Age is no barrier when it comes to travel
Jordan is the only trip which was planned a week before departure. My Close buddy was on a business trip to Jordan and we thought we'll catch up and planned a three day holiday. From my experience, three days will be a packed schedule to go around the major spots in Jordan. I Recommend allowing at least 5 to 6 days to experience more of Jordan, I missed out on exploring Wadi rum(the desert camp) & scuba diving in the Red sea
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This is my 3 day/72 hour Itinerary. There is not much to tweak around with limited time
Day 1: Amman City Tour
Roman Theatre & Citadel
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At the heart of the downtown area of Amman, this historic citadel is a wonderful place to visit, and combines the ancient history of the city with a great location offering spectacular views over the city. Go around the Roman Hercules Temple, a Byzantine church, and a Umayyad palace.
If you don’t want to walk up the steep trail, you can hire a taxi to take you to the top.
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Local Market, Coffee Shops & Street food
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There are certain things which may not fascinate Indians, but if you have free time, just see what’s happening around and we can see how the Arabic culture is. Spice shops, Sugarcane juices, Arabic food & Arabic coffee (the strongest one I had ever had)
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Amman-Things to Know
Currency: The currency in Jordan is Dinar. 1 Dinar is equivalent to about 100 Indian rupees. Jordan is not a cheap destination, you can still do budget travel, but limited to Amman
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Best way to travel in Amman: Shared taxis and cabs are available and it is the cheapest way to travel. We didn't have the need to travel around the city, it sonly couple of places, so don't stress. Take a taxi!
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Arabic is the official language of the city, but you can find English widely spoken and boards/signs in English. Tourism is one of the main sources of income to the country
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Food is mostly kebabs & falafel sandwiches. It is inexpensive and will fill your appetite quickly. We didn’t try any fine or mid-range dining
Credit Cards and ATMs: We used our cards in some of the restaurants in Amman, but to be on the safer side, we withdrew cash and kept it ready.
Explore Asia
Prepare your own Perfume
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Another unique thing I found on the shops is that you can create your own perfume. There are many such shops downtown and you can mix and match whatever you want. We bought two such bottles, and it was a good experience and a fun time activity
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Dinner @ Rainbow Street
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Rainbow Street for dinner – this area’s a hub for cafés, boutique shop and restaurants with some great people-watching. We had an awesome dinner & a couple of beers
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Day 2: Visit to the Dead sea
Now comes the first day trip. Not necessarily you have to spend the entire day in the dead sea. But you can combine couple of other places on the way and make it a day trip. We didn’t go on an organized tour, but hired a van with a driver. We were like 6 people, so it was a good deal
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We had couple of stops on the way, Mount Nebo & Al Hakaya Museum. Then we visited the Dead sea. On our way back, we did have a coffee stop in one of the handcrafts shop. It was so beautiful and surprised us, honestly. We didn't buy though and couldn't remember if its expensive.
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Al Hakaya Museum
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It is a good place to stop and have a cup of coffee before going to the dead sea. Located in Mount Nebo, It also holds the miniature exhibits showcasing the history, culture and traditions of Middle east. You can also find handcrafts & souvenirs to purchase.
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Dead Sea
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The main reason for us to visit Jordan is the dead sea. Dead Sea is landlocked and in the lowest point below sea level @ 430m It is know for its high salt content, making it buoyant and to remain to stay afloat at all times. Dead sea is also bordered by Israel & West bank. People do spend a lot in resorts nearby and indulge in spa. Travelling on budget, we decided to do a day trip, still you wont miss any.
Despite all the minerals 7 richness in the water, it is not advisable to stay inside more than 20 minutes. It will dehydrate you. If you have cuts or any other burns, it is going to add up badly.
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Theoretically you cannot sink, do remember to la on your back. Also do not attempt to swim, it will be harder and make you tired. Be cautious at all times.
Coffee stop on our way back!! Interesting artifacts
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Day 3: Day Trip to Petra
The Lost city of Petra and the new Seven wonders of the world
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Lack of time meant we settled for a day trip from Amman. If you could stay for one night in Petra, you could do lot more activities than a day trip
How did we get here?
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We hired a taxi and the total trip took us 3 hours one way. We started early and reached Petra by 10 in the morning. We left around 4 in the evening. We were 4 people sharing the ride, so it was economical. But if you are travelling alone, better to rent a car, much cheaper. We didn’t prefer the local bus, as we didn’t want to lose the day in travelling, but way way cheaper
This is Overview of Petra's major sites. We were able to cover all of it in 6 hours, but we had to walk, walk and walk
Conclusion & Our Recommendation
Jordan has got so much to offer and can be a good destination to spend a week. Spring & Autumn are the best seasons to visit if you are on a long trip. Dead sea was on my bucket list and also happy to have seen a world wonder. certainly would love to take Ryan & Deeps someday!
Our Recommendation: Go for it!
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