Jordan Itinerary: 7 Days Covering Petra, Wadi Rum & the Dead Sea

Land in Amman and take day one gently: the Citadel for sunset views over the city, the Roman Theatre below, and dinner downtown or on Rainbow Street. Amman is also the cheapest place to pick up a rental car or arrange a driver for the week.

On day two, take the one-hour trip north to Jerash — one of the best-preserved Roman cities anywhere, and included in the Jordan Pass. You can be back in Amman for knafeh by evening.

Drive or bus south to Wadi Musa (about three hours on the Desert Highway). Spend two full days in Petra: the Siq and Treasury early on day one, then the Monastery climb; on day two take the back trails — the High Place of Sacrifice or Little Petra — and, if it runs that evening, Petra by Night.

The two-day Petra entry is only 5 JOD more than one day, and the Jordan Explorer pass covers it. Two days transforms the visit from a rushed checklist into an actual exploration.

Wadi Rum is under two hours from Petra. Book a jeep tour for the afternoon — rock bridges, red dunes, and Lawrence of Arabia country — then stay overnight at a Bedouin camp. Dinner cooked underground in a zarb pit, then some of the darkest, clearest night skies you will ever see.

Drive the scenic Dead Sea Highway north (about four hours) and check into a resort on the northern shore. Float, apply the famous black mud, and do absolutely nothing for an afternoon — you have earned it.

The Dead Sea is under an hour from Amman airport, which makes it the perfect final stop before a flight home.

Buy the Jordan Pass before you fly — it bundles your visa with Petra, Jerash, and Wadi Rum entry and pays for itself on this route. See our full Jordan Pass guide for the tier-by-tier math.

Self-driving is straightforward on this loop, but drivers and JETT buses cover the same route if you would rather not rent. Spring and autumn offer the best weather; in summer, start each day at dawn.