Jordan ticks a lot of boxes - breath-taking landscape, delicious food, interesting history and architecture. However it is the experiences that we take back with us that makes a place special for years to come. So here is our pick of the 10 best .....
Treasury during Petra by Night
1. Petra by night: The most fascinating experience one can have while visiting Jordan. Available only 3 days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Thursday) you need to plan the trip to Petra accordingly. The ticket for this is not included in the Jordan pass or in normal day tickets to Petra. This needs to be bought separately from the ticket office at visitor centre on the same day. The event starts at 8:30 pm in the evening and runs for over an hour. As the event takes place at the footstep of Petra Treasury, a long walk to and from the Treasury makes the entire experience last over 2 hours. We recommend buying the ticket from the visitor centre during the day. If you want to get the best view (first 3 rows), then arrive a bit early at the gate of Petra. 7.00 to 7:30 pm is good time as this when people are allowed to go in. For more details on Petra by Night please visit our post here. Tips for photography enthusiasts – arrive early, set up your tripod and adjust the setting of your camera before the event starts.
A morning walk after sunrise in the desert of Wadi Rum
2. Sunrise walk in the Desert of Wadi Rum: Experiencing the enchanting lunar landscape of Wadi Rum is on every traveller’s list while visiting Jordan. For us the most magical moment while in Wadi Rum was the morning walk just after the sun rise. Almost every desert camp in Wadi Rum will offer sunrise tour as one of the paid activity. We will highly recommend the sunrise tour as the view of sun rising over the desert landscape is breath taking. Try not to take the vehicle to return back to the camp from sunrise point – talk a walk instead and you will find how the colour of the sandstones and desert changes with the rays of the rising sun, the cool breeze makes this all the more pleasant.
Bedouin Delicacy Zerb
3. Bedouin Delicacy ‘Zerb’: Ok this is one of the many mouth-watering cuisines- what makes it special is not only the rustic feel but the entire process of its creation- baked in the ground in a hold sealed with sand. The long and laborious process of preparing this dish in slow heat results in a dish bursting with flavours and aroma. Try this dish while in the central south part of the country anywhere from Petra to Wadi Rum. For more details on Zerb and other Jordanian cuisines please visit our post here.
Mosaic of Umm er-Rasas
4. Mosaic of Umm er-Rasas: This Roman ruin site which houses many beautiful mosaics is often overlooked by most travellers. The ruins of Umm er-Rasas is situated south on Madaba and is almost an hour’s drive out of the capital Amman. Among many mosaics the most significant one is on the floor of St. Stephen's Church which can be viewed from the raised platform. When we visited this place on our way back to Annam from Wadi Rum, we found this place completely to ourselves. For more details on the ruins of Umm er-Rasas please visit or Jordan travel diary here.
Alleyway of souq of Al-Salt
Fresh vegetable market in souq of Al-Salt
5. Souq of Al-Salt: Al-Salt, a small town located north of Amman and almost an hour’s drive out of Annam is not one of the most talked about places in Jordan along tourists and travellers. A small town with hardly any traveller footprint has a souq which is worth a visit. On the either side of small alleyway through the souq there are shops selling everything from spices, to fresh vegetables, to other food items to every day household items. We spent over an hour walking through the souq, sampling the fresh local food and buying little artefacts. The thing here is the feel - almost like a place that is still snugged in the old warmth and refusing to run with the modern world. For more details on our story about visiting Al-Salt please read our post here.
Freshly made falafel of Madaba
6. Falafal Wrap in Madaba: Falafal is one of the most widely eaten snacks throughout the Middle East including Jordan. Though there are Falafels everywhere but the undisputed king was a small corner shop at Madaba. While driving to Madaba our driver and guide Hussam told us ‘I will take you to the best falafel place in Madan and you will enjoy it’’ and man was he right! The small shop in an alleyway located at stone’s throw from the main gate of the St George's church. There isn’t any specific name but asking anyone on the street near the church for the ‘falafel shop’ should help you locate this unassuming place crowded with locals and the rule of thumb- if the locals love it- it must be doing something right!. For more details on the Falafal shop of Madaba and for many other food we sampled while in Jordan please read more about our write-up on Jordanian food here.
Unforgettable experience of floating on the Dead Sea
7. Floating on the Dead Sea at sunrise: Most travellers go for a day trip to Dead Sea due to its close proximity to the capital city of Amman. We will highly recommend an overnight stay in any of the resorts located by the shore of the Dead Sea. The best time to enjoy floating on the Dead Sea is ether just before sunset or just after sunrise. We tried both options and found the early morning experience much for pleasant because of the cooler temperature of early morning and less humidity. Read more about our Dead Sea experience here.
The 360 degree view from top of Ajloun Castle
8. View from top of Ajloun Castle: The view of the north of the country from the top of Ajloun Castle is truly breath-taking and reveals its true importance as a strategic location. The 360 degree view of the country, Syria to the north and the Jordan valley to the south makes this place one to remember as it gives you the sense of proximity to some of the places (Nazareth, Jerusalem, West Bank etc.) that most of us have only read about.
The royal collection of King Hussein
9. Royal automobile museum in Amman: The royal automobile museum in Annam houses the huge personal collection of motor vehicles of King Hussein. A visit to this museum reveals King Hussein’s passion of classic motor vehicles. From limited addition Rolls-Royces to Ferrari to Cadillacs this is a nice place to get a bit of the feel of the royalty before you start your exploration of the country. Spending couple of hours visiting this museum while in Amman is well worth it if you like motors and history.
10. Mosaic workshop: Jordan is Famous for its mosaic work and there is no better place than visiting a mosaic workshop to see this traditional craftsmanship still being nurtured in Jordan. There are many mosaic workshops in Jordan and we visited one near the town of Madaba. These workshops are also the best places to buy an authentic souvenir to take back home. The money you spend goes back directly to the community, which is always a winner!