Discover
Jordan
An ancient land of rose-red cities, desert wonders, and extraordinary hospitality.
Top Destinations
Explore our curated selection of landmarks and cities you must visit.
Petra (Rose City)
The legendary Nabataean city carved directly from rose-red sandstone cliffs, established around the 4th century BC and capital of the Nabataean Kingdom. The Treasury (Al-Khazneh) — a monumental temple facade cut 43 metres high into the cliff face — is one of the most iconic images in archaeology. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Best Time
March–May and September–November for pleasant temperatures. Avoid July–August heat.
Insider Tip
Start before 6am to reach...
Wadi Rum Desert
A vast protected desert wilderness of towering sandstone and granite mountains rising from a flat red sand plain, with the atmosphere of another planet — used as the location for films including Lawrence of Arabia, Ridley Scott's The Martian, and Dune Part Two. A UNESCO World Heritage Site combining natural and cultural landscapes.
Best Time
March–May and October–November. Avoid summer heat. Overnight camping is essential for the full experience.
Insider Tip
Book an overnight desert camp...
Dead Sea
The lowest point on Earth's surface at 430 metres below sea level, and the saltiest large body of water on the planet (34% salinity — ten times the ocean). The extremely high salt concentration makes it impossible to sink — bathers float effortlessly on the surface. The black mineral mud from the Dead Sea floor has therapeutic properties.
Best Time
March–May and September–November for pleasant swimming temperatures. The water warms to 30°C in summer.
Insider Tip
Enter the water slowly —...
Jerash Roman City
The best-preserved Roman provincial city in the world outside of Italy — Jerash (ancient Gerasa) retains its complete street grid, colonnaded streets, temples, theatres, forum, hippodrome, and baths almost intact, buried under desert sand for centuries and excavated from 1925 onward.
Best Time
March–May and October–November. Avoid peak summer heat — the site is largely exposed.
Insider Tip
Watch the Roman Army and...
Aqaba Red Sea
Jordan's only coastal city, at the northern tip of the Red Sea's Gulf of Aqaba — a narrow arm of sea shared with Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. The coral reefs directly accessible from the beach contain some of the Red Sea's finest marine life, with exceptional visibility and surprisingly easy snorkelling access.
Best Time
Year-round — the Red Sea maintains comfortable water temperatures (22–27°C). Summer is extremely hot but the sea is warmest.
Insider Tip
The Marine Park south of...
Amman Citadel
A hilltop archaeological site in the heart of Amman — Jebel al-Qal'a — occupied continuously since the Bronze Age and containing the Roman Temple of Hercules, a Byzantine church, and the Umayyad Palace complex (8th century AD). The Jordan Archaeological Museum here contains exceptional finds from 9,000 years of Jordanian history.
Best Time
Year-round. Late afternoon light on the Roman columns with the city below is superb.
Insider Tip
Visit the Jordan Archaeological Museum...
Roman Amphitheatre (Amman)
A 2nd-century AD Roman theatre carved into the hillside of downtown Amman, with a seating capacity of 6,000. One of the best-preserved Roman theatres in the Middle East, it is still used for outdoor concerts. Adjacent to the theatre is the Odeon (smaller theatre) and the Nymphaeum.
Best Time
Year-round. Evening concerts during Jordan's cultural festivals.
Insider Tip
Climb to the very top...
Dana Biosphere Reserve
Jordan's largest nature reserve — covering 320 km² of diverse ecosystems from Mediterranean woodland through semi-arid slopes to the Wadi Araba desert at sea level. Home to over 600 plant species, 215 bird species, and 37 mammal species including the endangered sand cat and Syrian wolf.
Best Time
March–May and September–November for hiking in comfortable temperatures. Wildflower blooms are spectacular in March–April.
Insider Tip
Stay at Dana Tower Hotel...
Wadi Mujib
A spectacular river canyon running from the highlands of central Jordan down to the Dead Sea — the lowest nature reserve in the world at 400 metres below sea level. The Siq Trail through the canyon requires wading through the river, squeezing through narrow rock passages, and swimming through natural pools.
Best Time
April–October (the trail closes October–March due to flash flood risk). Book through RSCN in advance.
Insider Tip
The Siq Trail (3km return,...
Ajloun Castle
A 12th-century Islamic castle built by Saladin's general Izz al-Din Usama between 1184 and 1185 to defend against the Crusaders and protect the iron mines of Ajloun. Perched on a forested hilltop at 1,250 metres with panoramic views across the Jordan Valley to Israel and Palestine.
Best Time
March–November. The surrounding oak and pine forests are beautiful in spring.
Insider Tip
Walk 15 minutes down the...
Madaba Map (St. George's Church)
A 6th-century Byzantine mosaic floor map of the Holy Land — the oldest surviving cartographic depiction of the region, preserved in the floor of St. George's Church in the town of Madaba. The mosaic originally contained over 2 million pieces of tessera depicting cities from Lebanon to the Nile Delta, with Jerusalem at the centre.
Best Time
Year-round. The church is small — visit early morning for the best light on the mosaic.
Insider Tip
Look for the detailed depiction...
Baptism Site (Al-Maghtas)
The traditional site of Jesus's baptism by John the Baptist on the eastern bank of the Jordan River — a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2015. The site contains the archaeological remains of Byzantine churches, hermit caves, and pools from the 1st century AD to the 19th century.
Best Time
October–April for comfortable temperatures. The Feast of the Epiphany (January 19) draws large pilgrims.
Insider Tip
The site on the Jordanian...
Kerak Castle
A massive Crusader castle perched on a dramatic hilltop above the city of Al Karak, built from 1142 by King Fulk of Jerusalem. One of the largest Crusader fortifications in the Levant, Kerak fell to Saladin after a famous 1183 siege and remained an important stronghold through the Ottoman period.
Best Time
March–November. The drive through Wadi al-Mujib approaching Kerak is spectacular.
Insider Tip
Explore the lower Crusader castle...
Shobak Castle
The precursor to Kerak — a Crusader castle built by Baldwin I of Jerusalem in 1115 on a rocky hilltop in the Shobak plateau, abandoned after Saladin's conquest in 1189. More ruined but more atmospheric than Kerak, Shobak is spectacularly isolated in a landscape of eroded limestone.
Best Time
March–November. Combine with Petra (35km) for a full day.
Insider Tip
Descend the secret staircase inside...
Umm Qais (Gadara)
The ancient Decapolis city of Gadara, perched on a hilltop in northern Jordan with extraordinary views over the Sea of Galilee, the Yarmouk River gorge, and the Golan Heights. The site retains colonnaded streets, two theatres (one unique in having black basalt seating), a mausoleum, and Byzantine churches.
Best Time
March–November. A good picnic spot — the restaurant at the site serves excellent traditional food.
Insider Tip
Spend time at the Umm...
Qasr Amra Desert Castle
A UNESCO World Heritage Umayyad desert palace from the early 8th century AD, remarkable for its remarkably preserved interior frescoes depicting hunting scenes, human figures, bathing women, and the six kings of the world — one of the finest examples of early Islamic secular painting in existence.
Best Time
October–April. Combine with the other desert castles (Qasr Kharana, Qasr Hallabat) in a full-day circuit from Amman.
Insider Tip
Look for the zodiac ceiling...
Ma'in Hot Springs
Natural hot springs fed by a Roman aqueduct-era channel that collects thermal water from volcanic springs above, creating a series of hot waterfalls and pools in a dramatic canyon just above the Dead Sea at Zarqa Ma'in. The main waterfall at 45°C tumbles directly into an open-air thermal pool.
Best Time
October–April for comfortable air temperatures. The pools are enjoyable year-round as the water temperature is constant.
Insider Tip
The Evason Ma'In Six Senses...
Azraq Wetland Reserve
An extraordinary oasis in the heart of the Jordanian desert — a wetland reserve fed by an ancient underground water system that once attracted wildlife from across the Middle East and Africa. Lawrence of Arabia based himself here during the Arab Revolt. The reserve is now being restored after decades of over-pumping.
Best Time
March–May and October–November for migrating birds. The wetland fills with resident species year-round.
Insider Tip
Take an early morning birding...
Wadi al-Hasa
A dramatic gorge carved through the limestone highlands of southern Jordan, carrying the Wadi Hasa river through a canyon of extraordinary depth and scenery. The gorge is less visited than Wadi Mujib but equally dramatic, with hot springs, Roman road sections, and Nabataean inscriptions along its walls.
Best Time
March–May and October–November for comfortable temperatures and the most water in the springs.
Insider Tip
Hire a local guide from...
Royal Automobile Museum
A museum displaying the personal car collection of the late King Hussein bin Talal (1935–1999) and the current King Abdullah II — 70 vehicles spanning 1916 to the present, including royal state cars, race cars, off-road vehicles, and a 1916 Cadillac that belonged to the Hashemite family.
Best Time
Year-round. An air-conditioned respite in summer heat.
Insider Tip
The 1952 Buick Special that...
Travel Tips for Jordan
- 1.
Jordan Pass saves on visa and entrance fees
- 2.
Wadi Rum is best at sunrise or sunset
- 3.
Bargaining is expected in markets