Country guide
Jordan is 89,342 km2 and held 11,484,805 people in 2023, and for a visitor the country is arranged along one line. It runs south from Amman, the most populous c...
Photograph · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0
Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor
Jordan is 89,342 km2 and held 11,484,805 people in 2023, and for a visitor the country is arranged along one line. It runs south from Amman, the most populous city in the Levant, through the Jordan Rift Valley and past the Dead Sea to Petra, then ends at the short stretch of Red Sea coast in the far south-west. Petra, one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, is the reason most people come, and it is a long drive from the capital rather than an excursion from it. East of that line the country is semi-arid and thinly settled.
Checked 2026-08-25
Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.
Photograph · Bernard Gagnon · CC BY-SA 3.0
Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.
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Typical visit duration
Interests
Petra Museum is a cultural stop within the Petra archaeological park in southern Jordan. It helps place the surrounding ruins in the story of the Nabataean capital, a city shaped by trade, stone carving and sophisticated water management.
Seven to ten days allows Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea to form a workable north-to-south route. Give Petra at least two nights in Wadi Musa if the visit should extend beyond the Treasury approach, and treat Wadi Rum as a separate stay.
Jordan’s Ministry of Interior e-services should be checked for the passport, entry point and intended stay. Visa-on-arrival assumptions are risky because eligibility can depend on nationality and border crossing; confirm the rule before purchasing a land or air connection.
Queen Alia Airport serves the main arrival flow. Scheduled coaches link several visitor centres, but a rental car, licensed driver or organised transfer provides more control for Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea; Amman itself relies on road transport.
Spring and autumn reduce the temperature extremes between Amman, Petra and Wadi Rum. Winter nights in the highlands and desert can be cold, while summer exposure is severe at archaeological sites, so choose dates around the longest outdoor day.
Jordanian dinar is the recorded currency. Carry dinars for small purchases and road stops, verify whether Petra or tour products are prepaid, and use banks or authorised exchange counters rather than relying on an informal quoted conversion.
Save 911 for emergencies; Jordan’s recorded sockets include Types C, F and G at 230 V. Tap-water guidance is Not recorded, so obtain current advice from the accommodation or local authority, particularly when moving between Amman, Wadi Musa and desert camps.
