Considering a trip to Jordan? You’re sure to experience the beautiful desert scenery, historical archaeology, delicious food and guaranteed sunshine. My first time in Jordan was absolutely amazing and spending 8 days in the country was the perfect amount to experience all the highlights Jordan has to offer.
Jordan 8 Day Overview
- Day 1: Amman
- Day 2: Dead Sea
- Day 3: Wadi Mujib
- Day 4: Petra
- Day 5: Wadi Rum
- Day 6-7: Red Sea
- Day 8: Return to Amman
Day 1: Arriving to Amman
Amman is the capital of Jordan where most of the international flights arrive. We landed late in the evening to Amman and therefore we had decided to take a hotel in Madaba, a smaller town closer to the airport and on the way to the Dead Sea where we where heading the following day. Since our flight time was in the evening, we decided to skip exploring Amman on the arrival day and explore the capital on our last day instead.
Day 2: Dead Sea
On our first full day in Jordan, we woke up early and headed to the Dead Sea. Dead Sea is the lowest point of Earth by standing over 400 meters below the sea level. The sea’s high salt level makes it easy to float effortlessly.
The drive from Madaba to the Dead Sea was very pleasant with amazing desert views from the mountains. The route also passed the biblical site of Mount Nebo where you can make a quick stop to see the views from the mountain.
We had booked a stay at the Kempinski Ishtar by the Dead Sea to fully enjoy the experience. The hotel is located by the Dead Sea with its own beach side where you have an easy access to the sea. You can even try the healing mud from the Dead Sea by the beach. The hotel is very nice and luxurious with 4 pools and 3 restaurants where you can relax and cool off from the heat.
Day 3: Wadi Mujib
After spending the night by the Dead Sea, we woke up early to start the drive to the ancient city of Petra. However, after the day of relaxation, we wanted to experience something more adventurous and stopped by the Wadi Mujib. It’s only 40 min drive from the Kempinski Ishtar which would be a perfect day trip from the hotel if you want to stay another night by the Dead Sea.
Wadi Mujib is beautiful natural gorge where you can do different hikes to enjoy the nature reserve and experience some adventure. We decided to go for the most popular Siq trail and spend a couple of hours swimming, climbing and walking through the beautiful scenery.
After finishing the Siq trail, we continued the drive to Petra and arrived in the evening to get ready for an early morning wake up time.
Day 4: Petra
On the 4th day we got up early to get ready for a full day of exploring Petra. The visitor center opens at 6 am and I recommend to go to the archeological site early to enjoy the walk around the area before the weather gets HOT.
We booked a private guide from the visitor center and I highly recommend getting a guide to explain more about the history of the huge site. We spent a few hours exploring the area where we saw most of the larger sites. However, you would need at least two or three days to see everything Petra has to offer and not feel rushed. We where quite exhausted by the heat and walking after a couple of hours so plan your time accordingly how many days you want to spend exploring the lost city.
On Sundays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, you can visit Petra after sunset when the site is filled with thousands of candles. Petra by Night is magical and it’s truly an experience to walk to the Treasury in the darkness and see thousands of candles lighting up the site.
Day 5: Wadi Rum
On the next day, we packed our packs and started driving to Wadi Rum, the land of the Moon. This was my first time spending time and night in a desert and I fell in love with the unreal landscape of the Wadi Rum.
After our arrival, we headed straight to a desert safari to see what Wadi Rum has to offer. After seeing the amazing scenery of Wadi Rum, I don’t wonder why this area has been the scene for many famous movies from Marsian to Start Wars.
We stayed one night in an amazing glass bubble in the Memories Aicha Luxury Camp overlooking the desert and magical starry night sky. This was one of the most special experiences I have ever had and the hotel was absolutely out of this world.
Day 6-7: Red Sea
For the last few days, we headed to Aqaba and had the most relaxing time by the Red Sea. We stayed in the absolutely beautiful Al Manara Hotel which was the perfect hotel for enjoying our last few days in Jordan.
The hotel is very nice and I can highly recommend staying a couple of nights here if you feel like relaxing after a few busy days driving around Jordan. We enjoyed the most delicious breakfast, laying in the sun by the pool and swimming in the Red Sea. The staff was amazingly attentive and hospital, and I can truly say that the hotel has been one of the best ones I have ever stayed.
Tips! The Red Sea has amazing marine life and great place for scuba diving!
Day 8: Amman
We where sad to say goodbye to Al Manara but after spending three nights in Aqaba, it was time to pack our bags and start the 4h drive back to Amman.
We arrived to Amman in the late afternoon and headed straight out to explore the city. We ended up going to the Rainbow street to explore all the cute cafes and restaurants located around the street.
Sadly, we didn’t have so much time in Amman to explore the historical sites the city has to offer but if you have more time in Amman, you should check out:
- Amman Citadel
- Roman Theater
- King King Abdullah II’s mosque
Sara Travels 
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