How to Have the Perfect Trip
Visiting Jordan felt like a dream- I would highly recommend booking a trip and combining Egypt with Jordan. Jordan has so many wonders and it makes no sense to choose just one city to stay in. Get the most out of your trip by hiring a driver and exploring the country. We chose 3 bases for our 5 day trip: Petra, Wadi Rum, and The Dead Sea. I highly recommend doing this and if you have more time you should add Amman.
Where To Stay
I highly recommend visiting a few different hotels. In order to break up your stay I recommend doing The Dead Sea either first or last if you do not plan on visiting Amman- this is because it is the closest of the three cities to the airport (AMM). See the full list of where I stayed with the link below. I do recommend if you have more time to spend a few days in Wadi Rum and try to go around the new moon, because you will have a better chance of seeing stars, also one or two days at both Petra and The Dead Sea are good- opt for two days for a slower pace.
Petra
When planning your trip to Petra you have two options- either you hire a guide or you need to really plan and prioritize your visit. If you are physically fit it shouldn’t be too hard. However, for me it was really difficult to do everything I wanted because we have our two year old and 6 month old and a lot of the sites involve a lot of stairs. I would like to come back when the kids are a bit older and do everything. However, you should look up the different sites on the different trails and then prioritize which trails you want to do during your stay. To do everything at a slower pace I recommend the two day pass, but if you are a solo traveler or fit you can plan a 8-10 hour day and do it all in one day.
Pro Tips: Make sure you get there as soon as they open, if they open at 6:30 (like they did when I stayed- get there at 6:15 to be one of the first in line). When you begin your hike it will be dark, but it will eventually light up and you’ll see the sunrise over Petra. It’s beautiful- on the walk back you will be able to experience everything with full light. Another tip is there are golf carts that can bring you through to certain destinations, you can utilize these to conserve energy and use your energy for the climbing. However, if you are in decent shape this won’t be necessary, but I would recommend for elderly, or people who have a tough time hiking, and families with small children.
Wadi Rum the best time to visit is during late April- May, or at least this is what we were told by those who work at the camp. Also, when planning your stay, try to plan around the moon cycle. The skies will be more clear and less cloudy during a new moon, and the most cloudy during a full moon so plan accordingly. While in Wadi Rum, you have to do a jeep tour, this will allow you to explore Wadi Rum and see all the natural beauty during the day, and watch the skies dance at night.
The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is such a unique place, I’ve never been anywhere like it. The Marriott has free mud you can use before going into the sea. There are also tons of shops that sell Dead Sea products. The Dead Sea honestly did wonders for my skin. In the winter I get a bit of eczema in between my fingers sometimes and I was having this issue, after I went in the Dead Sea, two days later it was completely gone and my skin was so soft. However, you do need to be careful because if you have any skin conditions or cuts it can really burn due to the high salt content. You should swim on your back, and you will float naturally, no need to try to float, you will just begin doing it. I wish I could put it into words but it is so difficult to describe and just something you should experience if you have the opportunity. Please don’t touch your eyes after going in the sea. When you get out and begin drying you will be able to see salt on your skin, which should tell you just how much salt is in the water.
What To Do I recommend hiring a driver. I may be biased but I believe Tahseen is the best driver/tour operator in Jordan. He arranged my whole trip for me and you can find his information here or contact him directly on WhatsApp: +96278846199.
During my stay I really wanted to visit the baptism site of Jesus and Mount Nebo. Mount Nebo is where Moses stood to see the promised land before he died, and although his body was never found it is believed to be located here.
Got questions?
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