7 Day Jordan Itinerary

Jordan is arguably the Middle East’s best country to travel in and generally considered the safest. Jordan hosts some of the world’s most historical sites : the Dead Sea, Petra, and much more. You will need to plan at least four full days if you want to see all the main sites, but truthfully speaking, this would be entirely too exhausting. Ideally, you’ll want to dedicate seven days for Jordan. However, in order to make it work you will need to rent a car rather than relying on public transportation to get from city to city. Below, I’ll highlight the ideal seven-day itinerary for Jordan. 

Day 1: Arrive in Amman 

Despite what people say, there isn’t much to see or do in Amman. The Roman Theatre and Amman Citadel are pretty neat but other than that, it’s a somewhat sleepy capital, but I like to spend time in every capital to get a feel for the vibe.

Day 2: Jerash (Day trip from Amman)

Jerash was once one of the wealthiest and most cosmopolitan cities in the region. This is definitely worth dedicating a day to, especially considering it’s only 45 minutes from Amman. Jerash hosts some of the most well-preserved Roman ruins and makes for some cool photos as well. 

Day 3: Dead Sea + Wadi Mujib + Ma’in Hot Spring (Day trip from Amman)

You’ll have to start your day a bit early to tackle all of this. Most tourists prefer to visit the Dead Sea from a public beach but note that these are often crowded and polluted. My friend and I simply drove along the highway and stopped by a bridge shortly before Wadi Mujib and just went to a random part of the sea. We had to do a bit of hiking to get to the actual sea, but it was well worth it seeing how there were zero people in sight. 

Unfortunately, Wadi Mujib was closed in April, so we couldn’t visit; however, I hear it’s amazing, so if you can make it, definitely go. 

Ma’in Hot Springs is a series of hot mineral springs and waterfalls located between Madaba and the Dead Sea. This is a cool place to chill out for a bit but unfortunately, it is not included in the Jordan Pass, so you’ll have to pay to enter.

Day 4: Petra!

This will be the highlight of your trip, and rightfully so. Unless you’re one of those people that need to see 100% of a place, you do NOT need more than a day in Petra. Petra opens at 6:00 AM, and I wanted to beat the crowds, so my friend and I departed Amman at 2:30 AM (3-hour drive). In hindsight, we probably should’ve checked out of our hotel the day before and made the trip to Petra the night before to get more sleep. Anyway…..Petra is worth all the hype and more. It’s a self-explanatory place and there isn’t a need for a guide; however, you will need a guide to take you up to the scenic photo spot seen on everyone’s Instagram. This guide really just walks you up a few rocks, which takes no more than 3 minutes. There is no way around this though, local rules.

If you visit Petra on a Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday, you can see Petra at night, which I 100% recommend! Simply buy your ticket sometime during the day of and you’re all set. Don’t worry about tickets selling out, they’re unlimited. Word of advice – do not leave the park when it closes. Stay inside the park and if the authorities approach you, show them your Petra at night ticket. They will likely let you stay in the park, so you’ll have a few hours until the show starts. Doing this gives you the ability to get a front row seat to the show. To pass time you can have dinner outside. 

Day 5: Wadi Rum

This will be another early day. Depart Petra in the early morning to make it to Wadi before 9:30 (2 hour drive). I recommend booking the full day Wadi Rum tour via TripAdvisor, which starts at 9:30. This tour gives you the opportunity to see all the major sites in Wadi.

You can park your car in Wadi Rum village (everyone does this), which is 6km from the visitor’s center. This is also the place where many tour guides pick you up, which makes it easy. You can store your luggage in tour guide’s car and have them drop you off at your hotel after the tour. 

I stayed at Memories Aicha Luxury Camp and if you’re willing to spend a bit extra, I recommend you stay here too. There are several types of rooms but the one you want is the panoramic luxury suite.

These are in high demand, so you’ll want to book as soon as possible. I can’t count how many people I met at the luxury camp that said, “Ah man! How were you able to book one of those?! I tried but they were sold out.” Tip: Don’t forget to open your curtains and see the stars at night! 

Day 6: Wadi Rum

Finally. A break. No need for an early start on this day. My friend and I caught up on some sleep, enjoyed breakfast, and did a private tour in the late morning. We spent the day with two Bedouins (indigenous nomads of Wadi Rum) and cooked a traditional meal with them in the middle of the desert. Along the way, we stopped at different villages, which was an added bonus. You might be offered a fresh hot glass of sheep milk, so come prepared!

Day 7: Amman

Head back to Amman. If your flight is super early, you might want to leave Wadi Rum the day before, as the drive is about 3.5 hours.

Short on time?

If you don’t have 7 days to spare, you can cut out the 2^nd day in Wadi Rum. Only have 5 days? You could combine Jerash with the Dead Sea, but be prepared for an extra long and rushed day! 

Extra time?

If you have an extra day, you can stop by Kerak Castle. This nearly 900 year old castle is one of the largest and most preserved in the region. It was one of the last outposts held by the Crusaders after Jerusalem was recaptured by Saladin (Egypt’s first Sultan) in 1187.

I hope this guide helped! Jordan is an amazing country filled with tons of adventure. I’d definitely come back again. A solid 9/10. Cheers!