Things to Do in Jordan

Dating back 18,000 years to the reign of Antoninus Pius, Amman’s restored Roman Theater is a popular visit on any trip to Jordan’s capital. Carved into the northern side of a hill that held the city’s necropolis, its position was designed to shield spectators from the sun. 

Big enough to fit an audience of 6,000, as you wander the huge arena you’ll notice that the seating is split into three tiers, or diazomata: the lowest seats, closest to the action, would have been reserved for the ruling class. The middle seats were for the military, and the top seating, known as “The Gods,” would have been reserved for the general public. Head down to the stage and you’ll see how easily your voice carries. The top tiers would have heard everything! 

In summer, you can see Amman’s Roman Theater come back to life with regular sporting and cultural events in July and August especially. You can also visit the Jordanian Museum of Popular Traditions on the right side of the amphitheater, which displays items related to traditional Jordanian life such as Bedouin tents and looms. Just to the left of the theater is the Amman Folklore Museum, where you can see displays of traditional costumes, jewelry, and facemasks. 

With the Roman ruins of Gadara, an abandoned Ottoman village, and sweeping views over Jordan, Israel, and Syria, the little town of Umm Qais has a lot to offer the visitor. The undisputed highlight is the ancient city of Gadara, where the remains of Roman theaters, colonnades, and tombs enjoy a spectacular hilltop location.

Because it’s difficult and time-consuming to reach the ruins at Umm Qais by public transportation, most visitors either drive themselves or opt for an organized tour. Some day tours from Amman combine Umm Qais with the Roman ruins at Jerash. Full-day Umm Qais tours often include visits to the site’s small museum. Few visitors will be interested in the modern town, although hiking, biking, and even foraging are possible in the countryside.

It takes at least four hours and four vehicles to reach Umm Qais from Amman by public transport, so most visitors opt to drive, hire a driver, or join a tour with round-trip transfers. The 78-mile (125-kilometer) drive north from Amman takes around two hours in a private vehicle.

The beauty of Umm Qais’ location is best appreciated in spring (roughly mid-March to mid-May), when the hills are lush and green. April is the optimal time to see wildflowers flourishing in the hills and among the ruins of Gadara. The site is rarely crowded so there’s no need for an early start to your Umm Qais tour.

According to the Bible, it was at Gadara that Jesus exorcised demons from two possessed men and cast the evil spirits into a herd of pigs, which then ran down the hill into a lake. During its heyday 2,000-odd years ago, Gadara was an intellectual hub known for its writers, artists, philosophers, and academics.

A huge draw for car enthusiasts, the Royal Automobile Museum displays more than 70 classic cars and other vehicles, many of which are from the personal collection of King Hussein. Not just about the cars themselves, the museum looks at who drove them and the events they were a part of, making the museum a point of interest to those interested in history and the royal family too.

Each car has a full explanation of its type, and model, plus the year it was made, its engine power, and the occasions it was used for. In addition to grand classic cars, the Royal Automobile Museum also has various types of motorcycles and racing cars on display.

A trip to the Royal Automobile Museum can be combined with visiting the Jordan Museum, King Abdullah Mosque, the Roman Theater, Rainbow Street, and the Citadel, either on a private six-hour tour or a longer sightseeing tour with lunch included.

Did You Know? A replica of what was thought to be the first car officially presented to the world can be found at the museum. It was built in 1886 by Karl Benz, the father of Mercedes-Benz.

Once known as Abu Baker al Siddiq Street, this popular destination is a one-stop strip for travelers looking to experience the beauty, diversity, history and culture of Amman. Rainbow Street is home to international council buildings, major businesses, roof top bars and dozens of restaurants. Several significant historical sites, like the residence of King Talala and the home of former military commanders are also located nearby. 

Travelers say this central location is the ideal spot to grab an evening meal on a visit to Jordan, and the perfect place to smoke some shisha surrounded by travelers and locals alike. Visitors say women should be mindful of how they dress, as a more conservative culture can result in unwanted attention for those who show too much skin.

The brilliantly colored sands and stark rock formations of Jordan’s Wadi Rum, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, make this desert wilderness a must-visit for most travelers to Jordan. Signature sights, typically visited by 4WD, include the Burdah Rock Bridge, a natural arch; the Khazali Siq, a narrow canyon; and the scarlet Al Hasany Dunes.

There is a small fee to enter the Wadi Rum protected area. Most visitors arrive either on a tour or to stay in one of the desert camps, which range from basic to luxurious. It is also possible to hire a Bedouin 4WD driver directly on arrival.

Wadi Rum is an essential stop on most multi-day Jordan tours, some of which include a night under the desert stars. At around four hours from Amman, it’s a challenging day trip, and better approached from Aqaba—although many would argue that without a night in the desert you’re missing out. Most Wadi Rum tours explore by 4WD, although some include a short camel ride, and longer camel safaris are also possible. Adventure activities include rock climbing and sandboarding.

Deep in the south of Jordan, Wadi Rum is about 45 minutes’ drive from Aqaba; guides and camps can generally arrange seats on the minibuses that run the route most of the year. Given that self-driving inside the protected area is only possible in a 4WD with a professional driver to supervise, many will find it easier simply to arrange a Wadi Rum tour that includes round-trip door-to-door transport.

Like other deserts, Wadi Rum can be surprisingly cold on a winter’s night and searingly hot at the height of summer. The tourist peak seasons of spring and fall (mid-March to mid-May and mid-September to mid-November) are also the most convenient times to visit. It’s worth spending the night to appreciate the stillness of the desert and the brilliance of the stars.

From Lawrence of Arabia to The Martian, Wadi Rum’s startling colors have long made it a popular film location. The area regularly stands in for Mars, and indeed for other planets: It serves as a setting for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. One desert camp, inspired by The Martian, features domes in the style of the one Matt Damon’s character lived in during the movie.

This ruins of this Crusader castle, formerly known as Mons Realis (Royal Mountain), date back to AD 1115 when they were built by Baldwin I of Jerusalem as a way to control the caravan and pilgrimage routes between Syria and the Arabian Peninsula.

Today much of the original fortifications lie in ruins. Calligraphic inscriptions on the exterior of the remaining walls date back to the thirteenth century, and within the castle, visitors will find remains of a small chapel, the original gatehouse and several Ottoman cottages. Two large buildings with arched entrances date back to the time of the Crusaders but were later used by the Mamluks as a school.

The signature sight of Petra, Jordan’s signature sight, the Siq is a geological wonder: a stark rift in the land, smoothed by time into a scenic swirl of sandstone. The walls reach more than 500 feet (150 meters), while the path narrows to just 7 feet (2 meters), and the view of the Treasury at the end is one of the world’s great reveals.

The Siq is the most common approach to rose-red Petra, the lost city created by the mysterious Nabateans over 2,300 years ago. To enter the Siq, you’ll need a Petra admission ticket; the 2-day and 3-day tickets are excellent value compared to the single-day version. Besides, the site requires lengthy exploration. 

Almost all Petra tours start by walking—or occasionally riding—down the Siq toward the Treasury. One particularly notable Siq tour is the Petra night tour, when flickering candles illuminate the canyon, creating a sense of mystery and drama. It’s worth visiting by day first to savor the Treasury reveal.

You can reach Wadi Musa, the support town for Petra, by minibus from both Aqaba and Amman; the visitor center for Petra is a bit over a mile (2 kilometers) from the station. If you’d like to visit Petra as a day trip, an organized tour with door-to-door round-trip transfers is the most practical option. Note that the site is at least three hours away from Amman.

Beat the crowds by arriving as early as you can bear during Jordan’s tourist peaks: spring (mid-March to mid-May) and fall (mid-September to mid-November). The site opens at 6am year-round, and the best way to arrive early is to stay at one of the many hotels in Wadi Musa.

While the Siq looks like a canyon—or an Arabic wadi—shaped by water carving a course through the landscape, it’s actually a geological fissure. The Siq was formed when tectonic forces split the land in two, and it’s been smoothed as water followed the line of the fault over the course of centuries.

Situated close to the Roman Theater, the Royal Tombs are carved dramatically into the cliffs above the city, and their facades reveal many Roman and ancient Greek influences. Notable tombs include the vast Urn Tomb, later used as a church, the three-story Palace Tomb, and the Silk Tomb, with its natural swirls of color.

The Royal Tombs, which were carved from rose-red sandstone by the Nabateans more than 2,300 years ago, sit at the heart of the ancient city of Petra. As such, you’ll need a Petra admission ticket to see them; note that the two-day and three-day entrance tickets are excellent value compared to the single-day Petra ticket.

The vast majority of Petra day tours will allow visitors to glimpse the Royal Tombs from the outside and identify the signature tombs; however, only a few will ascend the many steps that can be involved in actually seeing the tombs up close. If an in-depth tour is on your bucket list, consider hiring a private guide.

Minibuses from Amman and Aqaba stop at the station in the town of Wadi Musa, a bit over a mile (2 kilometers) from the Petra Visitor Center. If you aim to visit as a day trip, either drive or skip the hassle with an organized tour. The Royal Tombs are on the lower level of the Petra site.

The most popular times to visit Jordan are spring and fall: mid-March to mid-May and mid-September to mid-November. To beat the crowds, consider braving either the surprising cool of winter or the intense heat of summer. Whatever the time of year, the Royal Tombs look at their best in the warm light of sunset, so try to time your Royal Tombs tour to coincide with that.

Originally nomadic Arab traders, the Nabateans, who built Petra, began to rise to prominence during the 4th century BC, and were at the peak of their power around the time of Jesus Christ. Petra is home to more than 1,000 tombs, and the overwhelming majority of its surviving buildings are devoted to the dead. 

First approached by way of a deep, narrow gorge known as the Siq, the Treasury (Al Khazneh) is one of the most dramatic and iconic monuments in the ancient city of Petra. At 131 feet (40 meters) tall, this towering ancient tomb has lost none of its power since Nabatean times.

The Treasury is perhaps the most instantly recognizable attraction in the ancient city of Petra, carved from red desert sandstone more than 2,000 years ago by a lost civilization known as the Nabateans. Despite the name, the Treasury (Al Khazneh in Arabic) was, most likely, a mausoleum, not a storehouse: The twin statues on its front are the Greek demigods Castor and Pollux. Movie fans will recognize it as the place where Indiana Jones did battle for the holy grail in the classic adventure movie. 

Set in the lower levels of the city, the Treasury is an essential stop on almost all Petra tours. Tickets are required to access the site. Compared to the 1-day entrance tickets, 2-day and 3-day tickets are excellent value and allow you to explore other areas of the city. Both day and night tours of Petra are available, some of which include horse rides or camel rides. 

Petra sits just below the tourist town of Wadi Musa, which has minibus connections to both Amman and Aqaba. Taxis are available if you’d prefer not to walk the couple of miles to the site. There’s ample accommodation in Wadi Musa for those who want to take a deep dive into Petra, and full-day tours of the ancient site are available from both Amman and Aqaba.

Summer temperatures of 100°F (38°C) are not uncommon in Jordan, while December and January can be colder than you’d expect of the Middle East. Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons to visit. If exploring Petra in summer, aim to arrive early in the day to beat the midday heat: The site opens at 6am.

In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Harrison Ford gallops down the Siq canyon to the Treasury in a dramatic chase. Horses are available for hire if you’d like to attempt a slower-paced re-creation, and fedoras are on sale at the entrance. For cinematic views of the Treasury, seek out the steep path that starts just beyond the Royal Tombs.