Middle East
Jordan
An ancient road that begins in stone and ends beneath the stars
I design a route where Petra is discovered over two unhurried days, with a candlelit night, and the Wadi Rum desert is experienced from a jeep, under a sky full of stars and, wind permitting, from a balloon at sunrise.
Jordan is travelled like a journey through time, with a desert at the end of every chapter. In the north, the cities preserve the layers of Rome, Byzantium and early Islam; on the road south, Petra reveals itself over two full days, unhurried, until the light shifts over the rose-colored stone; and beyond, in Wadi Rum, the desert falls asleep beneath a sky of stars. For those with more days, the journey stretches toward two very different waters, the Red Sea and a Dead Sea where the body floats on its own, and toward a night without electricity, by candlelight, in the heart of the desert. It suits those who want history and landscape at once, at a pace that leaves room to pause.
Datos del viaje
Experiences
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The Umayyad desert castles: Qasr Kharraneh, Amra, and Azraq
A private tour of three desert retreats built by the 8th-century Umayyad princes, with frescoes and reliefs blending Greco-Roman, Byzantine, and Persian styles.
View experience: The Umayyad desert castles: Qasr Kharraneh, Amra, and Azraq
East of Amman, deep in the desert, the Umayyad caliphs, who had made Damascus their capital in 661 CE, built a series of retreats combining political, residential, agricultural, and commercial functions. Partly using older structures and blending Greco-Roman, Byzantine, and Persian styles, they created some of the most impressive examples of early Islamic art and architecture, with frescoes and figurative reliefs that survive thirteen centuries later. The visit covers three of them — Qasr Kharraneh, with its nearly intact facade; Qusayr Amra, famous for its baths and murals; and the fort of Qasr Azraq, built over an oasis that served as T.E. Lawrence's base during the Arab Revolt —, in a desert that sees barely any tourism.
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Petra by night, in candlelight
Cross the entire Siq to Petra's Treasury lit by more than 1,500 candles, under a desert sky with barely any artificial light.
View experience: Petra by night, in candlelight
As night falls, once the rest of Petra's visitors have left, the kilometer-long Siq canyon lights up with more than fifteen hundred candles all the way to the Treasury (Al-Khazneh), Jordan's most photographed facade, transformed completely by candlelight and, with luck, a sky full of stars. It's a way of seeing the Nabataean city that has nothing to do with the daytime visit: in silence, without the usual bustle, with traditional Bedouin music playing in front of the monument itself.
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Stargazing in Wadi Rum
An expert guide points out the constellations over the Wadi Rum desert, under one of the darkest, clearest skies in the world, with powerful telescopes to bring the cosmos closer.
View experience: Stargazing in Wadi Rum
The Wadi Rum desert, with almost no light pollution and a horizon that fades into purple rock formations, is one of the best places on the planet to observe the night sky. The private session includes an introduction to the constellations and the many ways ancient civilizations learned to read the stars, along with the chance to look through powerful telescopes at planets and nebulae. The silence of the desert, broken only by the wind, makes the moment as memorable as the astronomy itself.
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Sunrise balloon flight in Wadi Rum
Fly over the Valley of the Moon at sunrise, with the night's cool air still lingering and the first light tinting the dunes and rock formations of Wadi Rum.
View experience: Sunrise balloon flight in Wadi Rum
The flight lifts off at sunrise, while the desert still holds the coolness of the night. After watching the balloon inflate and warming up with a morning tea, the ascent offers a perspective on Wadi Rum impossible from the ground: the sandstone and granite mountains, the red dunes, and scattered Bedouin camps, all bathed in the low light of dawn — the same landscape that has stood in for Mars on film. The flight lasts between 45 minutes and an hour, and the group returns to camp in time for breakfast.
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Bethany, the site of the baptism on the Jordan
Visit the ruins of the Byzantine churches at Bethany, on the banks of the Jordan River, at the site tradition places the baptism of Jesus Christ, and walk down to touch the river's waters.
View experience: Bethany, the site of the baptism on the Jordan
Bethany, on the border with Israel, is a pilgrimage site bringing together churches from different branches of Christianity at the place where, according to tradition, John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ. The visit takes in the archaeological ruins of the Byzantine churches built to commemorate the sacred site and descends to the bank of the Jordan River, where it's possible to touch its waters — a moment of quiet reflection even for those who practice no religion, given the site's historical weight and the simplicity of the landscape.
Itinerary ideas
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5 days
Jordan Express: Petra and Wadi Rum
Petra in two days and a night in the desert
View itinerary idea: Jordan Express: Petra and Wadi Rum
Five days concentrated in the south of the country, with a direct transfer from Amman airport to Petra. Two full days visiting Petra, including a Petra by Night evening with the Treasury lit by candles, and the option to climb to the Monastery independently. On to Little Petra, a lesser-known Nabataean site, and Wadi Rum, where a three-hour jeep tour visits Lawrence's Spring and the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, followed by a night of stargazing in the desert before returning to Amman.
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10 days
Essential Jordan: Amman, Petra, and Wadi Rum
The classic route, north to south
View itinerary idea: Essential Jordan: Amman, Petra, and Wadi Rum
Ten days covering Jordan from north to south at an unhurried pace. Two days in Amman, with the Citadel, the Roman Theatre, and a trip to the Umayyad desert castles; Jerash and the Crusader castle of Ajloun; Madaba, Mount Nebo, and Kerak Castle on the way south. Two full days in Petra, with the option to climb to the Monastery and a Petra by Night evening, and a day in Wadi Rum with a jeep tour, a Bedouin dinner, and stargazing. It closes with a night floating in the Dead Sea before returning to Amman.
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16 days
Complete Jordan: From Amman to the Red Sea
The grand route, with Aqaba and the Feynan desert
View itinerary idea: Complete Jordan: From Amman to the Red Sea
Sixteen days that add, to the essential Amman, Petra, and Wadi Rum route, an extension south to the Red Sea and the Dead Sea. After the sunrise balloon flight in Wadi Rum, the route descends to Aqaba, with a glass-bottomed boat cruise and Red Sea snorkeling and a free beach afternoon; continues to Feynan Ecolodge, accommodation with no electricity or roads, lit only by candles; and ends at the Dead Sea, with a day to float effortlessly in its waters and an excursion to Bethany, the baptism site on the banks of the Jordan River, before the return flight from Amman.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to travel to Jordan?
From March to May and from September to November, with mild temperatures. Summer in the Jordan Valley and Wadi Rum is extreme. Official Jordanian tourism notes that Petra can be enjoyed in every season, but the weather and the crowds change, so I choose dates according to the pace you want.
How long should a trip to Jordan last and how long does it take to get there?
Between 8 and 10 days lets you see Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea at an easy pace. There is a direct flight from Madrid of 5 to 6 hours. With that time you can sleep a night in the desert and give Petra an early morning, when there are fewer people.
Do I need a visa to travel to Jordan with a Spanish passport?
Yes, a visa is required, obtainable online or on arrival at airports and border crossings. The Jordan Pass counts as a tourist visa and waives the visa fee if you buy it beforehand and stay a minimum number of nights. The passport must be valid for six months. As of November 2026; confirm the conditions.
What language and currency are used in Jordan?
The language is Arabic, but English is very widely spoken in tourism, so you won't have problems in hotels, at sites or in restaurants. The currency is the Jordanian dinar (JOD), divided into 1,000 fils. Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs reminds travellers that large sums of money must be declared on entry and exit.