortable sleeping and early starts, this will be the perfect end to your trip. Stay overnight in one of the hotel resorts and enjoy relaxing in their pools, bars, restaurants and of course bathe in the Dead Sea to soothe your aching muscles. I did this at the start of my trip but think in hindsight it would have been more beneficial to go at the end!
Day Seven: Travel back to Amman airport, you may have time to enjoy some final sightseeing in Amman before you leave or a visit to nearby sites of Mount Nebo and Madaba. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to do this, but hopefully there will be a next time…
