Best Jordan travel attractions today? Rent a car and drive the Desert Castle Loop to visit the sites. You’ll get the chance to see Quseir Amra, a squat building with interiors covered with beautiful frescoes; Quseir Hallabat, a Roman fort that features volcanic basalt rock and a well-preserved mosaic; Quseir Al-Kharanah, a castle-like structure that has dozens of rooms, but whose original function has been lost to history; and Azraq Castle, an ancient walled fort known as the place where T.E. Lawrence sought shelter in 1917-1918. Situated just 20 kilometers northwest of Jerash, Ajloun makes a worthwhile trip for tourists who want to see some of the best natural scenery in all of Jordan. Plan to spend a day hiking around the Ajloun Forest Reserve, a 13-square-kilometer expanse of pristine, open woodlands. In the spring, the area is blanketed by wildflowers, which makes for spectacular photo opportunities. Keep your eyes peeled for the crested porcupines and striped hyenas that live in the area. Be sure to visit the Ajloun Castle on the summit of Mount Auf. It was built in the 12th century in the footprints of an even older Byzantine monastery to protect against the Crusader attacks. Its mountaintop location offers sweeping views of the Jordan Valley. Find even more info on travel agency in Jordan.
If you’re craving some R&R, the Ma’in Hot Springs is a natural spa 264m (866ft) below sea level. Herod the Great is said to have bathed in the area’s thermal mineral hot springs and waterfalls, where travellers have soaked since Roman times. Believed to help skin conditions and joint pain, water rich in potassium, magnesium and calcium cascades down the hillside and reaches temperatures of 60C (140F) for truly extraordinary bathing in the middle of the desert.
The Dead Sea carves its way through the heartlands of the Middle Eastern Levant. The lowest and most salty of the world’s ocean water bodies, it’s encircled by rising mountains and ochre-hued sand dunes, all of which reflect majestically upon the surface as the Arabian sun beats down. Today, the whole area on the Jordanian banks (the western side is over the border in Israel) comes dotted with beaches and resort hotels, while the south of the sea is taken over with interesting mineral evaporation pools, built for the harvesting of carnallite and potassium. The favorite activity though? Well, that’s surely lazing on the surface of the water, where the high saline density keeps travelers afloat like logs!
Prepare to be amazed by Petra. One of the New7Wonders of the World, this attraction has wowed modern-day visitors since the long-lost city’s rediscovery by Swiss explorer Jean Louis Burckhardt more than 200 years ago. You’ll need at least two days to hit all the highlights around Petra, which include more than 800 registered sites. But if you have more time, you won’t be disappointed spending it here. Wandering around a city this ancient in such a well-preserved state is an experience like none other. If you thought Petra was incredible during the day, wait until you see it after dark. Reserve tickets to the Petra By Night show to see the Siq and the Treasury lit by more than 1,500 flickering candles. Read more details on alextravel.world.
From the ground, the desert wilderness of Wadi Rum mesmerises. From the skies above looking down, it provides the kind of views that make you feel lucky to be alive. There are deserts and then there are deserts. Wadi Rum is the ruby-red, dust spinning, camel swashbuckling kind of desert with rock formations several storeys high. Camp beneath the stars in a (tailored for visitors) Bedouin tent, ride on camels, dune bash and take to the skies in a hot air balloon. Despite that long list of heady activities, Wadi Rum feels surprisingly quiet when you visit. As if the whole world has turned to red sand and is waiting for you. Lawrence of Arabia roamed around here and it’s possible to camp out beneath the stars or ride camels the traditional way. But the best view, for sure, takes place from the wicker basket of a hot air balloon.