Jordan is a country where you can visit one of the 7 wonders of the world, experience a sunset in the orange desert like never before and end your trip by taking a dip in the Red Sea. The accessibility of these unique experiences has increased thanks to low-cost airlines flying directly to the capital city of Amman or to Eilat (Israel), from where you can easily cross the border. If you want to experience something different than in Europe, Jordan is the place for you.
Practical Information
- Visas to Jordan – if you arrive in Amman, you pay 40 JOD on the spot; if you use the border crossing from Eilat and stay for at least 3 nights, it’s FREE! (no need for Jordan Pass, even if someone tries to persuade you). The second option is the Jordan Pass for 70-80 JOD, which includes visas and most of the landmarks including Petra (the only condition is to stay at least 3 nights in Jordan).
- Jordan Pass – if you fly to Amman – definitely yes, buy it in advance online (around 2 JOD is for payment through the internet). If you fly to Eilat and only want to see Petra and Wadi Rum, it’s not worth it because you don’t pay for visas => for a 2-day Jordan Pass you would pay 75 JOD vs. regular price Petra 2-day (55 JOD) + Wadi Rum (5 JOD) = 60 JOD
- Safety – Jordan is considered one of the safest countries in the Middle East. The country has strict security measures in place, and hotels also implement measures to protect guests.
- Prices and Bargaining – prices are roughly the same as at home, just be prepared to bargain. And be prepared, they will try to overcharge you at every corner – for example, in small grocery stores, prices are not displayed, and we had a case where a boy sold us weighed peanuts with a 400% markup.
- ATMs – for withdrawal, you will pay a minimum of 3 JOD (for example, Arab Bank) or the others had 3.50 JOD. If you come across an ATM with no withdrawal fee, be aware that it may convert it at a disadvantageous exchange rate to USD, and you will end up paying even more (our experience in Aqaba through Jordan Bank).
- Card Payment – at accommodations or local shops, you could only pay in cash, while restaurants accepted card payments too, but beware of fees – in Petra, there is an additional 2.50% for card payments, in one bar, they even asked for 5% extra.
- Exchange Rate – be careful that card transactions are charged in local JOD, for example in Petra they charged our entrance in GBP, and we had to complain (fortunately they successfully refunded and re-entered in JOD).
- Alcohol – officially, you can only buy it in liquor shops in Aqaba. In Wadi Musa near Petra, the option was only in an unofficial bar, but at overpriced prices – small beer 6 JOD, wine 5 JOD. At the hotel, they even asked for 60 JOD for a bottle of Stolichnaya vodka.
- New Ramon Airport – from 2nd April 2019, Ovda Airport in Eilat is closed, and you will now arrive at the new Ramon Airport, which is only 20 km from Eilat.
Crossing the Eilat – Aqaba Border
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- Exit from Eilat – 102 ILS (around 25€) + additional fees paid once for the whole group (so it’s worth going together) -> 5 ILS for processing and if you pay in euros, there is an additional fee of 19.17 ILS for conversion
- Visas to Jordan – issued at the border in the form of a manifest, where you only write names, nationality, and passport details. On forums, they suggest getting this manifest stamped in Petra, but we did not do so, and there was no problem (apparently if you stay for 3 nights or more, you are a valuable enough tourist for them)
- Exit from Aqaba – no fee if you stayed at least 3 nights, otherwise, the fee is 10 JOD (sometimes they might waive it for 2 nights)
- Border Closes at 8:00 PM – the crossing closes at 8:00 PM, so allow for a buffer in case your flight is delayed (which was exactly our case). Count on at least half an hour for the border crossing (there are a total of 5-6 checks, and you also need to walk quite a bit)
Transport to/from the border
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- To/from Eilat border you can take Flo Shuttle, Egged bus or a taxi
- From Aqaba border, the only option is a fixed 15 JOD taxi, while the opposite direction could be negotiated down to 7 JOD (quoted 8 JOD)
- Dollar-Thrifty car rental in Aqaba also closes at 8:00 PM, so we had to call to have them wait for us as well
Petra
Petra is one of the most famous, but also one of the most expensive monuments in the world that we have visited. One of the Seven Wonders of the World was rediscovered only in the 19th century and served as the inspiration for the famous movie Indiana Jones. The rock city experienced its greatest prosperity around 62 BC, when approximately 30,000 people lived here. After a devastating earthquake in the 6th century, it fell into oblivion. Even the name is not coincidental, as the word “Petra” denotes a rock in Greek. The site has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985 and has also become part of the list of the New Seven Wonders of the World, which was declared in Lisbon in 2007 based on a worldwide public vote. The average daily number of visitors is around 2,500.
Entrance to Petra – as Petra is very extensive, it is possible to plan various routes for up to 3 days. The optimal option is a 2-day visit, which is what we did.
Ticket options: 50 JOD (approx. 63 €) for 1 day,55 JOD (approximately €69) for 2 days and 60 JOD (approximately €75) for 3 days. There is an additional fee of 17 JOD (approximately €21) for the night tour on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 20:30. For residents, the fee is only 1 JOD.
When buying tickets, you must also provide your passport, which will be used to print your name on the ticket. If paying by card, an extra charge of 2.50% will be applied, and make sure the transaction is in JOD and not GBP (they have a very unfavorable exchange rate). There is no ATM on site, only a currency exchange. Parking in front of the entrance is free.
Practical tips
- Since you will be walking 10-15 km daily, make sure to bring enough water and protect yourself from the sun. A scarf for your head might be more suitable than a cap, especially because it can get quite windy.
- Sneakers are sufficient footwear (the uphill path is rocky but has steps)
- There is free Wi-Fi in the area provided by Hyundai, but you need to register to access it
- Along the way, there are souvenir shops, cafes, free restrooms, and at the end of the path, restaurants (with high-altitude prices, of course)
- The Treasury is in the sun in the morning, so it’s worth going earlier for photos
- Magnets are priced very attractively -> 3 magnets / 1 JOD
- Petra also has a rear entrance near the restaurants, in case you are staying in Uum Sayhoun, for example
Our GPS Routes
- Day 1 – Siq, Treasury, Amphitheater, Colonnated Street, Great Temple, Monastery
- Day 2 – Siq, Treasury, Royal Tombs, Obelisk (we didn’t finish completely, we only spent half a day)
Petra – Siq
The original city gate, consisting of a 1.2-kilometer winding sandstone canyon, whose walls rise to heights of 90 to 180 meters.
Petra – The Treasury (the treasury)
The most famous and most elaborate temple, carved into red sandstone, whose facade is over 40 meters high and over 30 meters wide. The monumentality of it will definitely leave you in awe. Several paths lead over the rocks, so you can have it photographed from every angle and height.
Petra – Amphitheater
In addition to temples and tombs, the Roman amphitheater with a capacity of 7000 seats has also been preserved, which is used for occasional events.
Petra – Royal Tombs
The Royal Tombs are located on the other side of the valley opposite the Roman Theatre, and their dimensions are also monumental.
Petra – Monastery (Monastery)
An even larger temple than the Treasury, although there is a noticeable resemblance. You will have to climb many stairs to reach the Monastery, but it is worth it. It is the furthest point from the main entrance (about 5 km). Further along the path past the Monastery, there are more viewpoints overlooking the entire valley.
Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum is the most colorful desert in the Middle East and one of the most beautiful desert landscapes in the world. The atypical orange color of the sand changes depending on the intensity of the sun’s rays. Camps with Martian tents are perfectly nestled in this lunar landscape. The intensity of adventure is heightened by the fact that you will spend the night here without signal and Wi-Fi. In addition, the Bedouins will prepare an unforgettable dinner for you in the form of chicken buried in the sand. We also had a fantastic view of the stars.
Entrance to Wadi Rum – You will pay 5 JOD at the Visitors Center. If you have a 4×4 car, it will cost an additional 20 JOD. You will then park your car in the town of Rum, where the host will pick you up.
Accommodation – There are countless options for accommodation on booking.com, so be aware that the suspiciously low price of 10 JOD per night with dinner and breakfast is not the final cost. To reach the camp, you will need to pay an additional 40 JOD per group for transportation. The second option was to take a Jeep Tour the next day for 40 JOD per person, and then we would have had this transportation for free :).
We declined the tour as we had swimming planned in Aqaba the next day anyway. Especially try to negotiate the price if you decide to go for it. The jeep ride to our tented town took about 15 minutes.
The tents were lighted with one British type socket, so we had to look for an adapter. We were a bit lucky to arrive before sunset because the host offered to take us to a sand dune where we could enjoy a breathtaking sunset. Around 7 pm, dinner was served ceremoniously – the Bedouins excavated a multi-tiered dish from the sand and started serving in the common room. We sat by the fireplace, ate probably the best-cooked chicken ever, drank mint tea, and chatted with the Bedouins about their traditions and customs. A perfect idyll.
TIP: On the way back from Wadi Rum, stop at the historic Wadi Rum train station.
Beaches in Aqaba
- Bikini beaches are approximately 10 km south of Aqaba (the city beach in Aqaba is non-bikini)
- The water in this season (end of March/beginning of April) is only 20°C, but if you dare, you can comfortably swim and snorkel
- The most accessible beach is South Beach, where you can park for free in the parking lot or by the road
- The underwater world is above average, just a few meters from the shore you can find a variety of corals and enjoy easy snorkeling
- At South Beach, you can even see a tank wreck and a shipwreck underwater, see google map
- Wear water shoes, as the entrance is quite rocky
- Resorts in this area like Berenise Beach Club or Tala Bay have enclosed beaches and charge 10 JOD/person for entry
- Food is an issue – apart from resorts, there are no restaurants or fast-food places here
- Beach toilets – mostly paid Turkish toilets for 1 JOD
