16 Days in Jordan - 4 Unique Itinerary Ideas

Itinerary #1: Jordan Grand Tour: Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum, Aqaba & the Dead Sea

Hit the highlights of Jordan on this classic grand tour. Ideal for adventurous travelers and first-timers, you'll experience everything from sipping tea with locals in Amman and hiking to Petra's Monastery via a less-trodden trail to snorkeling in the Aqaba Marine Park and floating in the Dead Sea. Additional highlights include exploring remote desert fortresses on the Desert Castle Loop, admiring the intricate Madaba Map of the Holy Land in the "City of Mosaics," and a thrilling Jeep tour of Wadi Rum, rounding off your trip with a traditional Turkish bath experience.

Your trip begins by discovering Amman's landmarks, like King Abdullah I Mosque, taking a street art tour through neighborhoods like Jabal al-Weibdeh, and seeing the Amman Citadel. Next, tour Jerash's ancient ruins and Ajloun Castle before exploring remote fortresses on the Desert Castle Loop. Afterward, stop at Mount Nebo for a view of the Promised Land, admire the famous Madaba Map, and see the 12th-century Kerak Castle en route to the Petra archaeological site. You'll have a day to wander Petra's ruins before hiking a lesser-known route to Petra's Monastery on Day 7, followed by a desert Jeep tour in Wadi Rum.

Continue to the coastal city of Aqaba, where you'll have two days of beach time, views of the Red Sea from the 16th-century Aqaba Fort, snorkeling at Aqaba Marine Park, and other watersports. The famed Dead Sea is next. You'll have another two days to float in its salty, mineral-rich waters and to hike in the Mujib Nature Reserve before returning to Amman via Al-Maghtas, a biblical site where you'll enjoy wine tasting. Visit with women of a local cooperative, admire the late kings' cars at the Royal Automobile Museum, hike the Harmony Trail in As-Salt, see the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Jordan Museum, and end with a Turkish bath experience. Learn more

Itinerary #2: History & Heritage Tour of Jordan: From Amman to the Dead Sea

Pick up the pace on this alternative highlights tour, focusing on Jordan's history and heritage and covering nine overnight destinations. You'll see the Dead Sea Scrolls at Amman's Jordan Museum, explore ancient ruins around Umm Qais, and hike through the lush Dana Biosphere Reserve. In addition to classic experiences, including visiting ancient Petra, venturing into the mars-like landscapes of Wadi Rum, and floating in the mineral-rich Dead Sea, you'll also soak in the Ma'in Hot Springs, learn traditional Bedouin cooking methods, and cycle around the Azraq Wetland Reserve.

Join a guided tour of Amman's historic areas, like Rainbow Street and Jabal al-Weibdeh, and discover the Grand Husseini Mosque and the Roman Theatre the following day. Then, tour a local farm in As-Salt and wander ruins from the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine periods in Pella and Gadara, a historic Hellenistic city an hour outside of charming Umm Qais. Stop in the well-preserved ancient city of Jerash en route to Ajloun in Jordan's fertile highlands to pick up a three-hour trek along the Soap House Trail, enjoying the views of the valleys and hillsides. Next, stroll and cycle through the Azraq Wetland Reserve before dining with a Druze family.  

Discover the frescoes of Quseir 'Amra and others on the Desert Castles Loop before stopping in Madaba, the "City of Mosaics," and the village of Dana, in the lush Dana Biosphere Reserve to hike and spend time with the local Bedouin. After trekking the 4.9-mile (8 km) Shaq al-Reesh Trail amid rare and endemic flora and fauna, you'll transfer south for two nights in Petra and a Jeep tour and camel ride in Wadi Rum. The trip ends with time spent floating in the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth, checking out the biblical site of Lot's Cave, exploring Jordan's "Grand Canyon" (Mujib Nature Reserve), and unwinding in the Ma'in Hot Springs. Learn more

Itinerary #3: Cultural & Culinary Tour of Jordan

This cultural and culinary tour of Jordan has you exploring everything from Amman's Turkish baths to the country's first brewery. Whether foraging for mushrooms and making jam with locals, learning to cook bread over an open fire at a Bedouin camp, or exploring ancient cities like 6,000-year-old Pella, this itinerary is perfect for travelers seeking a deep dive into Jordanian culture and cuisine. Other highlights include a private Arabic calligraphy lesson, feasting on traditional Jordanian dishes at an authentic restaurant in Madaba, and sipping wine from Jordan's first winery at the Mafraq Plateau.

In Amman, experience a Turkish bathhouse, the Jordan Museum, and falafel at Hashem Restaurant before a tour of buzzy Rainbow Street. Then, head to the Pella archaeological site to forage for mushrooms and explore Jerash's ruins. Afterward, hike to Ajloun Soap House, where local women create traditional olive oil soap. The following day, take a calligraphy class, visit a farm in the As-Salt countryside, witness handicraft-making, and tour Carakale Brewery, Jordan's first of its kind. Wine tasting in the Mafraq Plateau region awaits before seeing mosaics in Madaba, exploring Kerak Castle, and hiking in Dana Biosphere Reserve.

Next, trek down to the Feynan Copper Mines (that once supplied the Roman Empire with copper) and continue along the trail to reach Feynan Ecolodge in a desert oasis. Learn about weaving goat-hair tents, brewing Arabic coffee, and baking arboud bread from Bedouin, then learn to cook mansaf and other mezze dishes, in a cooking class in Petra. Take Day 12 to explore the Nabataean city, including its Royal Tombs, and Day 13 to relish a Bedouin cookout and camel ride in Wadi Rum. After a morning Jeep tour, your trip ends with a float in the very salty Dead Sea and a soak in the therapeutic waters of the Ma'in Hot Springs. Learn more

Itinerary #4: Hike the Jordan Trail From Dana to Petra

Hike the Jordan Trail from Dana to Petra on this active adventure of Jordan. Starting in Amman, you'll cover the main highlights, including Crusader castles, Jerash (the "Pompei of the East"), Petra, a Jeep safari and stargazing in Wadi Rum, and a bike ride around and a float in the Dead Sea. From Dana, you'll set off on a five-day hike, trekking about 5-11 miles (8-17 km) each day to arrive at Little Petra.

Begin in Amman, first on a guided tour to acquaint yourself with the capital city, then on a full-day outing, uncovering Amman's iconic landmarks, like the Temple of Hercules, and visiting Jordan National Gallery of Fine Arts. Discover the sprawling ruins of Jerash next en route to Ajloun and its Crusader castle, following a warm-up hike in Ajloun Forest Reserve. After spending the day with Dana locals, you'll start your five-day hike along a section of the Jordan Trail and watch the scenery shift from green highlands to rocky terrain in Wadi Feynan, past ancient mines and over dry riverbeds to Ras al-Feid and the towering sandstone cliffs of Ghbour Whedat.

You'll finally arrive in Little Petra, believed to be a suburb of Petra where Silk Road traders would stay, and your base for three nights to explore Petra and its ancient rock-cut structures. Day 12 sees you transferring farther south to Wadi Rum, where you'll traverse the desert in a Jeep and learn about Bedouin culture. After a night of stargazing, thrill to a camel ride first and then set off north to Madaba, famous for its intricate mosaics. Next, you can hike or cycle from Mount Nebo to Mukawir, ending your day relaxing in Ma'in Hot Springs. The penultimate day of your journey allows for relaxation at the Dead Sea before you return to Amman. Learn more

More Great Jordan Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Jordan? Check out these other Jordan itineraries, with outdoor adventures, cultural trips, and best-of tours to hit the highlights.