Spend an amazing long weekend in Jordan

With a long weekend on the horizon, I spent my evenings checking out flights, looking to see if I could find some good flights.

I was in luck when I saw some reasonable flights to Aqaba. Unfortunately, my return flight was changed from Aqaba to Amman, but it did not dampen my excitement about travelling to Jordan.

I have previously travelled for a week through Jordan, but this time I took my daughter. This meant I would see some of the previous sightseeing locations I had already visited, but I didn’t care.

Jordan is home to some of the most magical and ethereal sites in the world, so going again actually made me really happy.

So, let’s get into the places I visited, and then I will let you know if I think four days is enough time to spend in Jordan.

Why Jordan, and why now?

Understandably, the recent unrest in the region has significantly reduced the number of tourists visiting.

Tourist numbers are very low at the moment. But don’t let that deter you from going.

Is Jordan safe? Yes.

The route: in via Aqaba and out via Amman

Ok, so this was not actually my choice. The airline cancelled my original return flight from Aqaba.

They had, fortunately, put on an additional service from Amman, so I rebooked on that flight.

For the sites I visited during this long weekend, flying into and out of Aqaba will save you time and be far more efficient.

The only time I would suggest flying out of Aqaba is if you wanted to visit other places, such as Madaba or the Dead Sea. Otherwise, stick to Aqaba.

Here’s the high-level breakdown of my trip:

• Day 1: Fly into Aqaba, head straight to Wadi Rum for a jeep tour, overnight in a desert camp
• Day 2: Drive to Petra, spend the entire day there, overnight in Wadi Musa
• Day 3: Check out Little Petra and hike the back way to the Monastery, drive to Madaba
• Day 4: Spend time in Madaba, fly out in the afternoon from Amman

Day 1: Land in Aqaba and drive to Wadi Rum

I had an early morning flight into Aqaba, which is honestly ideal, because it means I didn’t waste the first day by being just a travel day (I’m looking at you, day four!).

Before I travelled to Jordan, I sorted out my visa by getting a Jordan Pass, so getting through passport control was easy (see the info section below for more about the visa).

I organised my e-sim using the free wifi. the first time I travelled here, there was a little kiosk selling physical sims and it was much better value and it worked so much better. But the e-sim is still a great way to stay connected when travelling.

After taking a few photos with the Aqaba sign, we made our way to the car park to pick up the hire car. Hiring a car is a great way to get around Jordan because the public transport options are very limited (I have always struggled to find info on public transport routes, to be honest).

The poor car didn’t have one panel without a scratch or a dent! But still, this was our chariot for the next few days.

We first headed out of the city via a beautiful palm tree-lined street into the mountains, heading straight to Wadi Rum. The drive will take approximately an hour to get there.

When visiting Wadi Rum, the first thing you need to do is register your visit at the Visitor Centre, so head there first.

Once you’ve done that, you will be allowed to drive into the park and make your way to the Village. This is the place where you will meet your guide if you’ve booked a jeep tour.

Both times I’ve been, I’ve used the same company, Wadi Rum Desert Eyes, but I am sure most companies operating within the park do a very similar tour.

As we were getting there at lunch time, I booked a sunset tour with a local Bedouin guide. To begin with, we picked up lunch and headed out into the desert to start our tour.

The tour is an absolutely amazing introduction to Wadi Rum. If you have even more time, a full-day tour is the way to go.

Overnight: you’ve got to stay in a desert camp! The camps range from Bedouin tents to more luxurious setups with private bubble domes. This time, I stayed outside of Wadi Rum as the rates were cheaper for a dome tent. I stayed at Jabal Rum Camp, and I have to say, the hospitality I received there was incredible.

Day 2: Drive to Wadi Musa and visit Petra

After an incredible breakfast, we packed up and got in the car to drive to Wadi Musa, the city where Petra is.

The drive to Petra will take just over an hour and a half, but if you’re like me, you might be inclined to stop at one of the souvenir stores along the way, especially when they claim to have amazing viewpoints over the valley. They do, by the way.

Once you arrive in the car park near the visitor centre at Petra, you will have people come up to you and offer their services.

However, inside the visitor centre, you will find the official guide centre where you can engage the guiding services. This is the way. I booked my guide for two days.

Having a guide is the best way to experience Petra because, if you didn’t know, it’s absolutely huge! Honestly, Petra is one of the largest UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world.

The walk through The Siq is one of the most magical walks you’ll ever experience. There is nothing more incredible than nearing the end and seeing the Treasury for the first time (or second, or third, ot fourth time).

You know, one of the interesting things about Petra is that a lot of it is still covered up. Because the area was covered in silt, the site had to be excavated, and not all of it was dug out.

After the guide finished his duties with us for the day, we walked the Al-Khubtha Trail. This trail will take you to a viewpoint that overlooks the Treasury. It’s a tough hike with many stairs, but the views are worth it!

This time, I didn’t hike to the Place of High Sacrifice because I knew we were coming back again tomorrow for another hike.

By the time we finished for the day, it was dark! Although I did visit in winter, so the days are much shorter.

Overnight: I’ve stayed at the Silk Road Hotel and La Maison Hotel, and both were great for the price I paid (I’m a more budget-conscious traveller).

Day 3: Little Petra and hike to the Monastery, drive to Madaba

Today, we met the guide again, and we boarded a bus to Little Petra. Little Petra used to be free to visit, but entry is now controlled as part of the main Petra site.

You will need your passport to validate your ticket, so make sure you carry it with you.

I really enjoyed Little Petra. It’s older than the main site, and our guide shows us the differences in the features of the caves, so we can determine if it was used as a place of worship or as a meeting place. It’s super interesting.

Nearby, there is a cave that has evidence of early wine-making, but we don’t have time to visit today.

Afterwards, we purchase a ticket for a car ride that will take us to the beginning of the trailhead for the back door route to the Monastery.

Now, if you decide to hire one of the touts, they will not be able to take you to the beginning of the trailhead, and the walk in is very exposed with little sunshade.

The back route to the Monastery is a lovely walk. I am glad I had a guide because the beginning of the trail wasn’t well signposted. Actually, all the people who didn’t have guides followed us to the start because our guide knew where to go.

The hike took just over an hour to complete. We didn’t race along. We took our time and enjoyed the views and the experience.

We finally saw the top of the Monastery come into view, and we were delighted. Here, there is a teahouse, and we sat for a bit to rehydrate with a delicious minty tea and snack.

We make our way back down and see some of the other sites in the park before making our way back to the Treasury and back to the entrance via the Siq.

Our time in Petra is now complete. It is one of those rare places that exceeds expectations, even if your expectations are already high.

We head to the car for the next part of our journey, driving the three hours to Madaba.

Overnight: we stayed at the Mariam Hotel, which again, was great for the price I paid.

A few practical notes:

• Petra requires serious walking on uneven rocky ground. Wear actual supportive footwear.
• Drink lots of water. All that walking is thirsty work!
• The entry fee is significant, which is why it’s a good idea to get the Jordan Pass.
• Anyone who tells you Petra is doable in two hours is lying to you or has very different priorities. Give it at least a full day. Two is even better!

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Day 4: Fly out from Amman

Unfortunately, I had a late morning flight, which meant day four was not able to be used for sightseeing.

I was a little disappointed because I didn’t want my time here to end. But ultimately, I’d just had an amazing three days seeing some of the most incredible sites in the world, so I can’t complain.

Is 4 days actually enough? My honest answer

For a quick trip to see two amazing UNESCO World Heritage Sites that people only dream about, then yes.

Of course, Jordan offers so much more than these two places, but for a long weekend, you won’t be disappointed if you see just Wadi Rum and Petra.

And if you are only interested in seeing these two sites, then four days is probably the perfect amount of time.

The things I missed did not detract from the trip at all, and I didn’t really feel like I missed out (except for in hindsight).

What I’d do differently: Possibly only spend one full day in Petra and use the extra day to visit the Dead Sea. I’d also try to get a later flight so I didn’t have a dead travel day. And of course, if I could have added an extra day or two, I would have!

What I’d keep the same: For me, this was the perfect trip for a long weekend. I saw the things I truly wanted to see.

Practical Info at a Glance

Getting there: Aqaba is served by both full-service and low-cost carriers, with good connections from the Gulf and Europe. Amman (Queen Alia International) has wider international connections if you’re flying into (or in my case, out of) the capital.

Visa: The Jordan Pass is a fantastic way to take care of your visa needs. I bought the 2-day Petra ticket because I knew I wanted to spend two days there. It also gave us free entry into Wadi Rum, so it almost pays for itself, really.

One of the cool things you can do is ride the Train Ride Adventure (Journey Through 1916), but you need to book this at the same time as you are purchasing your pass. Because of this, it’s important to kind of have an idea about your itinerary as it doesn’t operate every day.

Make sure you buy your Jordan Pass through the official website: Jordan Pass

Getting around: Renting a car is probably the easiest and cheapest option. There are no real public transport routes that I could find, and booking tours with transfers can get expensive, especially if you want a private tour or you want to see different sites.

Where to stay:

• Wadi Rum: Stay in a Bedouin camp. This is a must! But book ahead, especially in high season.
• Petra: Stay in Wadi Musa, the town at the entrance to Petra. There are options at every price point.

Budget: travelling around Jordan was more expensive than I thought it would be. It isn’t as expensive, as say, Italy, but it didn’t feel far off at times!

Best time to go: Both times I’ve visited, it was winter, and while it was cold, especially in Wadi Rum, it was comfortable enough with the right clothing.

However, Spring (March–May) and Autumn (September–November) offer the most comfortable temperatures, particularly for walking in Petra. Summer can be extremely hot.

Final Thoughts

Jordan will always be one of my favourite places I’ve travelled to. And I’d walk down the Siq and see the opening of the Treasury 100 more times, and I’d never tire of it.

It absolutely has to be one of the places on your list of countries to visit. It is beautiful, and the food is incredible too.

I love that I only needed to spend four days here to see both Wadi Rum and Petra. It’s a compact country that packs a massive punch in terms of beauty.

So, stop waiting for more time off. Even a quick trip here is better than no trip. Book your flights and go!!!

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