By Tejaswi Vijinigiri
● 15 Oct 18
Asia
Itinerary Specific
Jordan, a land steeped in history, is an incredibly welcoming, easygoing country, and most travelers prefer for it being very safe. Spectacular Jordan is all about being the first to cater with diverse beauty of entire Middle-East.
Here is the complete Jordan itinerary that guides you all throughout your journey. So follow the guide blind-folded and go zipping through good times in a myriad of lovely destinations in Jordan. Your visual journey begins now!
Amman, the capital of Jordan, is a sprawling modern city and it’s quite popular for its dining scene, many shopping malls, nightclubs, music bars and shisha lounges.
The hotel is ideally situated in a tourist area and offers beautiful panoramic views of the city. To pamper your sense and relax in a true luxury you can visit the BlueBay Spa at the hotel. An extremely rejuvenating experience is guaranteed. You can also feast on delicious cuisines offered in an array of ethnic and Gourmet in-house restaurants.
Located in the 3rd Circle, Le Royal is about three miles from Marka International Airport.
You’re never far from a good meal in Amman. If you love Arabic food, you would not want to miss the traditional eatery – falafel, hummus, pita and lamb with vegetables. Almost every restaurant offers a plethora of food choices to savor on cultural delicacies.
Roman Amphitheater
A magnificent site built into the hillside just a few minutes walk from the Citadel. This is huge – huge enough to accommodate 6000 people at a time and the views from the top of the building are amazing. Walk down the stone-cut stairways, stand in the middle of the orchestra, and shout out loud to discover the incredible acoustics. If you are lucky you may get a chance to see the sporting and cultural events conducting occasionally.
Amman Citadel
A national historic site, located in the center of both ancient and modern Amman, is themost wonderful spot to enjoy both the ancient architecture and the beautiful city views.
Rainbow Street
Rainbow Street is one of the oldest areas in Amman where you can find many fine old stone villas and street shops. An afternoon can be spent weaving through the streets to see this colorful strip brimming with boutique shops, art galleries, shisha bars and trendy cafes.
This beautiful mosque of Amman, capped by a magnificent blue mosaic dome, is a true example of modern Islamic art and architecture. The mosque has an art gallery within which is home to an interesting collection of pottery artifacts and pictures of King Abdullah I of Jordan.
Amman is decently walker friendly if you are staying at the city center. Take time to walk around the city on foot – its worthy enough for a marvelous experience. However, if you’d keep your feet away from tiredness you have taxis running around whole day. Need not worry about anything – taxis are relatively inexpensive and safe.
A one-hour drive to the north of Amman is the Roman city of Jerash. This place is perfect for a day visit. After exploring Jerash you can head back to Amman and stay for the night.
Breakfast: Ya Hala
If you are traveling with family and kids you’d definitely want to pickup this place. With its children’s play area and selection of games, you can keep your children entertained while you enjoy your breakfast.
Lunch: Lebanese House Restaurant
The restaurant is located on the mountains with a great view. Their menu includes an assortment of the standard Middle Eastern dishes – calamari, stuffed eggplant with walnuts, hummus, baba ganoush, halloumi and fattoush salad.
Dinner: Nowwara
Buffet dinners are amazing, serving an array of Sea and Mediterranean food. Apart from the delicious food, the location is peaceful for relaxing after a long day of wander. An outdoor seating arrangement is where anyone would want to enjoy their dinner time. So don’t forget to try the place out.
Colonnade Street
Colonnade Street, one of the most famous images of Jerash, ran from north to south over 800 meters long. The whole path is beautifully paved with the carved stones everywhere. There is no better way to relive the history of Jerash than by exploring the great architectural works of the past.
Jerash Archaeological Museum
The museum, houses a fascinating collection of artifacts such as mosaics, glass, gold jewellery, pottery and coins. One should never miss this – the garden of the museum, displays Greek and Latin monumental inscription which are fabulous.
Hippodrome
Sport lovers will absolutely love this place too. This 245m long and 52m wide arena is to watch chariot races, gladiator battles, marching and sword-toting of legionnaires with helmets javelins. If you are lucky you will get a chance to hop abroad the chariot for a few laps around the hippodrome after the performance.
Timings: 11 am to 5 pm
Jerash Festival of Culture and Arts
The Jerash Festival, taking place from July 19 – August 4, transforms the ancient Roman city into the world’s liveliest place ever. A three-week-long program of poetry, music, ballet, concerts, plays, opera and dance performances make your visit spectacular. Nothing could be more splendid than watching spell-bound performances from different parts of the world – Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates.
Location: South Theatre, Jerash.
Timings: All the programs are generally night shows.
Pack your luggage, have breakfast, check-out the hotel you are staying in Amman and start your road trip towards Petra. The quickest route from Amman to Petra is via Route 15 and the journey takes around 3 hours. Hire a car at Amman and drop your luggage in the car carefully locked up. This is because today you’re going to explore ‘On the way to Petra’ keeping your luggage with you. Don’t worry this is only until you reach Petra and moreover a lot of visitors say that Petra and Jordan are very safe places for traveling.
Mount Nebo – Madaba
Madaba is one of the most revered holy sites of Jordan. Well known as ‘The City Of Mosaics’, the place is good to explore remains of the Roman and civic architecture. Mount Nebo, just located outside the Madaba is a top attraction and boasts a large collection of Mosaics and other artifacts.
Dead Sea
The Dead Sea brings a sense of unreality – the lowest point on earth. Being so, it creates wonders -starting with the dense waters of the sea. Because the water is so dense with dissolved salt, it’s is exceptionally buoyant. Believe it or not, you just need sleep on the water to float. The grey mud that you can find in some places on the floor is well known for its skin-curing properties. Just rub the mud all over your skin and your skin just looks like one of those celebs.
While you spend your time at the Dead Sea you’d rather splash the cash on showers, changing rooms and outdoor pools or you can just pay for one-day access to the private Moevenpick Resort which is quite comforting and affordable. There are many such resorts and hotels just on the coastline of the Dead Sea –
Kayaking in the River Jordan
Late afternoon, you can spend your time with a little bit of adventure. Kayaking in the Jordan river is truly amazing – raft in the waters, under the shade of the rich tapestry of bamboo and reeds and that’s all you need to escape the heat of the day.
After exploring through your way to Petra get back to your car and continue your ride to Petra. By the time you reach Petra, the moon would have fallen all over the city. Check-in to the best hotel and relax for the night.
Petra – a magical archaeological site which walks you to the ancient marvels and brilliant ruins is a must-visit site of the entire Jordan. To explore the streets in leisure you need one entire day. The whole beauty of the place dwells with the sunlight that falls over the area and makes the rocks glow an incredible ruby color.
Set A Trail Into The Siq
The Main entrance to the hidden city of Petra goes through the impressive split in the rock, towering high above your head, called the Siq. It’s a 30-min trail from the entrance to The Treasury. All the way through the Siq you can admire the natural rock formations and the fascinating colors of the reflecting light.
The Treasury
Once you step out of the Siq you will be exposed to Petra’s most magnificent façade; the Treasury. This royal tomb decorated with mythological figures, amazing carvings and sharp lines has miraculously survived for all these years.
Just like the Treasury, you have lot more ancient things to explore during the day. Follow the route map:
Settle At The Best Place To See Sunset
Don’t miss the chance to see Petra at sunset. Under the sun’s last beams, experience the fantastic views of fading light reflecting on the rocks, turning the cold cobblestones into rose-gold. Head to the Mountains At The South Of Petra where the entire area is covered with a series of intrusive dikes and overlain by sandstones. Gaze at the changing colors of the mountains the entire evening and surely this would be the most happening moment of the whole day.
Complete your Petra experience with a visit of Petra by Night. Petra by Night starts at 20:30 from the Visitor Centre and lasts for around 2 hours. Pay for the tickets and you will be escorted by a Bedouin guide down to the stunning Treasury Building. Once you reach The Treasury, you are made to sit on the rugs places on the floor and the show begins. The entire area is lit with beautifully arranged candles with a backdrop of gentle Arabic music. Listen to Petra’s history while cherishing the taste of traditional Bedouin mint tea. Your day is complete.
Petra By Night happens only thrice a week: Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. So, plan accordingly.
Cave Bar
After exploring Petra the whole day you’d definitely want to relax. Get to the Petra’s oldest bar for a complete rejuvenation of your sense. It is right outside the entrance to Petra in Jordan and is located within the Petra Guesthouse Hotel. You can find a range of cocktails and delicious mains that include burgers, salads and pasta.
Timings: Opens until 4 am
Happy planning your trip with this Jordan Itinerary!
Tejaswi Vijinigiri
Whether it is sharing her expertise or simply sharing what’s on her mind she always finds her way to express her passion through her writings. Having born with a _travel bug_ she loves to share what she has learned all along her life and tell people - “How can one live better?”
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