Jordan

Language: Arabic

Currency: Jordanian Dinar; JOD

Famous Landmark: Petra

National Dish: Mansaf

Tips & Recommendations

In Summer 2021, I stayed in Amman, Jordan during my Arabic language studies at Qasid Arabic Institute. I also visited in January 2022 before my overland trip to Palestine/Israel. Jordan was my first country in the Middle East and left a distrinct, positive mark for me on the region. I fell in love with the food, the people, the culture, and the history that the country offered. In between Arabic classes and nights out in Jabal al Lweibdeh, my roommate and I went on numerous excursions to Petra, Wadi Rum, Jerash, Aqaba, the Dead Sea, Madaba, Mount Nebo, and Irbid.

Amman: the city’s capital with Roman ruins, a lively downtown and market, and a plethora of good eats

Madaba: home to Mount Nebo, a 6th century map of the Holy Land, and other religious and historical sites; good launching point to the baptismal site of Jesus

Jerash: a city north of Amman with Roman ruins like the Temple of Zeus and a reservoir; considered to be one of the largest and best-preserved examples of Roman ruins

Petra: a UNESCO World Heritage Site, dubbed the rose city, known for its red rock cut out structures

Wadi Rum: a desert known as the valley of the moon for its bright red sand

Aqaba: beach and resort town with a plethora of scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities in the Red Sea

Al-Salt: a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for it’s Ottoman trading hub history seen in its architecture and design

Mansaf: tender lamb cooked over rice with yogurt sauce and nuts

Shwarma: a staple in the Middle East and particularly yummy in Jordan! Chicken, lamb, or beef sandwich with tomatoes, onions, and other vegetables

Knafeh: pastry filled with cheese, pistachio, and a sugar-based syrup

Maqluba: a flavorful dish with rice, meat, and vegetables cooked, then flipped upside down before eating

Zarb: a Bedouin style of cooking meat and vegetables in the ground for hours, served with rice

Petra: explore the UNESCO World Heritage and Wonder of the World with a local guide

Jesus’ Baptismal Site: tour Jesus’ Baptismal site near the Dead Sea

Jerash: explore some of the best kept Roman ruins in the world and learn the history of the Roman empire in the Middle East

Wadi Mujib: hike in one of Jordan’s most beautiful wadis, or canyons, in the desert

Wadi Rum: spend the night under the stars in Wadi Rum with options to ride camels, horses, or ATVs

Dead Sea: take a mud bath and float in the dead sea, the world’s lowest sea