A bucket list trip years in the making! A few years ago my mom and I decided to plan a total bucket list trip: Egypt and Jordan! A world pandemic got in our way but this Christmas we finally made it happen. We packed our bags and headed to the Middle East.
This trip look a LOT of planning. First up, being two female travelers, safety was our number one concern. If you have been reading my blog for awhile, you know that my mom Wendy is a total rockstar when planning trips! This trip was a little different however. We ended up opting to use a tour group to help plan this trip. Except we had strict rules. We wanted everything to be private (hello corona!), all of our guides to be vaxxed, and we wanted to plan the itinerary. We ended up planning our trip with Kensington Tours. Morgan was our travel agent and she was a joy to work with. She made all of our crazy requests happen and made sure we had a seamless time overseas!
If you want to check out more details and our whole trip itinerary click here!
This post is solely dedicated to the country Jordan.
Jordan at a glance | What to expect
For a relatively small country, Jordan has a lot to offer. A trip to Jordan is not complete without a visit to the most famous site, Petra, a trip to the Dead Sea, and exploring the Wadi Rum Desert.
WEATHER | March to May (spring) is the best time to travel to Jordan if you’re an avid hiker. The country’s desert landscape transforms into a blanket of wildflowers, and the forests are lush and green. It was chillier then we would have hoped. It was low to mid 60’s during the days and dropped down into the low 50’s at night.
FOOD AND DRINK | Jordanian cuisine is very typical Middle Eastern cuisine and Egypt.
CURRENCY | The official currency of Egypt isThe currency in Jordan is the Jordanian Dinar. It is 1 Dinar to 1.50 USD. Jordan is a very very wealthy country – thanks to oil.
LANGUAGE | The official language in Jordan is Arabic.
SAFETY | It’s a very safe destination overall, however, it can be a little hard to travel solo or as a couple because its highlights are spread out through the country and you’ll need to hire a driver or book a tour. The roads can be quite dangerous—but that’s the main safety issue.
CUSTOMS | Jordan is an Islam country so it is important to be respectful of their religion/culture. Women must be careful to cover themselves appropriately (knees/shoulders/no cleavage) as modest clothing is the norm. If you are visiting religious sights be sure to pack a scarf to cover your head as well. Women here were covered even more than in Egypt. Also the men wore traditional islam dress as well.
Insider Tips
Eat and Drink
Meals in Jordan are often communal with many plates of food served at the same time. Jordan’s food is influenced by the Middle East, and therefore hummus, tabbouleh, falafel, kebabs, and baba ghanouch are all popular. Here are some traditional Jordanian dishes to try while you’re abroad!
Mansaf – Jordan’s national dish. Traditionally made with lamb the meat is layered with thin slices to flatbread, herbs, and rice. It is topped with toasted nuts and eaten with a yogurt sauce.
Falafel – A simple and warming chickpea meatball. Enjoyed with a warm pita as a snack. It is a popular street food.
Fresh Juice – Fruit grows in abundance in the northern Jordanian countryside. Fresh squeezed pomegranate juice was my favorite, but strawberry and lemon with mint were yummy too!
Zaarb – A Bedouin barbecue feast that is cooked for hours underground. Meat is cooked in a pit lined with hot coals, and covered by sand.
Shawarma – Slices of meat and fat are stacked onto a vertical spit that rotates and grills for hours. It is shaved off and put into pita bread with onions, pickled vegetables, and tahini.
Fattet Humus – Different from ordinary hummus, this is a puree of chickpeas mixed with pieces of torn pita bread, tahini, and pine nuts. It is topped with a generous pouring of green olive oil.
Kunafa – A dessert made with white cheese, covered by a crunchy pastry and drenched in ghee. It is always served warm. It is sprinkled with pistachios.
Coffee – Coffee is culturally important and tied to the wealth of the land. Arabic coffee and Turkish coffee are the two most popular varieties. Arabic is quite bitter and drunk in small cups, while Turkish is thick, grainy and served with sugar.
Customs and Cultural Norms
These are great tips to know before traveling to Jordan!
Personal Space
There is no such thing as standing in line in Jordan. Someone may stand in front of you, and this is not considered rude. It is not unusual for a Jordanian to sit next to you and start talking if you are sitting alone.
Displaying Affection
Refrain from PDA. It is rare to see married couples even holding hands, and anything beyond that is considered very distasteful.
Coffee Culture
If drinking Arabic coffee, shake the cup from side to side to signal to the host that you would like more. It is then polite to hold the cup out to the server. In most homes when coffee is offered by a host, it is polite and respectful to accept.
Dress Code
As Jordan is a deeply religious country, people are expected to dress conservatively. Women should try to cover their arms and legs. Men should refrain from wearing shorts. Jordanians value appearances and have high expectations when it comes to clothing.
Greetings
Greetings and farewells are lengthy affairs. It is common for same-sex friends to hold hands, kiss, and hug in public, but there is very limiting touching between men and women. Men do not shake hands with women unless she offers her hand first.
Shoes
Always remove your shoes before entering a mosque. The same applies for Jordanian homes. Always refrain from putting your feet on a table or desk. It is considered disrespectful to expose the bottoms of your feet.
Souvenirs, Textiles, and Local Crafts
Bringing home special souvenirs is a great way to take some memories home from your trip. Here are some great local souvenirs that are special to Jordan.
Keffiyehs (Scarves) – Traditionally this headscarf is red and white checkered and are worn by the Bedouins. You will find these just about everywhere you go. Friendly locals will be happy to instruct you on how to wear them.
Hand-painted ceramics – You can find all kinds of ceramics in Jordan, but mosaics are the most traditional.
Ajloun Olive Oil – The highest quality oil comes from freshly picked olives in the Ajloun region in northern Jordan.
Arabic Sweets – A rich treat to take home is a great way to remember your trip. There is a large selection to choose from, but the most traditional are mini baklava or little pistachio nests.
Where To Go
Jordan is pretty small, so it is easy to travel by car from place to place. We pretty much traveled Jordan top to bottom. When flying into Jordan you will land in their capital of Amman. We spent a day in each area, and felt that we were able to see majority if the country.
But the main areas of Jordan you will want to cover are Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum Desert, and Dead Sea. We spent a total of 4 days in Jordan and while we were busy saw and experienced each of these!
Here are the lists of hotels we stayed at in each place.
Amman – Grant Hyatt
Petra – Movenpick
Wadi Rum Desert – Bubble Luxotel
Dead Sea – Movenpick
Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is the lowest place on planet Earth at 1,412 feet below sea level. Another bucket list item to cross off!
The sea’s high salinity levels make the water incredibly dense and help you float effortlessly.
When we went it was a chilly day of 54 degrees. However, the water in the Dead Sea is pretty mild and stays that way year long. It was actually warmer than the air. We only stayed in for about 15 minutes because the salt content is so high it makes you super wrinkly really fast. Be sure to rub the Dead Sea mud all over your body (not including your face – see below), and let it dry for about 10 minutes. A Dead Sea mud mask is known to prove the elasticity of skin and minimize pores, wrinkles, and lines.Then rinse it off and you will feel how smooth and exfoliated your skin is!
Insider tip: Do not get the water in your eyes, better yet it is better to keep your head above the water. Do not shave the day of going to the Dead Sea. Your open pores will cause the salt water to sting. Also if you have tiny cuts be prepared to sting a little when you first get in.
We spent the day at the Zara spa at the Movenpick resort and enjoyed a spa treatment called 1,001 Arabic nights. We wanted to try something different, and boy were we in for a treat. They stripped us down naked, and put mom and I in a steam room. They then began a full body scrub to exfoliate, followed by two full body Dead Sea mud masks. To end the treatment they dumped buckets of ice cold water on us. It wasn’t the most relaxing experience, but one I will remember forever!
Jesus Baptismal Spot
On your way to the Dead Sea you can stop at the place where Jesus was baptized. Being a religious person this was very special to me. I never realized how many biblical events occurred in Jordan. You can see the actual river that divides the boundaries of Jordan and Israel. It was honestly bizarre to be 15 feet from the border of Israel!
Petra
Low and behold the pride of Jordan. Petra is Jordan’s number 1 visitor attraction. Petra is the treasure of the ancient world, and the rock-cared rose city is full of mysterious charm. Admired for its refined culture massive architecture this remarkable city of grand buildings carved into massive cliffs evokes wonder. Walking the grounds of Petra were surreal. It was so massive! Fun fact: Indiana Jones was filmed here, so you can dance around singing the theme song.
Stretching over 60 miles, you could spent four days exploring The Lost City of Petra. We did it in one day (8am till 4pm) and it will gave us enough time to see all the highlights and a few of its hidden gems.
One of the more popular paths to take in Petra is through the Siq to the Treasury through the site to the Monastery and then returning to the Treasury. Just the walk through the Siq to the Treasury is about a mile. There’s really no quick way to do Petra. That said, definitely wear sunscreen, a hat, and lightweight clothing.
I paid a local Jordanian $5 Dinars to take me up to one of the special vantage points of the treasury to get a few pictures. It was quite the dangerous hike, but the view was so worth it!
If you are up for an extra adventure. Climb up 816 steps to the Monastery. It is the largest tomb facade in Petra. It was quite the hike, and everyone was out of breath on the way up. I don’t recommend riding a camel, a donkey, or taking a carriage ride. Safety is always my number one priority on a trip, and these animals are tired and hot. I can’t attest to how well they are taken care of. If you are physically-abled, plan to walk a lot. It was hard, but the views were SO WORTH IT!
Wadi Rum Desert
The Wadi Rum desert looks like you were transported to a different planet. The red rock is the crown jewel of the country’s ancient desert and is the perfect place for adventurous travelers.
The Wadi Rum Desert is something remarkable. A vast open space, virtually untouched by humanity. Many movies were filmed here including: Star Wars, Martian, and Aladdin. The weather and wind has carved the imposing, towering skyscrapers. The tranquility of the desert was something I was not expecting. It was so quiet and peaceful.
One of the coolest experiences in the Wadi Rum desert is to stay in a Bubble Hotel. We stayed at the Bubble Luxotel and it was probably the coolest hotel I have ever stayed at. Each room consists of three bubbles, that offer the most amazing views. Sleeping under the stars was such an amazing experience. Each bubble has an outdoor hot tub that you can relax in while stargazing. This is the definition of glamping!
One of the best ways to explore the massive landscape is with a jeep tour. We headed on a jeep ride through the moonscape of Wadi Rum. We discovered valleys and gorges that were just stunning.
This area is home to the Bedouin people. “Bedu” in Arabic means “desert dwellers”. They are the nomadic people who live in the Wadi Rum. We were so lucky that they opened up their community to show us their lifestyle and culture. They had such warm hospitality and it was such a unique experience to sit on their floor on their rugs and share tea.
Mr. Friday was our jeep tour guide, and he was a hoot. He was a little comedian cracking jokes and really made our ride unforgettable. One thing that was super special was that he took us to his sister’s house for lunch. It was very special and humbling. It was a meal that I will never forget, and let me tell you it was delicious!
Amman
We ended our journey in Jordan in Amman. Amman is a great example, providing many modern luxuries, while still retaining its uniquely Jordanian culture. Amman is a vibrant city, and a treasure of historic sites and cultural activities! If you’re looking to explore the Middle East for the first time, Amman is the perfect destination.
- Visit the Citadel – the Citadel is in ruins but it’s still possible to see columns from the Temple of Hercules as well as a giant hand from his statue. You can also wander in the old Umayyad Palace, which was built in the 8th century.
- The Roman Theatre – You can climb the steps up to the top to enjoy the view, sit on one of the seats to imagine being a theatre-goer or simply people watch the locals who use it as their hangout. There’s a couple of small museums inside the theatre too which are also included in your ticket.
- Rainbow Street – Rainbow Street is one of the best streets in Amman for shopping for souvenirs and eating at the many cafes and restaurants. It was pretty dead when we went, but still a nice walk.
- Visit a Spice Shop – There were so many colorful spices that we got to sample. Some we have never even heard of before. We filled our bag with thyme, nuts, cinnamon and dried pineapple.
- Take a day trip to Jerash – About a 50 minute drive north of Amman. This Roman city is full of intact ruins, temples, and rich of history.
Jordan is a beautiful country and has such rich history and culture, I think it should be on everyone’s travel bucket list! If you are planning a trip to Jordan and have any questions or want more details please feel free to comment below or message me on Instagram!
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