2 Weeks in Jordan

What You Should Know Before Going On A Jordan Tour

Best Time to Travel to Jordan

The best time to travel to Jordan is from March to May when temperatures are in the high 60s and low 70 degrees Fahrenheit. In June through September, temperatures in Amman reach to about 90 degrees Fahrenheit. In the south in Aqaba, the beaches get to a balmy 104 degrees Fahrenheit in July.

Will I Visit Petra On My Jordan Tour?

Yes. Petra is a must-see one of the “Seven Wonders of the World” and UNESCO designated site that is on nearly every Jordan itinerary simply because visitors can’t go to Jordan, especially on their first visit to the country, without seeing Petra.

Group Tours

Most tours to Jordan include entrance fees into Petra and other sites but be sure to read the fine print or ask an agent. Many of the tour operators who don't include the entrance fee offer it at a discounted rate.

Multi-Day Passes

Traveling on your own without a guide, entrance to Petra on a one- to three-day pass starts roughly at $70.50 (50 JOD) to $ $85 (60 JOD). You can only get this rate only if you’ve stayed overnight in Jordan before going to Petra. You can get a refund for the difference upon showing proof of staying in Jordan for more than one day otherwise you will have to pay the one-day fee.

One-Day Traveler

If you are traveling to Jordan on a day-visa the one-day cost is roughly $127 (90 JOD).

Nighttime Candlelight Petra

Petra lights up at night with hundreds of candles three times a week. To see Petra at night it’s an additional $16 (15 JOD).

Group Discounts

There are no group discounts for the entry fee to Petra.

What is the Weather Like in Jordan?

The weather fluctuates upon the season and location in Jordan. Temperatures rise to stifling hot during the summertime, June through August.

September through February temperatures range from pleasant to bitter cold and rain in the desert and mountains but are perfectly balmy and warm at the Red Sea.

March through May is when the weather is best with warm days and cool evenings. The spring weather brings out the flowers in the Jordan Valley.

Depending on the time of the year, expect to wear layers that can easily be stripped away or put on.

Protect your skin from the hot Middle Eastern sunrays with sunscreen or a special sunscreen shirt.

Dress Code for Traveling in Jordan

Jordan is a modern Muslim society, but modesty is the best practice. Exposure of skin offends men and women.

Women

• When not in more fashionable westernized cities, Amman and Aqaba, where tighter fitting dresses and skirts are accompanied by loose leggings, it’s best to wear long skirts or loose trousers or jeans and cover your shoulders and upper arms.
• Wear a modest swimsuit with a cover or swim in shorts and a t-shirt even at resorts and tourist spots.
• Is your hair dry? Wet hair implies recently having sex to onlookers in public. You might want to dry your hair before you step out of your room for the day.
• Girls not in scarves keep their hair up above their shoulders. It’s a simple fashion statement that might win you some points or unwanted attention by doing the same.

Men

• T-shirts are alright, but a nice light buttoned shirt is even better. Men are more formal in Jordan.
• Long trousers or jeans suffice as decent attire for men.
• Never go topless. Jordan men simply don’t do it.
• It’s custom to remove shoes before entering homes and places of worship, never expose to bottom of your feet as it’s considered disrespectful.

Other Cultural Customs

Women

• Eye contact with strangers, particularly men, isn’t advised. Sunglasses help shield your gaze when speaking with someone, especially men.
• Make sure you pack enough tampons and pads they are difficult to acquire in Jordan and the experience of having to purchase sanitary products is embarrassing.
• Take the back seat in taxis, ride shares, and other private cars.
• Sit next to other women when in a vehicle and be accompanied by at least one other woman when going out.
• Brush off any advances and inappropriate gropes as a part of the experience unless a serious line is crossed. If harassment continues after politely maneuvering yourself out of the situation then firmly loudly yell, imshi, translated into English means go away, is pronounced phonetically as it’s spelled sounding like im-she. Community members will take notice and step in to assist you.
• Always ask to take photos, especially of women, as it’s seen as an invasion of privacy, throughout the country.

Displays of Public Affection

You might take a double take, but it’s common for women to hold hands and be affectionate in public just as it is for men to do the same among each other. Being gay is also legal, but still deeply socially taboo.

However, it is not culturally appropriate for men and women to be so intimate with one another in public as the same gender. Men and women don’t touch each other in public. The exception is if a woman initiates the interaction, such as a handshake, it is appropriate.

Personal Space

What’s that? Jordanians are very friendly and someone sitting alone is an invitation that they need a friend. Space and distance to form one’s thoughts or simply enjoy the view is a Western way of being. Welcome your new friend and enjoy the moment together as not to offend.

Get into the mix, queuing up just isn’t done. If you want something you have to dive into the crowd.

Be Prepared to Drive

Jordan is not a massive country, but there are limited opportunities for non-car travel. Even bus tours are somewhat limited, based on the current number of travelers visiting Jordan. Instead, you’ll likely spend several hours every few days driving from one sight to another. Be sure to plan ahead with bottled water, snacks, and activities to pass the time.

Jordan & Beyond - Common Tour Routes

Jordan Tours From Israel

Most Israel and Jordan tours begin in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem introducing travelers to the “Land of Milk and Honey.” The route generally takes travelers to Nazareth and Haifa over to the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights into Jordan where travelers take in Jerash, Madaba, Wadi Rum and Petra before returning either to Amman or to Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.

A little larger than the state of New Jersey, drives in Israel can be as long as about 5½ hours from Metula in the north to Eilat in the south. Drive west to east takes about an hour and 45-minutes to get from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea in Tel Aviv to the Dead Sea. Jordan is about the size of Pennsylvania.

It takes about four hours to traverse the country by car from Umm Qais in the north to Aqaba in the south. Crossing Israel west to east it takes about an hour and 45-minutes. Much of Jordan to the east of the Jordan Valley and beyond is desert. Many of the sites are along the 400-mile long Jordan Trail running north to south.

Most tours take travelers to the must-see sites including Petra and Jerusalem as well as many of the other historic sites from the Golan Heights through the “City of Mosaics” Madaba and more.

Egypt & Jordan Tours

Journey through the land of Pharaohs and the Valley of Kings to the land of Nabataeans, Byzantines, Franks and Sultans on a choice of 19- to 26-day guided tours of Jordan and Egypt. Explore Pyramids of the bygone Pharaohs and civilizations into antiquity to the ruins of the Roman and Ottoman empires to Jordan’s partially and unexcavated living archeological sites.

A majority of these tours meet in and depart on the adventure from Cairo and Luxor after learning about the Pharaohs, seeing the Sphinx, and taking in the pyramids before heading to Jordan. A few tours depart from Amman and end in Cairo. Depending on the itinerary the journey will take travelers between countries by air and water and from destination to destination by land in a bus or rail.

Traveling through Jordan, the tour will experience Petra and Amman. Depending on the itinerary travelers might also see Madaba, Karak, Jerash, and other cultural and historical sites and interact with Bedouins and Jordanians through an immersion experience.