But why is Jordan so famous? Petra, Wadi Rum, Dead Sea, Amman and Aqaba are the strongest highlights of the country! But let’s go find out our trip in details, information about visa, transportation, cost and sightseeing!

Jordan roadtrip petra

A few words about Jordan

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan or simply Jordan is a state of the Middle East. It borders Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, and Israel and the West Bank (the Jordan, an area occupied before 1967 and occupied by Israel) to the West. It shares with Israel the coastlines of the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea. The main religion of Jordan is Islam and the main (official) Arabic language.

Travel itinerary in Jordan

Itinerary in few lines

• Airport Alia Airport – Petra 203 km (2.38 ‘)
• Petra – Wadi Rum 112 km (1.46 ‘)
• Wadi Rum – Dead Sea 295 km (4 hours)
• Dead Sea – Amman 65 km (1 hour)
• Amman – Airport

Jordan roadtrip petra wadi rum

Jordan itinerary

Day One

On first day we landed at Queen Alia Airport in Amman on a low-cost flight (see costs below), the other option is to land at Aqaba Airport so you will follow the opposite program of ours! We had already rented a car so our vehicle was waiting for us outside the airport. After we completed the standard procedures we departed to Petra and to the village of Wadi Musa. The journey time is around 2.40 hours.

At Wadi Musa we found easily our accommodation’s location which was very central and had many restaurants nearby and was only a 4 minute drive away from the entrance of Petra! There is also the option to stay right next to Petra’s entrance and walk just for 4 minutes. There is also the option to stay at the entrance of the village in order to enjoy the view of the whole area but prices are higher there of course! After we ate at Beit Al Barakah and we got some traditional sweets from the bakery we headed to Petra to enjoy the evening show Petra by Night candles show. For our experience there and useful information read more here.

Day two

Second day, waking up and departing towards Petra! In 4 minutes we were in front of the entrance next to the museum. The size of the whole area is huge so get ready for a lot of walking, hiking and even climbing! Overall we stayed there for 9 hours and that is only beacuse we had to depart to the Wadi rum. Read all the information you need to explore Petra with a special map, times and prices in our Petra blog post. Lunch time at Beit Al Barakah and departure to Wadi Rum.

Extra Tip Before leaving the village, stop and enjoy the panoramic view of the area where the # ? Petra sigh is.

After a couple of hours driving and a fantastic ride full of used tires on the roadside, countless trucks, sandstorms and desert views we arrived at Wadi Rum Visitors Center where you have to get tickets and then enter the site either with a guide who you find on the spot or with your vehicle if you have arranged a local driver to be waiting inside for you. Having seen the prices (see below) and from personal experience we can tell you that prices are lower if you pre book eg. Via Internet, as we did, rather that get a guuide over there. Salem, was waiting for us, a Bedouin born in the village of Wadi Rum, owner of Bedouin tents for rent and organizer of experiences and hiking in the desert. We were tranferred to our tents (you cannot go on your own, either ways have to book a tour guide).

Jordan roadtrip petra

Day three

The night before, as well as the morning we experienced in the desert was a magic time for us! We had experienced a similar experience in the Monument Valley desert  in the country of Navajo but the scenery here was also truly unreal, like a storyline from Mars. Morning found us waking up with a flock of camels that were all around our tent!

Read all you need to know about entering, staying and organizing experiences at Wadi Rum here!

We spent half the day exploring the desert, climbing hills of sand, feeding camels, hiking in canyons, sipping tea with Bedouins and eating in the middle of nowhere, lunch!

We said goodbye to Salem and Wadi rum (we will definitely return there though) and started our trip to Amman. The route is just uncomparable as it includes villages, towns, deserts, fields, mountain, countless camels, solar parks and of course the Dead Sea on the Jordan side this time (the side of Israel has been explored on our previous journey). After about 5 hours a stop at the Dead Sea for a  quick dive we arrived in Amman (attention while driving).

Day four

Awakening in the capital of Jordan, Amman, and waiting for the friend and old classmate in Thessaloniki city, Sofian, who offered to meet and take us around in his city! Those of you who don’t have Sofian can easily move around with Uber, almost all routes cost about 1.5 dollars, while going to the airport depending on where you are, of course, will cost you about $20 (price from West Amman to the Alia airport). After seeing the points of interest that we outlined below our friend, transferred us to the airport for our departure.

Things to do in Amman

First of all, you cannot imagine how many hills this city has! For food and coffee visit Rainbow Street and Jabal Al Lweibdeh. Amman is the capital of Jordan, and its a quite modern and prosperous city!

Tourist attractions in Amman:

• King Abdullah Mosque
• Amman Citadel
• King Hussein Mosque
• Jordanian Museum
• The Royal Automobile Museum
• Jordan Archaeological Museum
• Jordan Museum of Popular traditions
• Jordan river  and baptism site (few miles from Amman)

How much does a trip to Jordan cost? Prices per person

• Air Tickets €10 Roundtrip
• Car Rental €70 (3 days)
• Food €30
• Accommodation €50 (3 days)
• Visa Jordan Pass 75 JOD
• Candle Show 17 JOD
• Souvenirs €5

Is it safe to travel to Jordan?

Having traveled to various countries that may not be considered as safe ones as others, and except the fact that special attention must be payed during driving (it has many roundabouts) we can confidently say that especially in tourist places there is no sense or even suspicion of fear. The residents are completely familiar with the tourists!

Jordan roadtrip petra

Transports in Jordan

For the transportation we rented a car but there are certainly other options such as public transportation or taxis or organized tours. You can find more information here, but for example taking a taxi from the airport to Petra costs over 80 dollars per vehicle.

Do you need a visa for Jordan?

Yes! The first option is to get a visa at the airport (40 jod) while the other option is to pre buy a Jordan pass with which you have free entry to various attractions including Petra, comes out in 3 editions and is issued online (does not replace the visa just comes out cheaper and waves your visa fees). For the Jordan Pass click here, and for the sights included click here!

If you enjoyed reading our blog posts and found our tips useful feel free to sunscribe to our monthly newsletter:

The post ROADTRIP IN JORDAN – A TRIP TO THE MIDDLE EAST appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

It is almost 7.45 in the morning, we are on time at the rendezvous point and we are already getting to know our fellow travelers and our tour guide, all  gathering together, full of excitement about the adventure that is about to begin. So, lets descend together through the Judean Desert below sea level to the lowest region on Earth…

israel dead sea lowest point on earth

Masada

First stop the Masada National Park! After we crossed the extraordinary landscape of Judean Desert having to our left the Dead Sea and on our right those wild mountains and rocks we arrived at the Museum of the National Park of Masada. The fun fact of the case is that in order to reach the fortress we had to get a cable car. Masada can be reached on the east via road 90 by cable car or the snake path, or on the west via Atad and the ramp path. We ascended Masada via the cable car and explored with our guide the ruins of King Herod’s palace and the fortified site which is a symbol of heroism in Jewish history and Israeli society.

israel dead sea lowest point on earth

It is very difficult to describe the incredible view that we got to see up there, it is something that one have to experience himself in order to feel the greatness of the place and imprint it in his mind. A multi-level fortress made for King Herod with many points of interest which we got to meet during the interesting guided tour. Find a few moments on your own to feel the breeze and the sun and enjoy a view beyond any imagination.

Make sure you have a hat with you because it has enough sun and the whole Masada is really huge to visit it al from side to side. Facing down rom the fortress you will see the snake trail the path that can lead you to the Masada but we left it for our next time there! You can try however the Masada Sunrise Ein Gedi and Dead Sea tour which arrives at Masada at sunrise so it is also ideal time for a hike (the descent takes about 30 minutes, the ascent exceeds one hour). The way down was again by getting the cable car offering us even more incredible views!

Ein Gedi

Second stop at the Oasis Nature Reserve Ein Gedi (Spring of the Kid (young goat) “). Leaving behind us the Masada we stop for a short hike to get to a real oasis! During the hike you will meet amazing little creatures and birds so keep an eye out! There are a lot of trails over there for the lovers of trekking (eg. Wadi David, the ancient synagogue rtc.)! After we passed two or maybe three small waterfalls we reached the point of Oasis Ein Gedi. Incomparable beauty and only the sound of water that falls so unique in the desert was heard… Sit on one of the rocks in order to enjoy the view and the momentum of the water, nourish yourself a bit and if you feel thirsty do not hesitate to drink some.

Dead Sea

Third Stop the Dead Sea! A sea with 24% more salt than the average sea water and you can understand that this is the main reason that it is very difficult for any organism to survive there. Its surface is located about 400 meters below the surface of the Mediterranean sea, which makes it the lowest point of surface on the mainland of the whole world! From the side of Israel you can see the mountains of Jordan, which is located on the other shore only a few miles away! Stopping on the banks of the Dead Sea includes two great adventures that you should definitely try! First one is to let yourself float in the salty water which because of salt won’t let you go easily down. The second one is the mud. It’s a lot of fun, grab some mud on your hands and spread it all over you! Be careful not to taste it though just float on the waters of the Dead Sea, and bathe in the muds.

On the way to the tour Masada, Ein Gedi, Dead Sea and More

On our way we had also the chance to see (time permitted):

• The Sea level instagrammable point
• The oldest and lowest city in the world, Jericho, and the mountain of Temptation
• The place where the Dead Sea manuscripts were found in Qumran

israel masada

The itinerary in a few lines:

• 06:30 – Pickup from Tel Aviv
• 07:45 – Pickup from Jerusalem
• 09:30 – Arrival to Masada. Ascend via the cable car and explore the site with a guided tour
• 11:45 – Ein Gedi. Hike in this beautiful nature reserve, a desert oasis, with guide
• 14:00 – Dead Sea. Enjoy floating in the waters and immersing in muds of this uniques place, the lowest on Earth. Free time for lunch
• 16:30 – Depart from the Dead Sea
• 17:30 – Arrival back in Jerusalem
• 18:30 – Arrival back in Tel Aviv
  NB – all timings are approximate

This was our adventurous experience in the desert of Judea in the south of Israel offered by Touristisrael. For more information about the tour we joined or other tours that you can try in Israel and not only, you can definetely trust Touristisrael. Our experience was really beautiful and fantastic at the same time. We hope that we manage to travel you to Israel through our day trip excursion and we are looking forward to seeing your adventures in Israel soon!

Thank you Touristisrael for the unforgettable experience!

The post MASADA, EIN GEDI, DEAD SEA AND MORE TOUR BY TOURISTISRAEL appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

From Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and even beyond, the emotions and images are alternating and vary a lot. Through this post we want to help and inspire every traveler who wishes to travel to Israel to do it right away and we do not intend to comment in anyways the situation regarding the Palaistine.

israel

Our travel schedule in general (For detailed information please visit our detailed posts)

Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv, a modern city with great technological achievements and high growth rates when it come s to economy terms, is a seaside town with its skyscrapers, modern areas for young people and a glimpse of the old town located at the old port. A beautiful city full of wonderful graffiti, countless shops, cafes and bars, with bicycles and electric skates and a well-groomed beach that fits perfectly in the urban profile of the city while respecting pedestrians, tourists and our little friends, pets. More information about Tel Aviv, places to eat and drink and points of interest can be found in our detailed post about Tel Aviv!

israel jerusalem

Jerusalem

Jerusalem is a city that is on the east side of Israel. It’s considered to be… The Mecca of Christianity! The Holy land for Christian believers! There lies the most important “symbol ” of Christianity, the Church of Holy Sepulcher. In the same city, however, there is a plethora of both Christian symbols of faith (Orthodox, Coptic and Catholic), Jewish and Islamic. All located at four quarters inside the old city of Jerusalem. That’s exactly what made us a positive impression in this place. The peaceful coexistence of so many heterogeneous elements of religious (generally of course the region has gone through a lot of conflicts). Visit our post about  Jerusalem to find out everything you need to know before your travel there.

bethlehem palestine

Bethlehem

Bethlehem is a small town located only 15 minutes from Jerusalem by car. It is known all over the world because it is the place where Jesus Christ was born at the Church of Nativity. Of course it has too many points of interest amd the most interesting fact is perhaps that Bethlehem is located in Palestinian territories… Crossing the borders of Palestine with a passport, of course, you enter another world and you cannot keep away any emotions when you see the wall that is built along the Palestinian territories by Israel. Read more in our post about Palestine and Bethlehem and the comments are all yours.

Masada Ein Gedi and Dead Sea
A one day excursion to one of the most beautiful natural landscapes we have ever seen! Check out our adventures in the area and find out how you can easily move there with Touristisrael.

Jericho

Jericho is also a city located on Palestinian territory. It is the oldest and lowest city in the world and its history begins in biblical times! There you can ascend to the mount of temptation via a telepherique (Jericho cable car, prebook your tickets coz its cgeaper). You can visit the cave swhere Christ lived for 40 days and nights. Enjoy the views.

Dead Sea

The Dead Sea, this extraordinary sea with the unbelievably salty water 24% more than the sea water, attracts millions of travelers. You’ve all seen the effects of awesome buoyancy and tourist photos floating comfortable on it! You’ve also all seen the smattering with mud! More information about the visit to the Dead Sea can be found in our relevant post.

Our itinerary in Israel

Day 1 – Jerusalem

Day 2 – Bethlehem – Jericho – Qumran-Galilee

6:00 Jerusalem-Bethlehem 30 minutes

6:30 Bethlehem (Palestine) – 1 hour there

• Church of the Cave of the Nativity
• Infant Cave (Herod)
• Shepherds Village
• Bethlehem-Qumran 1.30 Time – 1 hour there

7:30 Bethlehem-9:00 Jericho 1.30 time (lowest and oldest city in the world) 1.30 time there

• Cable car 16 Jericho cable cars to temptation mount-View Momonastery Deir al Kntl
• Hishams Palace

10.30 Jericho-12.30 Galilean – North Israel – Nazareth 2.3 Road (Palestinian road check)

30 Nazareth (Church of the Annunciation 20 minutes-12:50 departure
13:00 1 hour food Nazareth Mahroum (Knafe Sweets) – Alsheik (Eat) 14:00 departure
14:35-in the Desert Saints caves 20 minutes there 14:55 departure
15:40-Ascent Mount Tabor (Monastery on Mount) 20 minutes there 16:00 departure
16:50-Cana (Monastery of St. George)

17:30 Kapernaum (Capernaum Synagogue-Holy Apostles Monastery – Jesus healed the paralyzed) 15 minutes 17:45 Departure
Tiveriada (lake-Boat)-Lake Gennesaret Sea Gennesaret (we see it as we go Capernaum) departure
17:45 return Jerusalem 2.30 hours Road-20:15

3rd day Masada, Ein Gedi and Dead Sea by Touristisrael

• Read our detailed itinerary with Touristisrael 59 euro
• Masada 18.5 Euro
• Eni Gedi 7 Euro
• Dead Sea (included in 59 Euro Kalia beach entrance 8 Euro with umbrella and shower (get a newspaper for photography)

Day 4, Tel Aviv

• Avenue Rosfield-Nachlat pedestrian street or bike
• Carmel Market
• Jaffa Old Town-old Port
• Nevé Jedek
• Check out the amazing bars in the area

israel masada

The post THINGS TO DO AND 4 DAYS ITINERARY IN ISRAEL appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

The Dead Sea first of all is very very salty, its salt exceeds 24% of the salt of a normal sea. With this level of salt, therefore, it is particularly difficult for organisms and plants to survive over there. Other than that there are some further interesting facts about Dead sea! Lets find them out!

dead sea

The Dead Sea:

• It’s a lake.
• Its the lowest place on earth.
• It is Surrounded by Israel, Jordan and Palestine.
• It Is a natural border between Israel and Jordan.
• It has 24-30% more salt than the Mediterranean sea.
• Its width is relatively small, so from one bank you can see the borders of the country beyond.
• Each year it is reduced by 1 metre.
• Because of the salt presents great buoyancy that keeps the body high on its surface.
• It’s full of black mud, perfect for a mud bath!
• It Has private beaches with showers, changing rooms, food and drinks and you pay an entrance of about €8 to enter the facilities.
• There are points that you can approach byyourself the sea but they are not easily accessible.
• From the side of Israel just drive along the banks and as soon as you find a local taking his bath, park your car and take a bath. On the Jordan side find the correct coordinates that will lead you to the sea and enjoy your bath byyourself.
• On summer months it gets especially warm and therefore it is not so enjoyable.
• If you visit it by yourself take with you plenty of water because… theres so much salt that you ll get to pain without washing your body after taking a bath.
• The taste it… cannot be described, but its aweful!
• Two are the must do for those who visit the Dead sea. One is to take a picture while floating and holding a newspaper. And the second one is to enjoy a mud-bath! Dont forget to bring your swimming suit and a towel!

You Reach the banks of the Dead Sea either by car or by an organized tour like the one we chose, Masada, Ein Gedi and Dead Sea by Touristisrael! On the Israeli side, right on the last turn before the beach you will see an entire village full of abandoned buildings which are full of creative graffiti. It Is an old army camp which has been transformed into a unique space of expression and creation.

The post DEAD SEA AND INTRESTING FACTS YOU DIDN’T KNOW appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.