How long should you spend in Jordan in 2025?

If you’re planning a trip to Jordan in 2025, you’ll probably have many questions. One of the first and most important questions is, “How long should you spend in Jordan in 2025?”

If your travel time is limited, it’s important to work out how long you want to dedicate to visiting Jordan. In some cases, you may also want to visit other countries in the region, such as Egypt. Maybe you only have a short vacation. One or two weeks? So, trying to work out how long to spend in Jordan will be an important part of planning your itinerary.

Trying to figure out how long you should spend in Jordan can be very difficult. It’s hard to picture the distances, journey times, and how long you need to see all of the best attractions in Jordan. In this article, we want to give you a feel for a short, medium, and long itinerary for Jordan. We’re not going in-depth with these itineraries.

We have traveled for around 15 years, and we are a full-time travel family. We have a lot of experience planning the best pace and itineraries for travel. So we are very excited to share our experience and recommendations with you. We love to travel and we love to help you plan your own adventures. 

Don’t miss our FULL GUIDE to Petra to help you plan your visit

Can you visit Jordan as a day trip?

Yes, some people zip in and out of Jordan in a single day. You can take Petra day tours from cities like Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. But this is very rushed and we don’t recommend this. A day tour is expensive and doesn’t really allow time to connect with the history and culture on a meaningful level.

If you’re planning to use the Jordan pass, then you need to spend at least three nights in Jordan. The Jordan pass allows you Visa-free entry to Jordan as long as you spend at least three nights and 4 days in the country. It also allows you access to Petra and a wide range of other attractions. You only need to visit Petra in order to save money when you are traveling to Jordan. Find out more about the Jordan Pass. You need to buy your Jordan pass from the official Jordan Pass website.

Don’t miss our guide to the most important – things that you need to know before you go to Jordan

Also make sure you get your buses booked early – How to book a bus in Jordan

1 A Short Trip – 3 days

If you are hoping to experience Jordan, connect with the culture, and see some of the best parts, the minimum amount of time is 3 days. Some people do take shorter trips to Jordan, but we really don’t recommend this if you are hoping to connect with the culture and experience Jordan properly.

A 3-day trip in Jordan allows you a sufficient amount of time to try some of the delicious food, meet locals, and see a few of the best attractions in Jordan. If you are only spending 3 days in Jordan, we recommend basing yourself in the capital city, which is called Amman. If possible, try to find a guest house or a hotel that is close to the old city. This will allow you quick and convenient access to the best attractions, and you can also enjoy the culture, food, and bustle of the Old Town by night.

A 3-day trip in Jordan allows enough time to explore the capital city Amman, to visit Petra, which is a must-do activity in Jordan, and also enough time to take one day trip to an attraction close to Jordan. Here is an outline for a 3-day itinerary in Jordan:

3-day Itinerary for Jordan 

Day 1: Explore some of the things to do around Amman. On the first day, we recommend that you find your bearings and explore the Amman Old City. You could visit attractions such as the Amman Citadel, The Jordan Museum, and the Roman Theatre. Enjoy some amazing food in the old town and visit a local market.

Day 2: On the second day, we recommend taking a day trip to Petra. It is possible to visit Petra in a single day from Amman; you need to do a day tour with the Jett bus company. The tour departs at 6:30 a.m. and returns to Amman at around 8:00 p.m. If you do choose to visit Petra as a day trip, you will probably arrive late in the morning and you will need to leave by around 3:00 or 4:00 p.m. to get back to your bus, which departs at 5:00 p.m. This should allow you sufficient time to visit the treasury, the street of facades, the theater, the Royal tombs, and also take some excellent photographs. We recommend that you prepare for your trip well with plenty of snacks and drinks.

Day 3: On the final day of your trip, we recommend taking a day trip from Amman. There are various options depending on your preferences. You could visit the Bethany beyond the Jordan baptism site, which is the baptism site of Jesus. Alternatively, you could take a day trip to the Dead Sea. A great way to see the Dead Sea is to purchase a day pass from one of the Dead Sea Resorts; this allows you to use the facilities.

THE BEST DAY TRIPS FROM AMMAN – don’t miss these delightful day trips from Amman

Medium trip – 5 days

Five days is the minimum amount of time to spend in Jordan if you want to fit in the main attractions. If you have 5 days in Jordan, you can see Wadi Rum as well as Petra. But you will need to travel fast, and there may be some late buses and late arrivals.

If you are coming to visit Jordan for 5 days and you want to fit plenty in, the key is going to be organization and planning. Make sure you get all of your buses booked nice and early so that you get seats. Remember, buses can get booked out in advance because there is only one bus company that operates in Jordan. We also recommend that you book your accommodation nice and early and check that they are happy to accept late-night check-ins. 

You will also need to budget for a few taxi rides in Jordan to help you get around if you only have 5 days. So remember, 5 days really is a minimum if you want to see all of the best things in Jordan. If you do have 6 or 7 days, you can slow down a little more and take time to rest.

5-day itinerary for Jordan 

Day 1: On the first day, we recommend spending some time exploring Amman and getting your bearings. Don’t miss the Amman Citadel, The Jordan Museum, and the Roman Theatre. Enjoy some amazing food in the old town and visit a local market.

Day 2: Travel from Amman to Petra. The bus should arrive in Petra by around 10:00 a.m. Check into your accommodation and then visit Petra in the afternoon. Spend some time at the treasury and enjoy exploring the archaeological park.

Day 3: Get an early start and visit Petra when it opens at 6:00 a.m. This is a beautiful time to explore the archaeological park and get some nice empty shots of the treasury. The atmosphere in Petra early in the morning is very nice. By late morning, you will find that Petra is fairly crowded and intense. This is a good time to go and explore the Petra Museum and get some lunch in town.

In the afternoon, you may want to return to the Petra archaeological park or go and check out from your accommodation and rest. Take a bus to Aqaba. The Jett bus from Petra to Aqaba departs at 5 p.m. You will arrive late in Aqaba. From here, you need to take a taxi to Wadi Rum (this could be expensive in the evening). Check in to your glamping pod at Wadi Rum. Check out Rum Magic Nights (pictured above) – great views and great value for money.

Day 4: Wake up in Wadi Rum and explore the beautiful desert in the morning. Return to your glamping accommodation and make the most of the facilities. We recommend enjoying a nice meal in the desert and spending some time resting at your accommodation before you take a bus back to Amman. There are a few buses from Aqaba back to Amman; the latest service is at 7:00 p.m. and arrives at 11:00 p.m.

Day 5: On your final day in Amman, take a day trip to one of the attractions outside of the city. You could visit the Bethany beyond the Jordan baptism site, (the baptism site of Jesus). Alternatively, you could take a day trip to the Dead Sea. A great way to see the Dead Sea is to purchase a day pass from one of the Dead Sea Resorts. If you’re interested in history, you could visit Madaba and Mount Nebo.

Long Trip – 7 days (or more)

Don’t miss our FULL GUIDE to the best camps and tours in Wadi Rum

If you have more time to spend in Jordan, then you will be able to see more and travel at a slower pace. As a general rule, slower travel is better value for money because you don’t need to rush around and take last-minute taxis. You can also work out better deals for accommodation, and there is time to figure out the best places to eat. We have even written a guide to help you get a feel for the cost of a 1 week trip around Jordan.

So, if you do have time to take 7 days in Jordan, you will be able to see all of the main attractions and enjoy the beautiful country at a more restful pace. Here is a brief example of a 7-day itinerary for Jordan:

7-day itinerary for Jordan 

Don’t miss our amazing in-depth and detailed version of this 7 day Jordan itinerary

Day 1: Explore Amman – explore the old city and get your bearings. Visit some attractions like the Amman Citadel and the Roman Theatre. Enjoy some tasty Jordan food and get some rest.

Day 2: Take a bus to Petra. When you arrive in Petra, check into your accommodation and then visit the Petra archaeological park in the afternoon.

Day 3: Get up nice and early and visit Petra in the morning. By late morning, we recommend exploring the Petra Museum and getting some lunch in town. There are plenty of restaurants close to the entrance of Petra. Although these restaurants are a little overpriced, they do offer some tasty traditional Jordan dishes. Take an evening bus to Aqaba. Take a taxi to Wadi Rum and check in to your glamping. Check out Rum Magic Nights for great value for money.

Day 4: See the sunrise in the desert and take a jeep tour of Wadi Rum. Get a meal in the desert. Relax in your accommodation. Enjoy a desert sunset. Watch the stars and enjoy a campfire. Spend a second night in Wadi Rum.

Day 5: Enjoy a breakfast in Wadi Rum before returning to Amman. This is a travel day. Check in to your accommodation in Wadi Rum and enjoy the Old City by night.

Day 6: Take a day trip from Amman. Visit the Dead Sea. You could also visit Bethany Beyond the Jordan (the baptism site of Jesus). You can see both attractions in one day or just spend the day enjoying the Dead Sea.

Day 7: Take a day trip to the north of Amman and visit Ajloun Castle and Jerash. Alternatively, take a day trip to the south and visit Mount Nebo and Madaba.

In summary: How long should you spend in Jordan?

It is possible to take very short trips to Jordan; some people even take single-day trips to visit Petra. However, in our opinion, this is too short to enjoy Jordan properly. What’s more, you will not be able to take advantage of the Jordan pass if you stay anything less than 3 nights. The Jordan pass allows you Visa-free entry to Jordan as long as you stay a minimum of 3 nights and 4 days in the country.

3 days is really the minimum amount of time to explore Jordan and connect with the culture and history. If you have 3 days, you can do a rushed itinerary that includes Amman, Petra, and a day trip from Amman.

Alternatively, if you’re looking for a more extensive and engaging itinerary in Jordan, then we recommend spending at least 5 days. If you only have 5 days, you can do a rushed trip that includes Amman, Petra, and Wadi Rum.

Finally, if you are really hoping to visit the main attractions in Jordan and explore the country in more depth, then we recommend spending at least 7 days in the country. A 7-day trip to Jordan allows you to see more and travel at a slower and more relaxed pace.