Jordan
Asia · Amman · JO
Jordan is the small desert kingdom at the crossroads of the Middle East, a country of remarkable archaeological treasures, dramatic desert landscapes and a bedouin hospitality that is the genuine pride of the people. The rose-red city of Petra, carved into the canyon cliffs by the Nabataeans two thousand years ago, is among the great wonders of the world, and the other sites of the country, the Roman city of Jerash, the castles of the desert and the vast, cinematic wilderness of the Wadi Rum, hold wonders of their own. The capital of Amman spreads its white hills of the modern city over the ancient citadel of the region, and the small country also holds the lowest point on the surface of the earth, the Dead Sea. Safe, stable and endlessly fascinating, Jordan is one of the most welcoming and the most rewarding of the countries of the region.
Overview
Jordan is a country in Asia. Its capital is Amman and the international dialling code is +962. Languages commonly used in everyday life here include Arabic. Local currency is the Jordanian Dinar (JOD). Our guide covers 1 airport, including Queen Alia International Airport. We also list 1 city in Jordan: Amman.
The Rose City of the Petra and the Treasury of the Canyons
The city of Petra, in the mountains of the south of the country, is the greatest of the Nabataean cities, an entire royal city carved and built into the cliffs of the rose-red sandstone of the region more than two thousand years ago. The entrance to the city, through the winding gorge of the siq, leads to the famous treasury, the magnificent carved facade that is among the most photographed monuments of the world, and the city beyond spreads the tombs, the temples, the theatre and the street of the facades across the whole valley of the ancient metropolis. The climb to the monastery and the trails of the high necropolis give the full scale of the site, and the cave dwellings and the caravan traditions of the region hold the memory of the city's role on the trade routes of the ancient world.
The Desert of the Wadi Rum and the Camps of the Bedouin
The desert of the Wadi Rum, the vast, silent wilderness of the south of the country, is the most cinematic landscape of the Middle East, the enormous valley of the red sand and the sheer granite and sandstone mountains that rise above it, a landscape that the film-makers have chosen for the Mars of the future and the desert of the classic epics. The jeep tours and the camel treks of the valley carry the visitors between the cliffs, the springs and the ruins of the older sites, and the camps of the bedouin, the permanent and the desert camps with their tents, their fires and their food, hold the nights beneath the enormous starfields of the desert sky. The sunsets from the great dunes and the dawns over the ridgelines are the moments the visitors remember for the rest of their lives.
The Dead Sea and the Float of the Lowest Salt
The Dead Sea, at the dramatic lowest point on the surface of the earth, fills the deep rift between the country and its western neighbour, and its famously salty water, nearly ten times saltier than the open ocean, supports nothing but the bathers who float in it with a completely effortless ease. The resorts and the beaches of the eastern shore of the sea, the spa hotels and the public beaches of the coast, run the famous floating and the mud treatments that the visitors take for the novelty, and the amenities and the reserves of the coast make the stop a full day of relaxation. The drive to the sea from the capital drops more than a vertical kilometre of the scenery in the space of an hour. It is a natural oddity of the world and an easy, comfortable stop on the circuit of the country.
The Roman City of the Jerash and the Columns of the North
The ruins of Jerash, a short drive north of the capital, are among the best preserved of the Roman provincial cities in the world, an entire colonnaded metropolis of the second century with its oval plaza, its theatres, its temples and its long streets of the columns standing in the green valley of the north. The hippodrome and the two great theatres of the city host the shows of the chariot races and the legionary displays in the season, and the temples of the site, the grand temples with their towering columns, rise above the whole ancient city. The site is enormous, walkable and wonderfully intact, and it compares with the great Roman ruins of the Mediterranean world. Jerash is the essential complement to the Nabataean wonder of the south and an easy half-day from the capital.
The Capital of Amman and the Nights of the Modern City
The capital of Amman spreads its white hills across the ancient landscape of the region, and its modern life, the malls, the cafes and the lively evenings, runs around the traces of the old city on the citadel hill at its centre. The citadel of the city, with its Roman temple, its great carved hand of the statue and the museum of the antiquities, crowns the hill with the views over the white city and the new districts, and the theatre of the Roman era below it anchors the old town with the markets and the mosques of the neighbourhood. The capital is the transport and the cultural hub of the whole country, and its restaurants, its coffeehouses and its famous street food of the evenings give it a warm, hospitable, genuinely enjoyable character. Amman is the friendly face that starts and ends the journey.
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- Capital
- Amman
- Currency
- Jordanian Dinar (JOD)
- Languages
- Arabic
- Calling code
- +962
- Internet TLD
- jo
Entry requirements
Check who can enter →See which passports travel visa-free or need a visa to enter Jordan.
Which nationalities can enter Jordan?
Current visa status for tourism for the origins we cover, with links to the detailed requirements.
Airports (1)
All airports →Cities (1)
All cities →Frequently asked questions
Do I need a visa to visit Jordan?
For the origins we track, Jordan requires a visa for tourism (Australia: visa on arrival, Canada: visa on arrival, India: visa on arrival, Japan: visa on arrival and Morocco: visa on arrival). Entry rules depend on your passport, so confirm the current requirements for your own nationality with our entry requirements tool.
What is the capital of Jordan?
Amman is the capital of Jordan, and the country sits in Asia.
What currency is used in Jordan?
You pay with Jordanian Dinar (JOD) in Jordan. Exchange rates move day to day, so check the current rate before you change money or use your card abroad.
Which languages do people speak in Jordan?
The languages we list for Jordan are Arabic. A couple of greetings in the local language go a long way when you travel, even in cities where another language is widely used.
What is the international dialling code for Jordan?
The dialling code for Jordan is +962 — keep the plus sign when you save the number.
Which airports serve Jordan?
Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) in Amman is the airport we cover for Jordan.
Which cities in Jordan do you cover?
Our guide lists 1 city for Jordan: Amman (capital).