Discover Jordan: Self-Launched 7-Day Amman to Dead Sea Adventure

Fly into Queen Alia International Airport. Buy a Jordan Pass online before you fly — the Jordan Wanderer pass (~£62/70 JOD) covers your visa (if staying 3+ nights) and one Petra entry, which effectively makes your visa free. Take the airport shuttle bus to the Tabarbour/north bus station or a shared taxi into Downtown Amman (~£5-8). Settle into a budget hotel or hostel in Downtown near the Roman Theatre, then spend the late afternoon wandering Rainbow Street and the old souk. Eat cheap falafel and hummus at Hashem's. If you arrive early, walk the Citadel and Roman Theatre yourself (~£4 combined).

🚌Airport express bus or shared taxi to Downtown (~£5-8)

🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Downtown Amman, e.g. Jordan Tower Hotel or similar (~£20-28/night)

• →Downtown Amman walk & Rainbow Street
• →Hashem's falafel dinner
• →Optional self-guided Citadel & Roman Theatre

Do the northern circuit independently. Take a local minibus or JETT/trusted service bus from Amman's Tabarbour station to Jerash (~£2-3, 1 hour). Enter Jerash with your Jordan Pass and walk Hadrian's Arch, the Hippodrome, Oval Forum, Temple of Artemis, Colonnaded Street and Nymphaeum — a guidebook or audio guide (~£3) covers what a guide would. From Jerash take a shared taxi or local bus to Ajloun (~£3) to see Al-Rabid Castle (entry ~£2, or covered by Jordan Pass). Umm Qais is trickier without a car — either hire a shared taxi for the afternoon (~£15 split) or skip it and return to Amman via Jerash. Back in Amman for dinner at a cheap local restaurant in Downtown.

🚌Minibus Amman–Jerash (~£2-3), shared taxi Jerash–Ajloun (~£3), return to Amman (~£3-5)

🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Downtown Amman (~£20-28/night)

• →Jerash Roman ruins (Jordan Pass entry)
• →Al-Rabid Castle, Ajloun
• →Optional Umm Qais ruins by shared taxi

The Kings Highway is beautiful but hard to do entirely by public transport. The practical DIY route: take an early JETT bus or minibus from Amman to Madaba (~£2), see St. George's Church and the Mosaic Map (~£1), then a shared taxi to Mount Nebo (~£3) for the Moses viewpoint. From Madaba take a bus to Karak (~£4-5) to explore Karak Castle (~£2). Reach Petra either by catching a bus/minibus from Karak to Wadi Musa (~£5-6, or a shared taxi ~£10-15) — the Wadi Mujib and Dana viewpoints are easiest seen if you split a taxi with other travellers for the final stretch. Overnight in Wadi Musa village, walking distance from the Petra entrance.

🚌Minibus Amman–Madaba (~£2), shared taxi Mount Nebo (~£3), bus Madaba–Karak (~£4-5), bus/shared taxi Karak–Wadi Musa (~£6-12)

🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel in Wadi Musa, e.g. Petra Moon Budget or similar (~£20-25/night)

• →Madaba St. George's Church & Mosaic Map
• →Mount Nebo viewpoint
• →Karak Castle
• →Wadi Mujib & Dana viewpoints (with shared taxi)

Enter Petra at opening (6am in summer) to beat the crowds and the heat — your Jordan Pass covers entry. Walk the Siq to the Treasury, then the Street of Facades, Roman Theatre, Colonnaded Street and Qasr Al-Bint at your own pace; a GetYourGuide or local licensed guide for 2-3 hours costs ~£25-35 if you want one (shared among a few travellers, it's cheaper). In the afternoon, climb the 800 steps to the Monastery — the highlight for many. Alternatively, do the High Place of Sacrifice trail. A camel ride or golf cart is optional (~£10-15). Pack water and snacks; food inside is expensive. Back to Wadi Musa for dinner and an early night.

🚌Walk to Petra entrance from village

🛏Guesthouse/budget hotel in Wadi Musa (~£20-25/night)

• →Petra full-day entry (Jordan Pass)
• →Siq, Treasury, Roman Theatre, Qasr Al-Bint
• →Monastery climb (800 steps)
• →Optional licensed guide (~£30)

Take a shared taxi or local minibus the short hop to Little Petra (~£3-5) for a quiet morning walk through the Nabatean carvings. Then head to Wadi Rum — either a shared taxi from Wadi Musa (~£15-20 split) or a minibus to Aqaba and onward shared transport. Most Wadi Rum camps include a 4x4 jeep tour with overnight stay; book directly with a Bedouin camp (e.g. via Booking.com or GetYourGuide) — a standard tent plus 4-hour jeep tour and dinner typically runs £40-55. The jeep tour hits Lawrence Spring, Khazali Canyon, the Sand Dunes, Little Bridge, Um Frouth Rock Bridge and Burdah Rock Bridge. Dinner and tea around the fire with your hosts.

🚌Shared taxi Wadi Musa–Little Petra (~£4), shared taxi/minibus to Wadi Rum (~£15-20 split)

🛏Bedouin desert camp in Wadi Rum (standard tent, half-board with jeep tour, ~£40-55)

• →Little Petra
• →4x4 jeep tour of Wadi Rum (4-5 hrs, included with camp)
• →Optional camel ride (~£15)

After breakfast, take a shared taxi or minibus from Wadi Rum village to Aqaba (~£5) and then a JETT/trusted coach up the Dead Sea Highway to Sweimeh (~£8-10), or arrange a shared taxi all the way (~£30-40 split). Stop at Bethany beyond the Jordan (Jesus' baptism site) — reachable by taxi from the Dead Sea hotels (~£8 return, entry ~£9). Check into a budget Dead Sea hotel or guesthouse in Sweimeh and float in the Dead Sea at sunset — public beach access at Amman Beach is ~£10-15, or use your hotel's beach included with the room.

🚌Shared taxi Wadi Rum–Aqaba (~£5), coach Aqaba–Sweimeh (~£8-10), taxi to Bethany (~£8 return)

🛏Budget hotel/guesthouse at Dead Sea (Sweimeh), e.g. Dead Sea budget options (~£35-45/night)

• →Bethany beyond the Jordan baptism site (~£9)
• →Dead Sea float at Amman Beach or hotel beach

One last early float in the Dead Sea before breakfast, then take a shared taxi or local bus from Sweimeh to Amman (~£3-5, 45-60 min) and onward to Queen Alia International Airport via the airport express bus (~£5). If your flight is late, squeeze in any last-minute souvenir shopping in Downtown Amman. Your Jordan Pass covered your visa and Petra entry, so you leave with a much lighter bill than the packaged tour.

🚌Shared taxi Sweimeh–Amman (~£4), airport express bus (~£5)

🛏None (departure day)

• →Morning Dead Sea swim
• →Optional Downtown Amman souvenir shopping