From marvelling at the ancient city of Petra to floating in the dazzling Dead Sea, visiting Jordan in the Middle East is a trip of a lifetime.
Where to stay in Jordan
You can fly direct to Amman from many International airports including London and New York. There are many tours you can take to the South of Jordan (for Petra and Wadi Rum) from this city too.
The night before my tour and the night before my flight home I stayed at the Sydney Hotel. My female dorm room was very comfy and clean and only cost £8 a night. As always I booked through Booking.com as I like being able to choose when to pay and have the option of free cancellation if my plans change.
Is it safe to visit Jordan as a female solo traveller?
This was my first time visiting the Middle East and I did it as a solo female traveller. While I did feel a bit of culture shock (as I did when first visiting Asia) I did feel safe. As with any country I took precautions like ensuring I had a local data plan, arranging a taxi through my hotel to pick me up at the airport. While Jordan is very progressive it’s important to respect the local culture and dress appropriately. It’s illegal to wear bikinis on public beaches so always make sure you can easily cover up when returning from a boat trip or leaving a private resort. Wear a cotton long sleeved shirt and cotton trousers, not only is this to cover up it will keep you cool and prevent sunburn in the 40 degree heat.
Itinerary
I booked a 2 day 1 night tour through Viator. It was honestly one of the best experiences of my life. Our small group (less than 10) was a mix of small groups and solo travellers and we had the best time. The key highlights were:
Visiting Petra. This ancient city is one of the Seven Wonders of the World and it doesn’t disapoint. It’s well worth getting a guide for 50 Jordanian Dinars (you can split this with a few people on your tour group) as they’ll point out inscriptions and the impressive plumbing systems that carried water in the middle of the desert.
Jeep tour and camping under the stars in Wadi Rum desert at a bedouin camp. This is a memory I’ll keep forever. I’ve never seen so many stars in the sky. You can stay in a classic tent or I’d recommend getting the luxury tent for air con and your own shower. Originally I was going to stay in the classic tent but as British Airways had lost my luggage the luxury tent meant I could give my clothes a bit of a clean.
Boat trip and snorkelling in the Red Sea. The water was so blue and clear- you get to see pretty corals, a sunken Turkish ship and an aeroplane (the plane didn’t crash it was purposefully put there by the government for tourists).
Lunch and floating in the Dead Sea at a luxury resort. Word of warning, the Dead Sea is so salty that it will sting your private parts and definitely don’t shave your legs less than 2 days before going in. However I’m glad I did it and ticked it off the bucket list.
Top tips
I would highly recommend visiting the sites of Jordan with a tour group rather than hiring a car and visiting on your own. While the roads are in good condition, there are many Police Check Points and if you don’t speak Arabic having to constantly liaise with officers carrying guns it might make you feel nervous.
Get an e-sim. It’s less faff than getting a physical local sim and you get to keep your phone number. I used Airalo.
Carry water with you at all times- the desert has a dry heat but it’s so hot you need to keep hydrated.