Exploring the many wonders of Jordan

Every traveller will have a list of places they want to visit. Within that list, most of us will curate places we’ve seen in films or TV shows, alongside the usual recommendations from our peers and trusted friends. It’s rare a country will tick all these boxes, but Jordan is a case study in how we define a ‘dream destination’.

On an entirely personal note, my previous career as a film journalist – and subsequent transition to set-jetting and travel writing – were both fuelled by some of the incredible places I had seen on screen when I was a child. There was a specific film and indeed specific sequence that filled me with a giddy sense of bewilderment that I still carry with me on my travels today. Its not hard to guess which swashbuckling film I’m referencing given the location I’m covering here, but we’ll save that moment for a little later. For now, let’s head to our starting point, a relatively short flight away from London.

>> Explore Jordan from Amman to Aqaba including excursions to Petra and Wadi Rum on this 3-days tour

Queen Alia International Airport originally opened in 1983 and serves as the main aviation hub to the country. Passengers now arrive at terminals that were purpose-built in 2013 and as such the journey onwards is very comfortable. Most travellers will need a visa which can be purchased when you land, or can be organised in advance of arrival. These can often be bundled in with a multi-purpose pass which will allow you entry to some of the most popular attractions in Jordan.

The historic downtown area is about 45 minutes from the airport and a cheap taxi ride away if you’re in a rush. Regular shuttle buses also operate and like everything in Jordan, feel like a safe option. Its a shame many visitors tend to rush through the capital as it has a number of highlights that are unique to this part of Jordan.

>> Head north and see other ancient sites on this Full-Day Tour: Umm Qais, Jerash, and Ajloun from Amman

As-Salt was briefly the capital of the region in the 1920s. Its a short drive from Amman and feels like a journey back in time when compared to the hustle and bustle of the city. The narrow streets and colourful hillside houses are a throwback but you can see why today As-Salt is also a popular film location. Visit the castle and archaeological museum while you’re here, and if you have time head to one of the rooftop restaurants for traditional Jordanian cuisine.

Speaking of food, you’ll find great local delicacies in downtown Amman. Try Mansaf (tender chicken or lamb served with fermented yogurt on a bed of rice) and Knafeh (lightly spun pastry soaked in a sugar syrup and covered in a layer of piping hot, thick cheese). Other food from the region is also popular here, so expect hearty meals at very reasonable prices.

Amman is best known for its ruins which are actually in a surprisingly well-maintained state. The Roman Theatre is a vast amphitheatre which could still theoretically seat 6000 people. This 2nd-century landmark was built here when the city was still called Philadelphia, and you’ll find other random places when looking on a map that share their name with modern destinations. On a hill opposite you’ll find the Amman Citadel which includes a church, fallen Roman temples and the remains of huge statues. Its a great space where visitors are trusted to show respect to the history on display, and pretty much everyone does. You get to interact with everything around you which is a real rarity these days.

After two days in Amman it was time to head out of the city. Heading south you start entering the classic tourist route known as the Golden Triangle. The best known attractions here are world famous but if you have a chance to take a few detours, don’t miss the perfectly preserved Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics in Madaba. The convergence of Islamic, Roman, Hellenistic and modern eras are incredible to see but often overlooked by visitors.

Our main stop of the long day on the road was the Dead Sea, a land-locked salt lake which boasts unique properties. You’ll feel the descent from Amman as the surface of the lake is 430.5 metres (1,412 ft) below sea level. This makes it the lowest land based elevation on the planet and its also 10 times saltier than the ocean! These properties make it difficult for plants, fish and anything else to thrive here, so the shoreline is largely a barren wasteland. That’s also where this body of water gets its name from.

>> Take the Full-Day Private Tour to Madaba, Mount Nebo and Dead Sea

So what attracts so many tourists? Well, even though the Dead Sea is one of the deepest lakes in the region, the high levels of salt mean you float on the surface with virtually no effort. Its a bizarre sensation as you feel your legs sweep up beneath you and it can take some time to get used to it. The waters and mud are believed to have beneficial properties for your skin too, so you might be offered a natural body scrub at some point on your trip here. What guidebooks often fail to mention is the oily texture the the water has and how that leaves a slight residue on you as you get out. Its not unpleasant, it actually feels very refreshing, but you might want to wash some of it off before putting your clothes back on.

There are plenty of hotels here for anyone looking to spend a few days floating on the Dead Sea, but you can also get day passes from some of the properties if you want to come for the experience for a shorter period. Its an excellent day trip from Amman and works well as a way of breaking up the journey to the best known attraction in Jordan.

We still had a few hours on the road ahead of us, but the final stop of the day was something I had been looking forward to for decades. Ever since I watched Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade on the big screen when it was released in 1989, I knew I had to visit the spectacular setting for the finale of that movie. It felt too ‘magical’ to be real, and many viewers at the time thought it was a large set, but Petra is very real… and arguably even more magical than Hollywood implies.

Known as the Rose City, Petra is recognised by UNESCO as a world heritage site and one of the New Wonders of the World. The wider area has been inhabited by Nabatean tribes for centuries with older civilisations pre-dating them by millennia. At its peak, this was one of the most important trade routes in the world and the vast structures carved into the rock here served both practical and decorative purposes.

Petra then became lost to time following a period of decline largely due to an earthquake in 363AD and the emergence of sea trade which allowed the transport of greater quantities of goods. Locals obviously still new of it and even made it their home, but outsiders rarely visited. The modern discovery of Petra is worthy of a film in its own right, but suffice to say that Swiss adventurer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt’s rudimentary sketches were enough to entice other travellers. Before the pandemic more than a million visitors would enter the historic site every year, and these numbers are edging back to that peak today.

The practicalities of a visit are quite simple. Your entry visa to the country can be bought in advance with entry to Petra, otherwise you can purchase a ticket on arrival here. On certain nights there is a Petra by Night light show, which let’s you access the first part of the historical canyons and enjoy a 30 minute light show. This is a very touristy introduction and probably only worth doing if you have a spare evening on your first night as you are quickly ushered out again as soon as the event is over. Besides, the real thing requires no theatrics and is best experienced at your own pace in the daytime.

Al Siq – the narrow gorge that leads to the most famous building in Petra – is a thirty minute walk from the entrance. You’re then greeted by the mesmerising view of rose coloured columns carved directly into the rocks opposite. If you want to get the full effect, aim to get here just before 11am as the sun will hit the facade perfectly at this time. You’ll quickly realise just why Petra is known as The Rose City given the pink hue everything exudes when the sun hits it.

>> Book the 3-hour Private Guided Tour In Petra with hotel pick up

For many visitors, this will be enough. Grab some photos and a souvenir at the small stalls in this grand opening, perhaps pose with a camel for the famous shot opposite the Treasury building – that’s the famous one from Indiana Jones, if you’re wondering – and then head back. There is an elevated viewing spot, which is now getting a convenient stair case addition, but that’s about it for the majority of tourists. Our guide told us to continue (once we got all our selfies obviously) through another narrow passage on the other side of the main building. Petra itself is huge, and the temples, statues and ruins on the other side are arguably even more impressive!

You can’t enter the Treasury building, so that part of Steven Spielberg’s movie was indeed a studio set, but you can explore other tombs further in Petra. One of the benefits of starting early is that you can beat the crowds and hopefully the intense sun whilst climbing some of the other hills here. There are impressive tombs everywhere you look on the main route through, and one in particular is a fitting reward for an hour or so hiking up a pretty steep climb.

The Monastery building is larger than the Treasury and has fewer visitors. Its got elevated viewing spots and also some much welcome refreshments with shelter once you make it. Be wary of donkeys and horses transporting less agile visitors up and down the hiking route, but they won’t get in your way if you don’t get in theirs. The unspoilt views and general tranquility of this space are unbeatable, and you owe it to yourself to push beyond the admittedly jaw-dropping initial treasures to explore this hidden gem.

>> Fully customise and plan your trip to Petra

You want to spend a full day (at least) in Petra. The museum is free, and worth a visit for the full historical context of the region, and there are shuttle buses available if you want to skip the main entrance for your subsequent trips. I was off further into the desert, however, as Wadi Rum has become the ultimate film location in Jordan in recent years, surpassing even Petra.

My accommodation for the night was this modern pod at Sun City Camp. The tents offer a full glamping experience with all the comforts you could possibly wish for, and the view that offer is out of this world. You can take that in the literal sense too, and this was the location chosen by Ridley Scott to stand in for the Red Planet in The Martian (2015). Once you’re here you can see why so many filmmakers have flocked here for their productions. The recent Star Wars films have been made here and both Dune films by Denis Villeneuve were shot on these sand dunes.

>> Take in a desert sunset on this 5 hour jeep tour of Wadi Rum

The camp offers pre-arranged desert safaris to explore the area, but if you want to adapt this to your own requirements they can accommodate. I was interested in taking in as many film scenes as possible, so we took a jeep and went to some of the iconic locations I had seen on screen, Many of the drivers here will have worked on big Hollywood productions in recent years, so it was very easy to ask for a specific film location that they would ferry us to without any issues.

After a day of set jetting and a meal at camp I had a final foray into the desert under moonlight. As you can imagine the peace and quiet is incredible, with the subsequent nights sleep being one of the best I’ve had in ages – although that might have something to do with all the sensory stimulation in the days leading up to Wadi Rum and the hours in the sun here too!

The final stop on my trip to Jordan, and the last part of of the the Golden Triangle is Aqaba. This is the southernmost part of the country and the tip of the Red Sea. As a coastal city, Aqaba is famed for its sea food and outstanding diving opportunities. Its also a major port for trade with neighbouring countries such as Egypt and Saudi Arabia. There is a small airport here, so you can use this as a departure point but it only has a handful of international flights. Regular flights operate between Aqaba and Amman if you don’t fancy the 4 hour drive, although having done the road trip myself I can confirm to that the highway is very comfortable.

>> Private Diving Experience in The Heart of Red Sea in Aqaba

The clear waters, vibrant marine life and wrecks make this a prime location for divers. Many people pick Aqaba for their first time experiencing the wonders beneath the waves, with seasoned divers also heading here as it is one of the best budget options in the world. There are beach clubs for families that locals use to get away from the oppressive city heat and a great shopping district for last minute bargain-hunting if you want to take back some souvenirs.

My journey from Amman to the Red Sea included many highlights, from those I have been dreaming of experiencing for decades to hidden gems I unexpectedly discovered by chance. You can plan your own trip and find out more information with Visit Jordan.