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Transportation
- Royal Jordanian Airlines: To get to the capital city of Amman, we flew from Cairo. Once we got to customs, we paid the visa fee of 40 JD (Jordanian Dinars), equal to $56.
- Sixt Rental Car: After grabbing our bag from baggage claim, we headed over to pick up our rental car. We used Sixt since they did not have a young drivers fee. For both days, we paid $60. They do accept debit cards, if you do not have a credit card. Just know that the $300 deposit will take longer to come back to you. Also, unless you are traveling in a tour group, we strongly recommend renting a car, and make sure to get the GPS. We did not and it was quite an adventure figuring out where we needed to go! The locals were very friendly and kind enough to help us find our way.
Driving in Jordan
This was our first time driving in a different country, and it was an adventure on it’s own. Once we picked up the rental car at Queen Alia International Airport we headed straight for the Baptismal Site of Jesus Christ. We were a little nervous that the drivers in Jordan would be just as bad as the drivers in Cairo. Fortunately, they were better at staying in the lanes and the traffic was not very bad. We got on the main highway, which was smooth and pretty straight-forward. It was not until we exited on a smaller highway that things started getting mixed up.
Since we did not get a GPS with the car, and only had a paper map (What can go wrong?), we did make a wrong turn. We then had to turn on our mobile data for 5 minutes to steer us the right direction (AT&T charged us around $100!). Once we figured out which way we were supposed to be traveling, we were able to get to the Baptismal Site, which was about a 1 1/2 hour drive from the airport. Once we explored we hopped back in our little car and headed towards the Dead Sea, about a 30 minute drive. On the road to the Dead Sea we passed by multiple military checkpoints. Once we stopped we assumed they would just want to see our passports and rental car agreement. We rolled down the window at each one and once they noticed we were tourists they waved us on.
We stopped at the Marriott to enjoy our day pass and afterwards, continued on driving to the town of Wadi Musa. It was night time and we had about a 3 1/2 drive to get to our hotel. Driving at night was not terribly difficult, but it is best to try and keep your brights on as there is not very much light on the roads. Occasionally we had to flash our lights at other cars as many of them forgot to turn off their brights.
Once we passed the Dead Sea we turned onto a smaller dirt road that lead up a mountain with absolutely no civilization (our poor car barely made it). One of the weirdest moments we ever experienced was driving up on the mountain. All of the sudden, dozens of eyes were staring at us and we realized that it was a pack of wild dogs. They were barking uncontrollably and looked like they wanted to eat us and the car. After honking the horn and speeding away we were in the clear.
Eventually we came to a fork in the dirt road and we had to make a decision on which way to go. We choose to go left and eventually made it to a paved road. We found a gas station to make sure we were not totally lost and the clerk confirmed that we were on the right track and pointed us to continue on the same road. We eventually made it to the town of Wadi Musa, but were unsure of where the hotel was located. After driving aimlessly around, we went inside a hotel to find out where to go and eventually made it to the hotel.
We stayed in town for a few days then it was our time to make the 3 hour trip back to Amman. The drive on the way back was a lot smoother since we did not need directions and it was mostly a major highway. We did have a little bit of trouble trying to return the car, as it was 0200 AM with limited signs at the airport.
Travel Tip: Road signs are both in Arabic and English. Unfortunately, most of the English wording on the signs is covered by political posters and is unreadable. This made it more difficult to understand where to go. So if you are unsure of the area it might be smart to invest in getting a GPS with your rental.
Accommodations
- The Tetra Tree Hotel: After our first day exploring Jordan, we checked in late at our hotel. Located in the town of Wadi Musa, this is just a short drive to the entrance of Petra. Our room was quite comfortable and it was a great value for the price, only costing us $60 a night! The hotel staff was friendly as well. If the weather is nice enough, they have a rooftop restaurant with amazing views. Unfortunately for us, it was a little too cold so we did not get to try it out.
To-Do
- Baptismal Site of Jesus Christ: Our first stop in Jordan was to the Baptismal Site of Jesus Christ. On the Jordan/Israel border, this biblical and historical spot, is where John the Baptist was said to have baptized Jesus Christ. When we arrived, we paid the fee of 12 JD (about $17) per person. This included entrance to the site and also a tour guide that explained the history and meaning of the site.
We waited about 15 minutes for the next van to arrive to pick us up for the tour and while we were waiting, we bought a few waters from the snack stand. They also sell an assortment of sodas and light snacks. Once the van came to pick us up, we hopped in and drove for a short while. We reached the spot where the walk began. It was a 0.6 mile walk each way, at an easy pace, with no hills. We stopped along the way to look at various points of interest.
Once we were finished with the walk, we made it to the spot where Jesus was said to have been baptized. Depending on the time of the year that you visit, this will either be filled with water from the Jordan River or it will be dry, like it was for us. Either way, it is still an amazing sight to see.
Right after the Baptism spot, there is the Jordan River, where many people like to get baptized. One of the people in our group did this and it was touching to see. If you are interested in doing a Baptism in the Jordan River, they ask that you contact them 2 days in advance to set it up. On the other side of the river is Israel. Unfortunately, this is not an entry point into the country, but it is interesting to see just how close the 2 countries are.
On our way back to the entrance, we stopped at a gift shop, where you can find Holy water, rosaries, and other souvenirs. Overall, whether you are religious or not, we still recommend taking the time to appreciate this historical place.
Travel Tip: You might want to bring a fan with you, not for the reason that it is unbearably hot, but that there are an enormous amount of flies (probably due to the river). We are not exaggerating when we say this; it was a constant struggle to keep them from buzzing around us.
- The Dead Sea: This was something we absolutely could not miss as we had heard the experience was amazing. Our drive from the Baptismal Site to the Dead Sea was about 30 minutes. We had done some research prior and wanted to find a resort to purchase a day pass instead of going to a local beach. This was due to a few reasons. First of all, many of the local spots are nude beaches. Also, they are not maintained very well and are kind of trashy overall. Most of the resorts have a day pass that you can purchase, giving you access to their private beach and many times other amenities as well.
We purchased our day pass from the Dead Sea Marriott Resort & Spa. The day pass was a little pricey, at 60 JD ($84) per person, but the experience was well worth it. Plus, the pass included access to the pools, a towel voucher (good since we didn’t bring one), and 25 JD ($35) per person in food vouchers to use at any of their restaurants.
At the lowest point on Earth, the Dead Sea is one of the saltiest bodies of water, with a salinity of 33.7% (10 times as salty as the ocean). Having said this, you really do float in the Dead Sea. It is actually a struggle to keep yourself standing upright. Due to this fact, swimming in the Dead Sea is not recommended past dark, and the resort beaches forbid it. Contrary to some beliefs that it is impossible to drown in the Dead Sea, it is actually more common than you think. Knowing this, we were extremely careful not to flip ourselves over in the water. Thankfully, there is a lifeguard on duty if anything were to happen.
The Dead Sea has often been known for its health-giving properties due to its rich mineral content (8 times more than most sea water). Minerals such as sodium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and calcium are said to cure a variety of health issues, or at least improve the effects. The mud of the Dead Sea is of course also high in those same minerals as well. They had a bowl of the mud that you could use at the resort and it left our skin feeling extra soft. Just be careful if you are rinsing your body off in the Dead Sea. One of the ladies we saw washing her face off in the water, got some of the ultra-salty water in her eyes. She was screaming in pain and it did not look like a fun time.
Travel Tip: The bottom of the Dead Sea is quite rocky and if you cut your foot on any of the rocks, it will not be a fun experience. We recommend wearing water shoes to prevent this from happening. We bought ours for $9.99 on Amazon, here.
- Petra: After our great nights sleep, we headed down to see the Archaeologic Park of Petra. After we passed through the security screening, we went to purchase our tickets. Since we were staying one night in Jordan, the entrance fee was 50 JD ($70) per person. If for some reason you are making it in and out of Jordan and not staying the night, the fee would be 90 JD ($126) per person.
One of the New 7 Wonders of the World, Petra, otherwise known as the “Lost City”, is also recognized for being shown on Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Between 400 B.C.-A.D. 106, Petra was once the capital of the Nabataean empire and was a fully functioning civilization. Once the city was void of human life, it sat empty until the early 1800s, when a European traveler disguised himself in Middle-Eastern attire and convinced a local to show him the way to the lost city.
There is so much more to Petra than just the famous Treasury (Al-Khazneh). It was a lot larger than we imagined, but still doable in one day. Make sure you have some good walking shoes though, as it is a lot of hiking throughout. On our hike to get to the Treasury, we also saw a lot of other ancient carvings. There was the Obelisk Tomb, an elaborate 2 story tomb, with a mix of Greek, Egyptian, Indian and Nabataean architectural styles.
Across from the Obelisk Tomb, there is the Djinn Blocks. ‘Djinn’ is the name for a type of spirit that features in Arab folklore; the name was adopted for these blocks as Petra’s occupants believed these monuments were the dwelling of dijinn, which were thought to inhabit the area. Today, it is generally agreed that these monuments served as tombs and memorials to the dead.
Continuing on our walk, we reached the Siq, a narrow gorge that leads to the Treasury. We walked along the path, which included parts of a paved road. It was originally constructed with limestone, possibly towards the end of the first century B.C. Along the way, we saw baetyls-sacred stone blocks-set into niches.
At last, we reached the Treasury (Al-Khazneh)! This is one of the most elaborate temples in Petra. Carved out of sandstone, it is still very well preserved in its great detail. It was built at the beginning of the 1st century A.D., during the reign of Aretas IV Philopatris, as a mausoleum and crypt. We could have spent hours standing there staring at it, in awe of how huge and beautiful it was.
The only negative that we saw with Petra was something that we have encountered most other places, but did not expect it in a world heritage site. There were a lot of beggars and badgering all throughout Petra and they were quite persistent. Numerous times we were approached with postcards, coins, jewelry, etc. You will need to be firm with them and say no many times to get them to leave you alone. It is often children that approach you, asking you for money for water and food. It is hard to say no, but if you don’t, be prepared to be followed and asked for more money. Before starting our hike to the Treasury, we were haggled to get into either a carriage or a horse that would take us all the way to the Treasury. We declined their offer as we have heard that the animals are not treated well and many of them looked weak and beat down.
Food
- Champions Sports Bar & Restaurant: This restaurant is inside the Dead Sea Marriott Resort and Spa. If you do end up taking our advice to purchase the day pass at the Marriott for the Dead Sea, be sure to use the food vouchers. We chose to have dinner here over the other restaurant they had, and after a long day of traveling, this was just what we needed. For an appetizer, we shared the classic cheese nachos (7.50 JD) and for dinner, Jonah got the classic bacon cheese burger (9.50 JD) and Sierra got the smothered mushroom burger (9.50 JD). We also had fresh squeezed lemonade and it was very good. Our food vouchers ($25 per person) covered the entire cost of the meal and then some. We could have also ordered dessert but we were stuffed. Unfortunately, we were so tired that we forgot to take pictures of our delicious food.
- The Cave Bar: This is a unique restaurant that is located just past the entrance of Petra. It was built originally as a tomb for the Nabataean people and had such a cool atmosphere. It was the perfect place for our anniversary dinner!
For our entrees, Sierra had the club sandwich and Jonah had the french dip. We also had a bottle of wine since we were celebrating! The food was delicious and it was one of the only places you could drink alcohol. The waiter was friendly enough, not overly nice, but not rude either. It was a very relaxing environment and we spent quite a bit of time eating dinner.
After dinner, we also had dessert. We shared the apple pie with apple ice cream and cheesecake, topped with a blueberry compote. Both of these were very tasty as well. Overall, our meal came out to about 50 JD ($70).
The beautiful country of Jordan has so much to offer, from historical landmarks to relaxing at the Dead Sea. We explored so much of Jordan within a 2 day period. We wish we could have stayed for longer, but our next journey awaited us!
