Tourist Attractions & Monuments Jordan

Timetable

Winter and summer opening times apply to tourist sites. Sites open at 8am and close at 4pm in winter, and 6pm in summer. Petra opens at 6am (7am in winter) and closes at 6:30pm (6pm in winter).

Please note that most tourist sites have reduced opening hours during Ramadan. They generally close around 3.30pm.

To be booked

All Jordan's tourist sites are accessible without prior reservation, including "Petra by Night", the candlelit spectacle of the Treasury. However, places are limited for this attraction, and it is advisable to arrive before 7.30pm at the Petra Visitor Center, especially in high season. First come, first served.

Budget & Tips

All tourist sites under the authority of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities are included in the Jordan Pass. This prepaid package, which must be purchased before you enter Jordan, includes tourist visa fees for 30 days and entry to 40 Jordanian sites. The price varies according to the number of days you plan to spend in Petra (between 1 and 3 days) and whether you take the option of visiting the site of Christ's baptism in Bethany.

For other monuments and historical sites managed by private or non-governmental institutions, entrance fees are low (between 1 and 3 DJ).

Entrance fees to the country's Nature Reserves range from 8 DJ to 21 DJ per day.

Main events

Jordan is a predominantly Muslim country, and most of the festive celebrations are linked to the religious calendar. The country slows down during the month of Ramadan, then explodes with joy at the feast of Eid. Jordanians are very respectful of religions in general, and Christmas is particularly popular with the country's Christian community.

On the cultural front, the most eagerly awaited annual event is the Jerash Festival, where high society attends musical and theatrical performances within the walls of the ancient city. The Bedouins prefer the Diseh Camel Festival, which takes place in December in Wadi Rum. Camel races and poetry competitions are on the program.

Guided tours

Accredited guides are available at the entrances to all the country's major sites, and some are able to provide tours in French, notably in Jerash and Petra. The fee is a fixed 30 DJ. They are considerably higher in Petra. You should expect to pay 50 DJ for the Main Trail, 70 DJ for the Main Trail and the Monastery, and 100 DJ for the Main Trail and the High Place of Sacrifice.

If you're going to Jordan to hike, we strongly recommend that you take a guide. Trails are generally unmarked, even on the Jordan Trail, which crosses the country from north to south. You can hire a guide at the entrance to the Nature Reserves managed by the RSCN. You can also organize your hikes from Amman at the Wild Jordan Center or through a specialized agency, which will also take care of the logistics.

Smokers

Jordanians are heavy smokers. However, smoking is banned in hospitals, schools, theaters and cinemas, museums, transport and airports, and generally in all establishments open to the public.

Tourist traps

Jordan is an extremely safe country, with a highly visible police presence everywhere. As a result, scams are rare. Petra, because of its tourist appeal, is the place where you'll be most likely to be approached by Bedouins trying to force your hand to climb on a donkey or camel, or to buy something. But that's all there is to it.

What's very local

It is customary to remove one's shoes before entering a house or mosque. Generally speaking, a decent, covering outfit (but without exaggeration) is appreciated for women, as are pants for men. Plus, it'll protect you from the sun!