Jordan Travel Guide for Americans
Everything you need to plan your trip to Jordan: when to go, how much it costs, and where to fly from.
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About Jordan
Jordan is the Middle East's most underrated destination for American travelers—stable, welcoming, and jaw-droppingly beautiful without the crowds of Egypt or Israel. The country punches way above its weight with Petra (legitimately one of the world's seven wonders), the Dead Sea (the lowest point on Earth), Wadi Rum's otherworldly desert landscape, and surprisingly cosmopolitan Amman. Unlike its regional neighbors, Jordan feels genuinely safe for solo travelers and families; locals are accustomed to American tourists and English is widely spoken in tourist areas. The Jordanian dinar is stable, your dollar goes far, and you'll eat some of the best Middle Eastern food outside of Lebanon at a fraction of the price. Most Americans visit in a 5-7 day trip combining Amman, Petra, and the Dead Sea, but the real magic happens when you add a night in Wadi Rum under the stars. This is a country where you can be doing Bedouin desert camping one day and floating in a salt lake the next.
At a Glance
Trip Cost: What to Expect
Getting Around
In Amman, use Uber (yes, it works here) for ~2-4 JOD rides, or negotiate fixed-price taxis at your hotel (avoid hailing on the street). Between cities, you have three options: (1) domestic buses via JETT Bus Company or Hijazi Bus—cheap ($5-15 between major cities), but slow and fill with locals; (2) private drivers through your hotel (~50-80 JOD per day for a car + driver, split between 2-4 people this is unbeatable); (3) organized day tours from Amman (group tours to Petra run $70-120 per person, all-inclusive). For Petra and Wadi Rum, most travelers book tours from Amman. Car rental exists but driving standards are chaotic and gas is expensive. No domestic flights (distances too short). Pro tip: negotiate directly with drivers at hotels rather than using tour companies—you'll save 25-30%.
Practical Tips
Buy a SIM card at the airport from either Zain or Orange (Jordan's two major carriers). Cost is 5-10 JOD (~$7-14) for the SIM, then add a data package: 10 GB for 30 days is roughly 15-20 JOD through either carrier. Zain's customer service is slightly better in English. Data is fast (4G/LTE everywhere that matters). You'll use it mostly for Google Maps, WhatsApp, and checking hotel info. Alternatively, some hotels offer free WiFi; it's decent in Amman but spotty in Petra and the desert. Just grab the SIM—it's cheap insurance against roaming charges and beats relying on WiFi.
Tipping in Jordan is expected but not aggressive. In restaurants: 10% if service is solid, 15% if exceptional; leave cash on the table rather than adding to card (gives the server their cut). Taxis: Round up to the nearest dinar or add 10% if the driver helped with luggage. Hotel staff: 1-2 JOD per night for housekeeping. Guides on tours: 5-10 JOD per person if they did a good job (this is meaningful to them). Wadi Rum Bedouin camps: Tips aren't expected but 5 JOD per person is appreciated. Coffee shop tips: Small change in the jar. In general, Jordanians don't expect tips like Americans do in the US, so tipping is a 'nice to have' not mandatory—but it's welcomed everywhere.
Jordan is the safest country in the Middle East for American tourists—genuinely. Amman is cosmopolitan and secure; you can walk around the Abdoun and Rainbow Street neighborhoods at night without issue. Petra is touristy and heavily policed. Wadi Rum has Bedouin guides and is incredibly safe. The southern city of Aqaba is also secure. The only real concern is the northern border with Syria (avoid completely) and the eastern regions near the Iraq border, but these aren't tourist areas anyway. Terror attacks are rare and don't target tourists. Crime against visitors is minimal—pickpocketing happens in crowded markets but not aggressively. Use normal precautions: don't flash expensive cameras/phones, avoid political arguments, and check your government's travel advisories before booking. Women solo travelers report feeling safer here than in Egypt or Morocco. Bottom line: This is one of the safest Middle Eastern countries for Americans.
Skip the organized 'Petra day tour' nonsense from Amman—it's a 3-hour drive each way and exhausting. Instead, book 2-3 nights in Petra town itself (stay at a guesthouse like Petra Moon Hotel, ~$50/night). Wake up early, enter Petra at opening when it's empty, spend 6-8 hours hiking deep into the canyon to the Monastery and beyond, watch sunset from Ad-Deir, then explore the next morning without the tour bus crowds. You'll see Petra the way it deserves to be seen. This adds 1-2 nights to your trip but saves $100+ on expensive tours and gives you the most profound experience possible. Petra is massive— 80% of visitors see only the first 2% because they're chasing the Monastery photo from their hotel. Stay there, hike properly, and Petra changes your life. Also: download offline maps (Google Maps works partially offline) because cell service gets spotty in the canyon.
Frequently Asked Questions
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