I visited Jordan in October of 2023. Jordan is generally viewed as the most accessible country in the Middle East for foreign travelers. Over the span of 10 days, I had some of the coolest experiences of my life in Jordan – from glamping in the desert, to witnessing one of the 7 Wonders of the World, to floating in the Dead Sea.
As it was my first time in the Middle East, I chose to explore Jordan on an organized tour with TBA Escapes. I was part of a 12-person group of amazing female travelers between age 26-50. I highly recommend the TBA Escapes Jordan tour if you want to travel somewhere outside of your comfort zone, but aren’t sure where to begin.
Because I did not plan the itinerary for my time in Jordan (it was all handled by TBA Escapes), I’ve chosen to only share photos from my trip, rather than a full guide to visiting Jordan. I hope that sharing my photos will inspire others to add Jordan to their travel bucket list.
I would like to emphasize that in the current geopolitical climate, extreme caution should be exercised in traveling to the Middle East generally. My visit to Jordan took place before the Israel-Hamas war had escalated. Please always consult your country’s travel advisories before planning a trip abroad.
The Dead Sea
The Dead Sea is a landlocked salt lake (not actually a sea!) between Jordan and Israel. The water is incredibly salty, thick, and buoyant, so when you take a dip in the water, you actually end up floating upright with very little effort. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth and the minerals from the salty mud are used in many spa and beauty treatments.
Petra
One of the Seven Wonders of the World, Petra was breathtaking. As a bucket list destination for many, it was also very crowded. The mostly commonly photographed part of Petra is the Treasury (you might recognize it from the Indiana Jones movie), but Petra is actually a huge ancient city that extends through canyons, riverbeds, and up cliffsides. Wear comfortable shoes when visiting.
The Wadi Rum Desert
This was my favorite experience in Jordan because it was unlike anything I have ever done before. We spent the night glamping in a Martian bubble tent, took a 4×4 truck tour of the desert, rode camels at sunset, then took a hot air balloon ride over the Wadi Rum desert at sunrise.
Amman
Amman, the country’s capital city, is much more traditional than some of the other areas I visited in Jordan. (In Petra or in Wadi Rum, you are more likely to run into other tourists – not the case in Amman.)
The city was very vibrant and worth exploring. We ate at some fantastic restaurants (I highly recommend Sufra Restaurant) and also tested our own skills in a traditional cooking class.
Jerash
Jerash is a city in Jordan with some of the best-preserved Roman ruins in the world. An easy day trip from Amman (45 minutes), this site impressed me with how beautiful (and hot) it was.
There are other amazing things to do and see in Jordan (for example, swimming in the Red Sea or hiking through Wadi Mujib) but these were some of my favorites. I hope that these photos inspire you to visit Jordan when the time is right.
