7 best day trips from Amman

Day trips compared

The day trips

48 km · About 50 minutes by car

1.Jerash

One of the best-preserved Roman provincial cities anywhere, with Hadrian's Arch, an oval plaza, a colonnaded street, two theatres and the Temple of Artemis. Allow half a day; it combines well with Ajloun Castle.

Getting there

Car, private driver or bus from Tabarbour (North) bus station

Best for

First-timers, Culture, Families

55 km · About 1 hour by car

2.Dead Sea

The Jordanian shore of the Dead Sea, more than 400 metres below sea level, has resort hotels at Sweimeh with beach access and a public beach where you can float in the salty water and cover yourself in mud.

Getting there

Car, taxi or private driver

Best for

Couples, Families, Luxury

35 km · About 45 minutes by car

3.Madaba and Mount Nebo

Madaba's St George's Church holds a 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land, and the town is full of Byzantine mosaics. Mount Nebo, about 10 km further, is where Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land, with a view over the Jordan Valley and a restored basilica.

Getting there

Car, private driver or minibus to Madaba

Best for

Culture, First-timers

50 km · About 1 hour by car

4.Bethany Beyond the Jordan

The baptism site of Jesus on the east bank of the Jordan River, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is visited by guided shuttle through the reserve to excavated churches and the river itself.

Getting there

Car or private driver; often combined with the Dead Sea

Best for

Culture

85 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by car

5.Desert castles

A loop east of Amman visits Umayyad-era desert buildings, including the UNESCO-listed Qusayr Amra with its 8th-century frescoes of hunting scenes and bathers, the fortress-like Qasr Kharana and the black basalt fort at Azraq.

Getting there

Car or private driver

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

75 km · About 1 hour 30 minutes by car

6.Ajloun Castle

A 12th-century Ayyubid hilltop castle built by a commander of Saladin, with views over the green Ajloun hills and the Jordan Valley; the nearby forest reserve has walking trails.

Getting there

Car or private driver; combine with Jerash

Best for

Families, Culture, Quiet stays

235 km · About 3–3.5 hours each way by car

7.Petra

The rose-red Nabataean city of the Siq, the Treasury and the Monastery deserves at least one night, but a long day trip from Amman is possible if time is short. Leave at dawn and expect a lot of walking.

Getting there

Private driver, rental car or the JETT tourist bus

Best for

First-timers, Culture

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Shared white service taxis follow fixed routes, and a bus rapid transit network runs on some main corridors; useful mainly for longer stays.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask