Jordan for Dummies

6 must visit spots in Jordan

Welcome to OUTstanding Jordan! On the Eastern side of the Jordan River, you can find this beautiful and exciting country, where the desert is vast and the views are breathtaking! Jordan is full of natural reserves, monuments, and seaside resorts, it is full of history and rich culture and you must visit it with your friends and/or loved ones! We made you a list of the must-visit places in Jordan that you can't miss and enjoy this beautiful desert oasis!

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Petra

Petra is an amazing archeological site, located in Wadi Musa in the Ma'an Governorate in the southern part of Jordan. The remnants of this historical city date back to about 9,000 BC and in the 4th century BC it was established as the capital city of the Nabataean Kingdom. The Nabataeans were nomadic Arabs that were a major part of the trading routes and trading in general in that area. This city used to be a very central place in ancient times, even unsuccessfully attacked back in the 3rd century AD. The beautiful architecture and stability of this archeological site are truly a must-visit, and truly is like being in a movie!

Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum is a beautiful nature reserve in Jordan, stands for Valley of Sand, the Roman Valley or Valley of the Moon, whichever translation you choose, it is a magnificent place to visit. The history of the place is also very interesting, this valley has been inhabited by many prehistoric and ancient cultures such as the Nabataeans, which left behind marks and graffiti on the rocks and beautiful temples, and in Khaz'ali Canyon you will find petroglyphs etched into the cave walls which date back to the Thamudic times. In the valley, there is also the village Wadi Rum which you may visit and see the local and primitive lifestyle of the area. Wadi Rum is also a great place for hikers, people who love rock climbing and some action with ATVs and Jeeps. For those who like to relax a bit can camp out under the stars, take a ride on horses or camels and even sleep in awesome Martian tents. This valley is also pretty famous, movies like Lawrence of Arabia, Transformers and The Martian were filmed in this valley so it not only a beautiful film set, it is also a breathtaking location to wander around and explore.

Aqaba

In the southernmost Jordan and on the tip of the Red Sea you will find the most populated and the only coastal city in Jordan, the city of Aqaba. The city of Aqaba not only an important city for the Jordanian economy due to tourism and the Gulf of Aqaba with ports and an important trade spot, but it is also pretty cool to be right on the borders of two continents, Asia and Africa. Even though it is a major city, it also holds a lot of historical locations. This city has been around for thousands of years, once it was called Elath and was a big part of copper production and trade in the Chalcolithic period, later on, it was under Byzantine rule and after the Islamic conquest in the late medieval times, it was named what we call it today, Aqaba. From the city, you can also see the other side of the Red Sea and the city of Eilat, Israel, take a nice boat ride or mini cruise, and enjoy local cuisine and culture.

Amman

The beautiful capital of Jordan, Amman is located in the northern part of Jordan, and it is the most populous city in Jordan. Just like many places in Jordan, the history of this city is very rich and dates back to almost 8,000 BC! today, Amman is considered to be one of the most modernized Arab cities and welcomes many tourists from all over the world. The interesting feature of Amman, which is also called The City of Stairs, is the fact that it was initially built on seven hills and with time spanned out to over 20 hills, therefore visiting Amman is also a great gluteus workout! In this magnificent city, you must visit the church with the Madaba Map from the 6th century, the Amman Citadel, the Roman Theatre, the Temple of Hercules and of course the Jordan Archeological Museum. Matter of fact, there are many museums in Amman and they are a must-visit because Jordan is full of amazing history and artifacts.

Dead Sea (Jordan Side)

So we all heard about the Dead Sea and maybe read on our website about the sea from the Israeli side, however, on the other side of the Dead Sea is beautiful Jordan. It is truly amazing how you can see a whole different country across this magical place. The Dead Sea is the lowest elevation on land, 430.5 meters below sea level to be exact. This salt lake and we need to emphasize the salt, is bordered by Jordan on the eastern side and Israel and the West Bank on the west. Visiting the Dead Sea while in Jordan is a highlight and a must, it is also very close to the capital, Amman. The health benefits of visiting the sea are also very vast, the salt, the mud, and the relaxing views and atmosphere are just what you need on your vacation! Spas, resorts and many beaches are just what you need, and boy the sunsets are amazing.

Wadi Mujib

So we established that wadi means "valley", but this is a whole different kind of valley. Wadi Mujib is a river canyon that also enters the Dead Sea. It is believed to be the biblical Arnon Stream. This reserve is located on a mountainous landscape east to the Dead Sea, in the southern part of the Jordan valley and not far from Amman, the capital. This valley has over 300 species of plants, over 10 species of carnivores and migratory birds. Because of the water and the beautiful stream that you can walk in, the steppes have great vegetation and lush plants which is beautiful to see in the middle of the desert. The canyons, the river, and gorges are just stunning and a great location for a day trip for some nature and hiking.