7 Days in Jordan: Top 3 Itineraries for First-Timers

Getting straight to the point, a 7-day tour is enough to visit Jordan's main highlights. Since the most popular highlights are in Jordan's "Golden Triangle" (Amman, the Dead Sea, and Petra), our itineraries are based on this to show you the best of this charming country.

Not only do these places have world-famous attractions and profound histories but they also occupy a great location to act as a base and carry out tours of the surrounding areas.

In this article, we have listed our most popular itineraries to meet different needs, which can be customized to your specific requirements. Read on to start your trip planning…

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Itinerary 1: The 7-Day Classic Jordanian "Golden Triangle" Route

The Amman Citadel, Jordan

Amman – Petra – The Dead Sea

For first-timers, Amman, the Dead Sea, and Petra are places you should not miss during your trip to Jordan.

Since 7 days are enough to explore these main highlights, we'd like to show you more of this historical country by visiting sites along the route, such as the Roman ruins in Jerash, the Madaba Mosaic Map, and the castle ruins in Kerak.

Here is the suggested itinerary:

Days 1–2: Amman, the bustling capital and largest city of Jordan
Days 3–5: Petra, the Rose City built by the Nabateans 2,000 years ago
Day 6: the Dead Sea, the extreme salinity provides magical buoyancy
Day 7: return to Amman to depart from Jordan

Typically, the capital city, Amman, will be your first stop in Jordan as it's where the only international airport is located.

During your time in Amman, you would explore the alleys and streets for a Middle Eastern foodie tour and appreciate a beautiful sunset from the hilltop of the Amman Citadel.

What's more, if you are interested, we can arrange a day trip to Jerash for you to see the most well-preserved Roman ruins in the world, and to Madaba to witness the Madaba Mosaic Map.

Next, on your way to Petra, you would visit Mount Nebo, where it is believed Moses saw the Promised Land. After that, you'd take a brief tour of the Kerak Castle ruins, which date back to the time of the Crusades.

The most authentic way to explore Petra is through hiking. You would hike for about 1 hour to get to the famous landmark that appeared in the film Indiana Jones — the Treasury — which was carved out of rose-colored sandstone centuries ago.

When night falls, you can join the special event called Petra by Night, held in front of the Treasury every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. With candlelight and Arabic songs, you'd be transported back to the glory of ancient times when the Nabateans thrived.

Additionally, you can take a day trip to the Wadi Rum desert, which is known for its moon-like landscape. Enjoy various activities, such as exploring the desert in a jeep, visiting Bedouin tribes, and experiencing a panoramic view from a hot-air balloon.

Finally, you would go to the Dead Sea and indulge in a mud spa and floating experience that will soothe your body and mind. Take a walk to witness the magnificent high-salinity landforms.

If you want to visit the two countries by the Jordan in 7 days, read this article for more inspiration: How to Plan a 7-Day Itinerary in Israel and Jordan.

Itinerary 2: A Relaxing 7-Day Jordanian Seaside Vacation

The Purple Sunset at the Dead Sea, Jordan

Amman – The Dead Sea – Petra – Aqaba

This itinerary extends the classic route to Aqaba and can be a great choice for families and couples who are looking for a tour containing sightseeing, adventures, and relaxation.

The spirit of this itinerary is relaxation, which means you would be fully transported away from your routine life and the hassle of work with various experiences and activities.

Here is the suggested itinerary:

Day 1: the Dead Sea, offers magical buoyancy and sea mud
Days 2–4: Petra, the Rose City built by the Nabateans 2,000 years ago
Days 5–6: Aqaba, a beautiful seaside city on the Red Sea
Day 7: an Amman city tour, then depart Jordan

With this itinerary, your journey would start from the Dead Sea where you can enjoy effortlessly floating on the water and a private beach service from your hotel.

For a special experience, we would arrange a mineral-rich mud spa to soothe your nerves and body after your long-distance flight.

When visiting Petra, a 1-hour walk from the entrance to the Treasury (the main highlight) is a pleasant experience with stunning scenery on the way. However, the walk might be a bit challenging for young children under 5 years old. You can choose a cart drawn by a horse or donkey at the visitor center, and they would take you and your family straight to the Treasury to see the marvelous Nabatean remains.

Then you would explore the Wadi Rum desert where the Martian was filmed. Take a jeep tour into the depths of the desert and, after your exploration, go back to your tent base where a desert-style lunch would be ready for you to taste.

Some romantic moments would be available for you. When night falls and the stars shine above, you and your loved one could cuddle in your star-viewing tent and treasure memory-making moments.

How could a relaxing vacation be complete without beach time? Finally, you would go to the stunning seaside city of Aqaba to have some watery fun, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, and kitesurfing.

There's no need to worry about how to choose a yacht for diving because we would choose the best one for you, which would take you to the diving point where you would be most likely to spot dolphins and other marine creatures in the crystal-clear seawater.

This itinerary is very popular with couples and families. If you are interested, feel free to tell us your requirements for your vacation in Jordan and we will customize a tour for you.

If you still don't know what Jordan journey would suit your family, you could get more ideas from How to Plan a Family Trip to Jordan>>>

Itinerary 3: A 7-Day Trip to Travel to Biblical Places in Jordan

Amman – Petra – The Dead Sea – Amman

This itinerary aims to fully show you Jordan's locations and contexts that are mentioned in the biblical accounts, and it would mainly focus on history, culture, and natural beauty.

If you choose this grand trip around Jordan, we hope that you will find comfort and peace in the roads you walk and the scenery you see.

Here is the suggested itinerary:

Day 1: Amman
Day 2: Amman–Madaba–Petra
Day 3: Petra – Wadi Rum
Day 4: Petra – Mount Nebo – The Dead Sea
Day 5: The Dead Sea – Bethany Beyond the Jordan – Umm Qais
Day 6: Umm Qais – Jerash – Amman
Day 7: Return to Amman to depart from Jordan

Places in Jordan that feature in the Bible:

Amman, most likely your first stop in Jordan, known as Ammon in the Bible and later Philadelphia in the time of Jesus (Numbers 21:24).
Madaba, also known as Medeba, was a border city of the Moab kingdom, where the monks and hermits gathered during the Byzantine period (Numbers 21:30).
Petra is an ancient city that was carved out of the rock by the Nabatean people and is thought to be where the Magi came from (Matthew 2:1). You can also find the Tomb of Aaron in Petra (Numbers 20:22).
Wadi Rum is one of the places where the Israelites stayed during the Exodus (Numbers 33:1).
Mount Nebo is the place where Moses was shown the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 34:1).
Bethany Beyond the Jordan is where Jesus was baptized (John 1:28).
Umm Qais is the site containing ruins of the Decapolis city of Gadara, which gave its name to the region where Jesus performed an exorcism (Matt 8:28).
Jerash, possibly referred to indirectly in the Bible as Gerasa (the country of the Gerasenes), boasts the world's best preserved Roman ruins (Mark 5:1, Luke 8:26–37).

You can get and share more ideas to personalize your own private biblical tour by contacting us.

How Much Does It Cost to Travel for 1 Week in Jordan?

The approximate cost for a private tour starts from 250 USD per person per day based on a group of 2–4 people, which includes a private guide, a private car, a full-day itinerary, tickets for attractions, and 4-star hotels.

And for a 1-week private tour in Jordan, it may cost you from 1,800 USD per person without international airfares.

The price may vary depending on the time you decide to pay a visit to Jordan. Read this article to get more detailed cost information for planning a trip to Jordan>>>