Sitting in a taxi cab at 3am on a dark, windy road with a driver trying to caress my hand, I wondered if I made a mistake coming to Jordan. Is this normal in an Arabic country? My guide had told me I shouldn’t have any problems catching a taxi to the hotel. Yet, here I am, solo and anxious.
I don’t know what to do. If I get out of the car now, I wouldn’t know who to call or how to get another taxi.
How to get out of Amman Airport
It all started when I first got into the taxi and he pulled over while exiting the airport, requesting me to sit up front to help navigate. At first I said no, but he was persistent. We exit the airport. Each time I hold up my phone with navigation, he reaches for my wrist. I try to reposition the phone. His hand goes down towards my leg; I quickly place my pillow on of my leg to cover it. He squeezes the pillow instead. Pervert.
What should have been a short 20 minute drive to the hotel, turned into a 45 minute drive with slow downs and stops on dark abandoned roads.
As soon as we arrive to my hotel, I pay the overpriced fare and hurry to the front door of the hotel. Even as I pay, he makes sure to ask for a tip in addition to the fare. I hurry to the front door and sigh in relief when I check in. The hotel receptionist notices that I’m a little overwhelmed. He patiently waits for me to calm down. I check in, head to my room, shower, and go to bed. I toss and turn while thinking about the the taxi ride. Frustrated at myself for the lack of confidence during the ordeal.
Traveling Solo as a Woman in Jordan
The next morning, my guide, Nidal, is late. A slight panic hits me. What if I have to call a taxi driver instead? What if he’s a pervert too? I text my friend Nina for advice since she referred me to Nidal. She texts back and confirms he’s on the way. Nidal arrives shortly after and apologizes profusely. I explain why I was panicked, recounting the entire taxi experience from the night before. He stands there with his mouth open. Shocked.
“Give me the receipt – I’m going to call the police.”
“The man never gave me one.”
Nidal explains this behavior is a crime and is not tolerated. It is illegal for a man to touch a woman he does not know. He said that if I had the receipt, the man could go to jail for up to 7 years.
“This never happens.” Less than 5% chance. I smile knowing that Nidal is now here to protect me now and guide me around Jordan. He loads my suitcase into the car and we head to Amman to tour the city. My first day itinerary – Amman City and the Dead Sea. At night, I’m meeting up with my friend, Habib, in the South.
My itinerary
Night 1/ Day 1: Arrive
Day 2: Amman and Dead Sea
Day 3: Aqaba City and Wadi Rum Jeep Tour, Wadi Rum Bubble Tent
Day 4: Petra. Depart.
A Typical Route of a Jordan Vacation
Day 1: Amman
Day 2: Petra
Day 3 and 4: Wadi Rum
Day 5: Aqaba City and Dead Sea
Day 6: Depart
How long should I stay in Jordan?
4 nights / 3 days. (Minimum) I think most people can stay longer, but if you are on a tight vacation budget, you can do the big items in this short period.
When is the best and worst time to visit Jordan?
I visited Jordan in July, the HOTTEST time of the year. One day, the temperature reached 115Deg F. Once we were over 100 deg F, everything felt the same. Jacket on or off didn’t make a difference. While wearing a tank top, I felt the sun baking my skin. I was roasting. So instead I actually wore my jacket while hiking around. I needed to cover up against the blazing sun.
The good news is that if you visit during the worst temperatures, you will get the lowest crowds. I was able to book my entire trip within 2 weeks of travel. Scoring great deals on our bubble tent and private guide.
The Top Tourist Attractions to See in Jordan
Dead Sea
While many people associate Dead Sea to Israel, did you know you can also take a dip on the other side in Jordan? FWIW, I’ve been told that the dead sea on the Jordan side is cleaner and nicer than the Israel side. My guide arranged for me to visit a “pay site” where there are shower facilities, multiple pools, and a restaurant. The entrance was free, but I had to purchase a buffet lunch for 11 JD ($15). I was happy to pay money to be in a safe and clean area. Bonus points for lunch with AC. I walked around in a bikini worry-free. Note, there are places where you can dip in for free, but I heard they weren’t as “clean.”
The Dead Sea feels like you are in a bathtub with a bunch of floaties on. I try to dunk and swim down, but it was too buoyant. I laid on top of the water for about 30 minutes before I decided to go to the pool and swim instead. As I walk to the pool, my skin dries with little salt flakes. By the time I shower, my entire body felt like a dry, salted fish.
Wadi Rum – Valley of the Moon
Perhaps my favorite attraction of Jordan over Petra. Another benefit of a private guide, Nidal arranged for us to have a brand new truck with shade for our Jeep Tour of Wadi Rum. Those without a guide, can negotiate at the entrance for a ride around the park.
The jeep is shiny and clean despite all the sand blowing around as we trek across the desert. The first thing we see are gigantic walls of rock formations. The sand is deep in rich orange and red colors.
We stop at various mesas and rock formations. We say hello to the locals and the camels. Walk in the canyons and admire the landscape.
We climb up the boulders and then run down the sand dunes.
In the afternoon, we check in at a luxury bedouin camp. We splurge on a Bubble Tent. Moon Alley. A row of Big Plastic Bubbles in the dessert. Our tent has a two door system to keep the bubble full of cold AC air. My jaw drops as I step in. The room itself has a full bathroom, a large king size bed and clear views of the sky and valley. I lay down on the bed and can’t get over the view. It’s simply stunning. Beating out every hotel I’ve ever stayed in my life.
At night, we go to the common area where we eat a traditional bediuin dinner which includes a man making fresh falafels. The falafels were moist on the inside and crunchy on the outside.
Is Aqaba City Worth Visiting?
In short? Not really. If you aren’t a scuba diver, I would skip it. I didn’t plan to dive here mainly because I only came to Jordan for Habib’s 40th birthday. Diving would have taken up at least a full day of time we didn’t have.
I think most people are here for a stopover city between Israel (Eliat) and Jordan (Aqaba). We spent a few hours walking around the pier and beach. Had a tasty traditional Mansaf. I think I will save this city for when I do a liveaboard diving excursion in the Red Sea.
Petra
The most instagrammable location. Temples. Caves. Ancient City Ruins. The treasury is carved into the sandstone wall. One could spend days in Petra. For the casual traveler, a full 6 hour day can cover all the top tourist attractions. Our Jordan pass covered us for a 1 day pass. The pass included a free donkey ride down to the Siq. We declined it because we didn’t want to bother with the tip haggling.
The secret to an enjoyable visit at Petra
I can not stress this enough- pay for a donkey to take you up to the monastery. The cost is 10 JD and you must tip the young boy guiding your donkey. Instead of sweating and walking 1500 steps, you sit on a donkey and pass everyone struggling with each step. 4 legs are better than 2.
Once at the top, Habib and I were able to snap shots with almost no other tourists. Benefits of a hot day in July.
On the way back, splurge and pay 20JD (with $2 tip) for a horse carriage back to the entrance of Petra. Why do this? The entire hike back to the entrance is up hill. You can either walk in the hot sun for 1.5 hours or pay a man to take you on a fun ride for 15 minutes. The price for the horse carriage is actually round trip, but we wanted to walk one way so we could enjoy the Sik when we first entered.
Amman
Nidal tells me over 10 million people live in Amman.
In Amman, I visit the Citadel Hill, Roman Theatre and the King Abdullah Mosque. Each site is included in the Jordan Pass.
The King Abdullah, aka Blue Mosque, welcomes non-muslims to visit and provides loaner burkas. This is my first ever mosque. Nidal explains the carpet, the prayer clocks, podium and etiquettes.
We take some photos and then head to the gift shop. My only traveller advice only buy things in the gift shops that look really unique and different. Most items like magnets, little dishes, keepsakes can be purchased at a fraction of the cost at Petra. My guide didn’t recommend me to purchase anything in Petra, but I think that’s because he has a commission deal with the shops we visited.
At the end of the trip, we had some extra time to explore, so we went to Rainbow Street. There we got to walk through a street market with lots of local arts and crafts. Restaurants, fast food, shops and stands were CASH ONLY.
I would recommend Amman as a good base city to start and end of a trip in Jordan, but not worth staying for more than one day. It’s about a 30 minute to 1 hour drive depending on traffic.
Getting there – Arrivals
Before getting to Jordan, I purchased the Jordan Pass (https://jordanpass.jo/ ) for 70 JD ($99 USD). This pass helps to save both time and money. The cost of a Jordan visa is 40JD and the cost of a 1 day pass to Petra is 50 JD = 90 JD. The only caveat is that you must stay in Jordan for at least 4 nights / 3 days.
By having this pass, I saved about 5 minutes in the arrivals area immigrations queue. Instead of paying for a visa, you show the Jordan Pass. Immigration stamps your passport and notes down the Jordan Pass number. Once the passport is stamped, you proceed to the next queue to let you into the baggage claim area.
Arrival Area
Quick Tip- Before leaving the controlled area, stop at an ATM and get at least 22JD so you can pay for a taxi with cash. The taxis don’t really accept card. Every ATM I stopped at charged about 3-5 JD in fees.
Outside there is a taxi queue and a stand, but the people in the stand don’t really do anything. Instead, there is a man outside the stand where you tell him your destination and he matches you to a taxi driver.
Noteworthy Tips
You can visit the country and DIY it by renting a car. I chose to get a private guide because I was hesitant to drive around. In Amman, people didn’t observe lanes and drove around each other. Towards Petra, I noticed my driver take a side route that did not appear in google maps. By having a guide, we felt safe and secure. The cost for a driver/guide was about 100 JD per day. It’s not for everyone, but I definitely would recommend Nidal again to anyone visiting Jordan.
