Quick answer: 7-day Jordan itinerary covering Day 1, Day 2, Day 3 through Day 7. Best months: March-May and September-November (mild). Avoid June-August (40°C+ desert) and December-February (cold nights in Wadi Rum).. Total cost: US$1500-2500 mid-range / US$5000+ luxury per person..
Seven days for Jordan = 1 night Amman, 2 nights Petra, 2 nights Wadi Rum desert camp, 1 night Dead Sea, 1 buffer for Aqaba diving option. Self-drive friendly (English-language road signs). Built across 2 personal Jordan trips.
Day-by-day breakdown
Day 1
Arrive Amman. Stay near Rainbow Street or downtown. Visit Citadel + Roman Theatre + dinner at Sufra (Jordanian cuisine).
Day 2
Drive Amman to Petra (3h via Kings Highway with Mt. Nebo + Kerak Castle stops). Or 2.5h via Desert Highway. Settle in Wadi Musa. Evening Petra by Night candlelit tour (Mon/Wed/Thu only, $25).
Day 3
Petra full day: enter at 6am to beat heat + crowds. Siq + Treasury + Royal Tombs + Monastery (steep 850-step hike, worth it). Walk back via High Place of Sacrifice.
Day 4
Drive Petra to Wadi Rum (2h). Arrive Wadi Rum village + bedouin pickup for desert camp. Afternoon jeep tour: Lawrence’s House + Khazali Canyon + Burdah Bridge. Bedouin dinner + sleep under stars.
Day 5
Wadi Rum sunrise from desert + camel ride OR Mars-landscape hike to Jebel Burdah natural arch. Drive Wadi Rum to Dead Sea (3h).
Day 6
Dead Sea float morning + mud bath. Visit Bethany Beyond the Jordan (baptism site of Jesus). Spa afternoon.
Day 7
Drive Dead Sea to Amman (1h). Fly home OR extend to Aqaba Red Sea (3h drive south) for snorkeling/diving.
What to book ahead
- Petra by Night: Mon/Wed/Thu only, 8:30-10:30pm. $25, must be booked in advance via Petra Visitor Center.
- Wadi Rum bedouin camp: Book 1-2 months ahead Oct-Apr. Luxury camps (Memories Aicha + Hasan Zawaideh) book first.
- Rental car: Avis + Hertz Amman airport. Drive on the right side. Compact car $30-50/day.
- Jordan Pass: Combo ticket includes visa + entry to 40+ sites. $99 covers Petra + Wadi Rum + Jerash. Saves $40+ over individual tickets.
A local insider tip
Skip the touristy ‘Treasury at sunrise’ crowd at Petra and visit at 11am instead – tour groups have moved deeper into the site, leaving the Treasury nearly empty. Then climb the High Place of Sacrifice (45 min hike) for the iconic view OVER the Treasury without other tourists. Counter-intuitive but proven.
Best time for this trip
March-May and September-November (mild). Avoid June-August (40°C+ desert) and December-February (cold nights in Wadi Rum).
Public-transit gaps that wreck a 7-day Jordan plan
If you are not self-driving, know exactly what public transit covers before you commit. The JETT bus from Amman to Petra runs once daily, departing around 6:30 AM and returning from Petra near 5:00 PM, costing roughly 10 JOD (about $13) each way over a 4 to 5 hour ride. Tickets release 30 days out and times shift on Fridays and during Ramadan, so book early and confirm the live schedule.
Two gaps catch people out. There is no public bus to the Dead Sea resort strip, so plan on a private taxi from Amman or Madaba. And the Petra to Wadi Rum link is a shared minibus leaving Petra around 7:00 AM (roughly 2 hours), which your hotel must reserve the night before because it leaves when full.
Sequence the loop Amman to Petra to Wadi Rum to Dead Sea, finishing the desert before the long northbound drive, rather than backtracking. Skip a separate day for Amman’s city center if time is tight, and add Dana Biosphere Reserve, a worthwhile stop on the King’s Highway between the capital and Petra.
Frequently asked questions
Is 7 days enough for Jordan?
Yes for Petra + Wadi Rum + Dead Sea + Amman highlights. 10 days adds Aqaba + Jerash Roman ruins. 14 days for complete Jordan including Wadi Mujib + crusader castles.
How much does a 7-day Jordan trip cost?
Mid-range: US$1500-2500. Jordan Pass saves significantly on entrance fees + visa. Bedouin camps are surprisingly affordable ($50-100/person).
Best time for Petra?
March-May or September-November. October specifically has 24°C daytime + clear skies. Avoid June-August (40°C+ inside the Siq).
How much time at Petra?
2 full days minimum. Day 1: main route (Siq + Treasury + Royal Tombs). Day 2: Monastery + side trails (High Place of Sacrifice). Premium: Petra by Night.
Is Jordan safe?
Yes, very safe. Avoid Syrian + Iraqi border zones (north + far east). Petra/Wadi Rum/Dead Sea + Amman are all heavily policed tourist zones. Solo female travelers report fewer issues than other Middle East countries.
Plan your Jordan trip
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Written by
John Morrison is the founder and lead travel writer at Packzup. Over the past decade he has explored destinations across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Oceania — always self-funded, never on a press trip.