Day 1
Arrive Amman | Citadel | Roman Theatre | Rainbow Street
Arrive at Queen Alia International Airport and transfer to your hotel on the west side of Amman. Afternoon at the Amman Citadel on the highest of the city's hills for the Temple of Hercules with its colossal hand and finger sculpture, the Umayyad Palace, and panoramic views over the ancient city. Walk down to the perfectly preserved 6000-seat Roman Theatre still used for performances. Evening on Rainbow Street in the Jabal Luweibdeh neighbourhood for the best restaurant and cafe scene in Amman. Overnight Amman.
💡 Tip: Buy the Jordan Pass before arriving. It covers the visa cost on arrival and entry to over 40 sites including Petra, Jerash, and the Citadel, saving significant money over buying tickets individually.
Day 2
Jerash Roman Ruins | Oval Plaza | Chariot Race | Drive back to Amman
One-hour drive north to Jerash, one of the finest and most complete Roman provincial city ruins outside Italy. Walk through the Hadrian's Arch entrance, the Oval Plaza with its distinctive elliptical colonnade, the colonnaded Cardo Maximus street, the North Theatre, and the Temple of Artemis. Watch the Roman Army and Chariot Experience show in the hippodrome, a surprisingly entertaining recreation of Roman military drills and chariot racing. Return to Amman for the evening. Overnight Amman.
💡 Tip: Jerash is most impressive visited in the morning light when the columns cast long shadows. Arrive at opening time at 8 AM for the first 30 minutes almost alone in the site.
Day 3
Madaba Byzantine Mosaics | Mount Nebo | King's Highway | Drive to Dead Sea
Drive south on the ancient King's Highway. Stop at Madaba, the City of Mosaics, for the extraordinary 6th-century Byzantine mosaic map of the Holy Land in the floor of St George's Church, the oldest surviving geographical map in the world. Drive to Mount Nebo, where Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land before his death, with views across the Jordan Valley to Jerusalem on clear days. Descend to the Dead Sea at 430 metres below sea level. Overnight Dead Sea resort.
💡 Tip: The views from Mount Nebo across the Jordan Valley on a clear winter day extend to Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and the towers of Tel Aviv. The sunset from this biblical hillside is extraordinary.
Day 4
Dead Sea Float | Mineral Mud | Drive to Petra | Siq at Dusk
Morning float in the Dead Sea, 33 percent salinity making it physically impossible to sink. Cover yourself in the black mineral mud from the shoreline, dry it in the sun, and wash off in the buoyant water. Drive three hours south to Petra along the Desert Highway. Arrive in the late afternoon for the optional Petra by Night experience, the candlelit walk through the Siq to the Treasury illuminated in the dark. Overnight Petra.
💡 Tip: Do not shave or have any cuts before swimming in the Dead Sea. The extreme salinity burns intensely in any open skin. Keep your face and eyes completely clear of the water at all times.
Day 5
Petra Full Day | Treasury | Royal Tombs | Monastery | Sunset from the High Place
Full day in Petra. Walk the Siq at opening time for the Treasury reveal in the morning light. Explore the Street of Facades, the Royal Tombs carved in tiers into the cliff face, the Colonnaded Street, and the Byzantine church with its extraordinary floor mosaic. Climb the 800-step donkey trail to the Monastery, Ad Deir, the largest carved monument in Petra with views over the desert. Watch the sunset from the High Place of Sacrifice on the ridge above the city. Overnight Petra.
💡 Tip: Hire a local guide for the first two hours at the Petra entrance. The context and history they provide transforms the experience from impressive stonework into a living Nabataean civilisation.
Day 6
Little Petra | Wadi Rum Drive | Fly from Aqaba or Drive to Amman | Departure
Morning visit to Little Petra, Siq al-Barid, the free smaller canyon with its own Nabataean facades and painted triclinium ceiling. Drive south through the desert to Wadi Rum for a brief stop at the visitor centre viewpoint over the red desert landscape. Continue to Aqaba Airport for departure or drive north to Amman. End of tour.
💡 Tip: Aqaba Airport is much smaller and calmer than Amman and has direct connections to several European cities. Check routing options as flying from Aqaba can save the three-hour drive back to the capital.
