Introduction: Benefits of a DIY Trip to Jordan
Embarking on a DIY trip to Jordan is an excellent way to explore this captivating country without breaking the bank.
While many tour operators charge upwards of £800 per person, we managed to experience Jordan’s highlights – including flights, accommodations, tours, transport, and meals – for just £600 each.
Here’s how we planned our journey and how you can do the same.
🌟 Includes our itinerary and links to all the companies that we used. We hope you find it helpful.
Contents
- Introduction: Benefits of a DIY Trip to Jordan
- About Jordan
- How to Book a DIY Trip to Jordan
- 1. Choose the Best Time to Visit Jordan 📆
- 2. Find Flights to Amman or Aqaba
- 3. Plan Your Jordan Itinerary
- 4. Book Your Accommodation
- 5. Book Your Transport: Driver or Hire-Car
- 6. Buy a Jordan Pass
- 6 Day Jordan Itinerary: Places to Visit
- Our Overall Thoughts About Our DIY Trip to Jordan
- 🧳 What to Pack for Jordan In Spring
- 🌟 Top Tips
- Useful Links for Your DIY Trip to Jordan
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About Jordan
Jordan is an Arab country in Southwest Asia. It has an interesting and rich history, dating back to biblical times.
There are amazing things to see; unique landscapes like the Wadi Rum Desert and the Dead Sea, ancient cities such as Petra and Jerash and a beautiful coast on the Red Sea.
🌟 Although it borders countries with unsettled political issues, Jordan maintains its stance to remain a peaceful country and to be a safe and welcoming destination for tourists around the world.
💗 We fell in love with Jordan’s beautiful landscapes, ancient wonders and the warm and welcoming people.
How to Book a DIY Trip to Jordan
👉Book Your Trip to Jordan – All the Website Links You Need for This Itinerary
1. Choose the Best Time to Visit Jordan 📆
Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to November) offer the most pleasant weather – warm days and cool nights.
We travelled in early April during Ramadan, which required some cultural sensitivity (like avoiding eating in public during daylight), but it also provided a unique and enriching experience.
Spring is high season for tourism but currently there are very few tourists.
2. Find Flights to Amman or Aqaba
Direct flights from the UK to Amman are available through airlines like British Airways, TUI, EasyJet, Ryanair, and Wizz Air.
We secured return flights with Wizz Air for just £82 per person – a fantastic deal for a 6-hour journey.
👉Use flight comparison tools like Skyscanner or Kayak to find the best prices.
Sadly, there are a lot less flights because the Jordanian government have temporarily stopped subsidizing flights and because people have been cancelling their trips due to the conflict in Gaza and Iran but there are still some available.
Expect to pay around £200 for your return flight and if you can find some cheaper then you are getting a good deal.
It’s a fairly long flight (6 hours) which is a long time on a budget plane but it’s bearable.
🌟 Tip: If you can find good prices, it makes sense to fly into Amman and out from Aqaba or vice versa.
Luggage
🧳 You wont need a lot of luggage for your trip to Jordan, (see ‘packing for a DIY trip to Jordan’ further on). We only paid for one large case between all 5 of us and we used packing cubes to separate our stuff and had a tiny backpack each too.
3. Plan Your Jordan Itinerary
Our 6 Day DIY Trip to Jordan Itinerary
Amman (2 nights)
Day 0: Arrive late – head straight to hotel
Day 1:
- Morning: Citadel
- Lunch. Afternoon: Roman Theatre, Down Town markets
- Evening: Dinner at Hashem Restaurant, walk down Rainbow Street
Dead Sea (1 night)
Day 2:
- Morning: Drive to the Dead Sea (1 hour)
- Lunch at the hotel
- Afternoon: Float in the Dead Sea, spend time at the hotel pool
- Evening: Dinner at the hotel, drinks at the outdoor pool bar
Petra (2 nights)
Day 3:
- Morning: Drive to Wadi Musa (3 hours)
- Afternoon: Visit Petra to see the Treasury
- Evening: Dinner at the hotel rooftop restaurant
Day 4:
- Morning: Petra – 8 mile hike from the Monastery entrance to the Visitor Centre
- Afternoon: Use the hotel facilities
- Evening: Dinner and cocktails at the hotel
🐫 Wadi Rum (1 night)
Day 5:
- Morning: Drive to Wadi Rum Desert (1 hour)
- Afternoon: 2 hour Jeep tour of Wadi Rum followed by Sunset Camel ride
- Evening: Dinner at the camp, followed by Star Gazing tour
🏖️ Aqaba (1 day)
Day 6:
- Morning: Drive to Aqaba (1 hour), Boat trip to coral reefs, snorkelling
- Lunch on the boat
- Afternoon: Drive to Amman airport (5 hours). Evening: flight home
4. Book Your Accommodation
🌟 Tip: To make sure you see as much of Jordan as possible, it’s a good idea to book accommodation in a few places because it a long distance between all the highlights.
We booked hotels with www.booking.com in Amman, the Dead Sea, Petra and Wadi Rum.
There is lots of accommodation for you to choose for your DIY trip to Jordan, from budget hotels to 5* resorts.
We mixed it up a bit with some budget accommodation and mid-range hotels. Other hotel booking sites are available but because we’re a bit lazy and we use Booking.com so often, we tend to get good discounts.
🌟 Tip: When using a hotel booking site, add ‘filters’ for your requirements and make sure you check out the reviews. Compare prices across different sites. We often check to see if we can get the price lower by booking directly with the hotels too.
Our Accommodation in Jordan (all prices include 2 rooms)
Amman – Arab Tower Hotel 2* (2 rooms)
A budget hotel – 2 nights £119 – This was definitely a budget hotel. It was located in Down Town Amman so noisy at night but only a 5 minute walk from the main sights so a great location. Breakfast was included in the price and served from the roof top.
Dead Sea – Ramada Dead Sea Resort 4* (2 rooms)
1 night £269 This resort hotel did not have the best reviews on Booking.com but it was far cheaper than the other Dead Sea hotels.
We paid for a sea view room and when we arrived we were upgraded to a suite. We thought the hotel and its facilities were fantastic. Breakfast was included in our price.
The guys at the beach were wonderful, really kind and they went above and beyond to ensure we had a great experience.
⚠️ The hotel has a no alcohol policy and bags are put through a scanner so you can’t take any in either.
👉 Check availability Ramada Dead Sea Resort Hotel
Wadi Musa (Petra) – Tetra Tree Hotel 4* (2 rooms)
2 nights £261 The staff at this hotel were super kind and brilliant. The hotel has the most fantastic roof top restaurant, with an incredible view over Wadi Musa and Petra.
The rooms are spacious and well appointed. There is an indoor swimming pool, pool table and a large lounge area downstairs. Again breakfast was included.
👉Check availability at Tetra Tree Hotel
Wadi Rum – Wadi Rum Land Mars Bubble tent and Triple room 1 night £200
This camp was amazing. It is not a large camp like some of them. There were 5 bubble tents and around 15 tents. Breakfast and dinner were included in the price.
👉 Search desert camps in Wadi Rum
5. Book Your Transport: Driver or Hire-Car
🚗 Car hire is very reasonable in Jordan, we were going to get a taxi to Amman and then hire a car at the airport to travel through the rest of Jordan. It would have been £125 for 4 days with www.sixt.co.uk.
🌟 Amman has crazy traffic, even the Jordanians find it tricky to navigate. Outside of Amman, the highways are wide, straight and empty so it is an easy drive.
We ended up hiring a driver, because my husband was recovering from an eye operation. His name is Khaled Assaf and we found him on the Jordan Travel Community on Facebook.
He had great reviews and he charged us a great rate. Most quotes from drivers were around 600 JOD for the 6 days.
Khaled was wonderful, he gave us lots of advice and made suggestions to tweak our Jordan itinerary. He was there for us whenever we needed him and I would highly recommend using his services.
6. Buy a Jordan Pass
The Jordan pass is hassle free and includes your tourist visa and pre-paid entry into 40 attractions in Jordan, including Petra, Wadi Rum and the Citadel. It costs between 70 and 80 JOD. You can purchase it online before you come to Jordan on the official link:
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6 Day Jordan Itinerary: Places to Visit
We’ve written a detailed guide to each destination. Click through for the full experience, hotel reviews, tips and things to do:
🏙️ 1. Amman
A buzzing, hilly capital with ancient monuments, fantastic food and a great night scene on Rainbow Street.
👉 Things to Do in Amman: How to Spend a Day
🌊 2. Dead Sea
The lowest point on earth. Float, do a mud mask, and stay at the Ramada – we were upgraded to a suite and loved every minute.
👉 Dead Sea Jordan: What to Expect & Where to Stay
🏛️ 3. Wadi Musa & Petra
One of the 7 wonders of the world. Carved from rose-coloured rock, it takes your breath away. Don’t miss the 8-mile hike from the Monastery entrance.
👉 Petra Jordan: A Complete Visitor’s Guide
🏜️ 4. Wadi Rum Desert
Other-worldly red sand and towering sandstone mountains. Stargazing, camel rides and a night in a bubble tent.
👉 Wadi Rum: What to Do, Where to Stay & Tips
🐠 5. Aqaba
A beautiful coastal city on the Red Sea with brilliant coral reefs – the perfect final morning before heading to the airport.
👉 Aqaba Jordan: Snorkelling, Coral Reefs & the Red Sea
Our Overall Thoughts About Our DIY Trip to Jordan
We all felt that our trip to Jordan was fantastic. There was a lot of travelling but it was worth it.
The people, culture, food, scenery, everything was such a wonderful learning experience and so different from everywhere else we have been in the world.
Our only wish is that we had longer. I think we will come back, stay in Aqaba and spend more time in the Wadi Rum Desert.
I highly recommend you come to this wonderful country and stay for as long as you can.
👉 FREE CONTENT FOR SUBSCRIBERS!!!: Book my Jordan Holiday – Download our Itinerary and all the Booking Links to the websites we used.
🧳 What to Pack for Jordan In Spring
We’ve put together a full dedicated packing guide covering everything you need for each part of the trip – including what to wear in conservative areas, what to bring for the Dead Sea (hint: old swimwear only), what you need for the Petra hike and how to stay comfortable in the Wadi Rum desert at night.
👉 What to Pack for Jordan In Spring: A Complete Packing List
🥾 Footwear: you will need comfortable walking shoes or trainers and sandals for the Dead Sea and desert.
🩱 Swimwear: for the hotel pool and old swim wear for the Dead Sea.
👚 Light tops that cover your shoulders.
👖 Trousers or skirts that cover your knees.
🧥 A fleece or warm pullover for night time, especially in the desert.
- Insect Repellent
😎 Sunglasses, sun hat and sun screen.
🎒 A small back pack.
Depending on the time of year you go you might need a light rain coat.
🌟 Top Tips
- Buy the Jordan Pass and check Visa requirements before you travel.
- Ensure you have travel insurance.
- Buy a SIM card at the airport – ZainJo gives the best cover.
- Many places want you to pay by cash so take JOD with you. You can pay by card at most hotels and restaurants but not in Wadi Rum. There are ATMs everywhere, even at the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre.
⚠️ Police check points are common along the Highways and you need to show your documents, passport and licence. It is nothing to worry about and they are there to keep you safe.
- Dress modestly, especially in religious places.
- Tipping around 10 percent is polite.
- Alcohol is legal but very expensive and is not served everywhere.
- The main bus service in Jordan is Jordan Express Tourist Transport – JETT.
- Use insect repellent in the desert to protect you from sandfly bites.
- Arabic is the main language and English is widely spoken.
Useful Links for Your DIY Trip to Jordan
Jordan Tourist Board: www.visitjordan.com
Jordan Pass: www.jordanpass.jo
Bus Service: www.jett.com.jo
Hashems Restaurant: www.hashemrestaurants.com
- 👉 Things to Do in Amman
- 👉 Dead Sea Jordan: What to Expect & Where to Stay
- 👉 Petra Jordan: A Complete Visitor’s Guide
- 👉 Wadi Rum: What to Do, Where to Stay & Tips
- 👉 Aqaba Jordan: Snorkelling, Coral Reefs & the Red Sea
- 👉 What to Pack for Jordan: A Complete Packing List
- 👉 Book My Jordan Holiday – Itinerary & Booking Links
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