Jordan: A spontaneous road trip full of contrasts and breathtaking nature

Kiki
6 days ago
3 min read

Jordan: A spontaneous road trip full of contrasts and breathtaking nature

We were actually in the middle of planning our next big adventure. But then wanderlust struck, and we decided on a spontaneous, eventful trip to Jordan . The great thing about our new home, Cyprus, is that from Paphos, you can reach a completely different world in just an hour's flight!

Arrival & The Shock of the Big City

The journey was wonderfully relaxed. In Paphos, we were through all the checks within ten minutes, and in Jordan it was just as quick – after 15 minutes we were already on the street. Our rental car company picked us up directly, and the handover was completely straightforward.

But then came Amman . We have to be honest: the city is simply awful for us. Huge, loud, crowded, and unfortunately very dirty. It's absolutely not our kind of place. We immediately canceled our sightseeing plans and escaped to the Hotel Rival , which we can highly recommend.

Tip: In Amman, you should only drive yourself if absolutely necessary!

We were lucky with our driver, who gave us a little sightseeing tour through the slums (where we would never have ended up on foot). From Pariser Platz, we walked to Rainbow Street .

It's finally nicer and more relaxed there. After a delicious pizza, we ended the evening comfortably with a cup of tea.

Over the mountains to the Dead Sea

The next morning it was time to leave the city and head into nature! Due to Ramadan, breakfast was served directly to our room. Our route took us through the beautiful landscape of Al Tal Al Rumman Towards King Talal Dam .

It's fascinating how green and mountainous Jordan can be.

Our highlights along the way:

• Ajloun Castle : The fortress on Mount Jabal offers a gigantic view over the Jordan Valley to the West Bank and Israel.

• Wadi Rayyan : A breathtaking route to Pella through olive groves and valleys (Attention: Four-wheel drive is mandatory here!).

Finally, we reached the Dead Sea . The feeling of simply floating on the water and not sinking is indescribable! We stayed overnight at the Marriott Resort & Spa, Dead Sea . The security measures are extremely strict, but the hotel is worth every penny.

Castles, gorges and a minor shock moment

We continued along the Dead Sea towards Karak . The castle there, with its underground passages, is absolutely "cool" and worth seeing.

In Dana, we had a brief moment of panic: we stopped at the wrong accommodation and were completely shocked by its condition. A quick glance at the reservation saved us – we needed to go to the Dana Luxury Resort . There, we were rewarded with a spectacular sunset over the Wadi Dana canyon and a fantastic dinner.

Petra: The highlight (with obstacles)

Via the Siq al-Barid (Little Petra), a fascinating "rest house" of the old caravans with preserved Nabataean frescoes, we approached the highlight of the journey.

For Petra We ourselves had a secret tip:

We took the shuttle to Little Petra and hiked from the "back" side to the monastery ( Ad Deir ). This saved us 800 steps uphill, but the route through the lonely, vast landscape was still strenuous – and worth every drop of sweat! We only encountered the tourist crowds at the monastery.

Important for travelers:

Get your Jordan Pass in advance!

It includes the visa and entry to over 40 tourist attractions, including Petra.

Uncertain days in the mountains

On my birthday, the situation suddenly changed: While we were enjoying the view from the Temple of Sacrifice in Petra, we heard sirens. Later we learned that political tensions between Iran and the USA had escalated.

We decided to avoid the southern coast and stay in the safety of the mountains. Since we didn't like the Marriott in Petra at all, we switched to the brand-new Petra Luxury Hotel – an absolute stroke of luck!

Despite the sirens and the uncertain flight situation, we never felt threatened in the mountains. We enjoyed our time in the wadis and hiked off the beaten track while we waited for our return flight.

Conclusion

We returned to Amman four days earlier than planned. Despite all the worries, the drive across the country was relaxed, and everything went smoothly at the airport. We were even able to enjoy the lounge before the plane safely took us back to Cyprus.