Self-Launched Jordan: Stars and Desert Sands

Fly into Queen Alia International Airport and take the Airport Express Bus (JD3, ~£3) into central Amman — it drops near 7th Circle, from where a short taxi gets you to your hostel. Check in and head to Rainbow Street in Jabal Amman for your first wander: vibrant murals, independent cafés, and a buzzy rooftop scene. In the evening, visit The Jordan Museum (JD2, ~£2) during normal opening hours — the Dead Sea Scrolls display is genuinely unmissable. End the night with mezze at Sufra Restaurant on Rainbow Street, a local favourite for authentic Levantine food at reasonable prices (budget ~£12 for a generous spread with drinks).

🚌Airport Express Bus from Queen Alia Airport to 7th Circle (~£3), short taxi to accommodation (~£2)

🛏Jordan Tower Hotel or Farah Hotel (well-reviewed budget hotels in central Amman, ~£20–25/night) or Sydney Hotel (budget option, ~£15/night)

• →Airport Express Bus to city centre (~£3)
• →Self-guided mural walk along Rainbow Street and Jabal al-Weibdeh
• →The Jordan Museum entry (~£2)
• →Dinner at Sufra Restaurant, Rainbow Street (~£12)

Take a public minibus from Amman's North Bus Station (Tabarbour) to Jerash — buses run frequently and cost around JD1 (~£1). Jerash's Roman ruins are among the best-preserved in the world: Hadrian's Arch, the Oval Plaza, and the Cardo Maximus are all jaw-dropping and very walkable. Entry is JD10 (~£10). Grab lunch at one of the restaurants just outside the site entrance (try Lebanese House for a solid set lunch, ~£6). Return to Amman by minibus in the afternoon. For the evening, head to Jabal al-Weibdeh's café quarter for wine and small plates — JR Wines has a shop in Amman where you can taste local varietals without the private tour price tag.

🚌Public minibus from Tabarbour Bus Station to Jerash (~£1 each way)

🛏Jordan Tower Hotel or Farah Hotel, Amman (~£20–25/night)

• →Minibus Amman → Jerash (~£1 each way)
• →Jerash Archaeological Site entry (~£10)
• →Lunch near the ruins (~£6)
• →Evening wine tasting / retail at JR Wines, Amman (~£8 self-directed)

Hire a private taxi for the day (~£40–50 split between travellers, or join a shared day tour from Amman via GetYourGuide from ~£20pp) to visit Mount Nebo and Madaba. Mount Nebo is free to enter and the view across the Jordan Valley is breathtaking. In Madaba, St George's Church and its famous 6th-century mosaic map is a must (entry ~£1). The Madaba Mosaic School offers drop-in workshops or short guided sessions — book directly for around £10–15. For lunch, Hekayet Sitti is genuinely open to independent visitors — it's a beloved local home-kitchen experience where you eat with the family (~£10–12 for a full spread). In the afternoon, take a JETT bus or shared taxi south along the King's Highway to Wadi Musa (the town for Petra). Book ahead — the journey takes 3–4 hours. Check into a guesthouse in Wadi Musa and enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

🚌Private taxi or shared day-tour vehicle Amman → Nebo → Madaba (~£20–25pp); shared taxi/bus to Wadi Musa (~£10)

🛏Petra Guest House or Rocky Mountain Hotel, Wadi Musa (~£18–25/night)

• →Mount Nebo viewpoint (free entry)
• →St George's Church mosaic map, Madaba (~£1)
• →Madaba mosaic-making workshop (~£12)
• →Lunch at Hekayet Sitti family kitchen, Madaba (~£11)
• →Shared taxi or bus south on King's Highway to Wadi Musa (~£8–12)

Rise early — Petra opens at 6am and the Siq is magical in the early morning light before the crowds arrive. A one-day entry ticket costs JD50 (~£50). The Main Trail through the Siq to the Treasury, Street of Facades, Royal Tombs, and Monastery is all walkable. For the quieter Backdoor Trail (from Little Petra / Siq al-Barid), you can hire a local guide in Wadi Musa for around £20–30 for a half-day — ask your guesthouse to connect you with a local archaeologist guide, as several operate independently. In the evening, Petra by Night runs Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday (JD17, ~£17) — a beautiful candlelit procession through the Siq to the Treasury. Book direct at the Visitor Centre or via your guesthouse.

🚌Walking from Wadi Musa town to Petra Visitor Centre (~15 min walk or short taxi ~£2)

🛏Rocky Mountain Hotel or Petra Guest House, Wadi Musa (~£18–25/night)

• →Petra one-day entry ticket (~£50)
• →Early morning walk through the Siq to the Treasury
• →Optional local guide for Backdoor Trail (~£25)
• →Petra by Night (Mon/Wed/Thu, ~£17) — book at Visitor Centre

Take a shared taxi or minibus from Wadi Musa to Rum Village (the gateway to Wadi Rum), or arrange a pickup with your Wadi Rum camp (~£10–15). The Wadi Rum Protected Area entry fee is JD5 (~£5). Book a half-day 4x4 jeep safari directly with a Bedouin operator at Rum Village — prices start from around £20–25pp for a 3-hour tour covering Lawrence's Spring, Khazali Canyon, sandstone arches, and sand dunes. Many camps offer evening stargazing as part of their package — the desert sky here is genuinely extraordinary. Stay overnight in a Bedouin camp (many have bubble/glass-roof tents similar to Rum Reserve but at a fraction of the price). Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp or Mohammed Mutlak Camp offer transparent-roof options from ~£35–50pp including dinner and breakfast.

🚌Shared taxi or minibus from Wadi Musa to Rum Village (~£12)

🛏Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp or similar desert camp with glass/transparent roof tent, dinner & breakfast included (~£40–50/night)

• →Shared taxi Wadi Musa → Rum Village (~£12)
• →Wadi Rum Protected Area entry (~£5)
• →Half-day 4x4 Bedouin jeep safari (~£22pp)
• →Overnight Bedouin camp with stargazing, dinner & breakfast included (~£40pp)

Feynan Ecolodge is one of the most remarkable places to stay in the entire Middle East — and independent travellers can book it directly at a fraction of what a group tour charges. Book direct via EcoHotels or the RSCN website (~£60–80/night including meals). From Wadi Rum, arrange a taxi to Qadisiyeh village (the entry point for Dana), or take a series of shared taxis via Aqaba and Ma'an (~£15–20 total). The lodge is solar-powered, candle-lit at night, and run in partnership with the local Bedouin community. Activities are bookable at the lodge: sunset hikes, Bedouin coffee ceremonies, and wildlife-spotting walks with local guides. The Bedouin coffee ritual is offered as a cultural session at the lodge — simply ask the staff. Lunch and dinner feature organic, locally sourced ingredients prepared by the local team.

🚌Shared taxis from Wadi Rum via Aqaba/Ma'an to Qadisiyeh (~£18); short walk/jeep to lodge

🛏Feynan Ecolodge, Dana Biosphere Reserve (~£65–80/night, meals included)

• →Shared taxi from Wadi Rum towards Dana/Qadisiyeh (~£18)
• →Check in at Feynan Ecolodge (book direct via RSCN/EcoHotels, ~£65/night including meals)
• →Bedouin coffee-making ceremony at the lodge (included or small tip)
• →Guided sunset hike through the Dana reserve with a local guide (~£8)

Start the morning with a guided walk along the ancient copper miners' trails around Feynan — your lodge can pair you with a local Bedouin shepherd for a morning route (small tip/fee, ~£8). Bake arbood flatbread over an open fire and drink tea under the open sky. After lunch at the lodge, arrange a taxi north to the Dead Sea area (coordinate through the lodge, ~£40–50 for the car, shareable). En route, stop at the Wadi Mujib viewpoint — the canyon dropping to the Dead Sea is spectacular. If you want to hike Wadi Mujib Gorge itself, it's bookable via RSCN (seasonal, ~£15pp). Arrive at the Dead Sea by late afternoon. Budget accommodation options are limited here — Amman Beach (a public beach club with pools) is nearby, or book a mid-range hotel like the Ramada by Wyndham Dead Sea or Dead Sea Spa Hotel (~£50–70/night), which is significantly cheaper than the Kempinski while still giving you Dead Sea access.

🚌Private taxi Dana → Dead Sea (~£45 shared; arrange via lodge)

🛏Ramada by Wyndham Dead Sea or Dead Sea Spa Hotel (~£55–70/night)

• →Morning shepherd walk with Bedouin guide at Feynan (~£8 tip)
• →Arbood bread-baking over open fire (included with guide)
• →Wadi Mujib viewpoint stop (free)
• →Float in the Dead Sea (public beach/hotel access)

Choose your own adventure today — just like the Exodus Signature Day, but booked independently. Option 1: Al-Salt (UNESCO city) — take a taxi (~£15 each way) or join a day tour from Amman/Dead Sea via GetYourGuide (~£18pp). Explore Ottoman lanes, local museums, and ask a café owner to point you to the Harmony Trail. Option 2: Bethany Beyond the Jordan (site of Jesus's baptism) — entry JD12 (~£12), taxi from Dead Sea ~£10 each way. Option 3: Wadi Mujib Gorge hike — book via RSCN website (~£15pp, seasonal Apr–Oct, early start). Option 4: Desert Castles day tour — book via GetYourGuide or a local Amman agency (~£25–30pp). In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner at a restaurant near the Dead Sea — Panorama Restaurant at the Dead Sea has great views and fair prices (~£15 for a full meal).

🚌Taxi or day-tour vehicle for chosen excursion (~£15–30 depending on option)

🛏Ramada by Wyndham Dead Sea or Dead Sea Spa Hotel (~£55–70/night)

• →Choice of: Al-Salt day trip (~£30 inc transport), Bethany Beyond the Jordan (~£22), Wadi Mujib hike (~£15), or Desert Castles day tour (~£28)
• →Dead Sea float and spa treatments at public beach or your hotel
• →Farewell dinner at a local Dead Sea restaurant (~£15)

Enjoy a final morning walk along the Dead Sea shore or a dip in the mineral-rich waters before checkout. Arrange a taxi from the Dead Sea to Queen Alia International Airport (~£30–35 for the car, or coordinate a shared ride with fellow travellers). The drive takes about 1 hour. Alternatively, take a taxi to Amman's 7th Circle first (~£20) and then the Airport Express Bus (~£3) if you're not in a rush. Jordan's spirit — its warmth, its silence, its endless sandstone horizons — will stay with you long after landing.

🚌Taxi from Dead Sea to Queen Alia Airport (~£32), or taxi to Amman + Airport Express Bus (~£23)

🛏None — departure day

• →Final Dead Sea float or poolside morning
• →Taxi Dead Sea → Queen Alia Airport (~£32)