Jordan – Nine Days Itinerary

Places to visit: Aqaba, Petra (Wadi Musa), Wadi Rum, Amman, Jerash, Madaba, Mount Nebo and Dead Sea
Modes of transport: Airlines, Bus, Taxi
Who: Two backpackers
Currency: Jordanian Dinar (JOD), US Dollar (USD)

Note: All values in USD are approximate and based on the exchange rate at at that time.

After making a list of all the destinations we wanted to cover in 9 days, we had a rough idea of what it may cost for accommodation, commuting between places and meals, miscellaneous in USD. We selected hostels for accommodation after reading reviews on various websites and used HostelWorld.com for all bookings. Payments are accepted in Jordanian Dinar (JOD) only, except in Aqaba that accepted USD.

Accommodation
There was some minimal research involved in booking hotels. After deciding on staying at hostels, we logged in to HostelWorld.com and after researching on reviews of some hostels at each location we booked them well in advance. One of the advantages of staying in hostels, except for cheap accommodation, is you can cancel a booking 24 hours before your arrival time and you’ll just lose the 10% deposit you paid during reservations.

Although most hostels have accommodation upon arrival too, but it’s always best to book in advance because some of them may have limited number of rooms, especially private rooms. And if it’s on-season then they may fill up fast. Another reason to book in advance is you may need “confirmed hotel bookings” for visa application.

Visa
A lot of countries have an option of visa-upon-arrival, but it’s best to check their website and apply for a visa well in advance as the consulate may take anything between 1 to 4 weeks. Also, the visa upon arrival may be applicable to certain ports of entry only – for example, if you’re a U.S. citizen and entering through King Hussein bridge from Jerusalem, then you need a visa stamped in your passport as they do not issue a visa upon arrival, but if you’re entering from Eilat, Israel into Aqaba, Jordan then you can get a visa upon arrival for a fee of 20 JD ($28 USD) for a single entry, 40 JD ($56 USD) for two entries, and 60 JD ($84 USD) for a multiple entry.

Visa are given typically for 30 days, but visas upon arrival can be, and usually are, given for 15 days. If you want for more days then you should ask the officer before the stamping, maybe handing over a copy of your itinerary.

A – Aqaba
B – Wadi Musa / Petra
C – Wadi Rum
D – Amman
E – Jerash
F – Madaba
G – Mount Nebo
H – Dead Sea