Every few years, a photograph circulates: the Treasury at Petra dusted in snow, the rose-red canyon walls improbably white. It goes briefly viral. It is real — and it is rare. This guide tells you the honest story of Jordan in winter: what the weather actually looks like, where you will be comfortable versus cold, and why winter Jordan makes financial sense for the right traveller.
The short version: Jordan in winter is not the experience of brochure photographs. But it is also not the frozen ordeal the “avoid winter” advice implies. It depends almost entirely on where you go.
The truth about Petra and snow
Petra sits at approximately 1,000 metres above sea level in the highlands of southern Jordan. That elevation is enough to produce genuine winter weather: temperatures below freezing at night from December through February, daytime temperatures of 8–15°C, and occasionally — maybe twice a decade — actual snowfall.
The most recent documented snow event at Petra was February 2024, when light snow fell for approximately one day. The site closed for safety reasons (the Siq becomes slippery; the carved stone steps on the Monastery trail are dangerous in ice). Within 48 hours the site was open again. The photographs from that event were extraordinary — the Hellenistic facade of the Treasury frosted white against red stone — but they represent the exception.
In a typical winter visit, you will not see snow at Petra. You will see:
- Cold, clear mornings (5–8°C)
- Midday temperatures reaching 12–18°C on clear days
- Dramatic cloud formations over the plateau that make Petra’s rosy stone glow more intensely than in summer flatlight
- Significantly fewer tourists — perhaps 20–30% of October capacity on a typical February weekday
The Siq in winter light is magnificent. The low sun angle hits the canyon walls at a different angle than in summer, illuminating previously shadowed sections. Winter Petra is, photographically speaking, arguably superior to the crowded October version — if you get a clear day.
The real winter risk at Petra is not snow but rain. Jordan gets most of its annual precipitation between December and March. A Petra visit in sustained rain is an unpleasant, cold experience: the sandstone becomes slippery, the canyon channels water, and the carved surfaces become treacherous. Check the forecast carefully. A single sunny winter day at Petra with four other visitors is memorable. A rainy day is miserable.
The Dead Sea in winter: surprisingly good
The Dead Sea is one of Jordan’s genuine winter positives. At -430 metres below sea level — the lowest point on Earth’s surface — it is perpetually warmer than the highlands. Even in February, Dead Sea air temperatures sit at 18–22°C during daylight hours. The water itself stays at 20–22°C year-round due to its extreme salt content and depth.
Floating in the Dead Sea in winter on a clear day is a genuinely pleasant experience: warm water, mild air, and the extraordinary surrounding landscape of Jordan’s mountains and Israeli hills without the 45°C summer heat that makes the same experience somewhat punishing. Many visitors find winter their preferred time — the resort beaches are less crowded, the hotels offer better rates, and the temperature is European-summer-level comfortable rather than excessive.
The Dead Sea resort hotels (Kempinski, Mövenpick, Crowne Plaza) continue operating fully in winter. Day passes are available; rates are typically 15–20% lower than peak season. See /guides/dead-sea-floating-guide/ and /guides/dead-sea-day-pass-comparison/.
Dead Sea day tour from Amman with entry and lunchAqaba in winter: 22°C and overlooked
Aqaba is Jordan’s best-kept winter secret. While the northern highlands and desert plateau face cold and occasional rain, Aqaba — at sea level on the Red Sea coast — maintains 22–24°C air temperatures and 21–22°C water temperatures from November through March.
This means Aqaba in winter is:
- Warm enough to swim comfortably in a wetsuit (or without one for those with high cold tolerance)
- Excellent for snorkelling — visibility is superb in winter
- 20–30% cheaper on hotels than the peak spring and autumn seasons
- Almost entirely free of the domestic Jordanian summer crowd (Ammani families who descend on Aqaba beaches in July)
Dive operators in Aqaba continue year-round. The Japanese Garden and Cedar Pride wreck sites are operational in winter. The marine park is uncrowded. If your Jordan trip has a diving or serious snorkelling component, January–March in Aqaba is surprisingly optimal. See /guides/aqaba-diving-guide/.
Amman in winter
Amman is cold in winter — unambiguously and sometimes substantially. January average lows are 4°C; it occasionally drops to 0°C or below. The city sees rain and, once every few years, light snow on the hilltops. Expect European northern winter conditions.
Amman is largely designed for this: Jordanians are accustomed to winter, restaurants have heating, and the covered souks and indoor attractions continue normally. The Roman Theatre and Citadel are open year-round. The Jordan Museum and Royal Automobile Museum provide excellent full-day indoor options on rainy days.
What changes: outdoor café culture, rooftop restaurants, and sunset viewpoints become less attractive. The Rainbow Street area and Jabal Amman neighbourhood feel more European-winter than Middle Eastern-winter — which can be charming or disappointing depending on expectations.
Wadi Rum in winter: extreme nights
Wadi Rum at night in December and January is cold. The desert plateau at 800 metres altitude loses heat rapidly after sunset, and temperatures regularly reach -2°C to -5°C in January. Occasionally colder. This is genuine camping-in-winter territory.
Luxury camps (Memories Aicha, Mohammed Mutlak Camp, Rahayeb Desert Camp) provide heated or well-insulated tents that make winter overnights possible and genuinely atmospheric — a fire in the Bedouin tent, cold clear skies, and extraordinary stargazing. Budget camps with uninsulated tents are not advisable in January without proper sleeping gear.
Winter days in Wadi Rum are actually pleasant: 12–18°C in December–February, clear skies (the rain falls mainly on the higher plateau and rarely reaches the lower desert), and extraordinary light quality. Jeep tours in winter are uncrowded and the guides are more attentive to your individual itinerary.
See /guides/wadi-rum-overnight-camps/ for recommendations on which camps provide adequate heating.
Off-season prices: the winter financial case
Winter is Jordan’s low season for international tourism, and the prices reflect it:
- Hotels in Wadi Musa: 30–40% below October rates. The Mövenpick Petra, which peaks above 150 JOD in October, can be found at 85–100 JOD in January.
- Wadi Rum camps: 25–35% lower. Luxury bubble tents at 120–150 JOD instead of 180–220 JOD.
- Aqaba accommodation: more modest discount (10–15%) due to domestic winter market.
- Organised tours: slightly cheaper and with more guide availability.
- Jordan Pass: same price year-round, so proportionally more valuable when the rest of your costs drop.
A midrange 7-day winter trip for two saves roughly 100–200 JOD versus the equivalent October trip. The trade-off is weather unpredictability — but for those who plan around it, winter offers genuine value.
From Amman: private day trip to Petra with pickupPractical winter packing
The range of climates across a Jordan winter trip is substantial:
- Amman/highlands: heavy jacket, hat and gloves for evenings. Multiple layers for days.
- Petra: thermal underlayer, fleece, waterproof outer layer. Walking in the canyon can generate heat — dress in removable layers.
- Wadi Rum nights: serious cold-weather gear. Sleeping bag rated to -5°C if using a basic camp; the luxury camps provide blankets but you will want your own thermal layer.
- Dead Sea/Aqaba: light jacket for evenings; t-shirt weather by day.
The packing challenge is the extreme variation: you may need winter gear for Wadi Rum and summer clothes for Aqaba within the same 7-day trip. Pack in layers and bring a day pack that can carry your outer layers when walking in midday warmth.
A realistic 7-day winter itinerary
Day 1–2: Aqaba. Arrive, snorkel or dive in warm sea, explore waterfront. Warm sunshine, 22°C.
Day 3: Petra from Aqaba. Drive from Aqaba to Wadi Musa (2 hours). Afternoon arrival — walk the Siq before sunset (closes at 4:30 PM in winter). Early dinner in Wadi Musa.
Day 4: Petra full day. Dawn entry. Crisp, clear morning. Treasury and Royal Tombs before 10 AM. Monastery if dry underfoot. Back to hotel before any afternoon cloud.
Day 5: Wadi Rum. Drive from Wadi Musa (1h45). Jeep tour in clear winter light. Overnight in heated/insulated luxury camp.
Day 6: Dead Sea. Drive from Wadi Rum to Dead Sea area (3 hours). Afternoon float in 22°C water while Wadi Rum cools to -2°C behind you. Overnight at Dead Sea resort.
Day 7: Amman. Dead Sea to Amman (1 hour). Citadel, Jordan Museum, evening in Rainbow Street. Next morning: Queen Alia Airport.
FAQ
What is the minimum temperature in Petra in winter?
Overnight temperatures in Petra and Wadi Musa can reach -2°C to -5°C in January. Daytime highs are typically 10–18°C on clear days, sometimes warmer in direct sun within the sheltered canyon.
What happens if it snows during my Petra visit?
The site may close for 1–3 days during and after snowfall. Your hotel in Wadi Musa will inform you, and the Petra Development Authority posts closures on their social channels. If you have a flexible itinerary with spare days, a snow event followed by a sunny reopening day produces spectacular photography. If you have a fixed one-day visit, you may need to reschedule.
Is the Jordan Pass worth it in winter?
Yes, in almost all cases — the visa saving alone (40 JOD) plus site entries makes it worthwhile for any stay of 3+ nights. See /guides/jordan-pass-yes-or-no/ for the full calculation.
Can I swim in Aqaba in January?
In a 3mm wetsuit, comfortably. Without a wetsuit, most visitors find 21–22°C water manageable for 20–30 minutes but cool after extended periods. The snorkelling experience is excellent in winter — visibility is good and there are fewer boats in the water.
Is Wadi Rum safe in winter?
Yes, for visitors using reputable camps. The desert is cold but not dangerous for properly equipped visitors. The main risk is hypothermia for anyone who underestimates the overnight temperature drop. Luxury and mid-range camps provide blankets; budget camps may not. Confirm heating provision before booking.
Month-by-month winter breakdown
December
December is Jordan’s transition month. Early December still has autumn character in the south: temperatures at Petra average 18–22°C by day, dropping to 8–12°C overnight. Rain begins in earnest in the north (Amman, Ajloun, Jerash). The Dead Sea is warm and pleasant. December is also when Christmas tourism briefly raises occupancy at the Madaba and Mount Nebo sites (Bethlehem pilgrims often cross into Jordan).
Best December option: Aqaba and the Red Sea. The weather is mild (24–26°C), the sea is still warm (23°C), and the Christmas-and-New Year period sees minimal additional crowds in Jordan’s south.
January
The coldest month. Amman can see snow once every few years — the hills around Jabal Amman go white and the city briefly stops. Petra at night can reach -5°C. The desert castles east of Amman see hard frosts.
January is the quietest month for international tourism in Jordan, and prices reflect it. The Mövenpick Petra, typically 150+ JOD in October, may drop to 75–85 JOD in January. Wadi Rum luxury camps hit their lowest annual rates. If cold weather does not deter you, January is the time to experience Petra in solitude.
January secret: Petra in a cold, clear January morning — no crowds, mist in the Siq, the Treasury glowing in winter light — is one of the most atmospheric versions of the site. You will not have the wildflowers, but you will have the place almost entirely to yourself.
February
February begins the slow warming that leads to spring. Temperatures at Petra creep back toward 15–18°C by day. In good years, the earliest wildflowers begin appearing in Ajloun by late February. The Wadi Mujib Siq Trail remains closed (typically reopening in April). Snowfall is most likely in February — including the February 2024 Petra snow event.
February timing tip: The week before and after any major school holiday in the Gulf states (typically mid-February) sees a sharp increase in Arab tourism to Jordan. Hotels in Wadi Musa and Aqaba book out. If February is your window, avoid the Gulf half-term holiday week.
Winter Jordan for specific interests
Biblical pilgrimage in winter
Mount Nebo, Madaba, Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the Jordan River baptism sites, and Mukawir (where John the Baptist was executed) are all accessible and crowd-free in winter. The Dead Sea region, central to biblical geography, is mild and pleasant. Winter pilgrims often find a more contemplative experience than the spring crowds around Easter allow.
Bethany Beyond the Jordan UNESCO site is open year-round (8 AM–5 PM) and costs 12 JOD entry. In winter, the site’s mosaic floors and ancient baptism pool area are uncrowded. See /destinations/bethany-beyond-jordan/.
Archaeological sites in winter light
Winter light in Jordan is low and golden — ideal for archaeological photography. The Roman Theatre in Amman, photographed at 8 AM in January with nobody else in the seats, has a quality of light that October cannot produce. The Citadel above Amman, wrapped in occasional morning cloud, is dramatic in a way summer sharpness never achieves.
Jerash in winter: the colonnaded Cardo, which runs north-south, is illuminated end-to-end by the low winter sun in the morning. By 9:30 AM the light travels the full length of the 700-metre street — a photographic effect specific to winter months.
Wellness and thermal springs
Winter is the optimal season for Hammamat Ma’in hot springs. These thermal waterfalls (40–63°C) south of the Dead Sea are extraordinarily therapeutic in cold weather — standing under a 45°C waterfall while the air temperature is 12°C is an exceptional experience. The springs are accessible as a day trip from the Dead Sea resort area (30 km south) or from Amman (1.5 hours). See /guides/hammamat-main-hot-springs/.
Practical winter transport
The King’s Highway in winter requires caution. The stretch between Dhiban and Ariha (the Wadi Mujib descent) can ice over in January–February on cold mornings. The road is not normally gritted. If you are driving this section in winter, drive after 10 AM when any overnight ice has thawed, and use a vehicle with at least front-wheel drive.
The Desert Highway has no such issues — it descends from 1,000m to sea level quickly and is rarely icy. Most Jordan winter travel by car is safe if you avoid the highest King’s Highway stretches on cold mornings.
Public transport in winter: the JETT bus Amman–Aqaba and Amman–Petra runs year-round on the same schedule. Taxis are always available. The only reduction in service is in Wadi Rum, where some Bedouin jeep operators reduce their activity during the coldest January weeks.
What winter Jordan gets right that other seasons don’t
The honest list of winter advantages:
- Solitude at the major sites. Petra on a January Tuesday at 6 AM may have 10 other visitors in the entire Siq. This is the version of Petra that makes you understand why it matters.
- Thermal springs at their best. Hammamat Ma’in is pleasant in any season, but standing under a 60°C thermal waterfall when it is 10°C outside is a different, more visceral experience.
- Dead Sea at a human temperature. The floating experience at 22°C water and 22°C air is genuinely comfortable — versus the slightly unpleasant 45°C combined temperature of a July visit.
- Aqaba uncrowded. The Red Sea waterfront without domestic summer crowds is a more relaxed, genuine experience.
- Price. The 30–40% discount across major sites and hotels is real money.