Why 10 days changes everything
The difference between 7 and 10 days in Jordan is not three extra days of the same thing — it’s three entirely different experiences you’d otherwise miss entirely.
Dana Biosphere Reserve is the largest nature reserve in Jordan and one of the most biologically diverse in the Middle East. It gets a fraction of Petra’s visitors and deserves far more. Two nights there means walking the wadis at dawn, watching ibex from camp, and descending through four distinct climate zones in a half-day hike.
Wadi Mujib is Jordan’s Grand Canyon — a water canyon where you wade chest-deep upstream through carved stone, holding ropes fixed to the walls. The Siq Trail is open May through October only (closed November–April). It’s one of Jordan’s most visceral physical experiences.
The desert castles east of Amman are Umayyad hunting palaces from the 7th–8th century, scattered across the eastern steppe. Qasr Amra has the only surviving figural frescoes in early Islamic art — recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Most Jordan itineraries skip them because they require a dedicated half-day east of Amman, away from the main south route.
Three days in Petra instead of two allows you to explore the Petra Back Door trail from Little Petra (Siq al-Barid), rest your legs on the third day, and revisit monuments at different times of day.
This itinerary requires a rental car or private driver. Public transport cannot cover this route efficiently.
Day-by-day plan
Day 1: Arrival in Amman + desert castles (half day)
Morning — Airport arrival
Arrive at Queen Alia International Airport, collect JOD from the ATM, and arrange your rental car. For a 10-day itinerary with significant driving, a rental car is more economical than a private driver. International driving permit recommended.
Afternoon — Desert castles circuit (1h30 east of Amman)
Rather than going straight to the city, head east toward the desert palaces first — they’ll be on your return route from Amman on Day 10, but hitting them fresh on Day 1 prevents backtracking. The main circuit:
Qasr al-Hallabat (45 km east of Amman): an Umayyad palace built over a Roman fort, with intricate stone carvings and some preserved mosaic fragments. Entry included in Jordan Pass.
Qasr Amra (85 km east of Amman): the star of the circuit. A UNESCO-listed 8th-century hunting lodge with remarkable frescoes inside — bathing scenes, hunting scenes, and a famous astronomical ceiling showing the night sky. Do not miss this. Entry: 3 JOD without Jordan Pass, included with Jordan Pass.
Qasr Kharana (100 km east of Amman): a perfectly preserved Umayyad castle rising from the flat desert steppe, possibly used as a meeting place for Bedouin tribal negotiations. Its exterior silhouette is dramatic.
From Amman: desert castles of Eastern Jordan tourReturn to Amman by late afternoon (1h30 from Qasr Kharana). Total desert castle circuit with driving: 4–5h.
Evening — Amman
Dinner in Amman. Try Tawaheen al-Hawa in the Jabal Luweibdeh neighborhood for creative Jordanian-fusion dishes (15–25 JOD), or Hashem Restaurant downtown for legendary hummus and foul at any hour.
- Stay: Landmark Hotel Amman or Days Inn (mid-range)
Day 2: Amman city + Jerash
Morning — Amman highlights
Start with the Amman Citadel (Jabal al-Qala’a) for the temple ruins and panoramic views. Then the Roman Theatre and the Jordan Museum on the 3rd Circle (the best archaeological museum in Jordan, covering prehistory to Islamic period; entry 5 JOD). Allow 2h for the museum.
Afternoon — Jerash (50 min north)
Drive north to Jerash after lunch. The site opens until 18:00 (17:00 in winter). An afternoon visit, when the light is lower and most morning tours have left, can be more pleasant than the standard morning rush. The South Theatre, the Cardo Maximus, and the Forum at golden hour are memorable.
From Amman: Jerash half day tourReturn to Amman for the night (50 min).
- Stay: Landmark Hotel Amman (Day 2)
Day 3: Ajloun + drive south to Dead Sea
Morning — Ajloun Castle (30 min from Amman)
Ajloun Castle is compact but rewarding — the hilltop position and the forested approach make it feel genuinely romantic in the medieval sense. Allow 1h. A walk in the Ajloun Forest Reserve (trails start near the castle car park) adds 45 minutes of cool pine forest.
Afternoon — Madaba + Mount Nebo (drive 1h30 south from Ajloun)
Stop in Madaba for the Byzantine mosaic map (30–40 min), then drive 10 minutes to Mount Nebo for the memorial church and the panoramic view down to the Dead Sea and Jordan Valley.
Late afternoon — Dead Sea (40 min from Nebo)
Arrive at the Dead Sea by 15:30–16:00 for an evening float. The Dead Sea at sunset — when the water goes still and golden — is one of Jordan’s best photographs.
- Stay: Mövenpick Resort Dead Sea or Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea
Day 4: Wadi Mujib Siq Trail → Karak → King’s Highway
Important: The Mujib Siq Trail is open May through October only. If your visit falls outside these months, skip this day’s morning activity and drive straight south on the King’s Highway.
Morning — Wadi Mujib Siq Trail (from Dead Sea)
The Wadi Mujib Siq Trail starts at the RSCN visitor center on the Dead Sea Highway — about 15 minutes south of the main Dead Sea resorts. The trail enters a water canyon where you wade and swim upstream for 2km through a spectacular slot canyon. It’s wet (waterproof bag essential), physically demanding (chest-deep wading, rope-climbing sections), and viscerally rewarding. Allow 3h round trip. Entry fee: approximately 21 JOD including life jacket.
From Amman: Wadi Mujib Siq Trail private hiking tourAfternoon — King’s Highway south to Karak (2h from Wadi Mujib)
The King’s Highway climbs out of the Jordan Valley through dramatic switchbacks, offering views of Wadi Mujib canyon from above. Stop at the canyon viewpoint (a lay-by on the highway, 15 minutes past the valley floor) for photos.
Karak Castle sits on a promontory above the town, visible for 20 km in every direction. The Crusaders built it in 1142; Saladin took it in 1188 after a siege. The underground passages and halls are extensive and atmospheric (bring a torch). Entry is 3 JOD. Allow 1–1h30.
Evening — Stay in Karak or continue south
Karak has limited hotel options (Al-Mujib Hotel, basic but clean, around 25 JOD). Alternatively, drive 1h further south to Shobak Castle area, or continue 2h to Dana/Wadi Musa.
- Stay: Al-Mujib Hotel Karak or push to Dana
Day 5: Dana Biosphere Reserve (arrival + first hike)
Morning — Drive to Dana (1h30 from Karak)
Dana Biosphere Reserve is accessed via the village of Dana (1500 meters above sea level) or the Feynan Ecolodge at the bottom of the wadi. The drive from Karak to Dana village is 1h30 on the King’s Highway.
Amman: 2-day Dana Reserve tour with mealsAfternoon — Wadi Dana hike
From Dana village, the Wadi Dana trail descends 16km through four climate zones — from Mediterranean forest at the top to desert wadi floor. The full trail to Feynan Ecolodge takes 5–6h one way (arrange pickup). A shorter option: walk down 2–3 hours to the first viewpoints and return.
Dana is home to wolves, ibex, sand cats, and over 200 bird species. The RSCN (Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature) runs the accommodation — Dana Guesthouse at the top (basic, solar-powered, around 40 JOD/night) and Feynan Ecolodge at the bottom (the most acclaimed eco-resort in the Arab world, solar-only, staff from local tribes, from 120 JOD/night with full board).
Evening — Dana village at sunset
The view from Dana village over Wadi Araba at sunset is one of the finest in Jordan — the canyon lit orange, the Negev Hills in Israel visible across the valley. The village itself is a conservation project restoring historic stone houses for tourism.
- Stay: Dana Guesthouse or Feynan Ecolodge
Day 6: Dana second day or drive to Petra via Shobak
Option A — Second day in Dana (recommended)
A second night at Dana gives time for a different trail: the Rummana Mountain Trail (7km loop from the campground, 3–4h, excellent wildlife spotting) or the Wadi Hamra trail (shorter, good for birds). Dana is genuinely best with two nights.
Option B — Shobak Castle + Petra arrival
From Dana, drive 45 minutes to Shobak Castle (Montreal Castle) — a Crusader fortification predating Karak, built in 1115 by Baldwin I of Jerusalem. It’s less complete than Karak but more dramatically sited and far less visited. Entry approximately 3 JOD. Allow 45 minutes.
Then continue 45 minutes to Wadi Musa and check in to your Petra hotel.
- Stay: Dana Guesthouse (Day 6 option A) or Mövenpick Resort Petra (Day 6 option B)
Day 7: Petra Day 1 (Treasury + main valley + Monastery)
Start at 06:00
The Siq in early morning before the tour groups arrive is the peak experience of the entire Jordan trip. The canyon walls close to 3 meters wide in places, the colored sandstone walls, and then the sudden appearance of the Treasury at the end — Al-Khazneh, 43 meters tall, carved from a single rose-red cliff face.
Morning route: Siq → Treasury → Street of Facades → Roman Theatre → Royal Tombs → Colonnaded Street → Great Temple → Qasr al-Bint.
After Qasr al-Bint, climb to the Monastery (Ad Deir): 800 rock-cut steps, 45 minutes. Ad Deir is larger than the Treasury and, at 47 meters high, more imposing. The view behind the Monastery toward the desert is spectacular.
- Stay: Mövenpick Resort Petra or Petra Moon Hotel
Day 8: Petra Day 2 (High Place + Little Petra back door)
Morning — High Place of Sacrifice
The High Place of Sacrifice trail leaves from behind the Theatre (look for the Wadi Farasa signpost). The climb takes 30–40 minutes to the ridge; the High Place itself — a flat rock platform with cisterns and altar channels — offers Petra’s most panoramic view. Return via the Wadi Farasa trail past the Lion Fountain, the Garden Tomb, and the Roman Soldier Tomb (a route that exits near the Colonnaded Street — a complete circuit).
Afternoon — Little Petra (Siq al-Barid, 10 min from Wadi Musa)
Little Petra (Siq al-Barid — “the cold canyon”) is free to enter and most visitors skip it, which makes it extraordinary. A short canyon leads to carved triclinia (dining rooms), a biclinium with painted ceiling fragments (the Painted Room), and the Nabataean house remains. Atmospheric and quiet.
The Petra Back Door trail begins at Beidha (near Little Petra): a 3km walk through the desert to the Monastery, entering Petra from the rear without paying entry. Technically still requires a Petra ticket; many use it independently. The path is unmarked — take water and a GPS track.
- Stay: Mövenpick Resort Petra (Day 8)
Day 9: Wadi Rum overnight
Morning — Drive from Petra to Wadi Rum (1h45)
Leave Wadi Musa by 10:00. The drive south to Wadi Rum Village is 1h45 through open desert.
Afternoon — Wadi Rum jeep tour and sunset
Your camp operator meets you at the Wadi Rum Visitor Center. The protected area jeep circuit covers Lawrence’s Spring, Khazali Canyon, the large dune at Umm Sabatah, and a sunset viewpoint. For a 10-day trip, consider upgrading to a 6–7 hour tour that adds Burdah Rock Bridge (world’s highest natural rock arch accessible by scrambling) and the far eastern sand sea.
From Wadi Rum: jeep tour with overnight desert campingEvening — Bedouin camp stargazing
After dinner, stargazing from the camp is reliable October through April (summer brings occasional haze). The Milky Way core rises from the southern horizon around 22:00 from March to September.
- Stay: Wadi Rum camp overnight
Day 10: Wadi Rum sunrise → Aqaba → departure
Morning — Wadi Rum sunrise
Breakfast at camp, final jeep circuit if included, then transfer to Aqaba (1h).
Midday — Aqaba
Snorkeling or diving in the Red Sea. The Japanese Garden dive site (accessible from shore or by boat) has excellent coral and fish density. The Cedar Pride wreck lies in 28 meters and is accessible for certified divers.
Aqaba: Red Sea snorkeling boat trip with buffet lunchLunch in Aqaba. Evening departure from Aqaba Airport or the 4h drive to Amman QAIA.
Transport and getting around
A rental car is essential for this 10-day itinerary. Key facts:
- Total driving distance: approximately 750–850 km
- Longest single drive: Amman to Petra via King’s Highway (4h30)
- Road quality: excellent on all main routes; Wadi Mujib canyon access road is paved
- Fuel: 0.65 JOD/liter (very cheap)
- Parking: free at all sites; Petra has a large car park at the Visitor Center
Alternatively, the private driver service for 1–8 days can cover this route (10 days requires booking and negotiation; expect 550–800 JOD total).
From Amman: private driver and car service for 1–8 daysHotels at each stop
Amman (2 nights): Landmark Hotel, Marriott Amman Dead Sea (1 night): Mövenpick Dead Sea, Kempinski Ishtar Karak (1 night): Al-Mujib Hotel (basic), or drive to Dana Dana (1–2 nights): Dana Guesthouse (40 JOD), Feynan Ecolodge (120+ JOD, full board) Petra (2 nights): Mövenpick Resort Petra (120+ JOD), Petra Moon Hotel (55+ JOD) Wadi Rum (1 night): Bedouin camp (80–160 JOD including meals)
Estimated budget (per person, mid-range, excluding flights)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Jordan Pass (2-day Petra + 40 sites + visa) | 80 JOD |
| Accommodation (9 nights, sharing) | 350–600 JOD |
| Car rental (10 days, midsize) | 280–420 JOD (shared between 2) |
| Fuel | 40–60 JOD |
| Entry fees not in Jordan Pass (Wadi Mujib, some sites) | 30–50 JOD |
| Meals (10 days) | 150–250 JOD |
| Activities (snorkeling, Petra by Night) | 50–80 JOD |
| Tips and miscellaneous | 50–70 JOD |
| Total per person (sharing vehicle/accommodation) | ~1,000–1,530 JOD (~1,400–2,150 USD) |
Variations
If you want to add the north: Replace the desert castles on Day 1 with a dedicated Day 2 in the north (Jerash + Ajloun + Umm Qais), then Jerash on Day 2 becomes Day 3 (just Jerash), pushing the whole itinerary by one day. See the 14-day itinerary for the full northern coverage.
Adventure variant: Replace Days 5–6 in Dana with the 4-day Dana-to-Petra trek (Dana village → Feynan → Shobak → Petra on foot via Jordan Trail). The dana-to-petra trekking tour covers this in detail.
Amman: Dana to Petra 4-day trekking adventureFrequently asked questions about this 10-day Jordan itinerary
Is the Wadi Mujib Siq Trail worth the effort?
Yes, for most physically active travelers. The 2km upstream canyon wade through chest-deep water and over slippery rocks is demanding and genuinely exciting. It’s one of the most unusual outdoor experiences in the entire Middle East. The caveat: it’s entirely unsuitable for anyone with mobility issues, fear of confined spaces, or poor swimming ability.
What is the best season for 10 days in Jordan?
March–May and September–October are ideal. The Wadi Mujib Siq Trail is open May–October (water level dependent — confirmed on RSCN’s website). Dana is beautiful year-round but flowers in spring. Wadi Rum is extreme in August (45°C midday) but manageable with early starts. December–February is cold but Petra often has snow — surprisingly beautiful, and crowds drop dramatically.
Is Dana Biosphere Reserve hard to get to?
The village of Dana is 2h30 from Amman and 1h30 south of Karak on the King’s Highway. The road is paved and well-signed. Accommodation (Dana Guesthouse, Feynan Ecolodge) must be booked in advance through RSCN — slots fill up, especially at Feynan, which has only 28 rooms.
Can I visit the desert castles without a car?
Technically yes, with a tour from Amman. Multiple half-day tours cover Qasr Amra, Qasr Kharana, and Qasr al-Hallabat. However, the circuit is awkward without a car — the castles are spread over 100 km of highway and the timing between them doesn’t suit public transport. A tour makes sense if you lack a car; see the desert castles day trip guide.
How different are Shobak and Karak Castles?
They feel entirely different. Karak is larger, more restored, and has a working museum inside the towers. Shobak is quieter, more ruined, and more atmospheric — fewer visitors, more imagination required. Karak is essential; Shobak is a bonus worth adding if you’re passing through on the King’s Highway. Together they tell the story of Crusader strategy in the Levant.
Is Feynan Ecolodge worth the premium?
For the right traveler, yes. Feynan operates entirely on solar energy, uses no generator, and is completely dark at night except for candlelight — the stars from Feynan are extraordinary. Meals are cooked by staff from local Bedouin tribes. There’s no wi-fi. The hiking from the lodge (into Wadi Araba) is excellent. It’s one of the most awarded eco-lodges in the Arab world. The 120+ JOD/night with full board is not cheap but includes everything.
Plan your trip
Ten days gives Jordan the depth it deserves. The complete Petra guide prepares you for the site’s scale. The Dana biosphere guide covers the RSCN trails in detail. For car rental practicalities, the renting a car in Jordan guide answers every question about permits, insurance, and driving culture.
If 10 days is not enough, the 14-day Jordan itinerary adds Umm Qais, Pella, Salt, Wadi Faynan, and Hammamat Ma’in for the most complete journey possible.
Amman: desert castles & Azraq Wetland Reserve full day trip