๐บ 7 night family friendly travel itinerary.
Driving from Amman to Aqaba you will explore the rich history of Jordan, including a visit to the iconic, centuries old, hand crafted Treasury in Petra. With more than 20 stops and things to do along the way, this guide will save you days of planning and researching. Based off our trip in May of this year, which was years in the making, we have used our experiences and what we wish we knew to create this mobile friendly itinerary. (The itinerary is also great for singles/couples or small groups).
The itinerary includes:
๐ Travel essentials for getting in and around Jordan
๐บ A mobile friendly interactive map
๐ Must see historic sites & Museums
๐ Fun outdoor activities
โ๏ธ Travel tips
๐ฝ Where to eat
๐ Hotel recommendations
๐งณ When to go
Follow this family friendly itinerary as is for a week of creating lifelong memories or use it as a guide to create your own Jordan adventure. Donโt forget to tag @thenomadiclifers in your snaps
Use your time to explore the most colourful street in Jordan, the famous Rainbow Street and sample some tasty Jordanian cuisine at one of the local restaurants.
Add to
Details
Day 2 - City to the Lake
There are a number of Museums in Amman but with limited time our driver recommended the Jordan Archaeological Museum and the Citadel.
For the best snaps and to avoid the heat head to the water before sunset. Most places will restrict access to all forms of water from 6pm, so don't leave it too late.
Who can cover the most of their body in mud? Then rinse off with a game of Dead Sea Pong.
Today is a big day so an early start will have you beating the crowds at your planned stops for the day.
๐ Mount Nebo
The most famous of Jordanโs religious sites, Mount Nebo, should be the first stop of the day. Said to be where Moses was buried and where he first sighted the Promised Land.
โ๏ธ Arrive early while the temperatures are low and before all the tour buses arrive.
๐ท Get a family snap with the Serpentine Cross while you take in the views across the Jordan River Valley, the Dead Sea, Jericho and Jerusalem.
๐ท Cool off inside the recently constructed Basilica. Built over the ancient Byzantine Church which houses remnants of just some of the many mosaics Madaba, โthe city of mosaicsโ, is famous for.
Can you find the tree of life? Name all the animals in the floor mosaic.
Add to
Details
๐ Jordan Jewel
After your introduction to mosaics, head to Jordan Jewel.
The Jordan Jewel is a community project that supports hundreds of Jordanian families. Ask the owner for a guided tour of the facility and purchase a mosaic as a memento of your time in Jordan.
See how mosaics are made and the stones are cut.
Add to
Details
๐ The Grand Canyon of Jordan
Take the longer route on The Kingโs Highway from Madaba to Karak and drive through Wadi Al Mujib.
Known as the Grand Canyon of Jordan, the 1000m sandstone cliffs will offer spectacular views. Look out for the lush green patches of olive groves flourishing in the desert.
Can you see the sea? Name all the minerals Jordan is famous for that make their canyons so colourful. What products does Jordan export?
Add to
Details
๐ Karak Castle
Go local with a light lunch before exploring the Castle.
โ๏ธNote that if you suddenly find you have a friendly chap following you around telling you about the castle, he is a local guide who will expect a tip at the end of the tour.
โ๏ธ Don't forget good shoes, water and a torch!
Find out from your guide why they built the archways to the rooms and halls so small. Who is the fastest in the family? Find out with a race in the Great Hall.
Add to
Details
๐ Petra by night
Seeing The Siq and Treasury lit up by lanterns is pretty spectacular and should definitely be added tto your itinerary..
๐ซ Tickets are not included in the Jordan Pass but can be purchased at the Visitor Centre or from your Hotel Concierge.
๐ The tour starts around 8pm and takes 2-3hrs depending on how fast you walk out.
Treasury by day
๐ท Your guide will help you with that perfect family snap. Explore this space because on your return it will be very busy. Once you have seen enough it is time to head onwards.
๐พ There are locals who will try and get you to the viewpointt to look down on Petra here. We advise to skip this entirely if you have smaller kids. But you also want to see the rest of Petra before the crowds arrive. If you do want to get to the viewpoint, this is something best left for the return journey.
If you are not seeing the rest of Petra though, by all means once you are finished with exploring from the ground head on up. If you have a guide, they will not go up with you.
Treasury by night
โ๏ธIt is a 2km walk each way to the Treasury.
โ๏ธWear good shoes and take a torch if walking with young kids. The path is lit by lanterns and while not challenging, it is still dark and uneven.
โ๏ธWhile the show is worth the trip, we do not recommend taking younger kids and tweens. Let them get an early night and save their energy for seeing it all by day.
โ๏ธArrive early to nab a spot on the mats while you sip on a sweet tea
โ๏ธYou can leave before the end if you want to beat the crowds back.
Conveniently located at the entry to Petra. Also adjacent to The Cave Bar and Restaurant.
Add to
Details
๐ฆ If you are looking for a pool for the kids, the Movenpick is just down the road. Alternatively, if you want something more rustic and inline with the location, have a look at the link below to see what bookings has to offer.
There are so many ways to explore Petra and it can be a tough outing on kids. Head over to our "Petra half day with kids" Board for a detailed guide to help keep the whinging to a minimum.
๐ต๐ฝโโ๏ธ We do recommend a guide for Petra. There is so much to see, that you may otherwise miss. A guide will also give you the in-depth history of Petra.
โ๏ธNote that your guide will leave you at the Temple to go solo.
Use our Petra half day guide to keep the kids engaged and see who can spot the next site on the map first. Who can pick the spot and name the movie for a famous scene filmed in Petra with Harrison Ford?
This camp comes highly recommended by us. Great food and service and fun activities for everyone.
โ๐ฝ The traditional Bedouin dinner cooked in the ground with coals and herbs layered on trays rivals the New Zealand hungy.
๐๐ป If you are able to keep your eyes open, most camps follow dinner with traditional music and dancing.
๐ป Be sure to book a 4x4 Jeep tour with a Bedouin guide when you arrange your accommodation. Most tours will include tea/coffee at a Bedouin Camp where you can learn all the customs around the importance of coffee.
๐ The tour will also include hidden waterholes, climbing rocks and sand dunes, 5,000 year old petroglyphs, lots of outdoor fun in the sand and finish with a desert sunet
It is time to use up all that excess energy:
- race up a sand dune ... then moon run/walk down.
- climb rocks - how high can you go.
- find a good ledge to jump off into the soft desert sand (look out for rocks below first!).
- who can do the highest "toyota" jump?
- make a family shadow snap in the sunset on the sand.
- leave your mark behind and make a rock cairn.
- Can you name all the movies filmed in Wadi Rum?
Add to
Details
Day 5 - Desert to the sea
๐Wadi Rum
Following breakfast, today is a good day to explore the desert in more depth and get โride a camelโ checked off your bucket list.
๐ Another early morning is needed to enjoy a sunrise over the desert from your Air Balloon. There is currently only one company offering balloon rides (though they are looking at bringing in more). So make sure you book this when you confirm your accommodation or you may miss out.
Time for a family camel ride. What is a group of camels called?
Add to
Details
๐ Aqaba
๐ The pools and sea will be a refreshing change from the desert sand.
The hotel is a little way out of town but Movenpick Tala Bay really is an oasis in the desert. The family rooms here are great and the service is exceptional.
If your kids are over 12yo, you can still book a family room but you will need to pay a supplement fee per child over 12. Halfboard option is available and when checking in ask for a room close to the main lobby.
๐ Chef Alqam and the F&B team are exceptional with regards to managing diatary requirements.
๐คฟ Tala Bay has a dive centre onsite.
๐ฆ There are plenty of other water activities at the hotel
๐ถ๐ผFor those with littles there is also a kids club.
A variety of diving packages are available. The hotel has a house reef for morning dives and a charter going out most afternoons.
โ The best part of diving here are the military wrecks which have been sunk in depths of 15-20m making them accessible for beginner and junior divers.
Don't forget to visit the local market and see the town come alive after dark.
With plenty of water/land sport options it is time for some healthy family competition.
- Who can stay on the biscuit or hotdog the longest?
- Who can score the most penatly goals 5 attempts against each family member.
- Who is the ping-pong champion .... with their non-dominant hand?
- will your soccer ball last longer than ours before it explodes? If it does explode just cut off the outside leather and you will be left with the perfect ball for in the pool!
Add to
Details
Day 8 - Home
โ๏ธ It is a 4hr drive back to Amman so we recommend gettting a local flight to Amman. Local and domestic terminals in Amman are in the same building so it is a matter of going upstairs to get from domestic arrivals to international departures.
Take a short cut back to Amman with a 50min local flight.
Time to reflect and pick your favourite moment. Tag @thenomadiclifers in your family memories on instagram.
Add to
Details
Travel Tips
๐จ๐ฝโโ๏ธ Looking for a driver? Reach out and I will put you in touch with our driver Essam, whom we highly recommend.
๐ฝ Eat local where you can. Jordanian food is full of flavour. If you have dietary requirements, be sure to notify hotels ahead of time. Most places will have Arab bread which is gluten free.
๐ Jordan can get pretty hot over the summer. The perfect time to visit is in spring and autumn/fall. Ramadan is also a great time to travel to Jordan (Spring) as it is pretty quiet on the tourist front and traffic is minimal.
๐ป Drinking alcohol is prohibited in public but many bars and most hotels will serve alcohol.
๐ During Ramadan some restaurants will only serve food outside after sunset.
๐ If doing self-drive, be aware there is a security checkpoint at the road border into Aqaba.
๐ Aqaba is duty free so a good spot to do the final holiday shop.
โ๏ธDonโt buy all your rugs in Turkey, save some space in the house for a camel hair rug from Jordan along with your mosaic.
๐งโโ๏ธIf you are travelling with adults only, or have an adult willing to sit out some adventure. Visit the Wadi Mujib Nature Reserve for hiking/canyoning. Hikers need to be over 16yo. There are various levels of difficulty but my understanding is, it is not for the faint hearted.
๐จโ๐ฉโ๐ฆโ๐ฆ Multinational family. ๐ฆ๐บ ๐ฎ๐ช
๐ก Living off the beaten path. ๐ฑ๐ฆ ๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐ณ ๐ท๐บ ๐ฟ๐ผ
๐ฃ Family travel tips from a "local" perspective.
๐ Been there, done that and made that mistake.
โ๏ธ Learn from our travel experiences while living abroad.
