Best Tips for traveling to Jordan and visiting Petra: what to see and do

Jordan It is one of those countries that has great attraction for those of us who like to travel.

To a large extent it is a dream destination because it contains some places that we surely all want to know, such as the lost city of Petra.

Despite that special halo that surrounds the destination, the best thing is that once you have the opportunity to travel to Jordan, not only will it not disappoint you, but you will discover corners whose charm you could not imagine.

I already told you that this happened to me with him. Wadi Rum desert, which was the best surprise of my trip.

Tips for traveling to Jordan

The first thing I will tell you is that you should discard any possible doubts that this country may create in you due to the issue of fullfilment of security requirements.

Is Jordan a safe country to travel to?

In fact Jordan is considered as the Middle Eastern Switzerland.

Indeed it is a muslim country which in its day suffered the drop in tourism from Spain as a result of the Arab Spring, and the war with Isis in neighboring countries.

But from my point of view, the most important thing when considering a trip to a country is that it has political stability.

And that regardless of the risk of attacks jihadists which, unfortunately, does not end up disappearing not only in Middle East, but above all in Europe.

In fact in Jordan There is no type of political revolt taking place, and after visiting it during my trip I can affirm that it is a safe country for tourists.

As for another reluctance that Muslim countries always produce, the treatment of women It is much closer to that of Western countries than that of other surrounding countries.

Of course you see women with veils, but it is also common to see many women in Western clothing, something that does not happen in other countries where we also usually travel.

Do you need a visa to travel to Jordan?

For visit Jordan You need a visa, which you can obtain in advance at the country's embassy, ​​or without problems there. amman airport.

This visa to travel to Jordan Currently it costs about 20 dinars (1 dinar at the exchange rate is more or less one euro), but if you enter as part of a group of five people or more, it is free (the group's departure must coincide on the same flight).

Where to exchange currency in Jordan

Of course, it is advisable not to change currency at the airport, as you will find other places, such as the hotels themselves, where you will have better change.

Jordan It is a country of arid landscapes, except north of Amman, where there are areas with extensive vegetation.

In the main route from Amman to the south you will find semi-desert landscapes, and desert with dunes in Wadi Rum.

Best time to travel to Jordan: what is the weather like?

Regarding weather in Jordan, I traveled in November and the weather was very pleasant, very warm, but far from the extreme heat of summer.

Now, starting in December and during the months of January and February it is common for it to snow, and even heavy snowfalls can fall; I mean, it's cold.

Of course, summer is very hot, so early spring or late fall may be the best time for a sightseeing trip to Jordan.

Is Jordan an expensive country?

Jordan It is not an extremely cheap country, as some other countries are, but it is cheaper than, for example, Spain.

A coffee or a drink can cost you one dinar, but if you have it in a luxurious hotel in Amman you can pay three dinars.

How to visit Jordan with an organized tour

On your trip to this country of Middle East, instead of getting to know it on your own, you may prefer visit Jordan on an organized tour with guide in spanish.

In this regard you have the option of signing up for a 8 day trip in which they will go looking for you amman airport to begin the tour of the most outstanding enclaves of the country.

This trip is done with a stay in 4 and 5 star hotels and you will visit places including Amman, the Dead Sea, Petra or the Wadi Rum desert.

Tours and excursions in Jordan

Si vas a travel on your own to Jordan, another alternative you have is to sign up for excursions with guide in Spanish, both from the capital, Haman, as from the city of Aqaba, in the Red Sea.

All these excursions are private tour, ideal for family groups or friends.

Eg excursion to Petra It will allow you to visit this enclave in just one day, which will take you 12 hours.

For its part, the excursion to the desert castles and the Dead Sea It takes about 8 hours, and you can also combine the Dead Sea and with a excursion to Bethany which will take you 6 hours.

Here you have all the information about tours in Jordan from Amman. and about the excursions from Aqaba in the Red Sea.

How to visit Jordan on your own

But it is increasingly common that there are people who prefer to travel to these countries on their own, although it must be said that in the case of Jordan, no special savings are really achieved.

But if you want, it's not complicated. move around the country on your own.

You can rent a car without problem and the three main roads are not in bad condition.

The directions are in English, as well as in Arabic, but be careful when crossing towns, because although you will be driving on a highway, you will encounter the typical potholes to slow you down.

Be respectful of the limitations and drive carefully, because in addition to there being many police officers on the roads with speed controls, pedestrians or animals can cross the highway.

Furthermore, speaking English you can get around Jordan well.

Regarding your accommodation, it will be useful for you to search hotels to travel to Jordan en booking.com.

En Jordan you are going to find very hospitable people, not yet maleada by tourism, but which maintains its Muslim customs.

For example, you cannot enter mosques, as happens for example in Morocco, except in the case of the King Abdullah Mosque, riding a Haman, known for its great Blue Dome, which is considered a tourist attraction.

How much does it cost to eat in Jordan

Continuing with the food in Jordan, in restaurants standard In the country you can eat for about 13 dinars, and in Western-type restaurants in Amman you will have to pay between 8 and 10 dinars for any dish you choose.

Regarding drinking, I remind you that you are in a Muslim country where the alcohol It is very restricted, although in tourist hotels or restaurants in Amman you have no problem having a beer or drinking wine.

Of course, for a beer you have to pay about 7 dinars and wine has really prohibitive prices in restaurants, from 17 to 30 dinars for a bottle of local wine; in a Duty Free You can find it for 7 dinars a bottle.

The usual thing among tourists who come from Spain is to sign up for a one week trip organized by a travel agency, during which the places of greatest interest are visited (which costs about 1.200 euros).

Best must-see places in Jordan

As for the essential visits in Jordan, without a doubt the great protagonist is Petra, archaeological site of the Nabataean culture.

Visit Petra and the Siq Gorge in Jordan

The ancient city area is located about two kilometers from the entrance of the narrow Siq gorge, a path along which you must walk until you reach the famous Treasure of Petra.

It is advisable to dedicate to Petra's visit at least two days for, because once you have traveled the Siq, you need time to see the different monuments of the great valley where the nabataean tombs and Roman archaeological remains.

Furthermore, if you have more time, you will have the possibility to go on hiking trips to get to places like the monastery.

El entrance price to Petra It is not cheap at all, 60 euros, but keep in mind that it is one of the great wonders of the world.

This price includes a first ride on the back of a donkey (plus tip).

Another option you have is to enjoy the very special petra night tour.

Visit the Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan

In your trip to Jordan It should also be essential to visit the Wadi Rum desert.

This visit takes place in an all-terrain vehicle, and during it you can live the experience of stay in a camp in the desert or you can also see the railway Lawrence of Arabia.

Bathing in the Dead Sea in Jordan

Another great attraction is the Dead Sea, where you can stay in a luxurious resort Western-style, and where you will live the curious experience of floating in its salty waters, as well as giving yourself a mud bath.

Visit Bethany on the Jordan River in Jordan

Nearby you also have Bethany, another archaeological enclave on the banks of the Jordan river, on the border with Israel, where Jesus Christ is considered to have been baptized.

There you can make your own baptism in the Jordan River.

Visit Aqaba and the Red Sea

And, of course, another attraction of a trip to Jordan is dive or do snorkel in the Red Sea, where you find crystal clear waters.

Here you can sign up for one snorkeling excursion in the Red Sea, which will take you four hours, of which two you will be diving in the crystal clear waters near Aqaba.

But in Jordan there are other perhaps less known places that it is also advisable to visit, which I was not able to do during my trip, pending for the future.

Above all, the remains of the Roman city of Jerash, one of the best Roman enclaves you can see in the world.

And it is also worth highlighting the old crusader bastion of Karak, Castles route or the enclaves of ancient Holy Land.

Visit the Amman Citadel in Jordan

Finally, tell you that during your stay at the capital of Jordan, you should not miss visiting the one known as Amman Citadel.

It is an archaeological enclave located on one of the hills in the center of the city, where you will see remains of roman monuments, byzantines y Muslims.