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Israel and Jordan Tours & Trips

Explore our diverse offer of tour packages that will take you to new places echoing with thousands of years of history. From the panoramic views over the City of Jerusalem to the unique scenery of the beaches located by the Dead Sea, our tours will reveal these beautiful places. Pick here on of our Jordan and Israel adventures .

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249 israel and jordan tour packages with 1,794 reviews.

• In-depth Cultural
• Christmas & New Year

Best of Holy Land Israel & Jordan and Egypt Tour with Nile Cruise - 17 Days

Overall it was a great experience. Minor hiccups like terrible hotel like Seanet and we had a blood sucking tour guide during the cruise on the river nile. All he wanted was to try to rush through the itenaries as quickly as possible and wanted us to do other optional tours so he can make more money. Some of the itenaries were missed because he said they were extras and we needed to pay for them. He even asked at the beginning of the cruise whether we were responsible to pay for the entry fees for the sites we were visiting. Not impressed with him. However, from tel aviv to Jordan to Cairo Egypt the guides were great and professional and courteous. Airport transfers and pick-ups were great. Overall it was a wonderful trip. No regret. Thank you!

• Sightseeing

Highlights of Israel and Jordan - 11 days

Guys just book this go you will absolutely love it. The guide was better than you could ever hope for. The tour was great we saw and learned so much more than they can fit in the description. Food ranged from good to great. Hotels were great except I’d recommend you upgrade your nights in Tel Aviv. Also recommend staying for an extra day or two in the city at the end to explore. The whole trip was beyond expectations and we return home feeling very thankful.

• Coach / Bus

Israel, Jordan and Egypt 10 days

Great trip! All the logistics were planned very well. Be aware that all the tours require a stop at a "preferred" gift shop and restaurant, but otherwise, it was a fantastic experience.

Israel and Jordan ( 13 days )

Having 2 guides on one tour bus is not a good thing

11 Days Highlights of Israel and Jordan (Multi country)

I had a really good time. It was a very interesting trip and local people treated us very well.

Israel, Jordan and Petra 9-Day Adventure

My husband and I really enjoyed the Israel, Petra & Wadi Rum 9 Day Adventure tour, and felt that for what was included it was good value for money. The tour was very interesting, with a diverse mix of different activities. Our highlights were the Kibbutz tour and Petra. The guides were enthusiastic, friendly, informative and all spoke very good English. Prior to departure the communication with Abraham Tours was excellent; they always responded to my questions very quickly. Everything on the tour ran on time or very close to on time (quite impressive given the traffic in the cities!), and there was a good balance of tour activities and time to do your own thing. The food was mostly good, even for a vegetarian. The tour was actually a collection of other tours, so we were with different people each day, but as long as you check the itinerary to know what you're doing the next day, this arrangement works fine. There were a few minor issues, such as no opportunity to get dinner on the way back from Jordan, the driving tour of Amman actually really just being a few sentences from the guide as we drove through Amman, and being given incorrect information about whether our passports would be stamped on entry into Jordan (we were told they wouldn't be but they were, which could be an issue if you want to travel to other Arab countries in future). Also, nobody's fault but the hostels were very noisy (both traffic noise and noise from other guests) and we didn't sleep very well - there are other companies who provide accommodation in hotels for a higher price and this might suit some people better. However, overall we would definitely recommend Abraham Tours.

Road to Jerusalem - 11 days

Wonderful tour - the guides were fantastic

Best of Israel & Jordan

the tour is organized well, all the customer service is excellent. Only thing I wish the tour should offer is the hotel upgrade option. The hotels during the trip are mediocre, I don't mind to pay extra for the upgrade. But the option is not offered. This could be a major concern to book future trip.

Israel, Jordan and Egypt with Nile Cruise 12 days

Traveled to Israel, Jordan and Egypt and got to experience its history, ruins, culture, and food. It was a great lifetime experience! Saw all the sights, met great people, and felt safe as a mother and daughter pair who traveled alone. Thank you

Journey Through the Holy Land with Jordan - Faith-Based Travel

Our guide for Jordan Tour, Suhaib was fantastic! - he was very organised and knowledgeable. Everybody loves him.

Holy Land Discovery with Jordan - Faith-Based Travel - Catholic Itinerary

The tour was excellent in scope. Our Tour Guide Samir is the best I have ever had!!!! In retrospect and talking with fellow tour members I would have done thing differently if I had direct contact with either Tourradar and Cosmos. I.e plane arrangemets and trip modifications. Mike Steven

Biblical Israel with Jordan - Faith-Based Travel - Protestant Itinerary

I enjoyed the tour very much. The guide was very knowledgeable of places we seen and toured. We asked questions and he answered very intelligently.

Israel, Jordan and Cairo ( 15 days )

Highlights of Israel & Jordan - 11 days

Beautiful itinerary, good accommodation and good meals. Competent tour guides. Perhaps lunches stops in Israel could have been planned better.

Holy Land and Jordan - Group Tour

Just finished one of my beautiful memorable a week long journey through the hidden gem of Middle East Jordan with Trip500. Didnt know any other sight than Patra so each day there were surprises for me. Wadi e Rum, Karak, Citadel, Mount Nebu, Baptism Site other places from north to south .... I dont think much world knows about were great to visit n see. Moreover, middle in the areas of wars and conflicts, always the most peaceful and safe country to visit without any hesitation. From first day's airport pick up to last day's airport drop off, every aspect of the trip was perfectly managed. The guide (Maalik) provided to our group was simply amazing ... his trip planning, execution , time management , sight/history briefing etc were fantastic. Food was amazing ????? I highly recommend Trip500 for anyone looking to explore Jordan. Their expertise and attention to details for creating memorable journeys reflects through every aspect of their service.

What people love about Israel And Jordan Tours

My wife and I went on a 17-day tour of Israel, Jordan, and Egypt. The tour was well orchestrated. All the details of getting into and out of countries were handled professionally and with little cause of concern to us. Hand-offs between countries went well. We were guided by knowledgable people who had our best interests at heart (with possibly one exception).The only real complaint I have is that TourRadar turned out to be more of a facilitator than a tour agency with its own guides. I was confused when we got to Israel and found that neither TourRadar nor Click Tours (which answered my online questions) was the agency actually leading the tours. Not knowing that we would be connecting with Consolidated Tour Operators (CTO) led to some initial confusion in the Tel Aviv airport. Expecting to be linked up with Click Tours and knowing nothing about CTO, we missed connecting with the airport facilitator in Tel Aviv for nearly an hour while each of tried to find the other. If I had been told to look for a CTO representative, our stressful introduction to the tour would have gone much more smoothly. In Israel and Jordan, CTO handled our tour. In Egypt, the agency was Sylvia. I had expected to be part of a group that held together for the entire 17 days, but that wasn't the case. Groups formed and disbanded based on what individuals planned to visit. In Israel there were 11 of us, and we bonded quickly. In Jordan I was surprised that our group dwindled to five. And in Egypt there was only my wife and me. That left us vulnerable in Egypt to the care of our guide, who, because there was just the two of us, managed to fleece us of $150. I would never have signed up with TourRadar if I had understood that my wife and I would be left alone at one point without the safety of a group and unprepared to deal with a guide we didn't fully trust.

The tour part was fantastic and would recommend it for sure. Please drop the Sea Net from your list of Hotels. The rooms are ok but small. The real problem is with service and the meals. Not even a 1 star for breakfast. Bread out but no butter. No coffee just water and really watered down juice.

What a great trip every thing went brilliant, thank you

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An Amazing 7-Day Israel & Jordan Trip Itinerary

This was TRULY a trip of a lifetime.

The week I spent in Israel and Jordan blew my mind in so many ways.  But planning the trip also took a ton of work—figuring out where we wanted to visit, narrowing down based on feasibility, figuring out the logistics of holiday closures, and trying to pack everything in.

So if you’re looking to visit this amazing part of the world, I’ve done the legwork for you and laid out all the info you need to know to plan the best 7-day Israel and Jordan itinerary.

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How this post is laid out:

• General tips for planning a trip in Israel & Jordan
• What you need to know before planning a trip to Israel
• What you need to know before planning a trip to Jordan
• Overview itinerary for one week in Israel and Jordan
• Northern Israel
• Tel Aviv & Old Jaffa
• Driving the Negev Desert
• Wadi Rum Desert
• The Lost City of Petra
• Masada, En Gedi, & the Dead Sea

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How to plan a trip to Israel & Jordan

While traveling in this area of the world is incredibly rewarding, there are some logistical and cultural things you should be aware of that will help you get the best itinerary.

For instance, our trip planning was complicated by the fact that we’d not only be in Israel over a sabbath, but also over Independence Day (May 1) and I really wanted to do Petra by Night (which only runs 3 days a week), so there were lots of logistical considerations—what would be open on the national holiday, if public transportation would be available, etc.

I had a lot of help from my friends Steven and Danielle, who were living in Tel Aviv at the time.  TripAdvisor was super helpful as well, and I read a ton of different blog posts.  Make sure you check calendars for Jewish holy days, national holidays, and (especially in Jordan), Muslim holy days as well.

Ensure you read up on various cultural aspects, including hospitality, eye contact, greetings, gender dynamics, religion differences, and more.  This is true of pretty much anywhere you visit, but I’ve found particularly critical in the Middle East.

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What you need to know before visiting Israel

Israel is a country that’s only the size of the state of New Jersey in the United States.  I don’t know a good comparison for Europeans, but it’s basically only a little bigger than Sicily.

But despite its small size, it is absolutely fascinating—boasting thousands of years of history and culture, as well as one of the most tech- and entrepreneur-focused modern countries.  And the great thing about its size is that you can see and do SO much in a short time.

• From the U.S. you don’t need a visa (current as of 2019)
• They don’t stamp your passport when you fly in and out of Israel anymore, but instead give you a paper that you need to keep in your passport that functions as your entrance stamp.  DO NOT LOSE THIS!!!
• However, if you cross the border into Jordan (or, I assume, any other countries) by foot or bus you will get a Jordanian stamp at the border (and sometimes the Israeli side will stamp too), so it’s easy for any other countries to know you were in Israel.  If this is an issue for you, like if you plan to travel to lots of different Middle Eastern countries (who can be jerks and refuse entry to someone who’s previously visited Israel), you should plan to only fly in and out of Israel.
• If you do happen to end up with a long security interview, stay calm and just say as little as possible.  Answer the questions simply and don’t feel bad playing “dumb tourist”.  They’re not hard questions…things like why you’re visiting, if you know anyone in Israel, if you speak Hebrew, etc.  But a good (life) rule is just to answer briefly and not offer up tons of extra information.
• You can pay with a credit card almost everywhere , and certainly in most hostels and hotels.  It’s still good to have cash though, and ATMs are widely available; be aware that some of them (especially those in stores) charge a commission of up to 7 shekels.  It happened to me once that the ATM only took Mastercards (and my bank card is a Visa).
• An easy way to get to and from the Tel Aviv airport (which is basically halfway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem) is the Nesher Shuttle , which runs 24/7 every day of the year except Yom Kippur.  These are 10-seater vans or minibuses, and they will drop you off at your hotel (or outside the Old City in Jerusalem, since no vehicles are allowed in).  You can get the shuttle from the airport easily, and then your hotels can help you book the shuttle back to the airport.  I believe it’s about 64 NIS or around $20 USD (at the time we went).  Think of this kind of like Uber Pool, so they’ll be picking up and dropping off several people, which will add a bit of time to your ride.
• There are bus options as well, and of course you could take a taxi (about $40 USD to Tel Aviv).  If you’re taking a taxi from the airport, make sure you go to the official taxi line and don’t go with anyone who just approaches you in or outside the airport.
• If you’re going anywhere except Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, you definitely should consider renting a car in Israel.

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What you need to know before visiting Jordan

Jordan’s rose-colored deserts, undulating and cave-ridden cliffs, black starry nights, and hot, sweet tea captivated me.  From the quiet hospitality of the Bedouins to sandboarding down desert dunes to staring at the intricate carvings of Petra, this country is absolutely amazing!

• It’s a cash economy!   There’s an ATM in Aqaba, so the first thing we did was ask the taxi driver to take us to the ATM (it’s in his best interest, since that’s how he’ll get paid).  You might get lucky and get your credit card to work somewhere, but you should assume that you’ll have to use cash for everything—housing, tours, Petra tickets, taxi, bus, food.  Use an ATM any time you find one!
• If you get into or out of Jordan by a land border, you will get a stamp in your passport , any other Middle Eastern country can easily tell you’ve been in Israel.  If that’s a major concern, you may want to fly in and out.  Also, make sure your passport is at least 6 months from expiring.
• To get your visa in Jordan, you don’t need to do anything special.  You just buy it in a special window at the airport or when crossing the border by land.  It costs 40 JOD (about $60 USD) if you’ll be there less than 4 nights, or 10 JOD if you’re there longer.
• Additionally, there are exit taxes both when going from Israel to Jordan (about $25 per person) and also from Jordan back to Israel (about $15 per person).
• If you’re visiting Petra, make sure to keep your ticket and get your manifest (the paper they give you at the border) stamped; this will affect your exit fee when heading back to Israel.
• Taxis and buses are the two best ways to get around the Petra and Wadi Rum area.  There are buses that go from the border to both Petra and Wadi Rum, and between the two as well.  However, you will need a taxi to get to the bus station from the border, so in my opinion unless you are on a crazy tight budget, just spring for the taxi from the border to either Petra or Wadi Rum—so much simpler.
• We took the bus from Wadi Rum to Petra, it runs around 8:30am (there are probably a couple others too).  This is a squishy time, not concrete, and it is quite cheap.  But the bus ride took longer than I’d been led to believe, and honestly I think a taxi would have been simpler.  It’s a fine option though.
• The Bedouin culture is more conservative in clothing than what many of us are used to, so you should be respectful in clothing choices.  I wore loose and breathable hiking cropped pants and a loose v-neck t-shirt in Wadi Rum, and swapped out the pants for yoga pants in Petra.  See my detailed packing list here.
• Is Jordan safe?  Short answer, I’d say yes.  I provide more info on that and more in this post .
• That said, Jordan is a male-dominated culture , and if you are a woman traveling with a man (or even by yourself), it will be common for men to avoid eye contact with you and address the man you’re with even if you asked the question or made the plans.  This happened a lot with me and my dad, and while it was disconcerting, it was never hostile or anything—just a cultural difference.  Everyone also thought my dad and I were married, which was also super weird for me.
• Alcohol is only available in Western hotels and is heavily taxed, as Muslim culture prohibits alcohol; a beer will set you back quite a bit, so just have appropriate expectations in Jordan.

Want to know all my inside trip planning tips?    Download my e-book  here!

For renting a car, I always search in a few different places and compare both the prices and specific offerings/benefits.  My go-to’s are  DiscoverCars ,  RentalCars.com , and  AutoEurope as well.

A perfect 7-day Israel and Jordan itinerary

The biggest consideration is whether to rent a car in Israel, and unless you have friends willing to drive you around I’d strongly consider it.  Within Tel Aviv and Jerusalem themselves, relying on taxis and public transportation makes perfect sense.

And you could fly from Tel Aviv down to Eilat for the Jordan portion of the itinerary.  You could also join group tours for seeing Northern Israel and the Negev Desert.  You will just give up a lot of autonomy and won’t be able to stop everywhere you want.

• Day 1:   (arrival night before)  Northern Israel …Caesarea, Tel-Megiddo, Sea of Galilee, & Akko
• Day 2:  Tel Aviv & Old Jaffa , then Negev Desert (including Tel-Beersheba, Mitzpe Ramon)
• Day 3:   desert adventures & sleeping in a Bedouin camp in  Wadi Rum , Jordan
• Day 4:   exploring the amazing Lost City of Petra , Jordan
• Day 5:   driving back up to Jerusalem
• Day 6:   a full day wandering through Jerusalem’s Old City
• Day 7:  a   tour including sunrise hike up Masada , En-Gedi, & the Dead Sea; fly out in afternoon

Driving within most of Israel is super easy, with great highway infrastructure and easy to read signage.  You can’t take rental cars into parts of the West Bank, or across any country borders, but otherwise you’re golden.

Where we stayed

We stayed at the Abraham Hostel Tel Aviv  while there, and the Abraham Hostel Jerusalem as well, in private double rooms.  They have a a good continental breakfast and the Tel Aviv one at least has a cool bar in it too.  And they run lots of city tours as well, with discounts for people that stay at the hostel (we took the Masada, En Gedi, and Dead Sea tour).

On our quick overnight in Eilat , we stayed at Cactus B&B .  In Wadi Rum we booked with Bedouin Directions , and spent the entire day in the desert doing a jeep tour with them, followed by a night in the Bedouin camp.  In Wadi Musa (where Petra is), we stayed in Sharah Mountains Hotel and it was great.

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My dad and I flew Turkish Airlines, which I’ve always found to be super comfortable.  We took advantage of a long layover in Istanbul on the way back to get out and see Istanbul a bit (one of my fave cities!).

We arrived in Tel Aviv in the evening, and my friends Steven and Danielle picked us up.  Getting through customs at the Tel Aviv airport was pretty smooth, though we ended up waiting in line for a bit.

Overall our customs and security experiences weren’t bad at all, but you need to be ready for anything at the Tel Aviv airport since security can be quite intense at times.

Day 1:  Northern Israel

Caesarea, tel-megiddo, sea of galilee, & akko.

Our 7-day Israel and Jordan itinerary had us starting in northern Israel.  We were up early the morning after arriving, and on the road with my friend Steven.  After a quick stop in Netanya (an enclave of French emigré Jews) for delicious French pastries, we arrived in Caesarea Maritima.

This port city dates back to the 500s BCE originally, and was a major port and vacation home for Herod the Great.  The sea views from the hippodrome are particularly primo.

You can read more about our trip through Northern Israel here!

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After Caesarea, we headed inland to the famous biblical tel of Megiddo.  A.k.a. Har-Megiddo or the Armageddon spoken of in the bible.  A “tel” is just an archaeological mound, and while there are over 200 tels in Israel, only 3 of them have been officially designated as biblical tels.  So Megiddo is kind of a big deal.

It was in ancient times as well.  Overlooking the Jezreel Valley, the city was strategically important for millennia since it sat at the crossroads of major trading routes.

It saw a LOT of war over the centuries (even as recently as WWI), and there are close to 30 different layers of civilizations piled on top of each other to make the mound.

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After Megiddo, we stopped for a stroll and delicious street food shawarma lunch in the resort town of Tiberias, right on the Sea of Galilee.  Then we did some exploration in the Galilee area.

Famous for being the center of much of Jesus of Nazareth’s ministry, this whole area is a mecca for Christian tourists.  Seriously, busloads of them.  I’m happy to have been here and seen some of these sites, but many of them feel too manufactured for me.

Capernaum is definitely interesting, though.  It’s where many believe the Jesus lived much of his adult life (and where Peter was from), and also is one of the three cities He famously pronounced “woes” on in the bible (the other two were Chorazin and Bethsaida).

It’s got a lot of black basalt rock that makes the building ruins quite striking.  Once you’ve had your fill of the ruins, you can go down and chill by the Sea of Galilee for a bit if you’d like.

Fun fact:  the Sea of Galilee is the lowest freshwater lake on earth, and the second-lowest lake in the world (after Dead Sea)

To round out our little tour of the “Jesus Trail”, we visited the supposed Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus gave His famous Sermon on the Mount (you know, “blessed are the meek” and all that).  I was not a fan of the Mount of Beatitudes, which is just a tourist destination, though it does have some lovely landscaped gardens.

Nothing much historical here from what I could see though.  However, I was oddly fascinated by this cinderblock church.  It’s just…very eye-catching.

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After leaving the Sea of Galilee area, we continued on to Akko (also called Accra, Acre, etc.).  It’s one of the oldest continuously-inhabited sites in Israel (which is saying something!), with a rich history ranging from ancient seafarers to Romans to Crusaders.

It’s also an Arab-majority city.  We walked around the famous market, which was fairly quiet since it was late on a Friday (a holy day for Muslims and preparation day for the sabbath for Jews).

We had a lovely dinner of different dips and salads, and then when we walked outside after dinner were greeted by one of the most magical sunsets I’ve ever seen.

With only one week in Israel and Jordan, I did have to make some tough choices on what we could and couldn’t see.  Three of the things that fell off the list were Rosh Hanikra, Haifa and Mount Carmel, and the Golan Heights.

But on our way home we stopped for a just few minutes in Haifa to see the Baha’i Gardens lit up at night.  They’re definitely spectacular, so if you have time to visit them within your itinerary I’d recommend it.  It was a late night for us since we’d crammed a lot into our day, but completely doable and worth it.  Read this post for more details on our Northern Israel route and each of our stops.

A few specific route notes on this day:

• This assumes you’re coming from Tel Aviv, but if you’re coming from Jerusalem you won’t be able to accomplish quite as much (shave an hour or more off your exploration time) since it’s a longer drive.
• You also could visit Haifa instead of Akko if you’d rather explore the Shrine of the Bab, Baha’i Gardens, and Mount Carmel.
• If you have a second day to spend in this area, there is a lot more around the Sea of Galilee and you could get up to the white cliffs of Rosh Hanikra (I was bummed to miss this!), as well as Golan Heights (which as wineries).

Day 2:  Tel Aviv & Old Jaffa, Negev Desert

One of my only regrets about this trip itinerary—because it was mostly amazing—is that we didn’t spend enough time actually exploring Tel Aviv.  I used it as a base for a couple nights, but we only actually spent a morning walking around the city.

And it deserved more, because Tel Aviv is AWESOME.  You can read more about what to love about Tel Aviv in this post .

One of the big draws is the beautiful Mediterranean beach.  It’s the most beautiful, totally natural beach I’ve seen in a major city.  If you walk up to the path that runs down the coast, you can look to the right and see the very modern city of Tel Aviv, and to the left the ancient port of Old Jaffa.  It’s truly a fascinating juxtaposition.

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As a bit of background, Tel Aviv is a very modern city, only founded in the early 1900s.  But next-door and now included is Jaffa (also Yafo, Joppa, etc.), one of the oldest functioning ports in the world.

Because it’s such a strategic natural port, it’s been controlled by everyone and their dog over the millennia…from the Canaanites to the Egyptians, Philistines, Assyrians, Israelites, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and soooo many more.

Napoleon even conquered it before the British seized control in 1917.  This port got around.  Which means it is steeped in history.

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We were there on a Saturday morning (sabbath), but Tel Aviv is pretty secular and so while many businesses were closed, that meant that the locals were out and about.

The city was ALIVE…not the sleepy weekend morning I’m used to in European cities.  My dad and I grabbed coffee and pastries and just walked around, savoring the hot sun, gorgeous water, quirky street art, and vibrant culture of Tel Aviv.

Then we headed into Old Jaffa to explore the maze-like narrow streets and alleys.  A stop at the famous Abulafia bakery was in order as well, where we grabbed some savory stuffed pastries for lunch, which we enjoyed back on the waterfront.

I was bummed we didn’t have more time to spend in Tel Aviv and Jaffa, but we had to meet up with Steven and his wife Danielle and head south.

Our final destination of the day was Eilat, since my dad and I were headed over the border into Jordan the next day, but our afternoon drive was taking us through a few key stops in the Negev Desert.  You can get a much more detailed rundown of our Negev Desert stops in this post ).

Prepare for fifty shades of tan…

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Our first stop was the second of the three biblical tels, Tel-Beersheba.  The wells from which it gets its name ( be’er means “well”) are mentioned several times in the early books of the bible.  This is definitely worth a quick stop on your road trip.

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Sde Boker (pronounced shuh-de boquer ) was our next stop, famous as the home and final resting place of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister.

Ben-Gurion was passionate about the need to have people settle in the Negev Desert, and led by example—after he was no longer the prime minister, he moved here permanently and was a fully-participating member of the kibbutz.

The paths through here are super peaceful and provide a lovely respite from the heat.  The stark, harsh desert you can see behind us in the picture is Ein Avdat, which has a lot of well-known hiking trails (but bring water!!!).

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Finally just 30 minutes down the road, we stopped at Mitzpe Ramon (or Makhtesh Ramon).

The Ramon Crater is the world’s largest erosion crater (meaning it’s not made from impact or a volcano), and it truly looks like you’re on Mars or something.  It’s 40 km long (about 25 miles), anywhere from 2 to 10 km wide, and about 500 meters (~ a third of a mile) deep.  It’s INSANELY MASSIVE.

You’ll see all kinds of different colors and textures in the crater…lots of shades of tan and red, with some black as well from stripes of basalt.  We saw several ibex both in front of the visitor’s center as well as roaming through the crater.  This guy went all Lion King on us…

From here it’s quite a long haul down to Eilat (close to 2 hours), with not a lot to do or see (plus, we were running short on time).  There are a few tips on entrance fees and such at the bottom of this post .

Day 3:  Wadi Rum, Jordan

In our entire one week in Israel and Jordan, the Jordan part was one of the most exciting!!!  The next morning we got up early and Steven drove us to the border.  It’s only about five minutes, but you’d need to either take a cab or have your own car, it’s not really something you’d walk from the main part of Eilat.

We went through all the different security checks and walked across the border into Jordan.  We waited in the parking lot for our taxi driver to arrive, then he drove us about an hour to the village of Wadi Rum.

We had booked a full-day jeep tour of the Wadi Rum desert, followed by sleeping in a Bedouin camp.  I’ll highlight a few of my favorite pics and some of the big stops below, but you can read tons more about our experience in Wadi Rum in this post .

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Wadi Rum is a protected desert wilderness in southern Jordan.  It often looks like you’re on another planet, but you also feel the weight of millennia of history here.  Sitting on a cliff overlooking the red sand, I kind of felt like Moses and the Israelites would wander around the corner at any moment.

Our first stop of the morning was at the Lawrence Spring, where we scrambled up a big cliff for a great view of the valley.  We refreshed ourselves with the omnipresent hot sweet tea that you’ll find all over the Middle East, and then tried our hands at sandboarding on the dunes.

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Throughout the day we explored canyons, examined ancient Nabatean carvings in the rock, climbed up giant rock arches, posed in front of the Mushroom Rock, and enjoyed various views of this otherworldly landscape.

Throughout the day, our guide, Mohammed, told us about the history of the area and the Bedouin people who still live here.

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After watching the sun fade over the red sand, Mohammed took us to the camp, which was tucked between several cliffs to avoid the desert wind.

We enjoyed a traditional dinner—cooked over coals under the sand all day—and then watched the sun come up while enjoying halva, bread and honey, and tea for breakfast.

This guy says “heeeeyyyyyy”…

Our time in Wadi Rum was absolutely amazing, and if you’re planning to spend any time in Jordan at all then it HAS to be on your itinerary.  It’s easy to get to from the Eilat/Aqaba border, and even just one day out in the desert will blow your mind.

We booked with Bedouin Directions , and had a great time with them so I’d highly recommend—you can find out more about costs and details in my post about Wadi Rum .  If you have the time, one other thing I’d recommend is doing a sunrise hot air balloon ride!

Day 4:  The Lost City of Petra

But alas, we didn’t have the time for hot air ballooning because we had to catch the 9:00(ish) morning bus from Wadi Rum over to Petra.  The bus ride took a little longer than I’d been led to believe, but we got into Wadi Musa and found our hotel, then it was probably around 1:00pm by the time we made it down to Petra’s entrance.

The Lost City of Petra is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, and has been at the top of my bucket list since I was a teenager, so I was BEYOND excited at the prospect of visiting.  It’s honestly challenging to truly convey how I felt there after years of poring over pictures.

As you walk through the undulating walls of the Siq, you can picture the caravans of spice traders who did exactly the same thing a couple millennia ago.  And as you round the corner and capture your first glimpse of the famous Treasury, you’ll be in awe of the size and detail of the carved facade.

And that’s just the beginning…what I have below will just whet your appetite, but you can read more in my ultimate first-timer’s guide to Petra .

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The thing is, though, the Treasury is just the first carved building you come to.  There is an unbelievable amount more to see and do there.

My dad and I were only there for half a day, and did as much as we could.  But you could easily spend a few days, or even a week if you wanted to really explore the whole area.

We walked through the Street of Facades and then tried to climb to the High Place of Sacrifice (though didn’t make it all the way due to time), then grabbed some hot fresh falafels and made a game plan.

The afternoon was getting away from us, and I *really* wanted to see the Monastery, but my dad’s hip was killing him.  So we ended up giving in to some mule wranglers who’d been hounding us and riding mules up to the Monastery.

They are so incredibly sure-footed, it’s amazing!  I have some mixed feelings about the animal situation at Petra overall though, which I talk about in more length in my Petra post .

Because it was so late in the day, we had the Monastery all to ourselves.  It’s maybe even more impressive than the Treasury, and we were blessed with like 10 minutes of blue skies right when we were here—the rest of the day was overcast, so this was a huge photo win!

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Finally we had to get back to the entrance quickly for closing time.  I have a bunch more super helpful tips in my detailed post, but one of the most important things to know is that if you wait until right at closing time, you’ll have the Treasury to yourself and can get good pics without all the crowds!

Also, if you’re planning to attend Petra by Night, you can actually stay in the park while they set up.  This allows you to get some good pics before everyone arrives (though not sure how you’d get the Siq lantern photos, but still…).

I came back for Petra by Night on my own, trying to hang back and let everyone go through so I could take long exposure photos of the mystical glowing lights.

I wasn’t sure whether I’d love it or just find it way too touristy and cheesy…ultimately, I could overlook the crowds and “herding” and found the experience to be really lovely.  And I got a couple of pics that I’m super excited by!

You can see more about the Petra by Night experience in this post .  They only offer it three nights a week, so make sure you plan ahead if it’s something you’re wanting to do.

So that ended our two-day jaunt into Jordan.  If we’d had more than one week in Israel and Jordan I wish we could have explored this large and fascinating country more, but even with two days we had an amazing time and I would definitely advise someone planning a trip that it can be done and be valuable with only a couple days.  You just really have to have your logistics down.

To get from Petra back to the Eilat border, a taxi made the most sense vs. trying to take the bus.  So we did that and then met back up with Steven and Danielle to head up to Jerusalem.

Day 5:  Travel

We made it back through security at the border, which took just a bit longer to get through than it had entering Jordan (though still not too bad).

Then we spent the day driving back up through the Negev Desert with Jerusalem as our final destination.  Steven took a slightly different route so we’d see new landscape.  This way took us along the Dead Sea, which was really stark and pretty with the sun on it.

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We also stopped at a well-known creamery for some awesome ice cream, and caught a glimpse of the Qumran Caves from the road.

The Qumran Caves are where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, the earliest manuscripts of various biblical texts.  I believe you can visit the caves if you want, but we both didn’t have time and it happened to be a national holiday.

We arrived in Jerusalem and got checked into our hotel, and then ended up at the Israel Museum right around sunset.  I’m definitely NOT a museum person, but it was Independence Day so the museum was free and our friends really wanted to go.

I will say that the Israel Museum is massive and really good, and is worth a visit if you’re interested in the history there.  It contains some of the Dead Sea Scrolls as well, and the Shrine of the Book (which contains them, this big white clay pot structure) is really beautiful at sunset.

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We finished our night at the Shuk, or Mahane Yehuda Market, for dinner.  More on that in a minute, because that place is AWESOME.

In Jerusalem we based ourselves at the Abraham Hostel (in a private double room), and stayed at the Tel Aviv version as well.  It was clean but basic, and offered a good breakfast spread as well as a bar at night.

Day 6:  Jerusalem

It’s a tall order to make the most of just one day in Jerusalem, given that literally thousands of years of history originate from this one spot.  But we got up early, caffeinated, and had a game plan.

You can read TONS more about our one day in Jerusalem , including the Old City, Temple Mount, Mount of Olives, all the historic gates, and amazing Shuk market here .

We entered into the Old City through the Jaffa Gate, and overall make sure you visit several of Jerusalem’s historic gates, set inside the old walls.  Many of them have really awesome history, both old and newer.

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Our first stop of the morning was the Temple Mount, which includes the Western Wall (a.k.a. Wailing Wall or Kotel) and the Dome of the Rock.

These are two of the most holy sites in Judaism and Islam, respectively, and has made this one little hill hotly contested for centuries.  It’s one of the last visible remaining pieces of the Jewish temple that the Romans destroyed in 70 A.D.

We went through security quickly since the lines weren’t long and were able to step up to the famous, sacred wall.  However, this varies by day, and if there’s been a security incident it can get shut down at a moment’s notice.

The wall is split by gender, and men will be given a kippah (head covering) if they don’t bring their own, while women’s shoulders and chests must be covered.

From the Western Wall we continued over to the Dome of the Rock, which is dazzling.  First you’ll see the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the fountain where worshipers can wash themselves.  The mosque itself is very plain looking outside next to the Dome of the Rock, and non-Muslims cannot enter.

It’s the Dome of the Rock itself that draws the eye on this part of the Temple Mount.  The blues, greens, and yellows on the intricately-patterned tiles are so vivid, and the gold-covered dome is super bright on a sunny day.

For Muslims, the rock is where Muhammad ascended to heaven, making it the third holiest site for Muslims.  For Jews, it is The Foundation Stone (among other things) of the temple and the Holy of Holies, and the holiest site in Judaism.  You can read lots more on the background of the Temple Mount and tips for visiting in this post .

We left the Temple Mount and then exited the Old City through the Lion’s Gate.  From there we easily got a taxi up to the Mount of Olives, which has a dope view of the Old City and Dome of the Rock.  This is the iconic Jerusalem view, and is a can’t-miss.

There are a number of sites you can stop at on your way down the Mount of Olives.  We made a brief stop at the Tomb of Three Prophets, thought to contain the tombs of the 6th-5th century BCE biblical prophets Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi (as well as some of their followers).  And we stopped into the supposed Garden of Gethsemene, where Jesus prayed before His arrest and crucifixion.

We continued to explore the Old City, stopping for a delicious Palestinian lunch in the Arab Quarter.

Jerusalem’s Old City is divided into four quarters—Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Armenian.  Each has its own ambiance and tons of history, and all of this is crammed into only about 1 square kilometer.

Just wandering around is one of the best things you can do.  We also stopped by the nearby Church of the Redeemer to climb the tower for a great less-known view of the city.

Wandering the narrow streets and alleys of the Old City is special during the heat of the day, when the city is hustling around you.

But it’s also super special as the sun sets and the streets quiet, with the shopkeepers closing up for the night and everyone headed home.  We went to the Austrian Hospice for a lovely glass of wine with a view, and then wandered the streets a bit more as the light faded.

And then we headed back to one of my favorite spots—Mahane Yehuda Market, a.k.a. The Shuk!!!  I’ve written a whole post about why I love Mahane Yehuda so much , and in fact I visited three separate times in my less than 48 hours total staying in Jerusalem.

Mahane Yehuda is a huge market, with over 250 stalls that offer everything from fresh falafel to craft beer to fresh produce to these delish pastries.  And that’s just during the day!

At night the merchants close up shop (with awesome murals on their doors), and it gets even cooler by transforming into a vibrant assortment of bars and restaurants—even DJs spinning.  I LOVE THIS PLACE!

So as you can see, we really immersed ourselves in Jerusalem despite only having a short time.  There is obviously so much more you could see or do…if I’d had another afternoon I would have visited Yad Vashem, and I’ve given some other great options in my post on visiting Jerusalem .  But since the Old City is so compact you don’t feel cheated on time.

A few notes on Jerusalem:

• Do be aware that the city—especially major chunks of the Old City—really shut down from Friday night at sunset to Saturday night at sunset for the sabbath, and Friday tends to be pretty dead as well as this day is holy both to Muslims and is a sabbath preparation day.  Public transportation will be challenging, including to the airport.
• We stayed at  Abraham Hostel , in a private double room; it was around $110 a night

Day 7:  Tour to Masada, En Gedi, Dead Sea; fly out evening

On our last day of our amazing 7-day Israel and Jordan trip, I knew exactly what I wanted to do before leaving—hike up the ancient Masada fortress at sunrise.  We had to be up at 2:45am to take a small bus down to the fortress in the dark, and then started up the winding path as the sky began to lighten.

Despite the fact that I’d badly twisted my ankle a couple days earlier, I knew I was literally racing the sunrise, so kept up a brisk pace.

The light kept changing as the sun crept over the horizon, highlighting the salt and mineral deposits from the Dead Sea and glinting off the water.  You can read more about why a sunrise hike up Masada should be on your bucket list here.

I was gross and sweaty (and starving) when I hit the plateau at the top, but had made it just in time.  I grabbed a seat right on the edge of the fortress wall and just…watched.

I watched the light change from purples and pinks to oranges and yellows, and as the reflection spread over the Dead Sea.  I thought about people thousands of years ago looking at this same view.  It’s one of those places and views that feels timeless.

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Finally, I coaxed myself up and explored a bit of the fortress’s ruins, as well as taking in the surrounding landscape.  Even if you can’t do the sunrise hike, Masada is still completely worth a visit and has tons of history.  It’s very meaningful to the Jewish people, particularly for an event in the 70s AD.

Toward the end of the First Jewish-Roman Warm, the Romans besieged the fortress.  At the time, almost 1,000 rebels (including families) had taken refuge as a place of last resort.

The Romans built a ramp up to the fortress (which still exists) using Jewish slave labor, and the rebels in Masada refused to attack and kill their fellow countrymen, even knowing that it was ultimately dooming themselves.  The entire group committed mass suicide rather than be taken prisoner.  It is such a sad and powerful story.

After getting back to the buses, we headed out for the remainder of our morning tour.  I’ve written more about the pros and cons of this sunrise Masada, En Gedi, and Dead Sea tour in this post.  Our next stop was En Gedi.

Ein Gedi (or En Gedi) is an oasis and a nature reserve near Masada, the Dead Sea, and Qumrum Caves (if you were looking to group sights together).

While it’s a shadow of what it was like a few millennia ago,  it still has some greenery and little waterfalls and pools.  It was a great complement to the beiges and tans of the Negev Desert.

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I was pouring sweat at this point since it was crazy hot, but we loaded back into the van and went toward our final stop, the Dead Sea (well, big lake).

The Dead Sea sits at 400 meters (1,412 feet)  below  sea level—the lowest point on earth.  It’s also the deepest hypersaline lake in the world, a massive 9.6x saltier than the ocean!  This gives the water an insane viscosity, and is why you float instead of sink.

People come from all over the world to bob around like corks in the water, reading a newspaper or doing the “look, Ma, no hands!” for the cameras.

So in terms of the Dead Sea tour stop itself, this was definitely my least favorite part of the tour for me.  First of all, the public beach where they took us was kind of…gross mud.  It was heavily-trodden, crowded and looked icky and didn’t appeal to me at all.  And because of all the mud in the water, the pictures were blah.

Also also (just between us), that salt water BURNS in all sorts of places.  All the places.  Just saying.  No one prepared me for that.  And I feel it’s my duty to you…

Sooooo that wraps up our epic 7-day Israel and Jordan itinerary!  Once we got back to Jerusalem from the tour, I spent a bit more time at Mahane Yehuda and then our flight was at 9pm that night (so we left Jerusalem in late afternoon to ensure we didn’t run into security issues.

Other amazing trip itineraries you’ll love:

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Who am I? I’m not a digital nomad or backpacker. I have a demanding full-time career but still find ways to fit in tons of travel. I believe that sometimes you save and sometimes you splurge, and I’ll help you figure out how to have the best experiences regardless. My goal is to go everywhere, see everything, eat all the pastries, and soak up as much food, wine, culture, and amazing views as I can in this crazy life!

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2 Week Israel and Jordan Itinerary Filled With Unique Experiences

Our two weeks in Israel and Jordan were exciting and packed with wonderful surprises. We found our new favourite cocktail bar, swam in the Dead Sea and saw Petra to name only a few of the unique experiences we had on this trip.

Our 2 week Israel and Jordan itinerary will take you to hip spots in Tel Aviv, to the historic city of Jerusalem, for a swim in the Dead Sea, to the awe-inspiring Petra, on a 4x4 excursion through the Wadi Rum Desert and more!

Best time to visit Israel and Jordan

The best time to visit Israel and Jordan is in Spring (April & May) or Fall (September & October) when it's warm, but not too hot.

Avoid visiting Jordan during its rainy season from November - March. This is because if it rains, Petra closes for the day. We went during the beginning of November and had sunny days, but just a few days after, there was a dangerous flash flood in Petra!

2 Week Israel and Jordan Itinerary

Days 1 - 4: Tel Aviv

Florentin District Tel Aviv

Tel Aviv is a fun and quirky city on Israel's Mediterranean coast. The culture, cuisine, music, and nightlife are all reasons you should visit. The people were also the most considerate we've met on our trip and always willing to help us out. We spent a week in the area exploring and have some favourite spots that shouldn't be missed!

Best area to stay in Tel Aviv

Our top hotel pick in florentin: florentin house.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Florentin House (@florentinhouse)

Best Cafes in Tel Aviv

Left: Cafe Levinsky | Right: TLV Makers Tel Aviv

Most beautiful cafe: TLV Makers

We visited TLV Makers when they first opened in Fall 2018, and were in awe with how beautifully they decorated their space with flora. TLV Makers sells coffee, beer, wine and fresh sandwiches, and hosts workshops, such as a Japanese shibori (a fabric dyeing technique) .

Most quirky cafe: Cafe Levinsky

Cafe Levinsky is a magical place in the Florentin neighbourhood known for their gazoz. Gazoz is soda water infused with fermented fruits, fresh herbs, and flowers. We were lucky to grab a spot in the vintage truck outside!

Best laptop friendly cafe: Cafelix

Cafelix is an artisanal small-batch coffee roaster with outdoor seating where working on your laptop is accepted.

Top Restaurants in Tel Aviv

Left: Ha'achim | Right: Port Sa'id 

Best for contemporary Israeli cuisine: Ha'achim

Ha'achim is run by two brothers and has a cool ambience with its own music playlist. The menu is designed for sharing so you can try a variety of dishes. The ribeye steak cooked on a charcoal grill was a highlight!

Restaurant with all the hype: Port Sa'id

Does Port Sa'id live up to the hype? We think so! Port Sa'id has a lively ambiance and features innovative Israeli cuisine from celebrity chef, Eyal Shani. The catch is that Port Sa'id doesn't take reservations, so you'll see locals and tourists waiting in line for up to two hours. We tried going on the weekend and didn't have a chance of getting in so came back on Monday at 6pm. The restaurant was packed, but we luckily got a table right away!

Best Bars in Tel Aviv

Top: Bellboy Tel Aviv | Bottom: Kuli Alma 

Best cocktail bar: Bellboy

Now our favourite cocktail bar in the world, Bellboy creates the most unique cocktails we've ever seen. We ordered cocktails in a viking horn, a conch shell, a camera lens, mini bathtub with rubber ducky.. and there's even more to discover! It's done in a classy way with fitting swing music playing in the background. The food is also exquisite and the presentation all around excellent. Go at happy hour (6-8pm) for 50% off of all their cocktails! You'll need to make a reservation in advance.

Best for the party: Kuli Alma

Kuli Alma is an underground nightclub that focusses on music and art. We were there for their Halloween party and they went all out with the decor! Check out their events page to see what's going on.

Best Markets in Tel Aviv

Jaffa Flea Market

• Cheapest market for trinkets: Jaffa Flea Market
• Best market for unique local products: Nahalat Binyamin
• Best market for food: Carmel Market

Top tip: don't miss Panda Pita at Carmel Market! It was one of the best meals on our trip.

• Carmel Market Tasting Tour
• Jaffa Flea Market Tour with Tastings

Days 5-6: Ein Karem

After all of the going out in Tel Aviv, we were looking for a quiet nature escape. The ancient village of Ein Karem in the outskirts of Jerusalem was just that. It's known as one of the most beautiful and charming neighbourhoods of Jerusalem. Spend your day relaxing, exploring the historical sites and cute restaurants, or go on a hike in the area to enjoy the nature.

When we were exploring the village, we found a poster for a music event completely written in Hebrew. We decided to go, although we didn't know what we were getting ourselves into. The venue was at the top of a hill in someone's home and luckily a nice woman showed us the way and even took the bus with us there.

The risk paid off! We had homemade chai tea, sat on pillows and listened to incredible Indian classical music. If you find a poster for a music event like we did, go for it! ;)

How to get from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and Ein Karem

Unfortunately for us, we partied too hard at Kuli Alma on Halloween and our bus trip to Jerusalem was a nauseating experience. When you're not hungover, the trip from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is quite easy.

• There are non-stop busses that go all day from Tel Aviv Central Bus Station or Arlozoroff Terminal to the Jerusalem Central Bus Station. The bus journey takes under one hour.
• From the Jerusalem Central Bus Station, it's a 20-minute taxi or 30-minute transit to Ein Karem.
• For transit from the Jerusalem Central Bus Station to Ein Karem, first take Bus 39 to Yefe Nof Light Rail Station. Next take Bus 28 and get off at En Kerem/HaMa'ayan.

Where to stay in Ein Karem

Days 7-10: Jerusalem & The Dead Sea

The Old City Jerusalem

The atmosphere in Jerusalem was very different from Tel Aviv. Where Tel Aviv is a modern city, Jerusalem is one of the oldest cities in the world. The walls of the old city in Jerusalem were made in the 1500s and inside them sit some of the world's holiest monuments today. The space is shared by Christians, Jews, and Muslims all having an array of beliefs that you can't imagine to take in with just a single visit. Take time to walk around and explore the Old City both during the day, and night, when the cobblestone streets are deserted.

Where to stay in Jerusalem

• Best apartment-style hotel: Mamilla View Suites. In a prime location close to many restaurants and bars. Only a 9 minute walk away from the Old City. It's located on a busy street so expect to hear some street noise.
• Best value hotel: My Jerusalem View. An 18 minute walk away from the Old City, but only 5 minutes away from Machane Yehuda, one of the best markets in Jerusalem. Rooms are modern with nice views. The rooftop offers panoramic views of the Jerusalem.
• Best inside the Old City: Old City Boutique Hotel. Located inside the Old City walls in the heart of the Christian Quarter. This is a good choice if you plan to spend most of your time in the Old City exploring historical sites.

🥔💨 Burnt Potato: The Post Hostel. We wanted to like it, but had to listen to a very loud buzzing generator located outside of our window in the courtyard. It was loud even with the window closed. We made two attempts to switch our room, but they couldn't make it work since all rooms in our category face the courtyard. Beware!

Must do experience in Jerusalem

Where to eat in jerusalem.

Left: Menza | Right: Gatsby Cocktail Room 

Best restaurant: Menza

We were walking around Friday evening in Jerusalem on Shabbat, Judaism's day of rest, and were having a hard time finding a place to eat. From sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday, most businesses close. Luckily we found Menza, a modern brassiere open 7 days a week, that serves fresh food and cocktails. We ordered ribs and a burger on a homemade bun. It was delicious! We also liked sitting on their outside patio and people watching.

Best place for cocktails: Gatsby Cocktail Room

Gatsby is a 1920s-style prohibition bar with an Art Deco interior for cocktail lovers. In Jerusalem, it's hard to find cocktail bars like you find in Tel Aviv, so we were in for a treat! Since it's a prohibition bar, there is no sign. Look for a fake green-grass covered door by a coffeeshop, and you'll know you've found it.

Best food market: Machane Yehuda

• Shuk Mahane Yehuda Market Food Tour
• Machane Yehuda Market Food Tour with 6 Tastings

Best views of Jerusalem

Best view of the old city: the austrian hospice.

In the hustle and bustle of the Old City, there's a tranquil and quiet sanctuary known as The Austrian Hospice. It was created in 1863 as a pilgrims' guesthouse for primarily Austrian pilgrims. Go up the steps and ring the doorbell for them to buzz you in. Once inside, you'll walk up some stairs to a Viennese palace-styled hospice and cafe.

We ordered coffees and schnitzel, and sat outside on the beautiful patio! You can pay a small fee to go to the very top of the hospice and see a birds eye view of the Old City.

Best panoramic view of Jerusalem: Tayelet Haas Promenade

The Tayelet Haas Promenade has the best panoramic view of Jerusalem, where you can stroll on paved walkways or sit in the green grass and enjoy a picnic. To get there by transit, take the bus south to Hebron Road/Daniel Yanovski Road. From there, walk east on Daniel Yanovski Road and the promenade will be on the lefthand side at Trotner Park.

Day Trip to the Dead Sea

You will also want to save a day to float in the Dead Sea. It lived up to the hype and turned out to be one of our favourite activities we did in Israel. It felt like floating in outer space!

The Best Dead Sea Beach

The best beach at the Dead Sea is Kalia Beach. There is a entrance fee of 60 NIS (~$17 USD), however you don't have to purchase packs of mud like you do at other beaches. The natural mud at Kalia Beach contains minerals and removes skin impurities, so get dirty and have fun. Our skin was silky smooth after. Since the Dead Sea is the lowest place on earth (420m below sea level), the oxygen level is very high. All things combined make for an amazing health experience!

Kalia Beach also has clean facilities, snacks, a gift shop and the "Lowest Bar in the World".

How to get to Kalia Beach from Jerusalem

From the Jerusalem Central Bus Station, take Bus 486 ten stops to Kalya Beach stop. Make sure to look up departing times on Google Maps, since it doesn't leave very often. From there it's about a 15 minute walk to the beach. Don't miss the abandoned village along the way covered in artwork. The total journey should take you about 50 minutes.

Important: make sure you push the "stop" button on the bus, or else the driver will drive past your stop! We learned the hard way.

On your way back, take bus 486 or 444. Check out timing on Google Maps, so you don't wait too long.

Days 11-13: Jordan

Don't miss our list of 12 things to know about your Jordan tour with Abraham Tours.

Here is what we did on our tour:

Our first day we explored Jerash, a city we've never heard of that literally made our jaws Jerop. As we walked through the ancient Roman ruins, it was easy to imagine what life would have been like 2000 years ago, with streets for chariots, fountains and a large amphitheatre. It was one of the 10 great Roman cities of the Decapolis and was hidden for centuries until a traveller found it buried in the sand.

After our visit to Jerash we drove to the capital city of Amman where we walked around in the Amman Citadel. You can see amazing panoramic views of the city from the historical site located in the downtown area.

The second day we experienced one of the New 7 Wonders of the World, Petra. It felt incredible seeing it in real life! To get to the entrance of the treasury you have to first walk 2 km through a canyon. It's an easy flat walk, and takes about 30 minutes. Once you arrive, you will see the famous treasury, camels laying about, tombs, and vendors selling souvenirs.

How to see the best view of the treasury in Petra

There are two ways to hike to the Petra Treasury overlook:

• The first way: hire a local guide to take you the short and steep way. Warning: it is very steep , but only takes about 20 minutes to get to the top. We took the short version and had fun climbing and hiking up the rocks. It can be dangerous, so ensure you have a guide with you if you decide to do it. Once at the top, there was a blanket laid out where we could take a picture with the treasury in the background.
• The second way: take the longer but less steep Al-Khubtha Trail. The scenic trail starts beside the Palace Tomb and will take you between 2-3 hours round trip. You can hike the route yourself or hire a local guide to help you. You will be rewarded with beautiful views of the Treasury at the end.

Wadi Rum Desert

On our third day, we rode in the back of a 4x4 truck through the magnificent Wadi Rum Desert. We saw in the distance the set of Star Wars filming and heard they hired 400 Jordanian soldiers as storm troopers. How cool is that!

Jordan is a progressive middle eastern country, and we always felt safe and welcome. A fun fact, King Abdullah II of Jordan went to high school school in the US, was enrolled in the UK's Royal Military Academy, and gets around by flying his own Black Hawk helicopter. He's a badass!

Day 14: Travel day

With the tour in Jordan ending back in Israel, it makes it easy to add Jordan as an extension to your trip and then fly back out of Israel.

We hope you enjoyed this two week Jordan and Israel itinerary!

Start planning your trip to Israel and Jordan

• 🐫 Jordan tour from Jerusalem: book your 3-day Jordan tour with Abraham Tours through Viator. You can cancel for a full refund up to 7 days before departure.
• 💡 Travel tips: see our list of 12 helpful things to know about your Jordan tour
• 🌃 Accommodation: Booking.com is our go-to for finding places to stay. Sort by top reviewed.
• 🥙 Fun activities: browse GetYourGuide and Viator for a list of guided tours in Israel. They have free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
• 🧆 Have a home-cooked dinner with a local: Betzavta is the Airbnb of finding Israeli locals to host you for dinner.
• 🛫 Flights: use Skyscanner to compare flights across different airlines (we recommend booking direct with the airline however).

Check out our travel vlogs of Israel and Jordan!

Save and pin this Jordan and Israel itinerary for later:

Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out our list of Unique Cultural Experiences to Inspire Your Next Trip and 20 Relaxing Travel Ideas to Clear Your Mind .

Are you a food lover? Don't miss our list of Outstanding Gastronomic Experiences Around the World .

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Explore Jordan, Israel & the Palestinian Territories

15 days | find the heart of israel and jordan on this intrepid adventure..

Delve into Israel and Jordan, holy lands rich with history and an oasis of delight and intrigue in the desert. This trip will see you wandering the immense ruins of Petra and exploring a lunar-like landscape at Wadi Rum. Take your time to explore ancient monuments, relics and holy sites of immense significance, visit hill-top fortifications and climb the Mount of Olives for the best view of Old Town Jerusalem. Immerse yourself in this journey across the best of the Middle East and gain a deeper understanding of this enduring land and its people.

Trip overview

• Explore the best of the Middle East as you discover Jordan and Israel. Explore Wadi Rum, wander the ruins of Petra and indulge in some serious history across Israel and Palestine.
• Check out the rock-cut tombs and the remains of the ancient city of Petra.
• Learn the stories behind some of the most challenging and poignant works of graffiti that decorate the barrier wall in Bethlehem during a walking tour.
• Access the glowing blue grottoes of Rosh Hanikra by cable car, then enjoy views over the Mediterranean Coast of Western Galilee.
• Spend the night trying to count the billions of stars or chat with the locals at our Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum.
• There is a lot of walking around the sights in Jordan, most with out shade, especially in Petra and Wadi Rum, please bring comfortable shoes and a hat to make the most of your time at the sights  
• The weather can be quite cool in winter, please bring clothing you can layer. As the days get warmer, temperatures can start to soar. From April to October, to avoid the midday heat, some days start very early (eg at 0500). Please be prepared for this: we try to make things as comfortable for you as possible.
• Sites can get congested during peak travel periods with coaches of large pilgrim groups. We do our best to plan our visits around these times but sometimes it is unavoidable. There may be delays, queue's and private services that prevent us from entering the site. Your trip leader will manage this as best as they can on the day.
• As the days get warmer, temperatures can start to soar. From April to October, to avoid the midday heat, some days start very early (eg at 0500). Please be prepared for this: we try to make things as comfortable for you as possible.
• These destinations can be expensive on the ground and you should budget accordingly. The good news is that you have expert local leaders to help uncover the best deals!
• Known as 'baksheesh' in the Middle East, tipping is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry. If you are satisfied with the services provided a tip - though not compulsory - is appropriate and always appreciated. While it may not be customary to you, it is of great significance to the people who will take care of you during your travels. Don’t be taken back if this tipping culture is even more apparent in Israel.

Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome to Jordan’s capital, Amman – cosmopolitan and contemporary, yet steeped in biblical history. Your adventure begins with an important welcome meeting at 6 pm this evening. As you don’t spend too much time here, it's worth arriving a day or two early to explore the sights. If you do have time, be sure to head to the citadel, taking in its amazing sweeping views of Amman. The Jordan Museum (home to the Dead Sea Scrolls) and the Roman Theatre are both well worth visiting. After your meeting this evening, head out with your new-found travel pals, and perhaps pick up a coffee from one of the cafes and partner it with an ara’yes – a local-style toastie filled with spiced meat.

• Hotel (1 night)

There are no meals included on this day.

• Amman - King Abdullah I Mosque (entrance fee) - JOD2
• Amman - Roman Theatre (entrance fee) - JOD2
• Amman - Citadel (entrance fee) - JOD3
• Madaba - Al-Maghtas Bethany Baptism site (entrance fee) - JOD12
• Amman - Jordan Archaeological Museum (entrance fee) - JOD3

It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place. All optional activities mentioned today are priced for entry only. Extra costs will apply for transport to and from the site, as well as if you’d wish to have a guide. If you do wish to visit The Baptism Site of Jesus Christ at Bethany today, or before the tour commences, please note that operating hours vary between seasons.

This morning, you’ll leave Amman and head to Aqaba – the only coastal city offering a pocket of beach in this otherwise landlocked country. On arrival you’ll get a chance to explore the bustling market and walk along the beach on a guided walking tour with your group leader. Then you’ve got a couple of hours under your belt to explore this city at your own leisure, you might like to go snorkelling in the Red Sea, explore the local markets further or simply chill out and relax by the water. Then, you’ll leave for Wadi Rum and arrive just in time for dinner. Tonight, you’ll get a chance to sit down with the sheik of the local Bedouin tribe and get a glimpse into what life is like living in this desert environment. You’ll sleep in a simple Bedouin desert camp this evening, with the choice of sleeping under a camel hair tent or out under the stars. Enjoy dinner cooked in an earthen oven by your Bedouin hosts. Meaning ‘desert dwellers’ in Arabic, the Bedouins are a semi-nomadic people, and in Jordan up to 40 per cent of the general population is thought to have Bedouin ancestry. Conditions are basic at the desert camp, but the hospitality of your hosts as well as the chance to sleep beneath the twinkling desert night sky will surely make up for it.

• Desert camp (1 night)
• Wadi Rum - Bedouin Desert Camp
• Aqaba - Leader-lead Walking Tour
• Wadi Rum - Bonfire Talk with the Sheik

Today’s total travel time is approximately 5 hours.

For tonight’s camp, a mattress and blankets are provided. Please be aware that while the desert may be very hot during the day, it will still be cool at night. So, warm clothes and a sleeping bag are highly recommended when travelling outside of the summer months. Western-style toilet facilities are available, as well as solar panel showers.

After waking up in the unique surrounds of the camp this morning, head out on a hike around the area (approximately 12 to 15 kilometres), with a stop for tea and a lunch break. You might scale one of the large sand dunes for sensational views of the valley – the perfect chance to snap some unbelievable pictures. Explore the distinctive rock formations and bask in its eerie silence. Wadi Rum is probably best known for its connection with the enigmatic British officer T E Lawrence, who was based here during the Great Arab Revolt of 1917–18. This afternoon, gear up for half-day jeep safari through some of the most striking desert scenery on the planet. Wadi Rum is full of weird and wonderful lunar-like rock formations, and traces of ancient civilisations can be seen in the many carved inscriptions found throughout the area – from pictographs to Thamudic, Nabataean and Arabic texts. The most enduring monuments in Wadi Rum are those carved by nature – the natural rock bridges, towering rose-coloured sand dunes and scattered rocky peaks. After an action-packed afternoon, tonight is yours to enjoy the traditional Bedouin hospitality and the clear night skies of the desert.

• Wadi Rum - Guided hike
• Wadi Rum - 4WD jeep safari

The duration and length of today’s hike can vary depending on the weather and the group’s ability. Please make sure you have appropriate, sturdy, comfortable footwear for this trek. If you don’t want to participate in the hike, you can always spend some more time around the Bedouin Camp.

This morning you'll leave your desert camp, taking 4WDs to the main entrance of Petra, which is opposite the Seven Pillars of Wisdom – the mountain named after Lawrence of Arabia’s book. The visitor's centre here is also a great spot to buy some jewelry and handicrafts, mostly made by a women's co-operative aimed at supporting local industries. Then, continue your journey to the fabled city of Petra by private vehicle. The site remained unknown to the wider world until 1812 when it was visited by Johann Ludwig Burckhardt – a Swiss explorer. In 1985, Petra was designated a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site. Spend the afternoon on a guided tour of Petra. Squeeze through a mile-long narrow path, known as the Siq, through huge towers of rock and get your first glimpse of the iconic Treasury complex. It’s amazing to think that this enormous, intricate building entrance was hand-carved out of the rock.

• Petra - Leader-led tour of Petra
• Petra - Two-Day Pass

Today’s total drive time is approximately 2 hours.

A two-day entrance pass to Petra is included. Please note that when entering Petra as a group, a complimentary horse ride is included in the ticket price from the entrance point down to the Siq. Intrepid doesn't recommend that you take this option due to the safety and insurance liability involved. Please note a lot of walking is required to see all the sites and viewpoints of Petra. A basic level of fitness will enhance your enjoyment of your visit.

Enjoy a free day of self-discovery as you explore Petra on your own today – free to wander as you wish. The site is surprisingly big, and so it is up to you to choose your own route around the complex. You could explore the old Roman road, other smaller temples and several old tombs, as well as the rock-hewn amphitheatre. For those who are feeling a bit more active, there's the challenging but highly rewarding 1-hour walk up the steps to the secluded yet stunning Monastery.

• Petra - Petra By Night - JOD17

Please note the optional Petra by Night tour runs Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, departing from the Petra visitor center at 830pm

Today you’ll traverse the King's Highway to the historic crusader castle of Kerak, which stands on a cliff overlooking Wadi Karak and the Dead Sea in the distance (approximately 2.5 hours). You’ll have time to explore the ruins and discover the legends of centuries-old battles. Pack your swim gear as next you can wash off the dust in the Dead Sea – the lowest point on Earth (420 metres below sea level). This super-salty lake is a perfect place to spend some time relaxing and float your worries away. For those who are game, why not cover yourself from head to toe in a nutrient-rich natural mineral mud bath. Continue to Mt Nebo – the spot where the prophet Moses is said to have seen the ‘promised land’ and where he’s supposedly buried. Explore this sanctuary and view the remarkable mosaics of the fourth-century church. Afterwards, continue to Madaba, famous for its Ottoman-style houses and beautiful Byzantine-era mosaics, including the acclaimed sixth-century mosaic map of Jerusalem and the Holy Land at St George's Church. Other mosaic masterpieces from the fifth to seventh centuries can be found throughout Madaba’s churches, museums and homes.

• Kerak - Castle visit
• Mt Nebo - Site visit
• Dead Sea - Swimming opportunity

Today's total travel time is approximately 5 hours

Today you’ll leave Madaba for a short drive to Jerash – once one of the grandest ancient Roman cities in the world. These are some of the best-preserved Greco-Roman ruins around. The ancient walled town that survives today is a remarkable evocation of life 2000 years ago. It has a striking collection of archways and theatres, baths, public buildings and colonnaded streets, and is a beautiful place to spend a day exploring. Discover Hadrian’s arch, the partially restored hippodrome, ornate public fountains, the south amphitheatre, and see the collection of daily artefacts uncovered during excavations. Grand columns encircle the city's centrepiece, the Oval Plaza. After a full day of exploring, return to Madaba. Maybe gather your travel buddies together and share a celebratory shisha as you reminisce on your memories of majestic Jordan.

• Jerash - Roman ruins
• Madaba - St Georges Church

Today’s total travel time is approximately 3 hours.

This morning we farewell Jordan and make the hour journey to the Allenby Bridge Crossing for your onwards journey to Israel and the Palestinian Territories. Your Tour Leader will escort you to the crossing and provide you with instructions for the border officials. Once you have cleared the border there will be a representative to escort you to your hotel in Jerusalem.

Welcome to Israel and Jerusalem, a city steeped in spirituality and legend; a rich tapestry of the many cultures, religions and nationalities that call it home, be they Palestinian Muslims & Christians, Sephardic Jews, Ashkenazi Jews, Armenian Christians, Ethiopian Copts or Greek Orthodox monks.

Your arrival at the hotel should be just in time for lunch and the rest of your day is free to explore Jerusalem. We recommend checking out the range of tours on offer from Urban Adventures.

There will be a meeting this evening at 6.00pm with your Tour Leader and any fellow travellers, please look for this note in reception

• Jerusalem - Old City Ramparts -Entry Fee - ILS18
• Jerusalem - Israel Museum - Entry Fee - ILS54

Today’s total travel time is approximately 4 hours. Please note that the border crossing can be very busy and may take a couple of hours. Please refer to ‘Passports, visas and entry requirements’ in Essential Trip Information for the details of the border crossing and what to expect.

As this is a combination trip, the travellers in your group and your group leader are likely to change today. There will be a welcome meeting to discuss the next stage of your itinerary and to meet new travellers joining you. It’s important that you attend the meeting as your new leader will be collecting insurance and emergency contact details. Ask reception or look for a note for more information on where and when the meeting will take place.

Explore the Old City this morning on foot. Start with the Courtyard of the Dome and the Western Wall, then continue to St Stephen’s Gate, passing the crusader church of St Anne and the Pool of Bethesda. Continue along the Way of the Cross (Via Dolorosa) and stop by the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built where Jesus is believed to have been crucified, buried and resurrected. Perhaps stop and recharge and sip on sweek tea or sample fresh local bread and then walk through the Christian Quarter up to Jaffa Gate. In the afternoon use your free time to explore more of the city.

• Jerusalem - Guided tour of Old City

The Dome of the Rock/Al-Aqsa Mosque is open from 7.30–10.30 am Sundays through Thursdays, and again for an hour in the afternoon. In order to beat tourist traffic, our guides usually like to go there first thing in the morning.

The Western Wall area is open every day. However please note that on Friday evenings and Saturdays, tourists are not allowed to take any photos.

Start the day off with a panoramic view of the city. Drive out to the Mount of Olives that looks over Jerusalem’s Old City and visit the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus is said to have prayed the night before his crucifixion. See the Church of All Nations (also known as the Basilica of the Agony), then drive the short distance out to Bethlehem and take a graffiti walking tour along the barrier wall. Graffiti by many artists has graced the wall over the years, including famous ones like Banksy. Visit the Church of the Nativity, marking the spot of the stable where Mary is said to have given birth to Jesus, then head back to Jerusalem. In the afternoon,visit the holocaust museum Yad Vashem. You may hire an audio guide for the museum. Then enjoy some free time to explore this fascinating city. This evening meet up with your leader and enjoy a home-cooked meal of chicken maqloubeh (an upside-down layered dish) with a Palestinian family. With a full belly, enjoy a traditional oud performance from a local musician.

• Jerusalem - Mount of Olives
• Bethlehem - Separation Barrier Graffiti Tour
• Bethlehem - Church of Nativity
• Jerusalem - Local Family Dinner
• Jerusalem - Church of All Nations
• Jerusalem - Yad Vashem Museum
• Jerusalem - audio guide at Yad Vashem Museum - ILS35

This morning drive out to the cliff-top fortress of Masada. On the way your leader will make a few stops; each leader has their favourite photo spots and stories to tell so we leave it up to them to share what they love. Arrive in Masada and take a cable car to the fortress built by King Herod around 35 BC. This UNESCO site is very important to the Jewish people as a symbol of their exile from the Holy Land and of bravery and self-sacrifice. Spend some time visiting the site, then drive around 30 minutes to the shores of the Dead Sea, where the dense and super-salty water means you’ll go for a float, not a swim. Spend some time relaxing here and soaking in the mud, which is supposed to have healing properties. In the afternoon travel to Jericho, the oldest city in the world for a well deserved rest.

• Dead Sea - Visit and float
• Masada - Masada visit
• Jericho - Tell es-Sultan - ILS10
• Jericho- Mt Temptation Cable Car - ILS60

Travel to the western shores of the Sea of Galilee and historic Tiberias, established all the way back in AD20. Visit the ancient fishing village of Capernaum. See the site of two ancient synagogues and a church said to have been the home of St Peter. Continue to Nazareth to take a stroll through the Old City and visit the Church of the Annunciation, where Mary is said to have received the news of the Immaculate Conception. Hit the road again and arrive in Haifa for the evening.

• Sea of Galilee - Capernaum
• Nazareth - Church of Annunciation
• Nazareth - Walking Tour

This morning travel to Rosh Hanikra  (1 hour's drive) where white cliffs meet the blue sea. This little beauty of natural geography is tucked away on the border with Lebanon and is usually a highlight for everyone. Take the cable car up the cliff to view the spectacular grottoes. Continue to the ancient crusader port of Acre (Akko in Hebrew), where you’ll visit the vast complex of buildings occupied by the Knights of St John (Knights Hospitaller), excavated to uncover rooms including a large hall, a dungeon, a dining room and the crypt of an ancient Gothic church. Perhaps a good place to have lunch and relax before returning to Haifa. In the afternoon, enjoy some free time. You may want to visit the Baha’i Gardens, where the elaborate terraces and a golden shrine sit overlooking the city. There are some great produce markets and excellent restaurants nearby, just ask your leader for recommendations.

• Akko - Knights Fortress Visit
• Rosh Hanikra - Cable Car & Grottoes
• Haifa - Baha'i Gardens - Free

After breakfast, journey to Tel Aviv via the coast and tour the ancient port of Caesarea (approximately 1 hour), which served as the capital of Israel during the Roman and Byzantine eras. Built in 25 BC, the city was eventually abandoned and lost under the desert sands. Thanks to archaeological excavations since, its splendour is on show once again. Continue along the coast to Tel Aviv. Take a stroll through the Old City of Jaffa, then drop your luggage at tonight’s accommodation. Head out on an orientation walk with your leader, taking in Rabin Square. Finish up your walk at the promenade, the perfect place to find a restaurant for dinner this evening, or enjoy a farewell drink at your hotel with your leader and fellow travellers and try the local boutique beer.

• Caesarea - Roman Amphitheatre & Aqueduct
• Tel Aviv - Leader-led tour of Old Jaffa
• Tel Aviv - Leader-led orientation walk

This trip comes to an end today. There are no activities planned and you are able to depart the accommodation at any time after you check out.

Getting to the airport is very simple and easy by public transport with buses nearby taking you to the train station and connecting to the airport. Private transfers are available to pre-book with Intrepid.

14 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 4 dinners

Private vehicle, Jeep

Hotel (11 nights), Desert camp (2 nights), Guest House (1 Night)

Dates and availability

Important notes.

1. A single supplement is bookable on this trip, excluding Day 2,3 (Desert Camp) where you will be in shared accommodation, and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information. 2. Accommodation in Wadi Rum is in Bedouin tents, bedding is provided, but in the colder months November-March you may want to consider bring a sleeping bag. Bathrooms in Wadi Rum are on a share basis. 3. Following recent safety incidents we recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest information on travelling in Israel (particularly within the West Bank) before your departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all areas of your itinerary. We have links to prominent government travel advisories and regular updates on issues affecting this trip on our Travel Alerts page: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts 4. Important alert: Yom Kippur day in 2023 will be on 24-25th Sep. we'll need to make below changes to departures during this time to ensure you'll be able to experience all included activities on your trip: Departure code: EESRC230913 D12 - Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Rosh Hanikra, Knights Fortress in Akko. Overnight in Nazareth. D13 - Nazareth walking tour & Church of Annunciation. Overnight in Nazareth.: Departure code: EESRC230916 D9 - Bethlehem tour in the morning and home cooked lunch with a local Palestinian family D10 - Jerusalem old city guided tour (except for Courtyard of Dome) D11 - morning visit Courtyard of Dome and continue to Jericho as per original itinerary.

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

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Journey to the Promised Land

Day 1: beginning our tour, day 2: amman, jordan, day 3: amman / jordan valley / galilee, day 4: galilee & upper galilee, day 5: all the past years with history, day 6: mountains of jerusalem & bethlehem, day 7: jerusalem, the holy city, day 8: jerusalem / qumran / masada, day 9: petra, the red rock city, day 10: amman / north america.

Israel – Jordan border crossing: Ultimate guide

By Joan Torres 187 Comments Last updated on April 2, 2024

The Israeli – Jordan border crossing is one of the few overland borders in the Middle East which can be crossed. Jordan and Israel are not the best friends in the world but both countries signed a peace agreement some decades ago so, surprisingly, travel to Jordan from Israel (and vice-versa) is pretty easy and straightforward.

However, this is the Middle East, which means that there is a bunch of confusing rules you should know before crossing such a border.  

In this Jordan-Israel border crossing guide you find:

Table of Contents

• Travel tips
• Allenby / King Hussein Bridge
• Israel to Jordan
• Jordan to Israel
• Wadi Araba / Yitzhak Rabin border
• Beit She’an / Sheikh Hussein border
• More Information

Remember to get travel insurance for Israel & Jordan I strongly recommend IATI Insurance as it has COVID-19 coverage + 5% discount Get your 5% discount if purchasing via this link

Things to know before crossing the border

Don’t trust any information coming from an official source.

If there is something I learned after several years traveling in the Middle East is that, when it comes to bureaucracy stuff, you can’t trust the local authorities.

The Middle East is the most chaotic , changing, and flexible region, I have ever been to.

This means that you should always take any information coming from any authority, including embassies, with a grain of salt.

For example, the Official Jordan Tourism board says that the Wadi Araba border doesn’t issue visas since January 2016.

Well, this information is totally wrong, as everybody can get a VOA.

With this, I am not saying that my information is right and theirs is wrong but, at least, I try to keep this post updated based on information from travelers who crossed the border recently.

Border timings

All borders are open every day, except during some specific Jewish holidays.

On Friday and Saturday, limited times apply.

You can find a very detailed schedule here .

Israeli stamps

Israelis don’t stamp your passport anymore but the Jordanian authorities might stamp it and that Jordanian stamp will be evidence that you came from Israel..

I recommend you read this updated post 

Avoid Israeli stamps – FAQ .

Crossing with your own vehicle

Entering Jordan from Israel (and vice-versa) in your own vehicle is possible but, if you plan to do a road trip in Jordan with an Israeli car, you might find your windows broken on the next day, so it’s definitely not a good idea.

Israeli people change their license plates to Jordanian ones at the border.

Israeli visa

Most high-GDP countries, including EU countries, the USA, Canada and Australia can get a free visa on arrival for Israel via any port of entry.

If you are not sure about your passport, contact the Israeli embassy. 

Jordanian visa

Like for Israel, most people can get their visa on arrival EXCEPT if you try to enter via King Hussein bridge, the only border that requires having a pre-arranged visa. 

Being interrogated by the Israeli authorities

When you cross from Israel to Jordan, the Israeli authorities are pretty friendly and they don’t give you too much hassle.

It’s when you enter Israel from Jordan that you may be interrogated for some time.

However, there’s nothing to worry about. Just answer their questions and you won’t have any trouble.

Once, I entered Israel with stamps and visas from UAE , Lebanon , Iraq , Oman and Iran and nothing happened.

However, some travelers have reported different experiences.

Read more about it:  Avoid Israeli stamps – FAQ .

Getting from the different borders to the cities

At all the borders, there will be taxis waiting for you.

At the Wadi Araba / Yitzhak Rabin border, you are not allowed to go to Aqaba City by foot (3km).

They claim it’s a military road but, in my opinion, they just say that, so you are forced to take a taxi.

Normally, the taxi fares are set at all the borders and you should find a signboard, saying the price of each destination, including Wadi Rum, Petra and places like that.

Travel tip: border taxi fares are fairly expensive. If you are on a budget, you should take a taxi to the nearest city and take a bus from there.

You can pay by card at the border

According to two different travelers, it’s possible today to pay by credit or debit card at different borders, at least at both Allenby and Wadi Araba borders.

Israel – Jordan border crossing: The rules in each border

For crossing from Israel to Jordan (and vice-versa) there are three open borders.

Which one should you go through? Well, each border has its own specific rules, so it will all depend on your time, money and final destination.

Jordan – Israel border crossing Map

1 – The Israel-Jordan border crossing at Allenby / King Hussein Bridge

This is the border located in Jericho, which is also very close to Amman.

How to cross from Israel into Jordan at Allenby / King Hussein Bridge

Very convenient if you are planning to go Amman and you are in Jerusalem or Jericho.

Jordanian visa is not available on arrival , which means that you’d have to apply for it at the Jordanian Embassy in Ramallah. According to a German traveler who applied for it in March 2017, it costs 100USD and you get it at the moment.

The Israeli exit fee is more expensive than any other border: 176ISL (50USD) vs 105ISL (29USD).

It’s 220 kilometers from Petra and 320km from Wadi Rum, which means that it’s not the most convenient one if you’re going in this direction.

Important!  If you fly into Jordan, enter Israel overland (from Jordan) and plan to re-enter Jordan again, you need to know that the visas issued at Queen Aila airport are only valid for one single entry.

However, one exception applies. You’ll be allowed to re-enter Jordan on the same visa ONLY  if: you exit and re-enter from Allenby / King Hussein Bridge .

How to get to Allenby / King Hussein Bridge border (from Israel) :

From Damascus Gate in Jerusalem, there are direct minibusses.

Price: 40ISL (1USD1) + 5ISL (1.40USD) for luggage.

Alternatively, you can travel to Jericho (Palestine) on a local bus (it’s only a couple of kilometers from the border) and stay there for 1 or 2 days.

If you are planning to go to Jerusalem or Tel Aviv and you are in Amman, this border is really convenient.

Unlike when you come from Israel to Jordan, the Israeli visa is available on arrival.

If you spent more than 2 nights in Jordan, you will have to pay a departure tax of 10JD (14USD).

If you are in Petra or Wadi Rum, this border is very, very far.

How to get to Allenby / King Hussein Bridge border (from Jordan)

A bus to the border costs 8JD (11.30USD) but be aware that the station is a bit far and a taxi costs 5JD (7.50USD). 

Therefore, if you travel with someone else, it is more convenient to go directly by taxi the border, as the local price for a taxi is 26JD (36USD). Ask your hotel/hostel to arrange it for you. 

Once you crossed the border successfully, the shuttle bus to Jerusalem costs 7.50JD per person plus 1.50JD per bag. 

Read: A travel guide to Beirut

Where to stay in Jerusalem 

Budget Hostel – Abraham Hostel – The most famous hostel in Israel is a massive building located at the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem. The owners are great and they organize all sort of activities: from endless tours to pub crawls and much more. This is one of the greatest hostels I have ever been.

Mid-range Hotel –   Hashimi Hotel  – A pretty cool hotel in the heart of the Old City with stunning views to the Dome of the Rock. 

Where to stay in Amman

Backpacker Hostel – Jordan Tower Hotel – Good for both backpackers and people who like to stay in a private room, this hotel has become a classic in Amman. Great staff, good breakfast and awesome location (in Downtown) are the reason why you should stay here.

Mid-range hotel – 7 Boys Hotel – A really good mid-range option that has hosted travelers from all over the world. 

Read: A travel guide to the West Bank (Palestine)

2 – The Jordan – Israel border crossing at Wadi Araba / Yitzhak Rabin border

This is the southern border, shared between the Israeli city of Eilat and the Jordanian city of Aqaba.

How to cross from Israel into Jordan at Wadi Araba / Yitzhak Rabin border

At this border, there’s a FREE VISA available on arrival, with some exceptions (see below). They will give you the  Independent Travelers’ Entry Manifest through South Wadi Araba Crossing Border ”, which you need to keep upon your departure. It’s very important not to lose it.

The Israeli exit fee is only 105ISL.

Very convenient if you are going to Petra (130km) and also Wadi Rum (64km).

It’s very far from Jerusalem and Amman (300km and 340km, respectively).

There’s a FREE VISA but, if you are one of the exceptions, it can be really expensive.

Important information – You may have read from different sources (including the official Jordanian website) that they are not giving free visas anymore at this border. The truth is that they have been saying this since May 2017 but there is not a single traveler I know who has paid for their visa since then. As I told you at the beginning, you shouldn’t trust any official source but just facts from travelers. Further updates regarding this topic are more than welcome. 

Exceptions:

The visa is free but only if you plan to stay in Jordan for more than 2 nights .

This is what would happen if you stayed less than 3 nights:

• If you spend 1 night or less in Jordan and come back to Israel through the same border (Wadi Araba), you’ll have to pay a 60JD  fee upon your exit.
• If you stay 2 nights and you also come back to Israel through the same border (Wadi Araba), you’ll just pay a 10JD  fee.
• If you exit through a different border than Wadi Araba, you will always pay a flat fee of  10JD , regardless of the visa type and length of your stay in Jordan.
• Furthermore, if you leave Jordan by plane, you won’t have to pay any extra fee , regardless of how many nights you stayed there.

How to get to Wadi Araba / Yitzhak Rabin border (from Israel)

There are direct buses from Jerusalem Central Bus station to the Israeli city called Eilat.

I’m not sure about the price as I traveled there from Jericho but, from Jericho, I paid 60ISL. 

Read: Lebanon 2-week itinerary

How to cross from Jordan into Israel at Wadi Araba / Yitzhak Rabin border

Very convenient if you are already in Petra (130km) or Wadi Rum (64km).

If you had entered Jordan through this border and spent more than 2 nights, you won’t have to pay any exit fee. 

If you had previously entered Jordan through this border and only stayed 1 or 2 nights, you may end up paying a lot of money. 

If you are in Amman, don’t use this border

How to get to Wadi Araba / Yitzhak Rabin border (from Jordan)

From Aqaba, you can take a taxi the border and, from Eilat, there are buses to many places around Israel. 

Read: How to travel to Syria (Visa + Tips)

Where to stay in Eilat

Backpacker Hostel – Abraham Hostel Eilat – Excellent location and the best that you could find as it is located in Eilat’s city center.

Nicer – Amdar Holiday Apartment – A modernly furnished accommodation that is situated in the best area of Eliat and is 3-minute walk away from the beach.

Where to stay in Aqaba

Aqaba has great accommodation but it’s a little bit pricey and the cool places are meant to relax and stay, at least, for a few days, as they are right next to the beach. However, I do recommend staying in Aqaba for a few days and go snorkeling (or diving) in the Red Sea.

Beach Hostel – Darna Village Beach Hostel – One of the best-rated hostels in Aqaba and the most backpacker-friendly. Darna is just 50 meters from the beach and the coral reefs.

Budget Hotel – Aqaba Roza – A very decent budget hotel located in a very central location. I would say this is a very functional place for those just transiting in Aqaba. 

3 – Israel – Jordan border crossing at Beit She’an / Sheikh Hussein

This is the least transited border, located in the north.

How to cross from Israel to Jordan at Beit She’an / Sheikh Hussein

Visa is available on arrival.

It’s very close to the Roman ruins of Jerash (50km).

The Israeli exit fee is 105ISL.

If your destination is Amman and you don’t have a visa, you should use this border, instead of Wadi Araba.

How to get to Beit She’an / Sheikh Hussein border (from Israel)

From Jerusalem Central bus station, there are daily buses (except for Shabbat) to Beit She’an (7km away from the border). Price: 42ISL. From here to the border, you will have to take a taxi.

The nearest city is called Irbid and taxis charge around 20JD. From there, you will easily find a public bus to anywhere in Jordan. 

How to cross from Jordan to Israel at Beit She’an / Sheikh Hussein

Good if you are in Jerash

To be honest, unless you are already in Jerash or somewhere in the north, there is no reason to use this border for entering Israel, as King Hussein bridge is much faster and more convenient. 

These are the rules that apply on each border. I entered Jordan through Wadi Araba / Yitzhak Rabin border because it was visa-free. It was not the most convenient one for me, as my final destination was Amman (I had my flight to Pakistan on the next day) but, for 6JD ($9), I took a bus from Aqaba to Amman (5-6h). If you have any more up-to-date information or you think there is something wrong, let me know! Safe travels!

More useful information for traveling in the region

📢 In my Travel Resources Page you can find the list of all the sites and services I use to book hotels, tours, travel insurance and more.

Travel guides to other countries in the Middle East

• Iran Travel Guide
• Palestine Travel Guide
• Syria Travel Guide
• Travel Guide to Lebanon
• Iraq Travel Guide
• Travel Guide to Saudi Arabia
• Travel Guide to Oman

You will also be interested in: Where in the Middle East is safe? and The most beautiful places in the Middle East .

187 comments

Good overview of the options. I love that you went through the pain of collecting all the different visa/exit fees — that can be really confusing! May I add that you can also catch a convenient bus from Nazareth to Amman (bookable via AbrahamTours, AbrahamHostels tour company)? I’ve linked up to my experience taking that bus.

Happy continued travels! C

Hi Carola, thanks for your comment! I didn’t know about this tour! But why is it leaving from Nazareth and not Jerusalem or Tel Aviv? It would make more sense as both hostels are there!

Hi, there is an Abraham hostel also in Nazareth but the bus is not operated by them, it is operated by Nazarene Tours… the reason it leaves from Nazareth, I think, is because most people who use it are Arabs from the North of Israel… the Arabs from Jerusalem area go via Allenby and there are shuttles from Jerusalem to Allenby frequently. Israelis are not allowed to go via Allenby , so it could have been wonderful if there was a bus like that from Jerusalem or Tel-Aviv… the Nazarene bus to Amman leaves on Saturday, Tuesday and Thursday and returns the same days… I took it several times and am planning on taking it again soon. It is very convenient and cost effective. Blessings

That definitely does sounds confusing and lots of rules. This is going to be helpful to me and many others that may cross these borders. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge.

Your welcome! Surprisingly, this border is quite transited and frequented by tourists. Let me know how it goes!

Good job on the border crossings, Joan. I only knew about the King Hussein Bridge border crossing. This might come in handing for when I head back to Israel!

Thanks! The other two borders are more chaotic but I love overland borders 😀

You have a mistake for Allenby/King Hussein Bridge – it’s not the closest to Petra, it’s over 400km away from Petra. The closest crossing to Petra is Arava near Eilat/Aqaba. Fare from Jerusalem to Eilat is 70 NIS (10 NIS more than what you paid). It makes a lot of sense, when traveling from Jerusalem to Petra, to take a bus to Eilat and then cross to Jordan on Arava border, since: * Visa on arrival (in Allenby you have to get a visa in advance, for most cases) * Closer to Petra * Wadi Rum is also not far

Hi Amos, thank you for this. I am updating this article and making all respective changed. You’re right in some of the things you mention but I just doubled check and Petra is 220km from Allenby, not 400. Thanks!

The Wadi Araba part doesn’t seems to match with http://international.visitjordan.com/generalinformation/gettingaround/bordercrossings.aspx

It says that the visa is required for all borders and is no longer available on Wadi Araba border.

Hello Ivan, Thanks for pointing this out. However, in my experience, after 3 years of living in this region, when it comes to bureaucracy, you can’t trust what the local authorities said, as everything is a chaos, things change overnight and they are extremely flexible. The proof is that I got my visa as an independent traveler at Wadi Araba border in March 2017, so we can’t really trust what the official source says. I am not saying that I’m always right but any official source should be taken with a grain of salt, including embassies.

You’re right, I meant over 200 km, not 400km. Anyway, Eilat/Aqaba border is the closest to Petra, and it makes much more sense to get to Petra from Israel via Eilat (it’s shorter + no visa hassle like in Allenby..), so definitely a winner.

The borders are to be travelled according to your destination, see list below:

Destination : Border ================ Amman : Allenby (no visa) / Beit She’an (visa on arrival) [if you don’t have a visa I would go to Beit She’an, it’s not a big hassle) Petra / Wadi Rum : Eilat Jerash : Beit She’an

Thank you so much for such a detailed post. We are very confused about something and hoping maybe you would be able to help us.. we have an Indian passport and live in the UK. We are travelling to Israel this April and were planning to go to Petra from Israel before we fly back to London. The issue however is that we have got a single entry Israel visa. We think this may cause a problem if we go to Jordan from Israel as we may not be allowed to enter again to catch our return flight 🙁

We emailed the Israeli embassy to ask how to convert our single entry visa to multiple entry but we haven’t heard of a way from them. We cant find any resources online either.

Do you know by any chance what is our best option in this scenario?

Thanks a lot Megha

Hi Megha, thanks for your message but I am afraid I can’t help you as I don’t know what are the special requirements for your passport. Normally, most nationalities would get a free visa on arrival, so not sure how to deal with your case. Best wishes.

Thanks for replying. Hope you have a good day

Hi, thanks for this info. I really think it would help us as we are planning to travel to Jerusalem & Nazareth soon this year. Just one point to ask; is it okay to travel there with no tour guide? We intend to travel as backpackers. Thanks for your help.

Hi, yes, it is all right to travel as backpackers. It’s easy, I do it myself all the time 🙂

Whilst referring to all of these borders as Israeli may be technically correct on an immigration basis but when referring to any border with the West Bank it is a denial of the Palestinians legitimate claim to the land. A blog post like this is not the place to get into the arguments on the issue of course but I think it at least deserves inserting the word Palestine in brackets after Israel where appropriate. Useful info thanks.

I think you’re trying to push politics into a technical guide.. How could referring to a the Israeli-Jordanian border is denying the Palestinians claims or rights?

1) The Allenby border crossing has been established as a result of the Israeli-Jordanian peace treaty in 1994. If Jordan signed this treaty, are you claiming that Jordan is denying the Palestinian’s rights and claims to the land?

2) The Israeli government has recognized the Palestinians’ right and claims to self determination in the land, in the Israeli-Palestinian Oslo agreement in 1993. Additionally, in the Israeli-Palestinian interim agreement (signed in 1995) Allenby border crossing is agreed to be under Israeli control while serving the Palestinian population. Are you claiming that the Palestinians, including their leader Yasser Arafart who signed this treaty, are denying their own legitimate claims?

Allenby border crossing has two terminals – an Israeli terminal west to the Jordan river, a Jordanian terminal east to the Jordan river. Acknowledging that is just acknowledging reality, as it is on the ground and as it is recognized by the Palestinian government and by the Jordanian government.

I agreed that the term used is technically correct but wouldn’t a Palestinian say they were crossing the Jordanian – Palestinian border. Would a Palestinian call it the Israeli border when they perceive it to be the entry or exit to Palestine? If that is true then it would seem respectful to use a term that acknowledged the fact, eg putting Palestine in brackets after Israel. If you’ve spoken to Palestinians about it and they call it the Israeli border then I’ll happily take your point, it just seems unlikely to me. I’ll certainly ask when I get there.

Palestinians (and Israelis) call it just “Allenby” border, or sometimes the “Jordanian” border. Maybe the Jordanians call it the “Israeli” border, that’s how things go.

Anyway, Palestinians crossing back from Jordan are indeed on their way to Palestine – but they have to go through Israeli controlled areas to do so, but their final destination is Palestine (which is “Area A” of the West Bank). Palestinians have bus shuttles from the Allenby terminal to the bus station in Jericho, and from there they can take another bus or servees shuttle to other destinations. So, as a Palestinian you’re obviously ‘in transfer to Palestine’ but your’e not crossing the Jordanian-Palestinian border, there’s no such thing (niether technically nor as a figure of speech). It’s just ‘Allenby’ border or sometimes the ‘Jordanian’ border.

In that case it does seem to be a bit of an anomaly for a border to a disputed territory. I’ve never heard the borders to Somaliland or Nagornokarabak referred to as the Somalia or Azerbaijan borders for instance. Anyway, thanks for the info and I’ll ask when l get there

Is it possible to fly from the UK to Israel to access the West Bank

I am confused about the Visa you get at Queen Alia Passport. My friend, who is a dual U.S./Israel citizen works in Saudia Arabia. He enters/exits that country with his US Passport that has a Saudi Work Visa (I thnk that is the type). He wants to visit Israel this summer. His thought was to use his U.S. Passport with Saudi Work Visa to enter Jordan at the Airport, exit Jordan via the King Hussein bridge up north using that same passport but asking Jordan not to stamp that passport; enter and leave Israel with his Israeli Passport, and finally enter Jordan at the King Hussein Bridge using his U.S. Passport with the Jordanian Visa he got at the Queen Alia Airport. Are you saying that visa will not work??? Does he need to purchase a separate entry visa for his Israeli Passport, noting also that he won’t be returning to Israel for another year?

Hello, I have one update for you. You’ve written in Wadi Araba crossing description: “However, if you stay in Jordan for less than 3 nights but you exit through a different border, (Allenby or Sheikh Hussein) you will always pay 10JD ($14).” I have entered through Wadi Araba and left through Sheikh Hussein one week ago. I had to pay 10JD exit fee even though I stayed 5 days, so the statement above is not entirely correct. Border official said that everyone has to pay it regardless of visa type and length of stay in Jordan. It may also be worth mentioning that going through Sheikh Hussein on foot is rather cumbersome. When crossing from Jordan you have to: – pay for the taxi to the border checkpoint (from Amman it costed me 35JD – it was rather good deal; you can also use taxi from Irbid for 20JD)); – pay for the taxi from the border checkpoint to the Jordan crossing 1,5JD per person; – pay for the bus from Jordan side to Israel side 3JD/20NIS per person; – pay for the taxi from Isreal crossing to the destination, there is no public transportation – cheapest option is 50NIS to Beit She’an (70NIS to railway station). Best regards, Pawel

Hey Pawel, that’s really awesome. Thanks for the info man, I updated it accordingly and apologies for the misleading information 🙂

please let me know about the working houra of Allenby bridge on Sunday 14/04/2018 best regards, Ahmed

what are the working hours at Allenby bridge on Sunday 15/4/2018

I recently returned to Jordan from Palestine over the Allenby /Hussain bridge border using my visa on arrival from Queen Aila airport just before the month was up so the two week rule you mention must have changed. I checked at the Jordanian Embassy in Ramallah first and they assured me I’d be ok up to the one month visa date. No one at the border made any comment .

This is a great read with wonderful tips. After reading various posts from a multitude of forums, I am unsure what’s the best way to Jerusalem via Dead Sea. Would you be so kind and patient to let me know what’s the best way to get to Allenby bridge? As well, what can I expect once I get to the border and how much JOD or NIS I should carry to pay for any necessary fees? I’ll be traveling to Jordan and onwards to Jerusalem and Tel Aviv (by land) before flying out to go home this October. Any tips for a smoother trip would be amazing! Many thanks!

Hi Anne. Buses to the border leave from Damascus gate in Jerusalem. For that border, you will need to arrange your visa in advance, hope you are aware of this. I am not sure about how much money you need but there are exchange offices at the border and I think that you can even pay by card.

Thank you for your swift reply! Eeps!! I should’ve been a bit more specific. I’ll be leaving Dead Sea from the Jordan side and I have a Jordan pass that will cover my visa. The confusion is really about transportation and transferring from Jordan to Jerusalem. Thanks again!

Can anyone confirm that crossing to Jordan via Eilat still qualifies to free visa (staying 3 nights in Jordan, and leaving by air with EU passport).

Do you know the rules on bringing pets?

Hi Adam, I don’t know about this, so sorry.

I am flying into Jordan/Amman on a UK passport….albeit from Hawaii, where I live. I will get visa on arrival. I plan to cross after 10 days to Israel on Allenby Bridge on a Sunday. I am a solo, female traveler, 67 yrs. Any tips?

It is safe for any gender and age! Any other further tips are in the post 🙂

Thank you so much. I have actually decided to go from Aqaba to Jerusalem, via Eliat. Working out taxi and bus now. Your posts are SO helpful. Mahalo.

Hello, I read a comment that you are not allowed to bring food throught Jordanian border, but it was just a single comment on the internet. Can anyone confirm or disprove it, please?

We also read this, and we had brought sandwiches and yogurt. We even read it on the signs at the border. We forgot our bag of food on the bus, went through the border, and were sitting in the shuttle to Jerusalem when an Israeli official burst in with our bag of food, explaining that she had found us because there was a photocopy of our passports in the bag!

Hello, First of all thanks for informations and helps . I am Turkish citizen and will travel in Jordan for 5 days and is it possible for me to pass to Israel for a day to see Eilat. Normally we should apply for a visa to visit Israel so is it possible to get visa at the Wadi Araba Gate?

Hi Mehmet, I don’t know about the special visa requirements for Turkish citizens. You should contact the embassy

I really need an answer as soon as possible , I am a Canadian citizen and I am planing to visit a friend in West Bank, so I will fly from Canada to Jordan stay in Jordan few days and then go to the Allenby crossing bridge that connect me with Jericho so I can visit my friend in West Bank , so my question is , do I need a Israel visa when I am crossing the border or just with my Jordanian visa I can get into West Bank , I am confuse if the Israel part will ask me for visa too besides the Jordan one . And if so , where in Jordan I can get that visa ? Please advice me

The West Bank is occupied by Israel, so to enter the West Bank you just need an Israeli visa which you get on arrival when you leave Jordan: https://againstthecompass.com/en/visit-palestine-travel-west-bank/

Thanks for the answer , you said I will get the Israel visa upon my arrival ? Arrival where ? In the Allenby crossing ? Because I read that there is not issue visas in the borders , it need to be pre- arranges when you get there to cross , so I don’t want to to get there ready to cross and the the Israel ask me for visa that I don’t have and then tell me that I need to go to another place and it will take few days of something like that , I thought that at the border the Israel just ask you few question and then granted you a permission . Can you you clarify my concern please 🙁

Like I say in the article, all Western countries can get an Israeli visa on arrival at any border crossing with Jordan

Thanks for the answer

Only the western countries…. I’m a Indian… Wil I get a visa from land border if I cross border from Jordan to israel

Another question , I will be in the city of jenin , do you hear about the north gate hotel ?

I don’t know anything about this hotel

Hi Joan can you please suggest some good tour operators who can help me with 1 day tours of :

Amman to Jerash & dead sea Aqaba to Wadi Rum & Petra Tel aviv to Jerusalem & Bethlehem

Hi there, sorry but I don’t know about any tour operator. I did everything by myself. Cheers.

We really liked our tour operator who arranged for his driver Laith to pick us up from Allenby, stay overnight in Petra driving us wherever a few minutes after we called him (everybody uses the app WhatsApp to make wifi calls), then driving us back to Allenby. They booked our hotel too. They provide tours throughout Jordan.

Correction: Nabil Abboud not Nabil About.

Hi Mary, I would appreciate if you could send him this info in private as promoting other companies is not allowed 🙂 Hope you can understand

Thanks for your blog. In May, 2019, I am planning on traveling to Petra from Jerusalem for two days. The Jordanian Embassy in Wash D.C. informed me the only Jordanian visa I can get immediately at the border is now at the northern Beit She’an crossing. Should I ignore this advice about the southern border crossing near Eliat?

If I decide instead to cross at the King Hussein Bridge, do you have any idea if I can wait for it to be processed at the Embassy in Tel Aviv or at the Jordanian Consulate in Jerusalem? I could visit either would appreciate knowing if there is an advantage in stopping by the Jordanian Embassy over the Consulate, or vice versa. Your advice will determine where I have a guide meet me. I would prefer to cross at Allenby since it is closest to Jerusalem, where I will be coming from that day.

Hi Mary, yes, you should ignore the advice from the embassy in the USA. In the Middle Eastern world, each embassy will tell you something different, so it is better to stick to the experience from travelers, which is the one on this blog.

If you want to cross via Hussein Bridge, you can get your visa at the Embassy yes and, if I am not mistaken, you get it instantly. Regarding embassy or consulate, I would choose whatever is more convenient for you. I don’t think there is much difference, besides their location.

Thank you so much. When I return from my trip, I will share my experience here regarding whichever crossing(s) we made from Jerusalem to Jordan .

I would really appreciate that, thank you so much 🙂

I just returned from my trip to Israel/Jordan. I’m writing back to share how we traveled from Jerusalem to Petra. While in Tel Aviv, we stopped nearby to the Jordanian Embassy to purchase a visa. This process took just 30 minutes for us because nobody else was at the office requesting one.

We asked our hotel to request a driver who could take us from Jerusalem to the Allenby Bridge. We left Jerusalem at 7 am, arrived at 7:30. The bridge opens at 8 but we waited to pass to the next point until 8:30. By the time we went through the border, went thru security, paid our tax and took a free bus to the other side, it was 9:45 until our Jordanian driver met up with us. The drive to Petra was 3 1/2 hours. We were at the Petra gate at 1:45.

We found going out of Israel and into Israel, as Americans, fairly easy. The security checkpoints, for us, were similar to going thru security at an American airport.

While on the Jetbus across Allenby which is required for individual travelers to ride, our passports were taken from us but returned when we arrived into Jordan at the passport office. Some people can get nervous about this if it is unexpected–but this is totally normal and our passports were returned to us within the hour.

I have no experience with the other entry points. We found the drive through Jordan side beautiful and diverse in its geography. The drive was one of the most scenic parts of our 18 day trip and I am grateful we saw more of Jordan by crossing the border at Allenby and heading south to Petra from there. Petra is awesome and shouldn’t be missed. We were gone from Jerusalem from 7 am on Wednesday until 3 pm on Thursday and though we were at Petra just under five hours, we were grateful for the time there. Bring a hat/sunscreen. The hike is almost always in full sun, and the temperature on our visit was 98 F. Water and snacks are available to purchase throughout the park. I opted for a carriage ride available for people who have trouble with hiking for 1/3 of the way. I found out later it’s free with tips encouraged but the guide I was provided told me it was 30 dinar. Also be wary of the carriage drivers asking for larger tips. In total I paid 40 dinar for a 10 dinar trip. Still worth it to ensure I could visit everything I wished to see during my short trip there.

thank you for your report!

Thanks for sharing, Mary. When you returned to Israel from Jordan, do you recall how many days your new visa was good for?

The visa date was reset. At first it was 5/9 thru 8/9 and now it is 5/23 thru 8/23 or three months.

Have a good trip,

Hi, My husband and two adult children are currently in Amman and wish to travel to Jerusalem for one day via the Allenby border just to see some main sites. We arrived in Jordan a week ago via queen alia airport and used the Jordan pass to pay for the visa fees. We do not need anything to return to Jordan correct since we have a visa good for a month? And arriving in Israel we need not pay for a visa but we do pay 50USD to exit correct? We would like to pay the fee via credit card prior to leaving Jerusalem- where would you suggest to do this? What time do you suggest we return to the Allenby bridge to cross in enough time prior to it closing for the night? Thank you so much!

Hi, everything what you say is correct Not sure about the credit card, but I think you can pay there but better to bring cash just in case About the timing, here you can see a detailed border schedule: http://www.iaa.gov.il/he-IL/borders/Documents/Opening%20Hours,%20Israeli%20Land%20Border%20Crossings%20%20Terminals%202017%20Holiday%20Schedule.pdf Just try to leave Jerusalem at least 2 hours before closing time, even earlier

I am travelling to Jerusalem from Amman this June during Eid. Really confused with which border to take and will I get the visa issued at border. I am having an Indian passport with UAE resident visa. I also have Jordan visa. My return to Jordan is to Petra. So I guess I should take Eilat border. Is it possible to enter via Allenby and exit by Eilat? Please give your suggestions. Thanks

yes, you can take this route, no problem

We travelled from Elat to Petra via the wadi araba border. Was really easy. We are on New Zealand passports and we didn’t organise a visa before hand. We did buy a Jordan Pass each for 75JD. We got an Uber from our Elat hotel to the border – 50 shekels We paid 103 shekels each to exit Israel and changed some shekels to JDs at the same time, just enough for the taxi ride to Petra (55JD) We went through security and passport control and then walked to the Jordan side of the border. We went through security there and then went to “window 10” for Jordan pass holders. They were friendly, stamped our passports, looked at our Jordan passes and sent us on our way. Through the border we checked the sign with the set taxi prices, it said 53jd to Petra. There was a guy organising the taxis and he choose one for us and that was that. We are staying three nights in Jordan in total so shouldn’t have to pay anything when we return to Elat.

thank you for sharing your experience 🙂

If you are from a country that does not requires you to apply for a visa at a Jordanian embassy, do you need to stop in Ramallah on the way to Amman or can you just show up at the border and give your passport? I will be on a bike so I don’t want to have to turn around.

Hi Alexandre, it depends on the border and in the article your question is perfectly answered

If I enter Israel through TLV as a US passport holder, they provide me with a 90 days tourist visa. I plan on staying in Israel for 60 days but want to spend a weekend in Aqaba. When I enter back into Israel from Jordan through the Eilat/Aqaba boarder, do they issue me a new visa and if so, how long is it valid for? I plan to stay in Israel for 4 more weeks after I come back.

Thanks! Ron

I don’t now if that visa is multiple entry but, in any case, you will get a free visa on arrival anyways, so I shouldn’t worry much about it.

Thanks for the quick response! It’s definitely not a multiple entry, so they would have to issue me a new one now that I think about it lol. Do you or anyone on here know how long the new visa issues at the Eilat boarder is valid for?

Like if you go to European Union, the way it works is that you get 90 days within a 180-day window

Hi I was looking at the King Hussein border and I typed that into google maps but instead of taking me through the border it just makes me take a turn all the way to the Sheikh Hussein Border. Does this matter and once I go to the King Hussein or will I just enter and make that turn. I am confused, thanks!

Hi Mahdi, I don’t understand your question. May you please clarify?

Hi! I am traveling in Middle East and I have planned to cross the South Border (Eilat x Aqaba). I am writing to say that today, June 6th 2019, I entered Jordan through this border. NO Visa in advance and NO Jordan Pass. Just arrived with my Brazilian Passport, then the officer asked me for how many days I would stay in Jordan (4 days) and than he said “Free Visa, no money needed”. Definitely, the content of this article is more reliable than the official sources. Have a nice trip!!!

Amazing Bruno, thank you so much for your feedback 🙂

yes thanks for tip and good news but what about the fee of differents places to visit in Jordan ?? you have to pay separetely right ?! so finally it s much more expensive ? so if you take the jordan pass, the price of visa is included in the pass and the 40 differents activities. good that there is no visa fee at this border but no use because once in jordan you will have to pay for all activities and more expensive than if you had the jordan pass ! i think !!! it s a question in same time ! lol

Sorry I am not sure if I should inquire here, but I just finished a two weeks trip in Iran and I am on my way to Jordan by flight from Iran. The Iranian immigration no longer stamp your passport (similar to Israeli immigration) so there is no evidence that I went to Iran except the port of departure before Iran was Nairobi, Kenya (I travelled in Africa first before heading to middle east) and there is a blank two weeks period before I enteri. Jordan. While I know I should not get denid for entry to Israel through King Hussein from Jordan, I am not sure whether they would question about this blank two weeks upon arrival at and departure from Israel (departure will be from Tel Aviv airport), and whether I should confess that I went to Iran, or I should tell them I went home (a theory that may collapse once they start asking about my flight number, etc.) Would be grateful if you could share your thoughts.

There is a blog and a thread for this topic: https://againstthecompass.com/en/avoid-israeli-passport-stamp/ I recommend you read it as well but in any case, if you have a European passport, I would just say that I went to Europe (EU citizens never get their passport stamped ever) but if not, in the hypothetical case they asked for it, you don’t really want to lie unless you have a very good excuse, which you probably don’t.

Thanks for your reply. Yes I had read the horror stories of people having Iranian visa and bring questioned for hours. In my case １. I do not have a Iranian stamp 2. I am a Japanese and departure and arrival to Japan are not shown on the passport.

Hence as you mentioned how EU citizens can say they went back from Kenya for two weeks and came to Jordan, I was wondering if I could say I returned to Japan, but I am not sure how much they would question if I stick to that story. (flight numbers, etc)p

hi! i am holding a Philippine Passport and a valid resident of Saudi Arabia. im planning to visit Jordan through plane. after three days, i want to proceed to Israel to see Jerusalem for another three days via land / crossing the border. what visas do i need to have in advance ? as holder of Philippine passport is visa free when travelling israel.. do i need Jordan multiple entry visa at hand so i can enter and exit and re-enter Jordan? my planned airtravel via Jordanian airline / Saudia Airline is Jeddah-Amman and the return is the same Amman-Jeddah. please i need your tips and advices so i can travel and be back safe to my working place. thank you.

Hi Melanie, I am sorry but I don’t know what are the specific requirements for Filipinos. Maybe you should contact the embassy in the Philipines or the nearest one to KSA, probably Turkey

Hi Joan, in the next days I will do the trip mentioned above and I will be happy to update your travel experience records. Just one question now. I am planning to cross from Jordan to Israel at Allenby Bridge and re-ross for my return trip. Wondering about the visa issues re-entering Jordan. Do you think I need to go to the Consulate in Ramallah or I can re-enter Jordan on the same Visa? How do I prove I exited from Allenby Bridge if, for example, I ask them not to stamp my passport when I exit? Thank you very much, Dario

Hi Dario, if you exit through King Hussein and re-enter using the same border, you can get it with the same visa, as long as the time in Israel doesn’t exceed 2 weeks. Even if they don’t stamp your passport, you are in their database and, in any case, when they don’t stamp your passport, they give you a separate piece of paper. Good luck, and thanks for your future updates, they will be more than welcome

We’re a party of three Mexican citizens planning on crossing into Jordan for five days via the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge. We have Jordan Passes. I’m getting conflicting versions as to whether we need to get Jordanian visas in Mexico before we leave on the trip or whether they’ll let us through with just the Jordan Passes. The official web sites indicate that no visas are given at the Allenby crossing. However, I’ve seen comments by people saying that they were let through with just the Jordan Pass for no charge.

Do you know what the real story is?

Hi Gil, the Allenby border crossing does’t issue Jordanian visas on arrival – You will need to use one of the other 2 borders, or get the visa in advance (in Ramallah you can get it within a day)

The Jordan Pass isn’t a valid visa but it is just a mechanism that waives the visa fees in case you stay in Jordan more than X days

Hi Joan, I was worried about the same issue… but JORDANPASS clarified in email exchanges that one can enter Jordan through Allenby bridge by just showing a Jordan pass… they said the rues have changed.

I am not saying you are wrong but given all the misinformation provided by the Jordanian authorities for the last years, I won’t believe it until an actual traveler verifies it by himself. If you try it and succeed, kindly let us know 🙂

Hello I just crossed to Jordan in Wadi Araba / Yitzhak Rabin border and stayed 4 days/3 nights (28/july/19). I didn’t have to pay the Visa neither the tax to exit. Your information on website help a lot, thanks!

Thank you very much for the update 🙂

Hi Edinson,

Did they give a visa at the border or you got one at the embassy?

Hello, I am Belgian. I plan to travel with my own car registrated in UAE from Abu Dhabi to Ashdod (Israël) and then take a ship to Italy. Can I cross the border Jordan/Israël with my UAE plates? If not, can I get temporary Israeli plates at the border? Thanks in advance for your answer!

I believe you plan to do UAE-Saudi-Jordan and then Israel? First time I would hear about someone doing this, so not sure whether you would be allowed or not to enter Israel, and also I am not sure whether you can get an Israeli plate

Hi, Thank you for your thorough detail. I am travelling from Amman airport to jerusalem, so therefore I will be crossing through the King Hussein border. However, on the way back I am staying in wadi rum, can I exit through the Eliat border? Or must I exit through the same border I entered?

Hi there, if you want to use the same visa, you must enter via the same border King Hussein

I hold both Israeli and EU passports and will be crossing to Aqaba this weekend. It’s my third trip there and usually, I user my Israeli passport on both sides of the border but it seems that recently Jordan requires Israeli passport holders to take a local guide for the border crossing for registration process that needs to be done by such local guide/tour operator up to 72 hours before crossing. Reading in Israeli travel sites, multiple travelers reported of the requirement and the fact that they took the services of such local guide/agency at a cost of around 30 JOD. I have yet to come across a traveler review/report that they were asked to turn back when having no local guide. Would it be an issue using my EU (Hungarian passport) at the Jordanian side instead of my Israeli passport? Thanks!

I believe it wouldn’t be a problem to use use your second passport!

many thanks for such a comprehensive post, but I’ve still got a question. Is it possible to enter Jordan via Eilat > Aqaba, and leave through King Hussein? Or is it mandatory to enter and leave through the same border?

Hey Carla, you can enter and exit through any border you want

great work! thanks for all the tips for border crossings between Israel and Jordan. We used Yitzhak Rabin border crossing this past April and stayed for 3 nights and 3 days in Petra and Wadi Rum. We didn’t have to pay anything on Jordan side. My question now is: is the visa fees waived if we use 2 different enter/exit points in Jordan? If we enter through SHB and exit through Wadi Arava, will we still be charged visa fees even if we stay 3 nights in Jordan? Please advise. Many thanks.

Hi Joan, amazing information you have here. Many thanks! I just want to make sure I got it right. My plan is the following: -arrival to Jordan (Queen Alia airport) and stay 3 nights in Amman. -cross to Jerusalem (King Hussein Bridge) and stay 2 nights -cross back to Amman using the same border (King Hussein Bridge) and stay in Jordan until the end of my trip. If I understood properly, my airport visa will be valid for the crossing back into Jordan the second time as I am using the same crossing-point. Am I correct? I also have the Jordan Pass if that helps. Thank you very much,

Hi there, yes, you understood it correctly. The visa will be valid. Cheers,

Can someone help me I am from Ghana and I work in the UAE I want to visit Israel through Jordan, I can get a visa on arrival at Jordan airport travelling as a Ghanaian no issue for that , what I want to know is that which of the the border may I use in order to have free visa to enter Israel please I really need this answer and also I have a UAE working visa in my passport I hope there won’t be any issue with the israeli authorities.

Please i really need an answer

Hi, Thank you for all the information!! I have a question: If I enter via Wadi Araba, stay for a week with friends in Jordan and then leave via the Northern border, will I have then to pay the 40JD visa fee on top of the 10 JD exit fee? ( a Jordanian travel agent told me that as of 6 month ago, that is the case). Do you know?

you will just have to pay the 10JD exit fee

Hi Joan, excellent and superb information. This helped me to plan out my upcoming trip. One thing that I found is if you get JORDANPASS ( https://www.jordanpass.jo/ ) the visa fee is waived by Jordan immigration.

Holder of JORADNPASS does not need to buy tickets for Petra and any museums – they get free entry. Also, in an email response, JORDANPASS clarified that anyone with JOARDANPASS can get visa on arrival (granted the traveler is from an approved country) from any of the three land crossings between Israel and Jordan.

I am not saying you are wrong but given all the misinformation provided by the Jordanian authorities for the last years, I won’t believe it until an actual traveler verifies it by himself. If you try it and succeed, kindly let us know

Hi, Joan, thank you so much for the info. We’re planning a 2 day trip from Jordan to Israel in November and we need some advice. We plan to travel from Amman to Jerusalem on Friday morning and return Saturday. I know the King Hussein Bridge Crossing closes early on Fridays and Saturdays, but different sites show different closing time. Do you know what time they actually close, and what time do we have to get there to ensure they let us pass? Or would it be easier to use Sheikh Hussein Crossing on our return trip? Thank you very much in advance.

Hi Helen, you can see timetables in this link: https://www.iaa.gov.il/he-IL/borders/Documents/Opening%20Hours,%20Israeli%20Land%20Border%20Crossings%20%20Terminals%202017%20Holiday%20Schedule.pdf I believe if you arrive 1 hour before closing time there shouldn’t be any issue

Hello Joan, Thank you for such detailed and updated information ! We are a couple of Belgians living in Jerusalem at the moment and we are planning a trip to Jordan with an entry by Aqaba and an exit by Allenby. Is it ok to enter by one border and exit by another ? I searched the web and asked the Jordan embassy but couldn’t get an answer. Thank you very much, Florence

Hi Florence, yes, you can enter and exit through different borders

Hello Joan! First of all , I would like to congratulate you on your blog. Such an impressive work based on research and own experience! I’m working in Jeddah right now, and every weekend I try to get away to nearby countries and I must say that your blog has inspired me/ served me as a travel guide. Anyway, I’ve read about combining different entry/exit borders, but mostly using the wadi rum border. My plan is to fly to Amman, cross to Jerusalem through Hussein bridge, stay in Jerusalem and then go north to visit Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee, and then cross through the north border so I can visit Jerash on the way down to Amman. My question is, will I face any issue, besides having to pay for 2 Jordan visas? Will they let me through in northern pass, and also will I face the issue with the exit stamp? (I work in Saudi Arabia, so I would be pretty screwed) Also what do you think about the itinerary? Thank you very much!

Hey Pelayo! Thanks for your message. Yes, you are right, the only problem would be that you would have to pay for 2 visas. If money isn’t really an issue for you, then you don’t need to worry about anything. The previous visa would just remain invalid and then you would do a new visa on arrival. As per the stamp, when I crossed the souther border, I told them to please not stamping it and they didn’t, and other travelers have told me the same. Just make sure to let them know when you hand in your passport. Good luck,

This post has been incredibly helpful.

We’ve just come back from a trip to Israel and Jordan. We crossed the Eilat/Aqaba border on the 24/09 and it was the easiest thing ever. It costed us 107 NIS to leave Israel, paid by card, got the visa to Jordan at Aqaba border (we’ve got Brazilian passport), got the manifesto and didn’t need to pay for anything. Lonely Planet mentions a handling visa fee but we were not charged for anything. Everything was free.

We stamped the manifesto in the visitor centre in Petra. On the way back, on the 26/09, we were asked how many days we stayed in Jordan. We said 2 nights, paid 10 JD each and went back to Israel.

Thanks a lot for this post.

oky, but what about Egypt-Israel border. As in few weeks i have a flight to Cairo and plan to cross onland into Israel at Taba and leave from Tel Aviv. Whats the situation over ther as of october 2019. Thanks!

Hi Vlad, I’ve never crossed that border

Hi Joan! Very informative blog. Would like to ask, are philippine passport holders included in the visa on arrival at the Wadi Araba/Yitzhak Rabin border? Planning on crossing the border from Israel! Thanks!

You must stay 2 nights/ 3 days to have the visa free of charge ! You do not need to stay “more than 2 nights “ as mentioned on this website!

Hi Joan, I have a question re traveling with two passports, – both are from the same EU country, but one contains an israeli student visa and the other one is ‘clean’ for ease of research purposes in Jordan. I entered Israel by air on my usual passport with the student visas and will be crossing to Jordan by land (sheikh Hussein crossing). In view of the above, I would like to know which document (clean or visa’d) would be best to use on exiting Israel? Will my passport be taken from me (as I read above), in which case, can I leave on my clean passport now that I have just entered on my visa one? Will this discrepancy be flagged up? Many Thanks!

Hi Nadia, I am not sure if I understand your question, but why would you exit with your clean passport, if there may be the possibility of getting a stamp when you enter Jordan?

You should save your clean passport for when you travel to countries where Israeli stamps are not welcome.

I have been told by Jordanian Tourist board (Jordan Pass group) via email that you can now get a Visa on arrival at the King Hussein border with the Jordan Pass.

it could be but, given all the misleading information given by the actual authorities, I won’t believe it until someone tries it successfully!

Hi Joan, Thank you for this great information! You write: “if you plan to do a road trip in Jordan with an Israeli car, you might find your windows broken on the next day, so it’s definitely not a good idea.” Does the same happen if you do a road trip in Israel with an car from Jordan? Many thanks!

I don’t know to be honest but that’s a good question! In any case, most car rental companies in Jordan won’t provide car insurance for Israel

[Dec 19 – Exit Jordan via KHB – Re enter via Wadi Arava – Jordan Pass – No extra fee] Hello Guys,

Since I also spent some time looking for an answer to this question, here is my detailed experience about crossing and re-entering jordan through a different border.

– Arrival in Amman Airport – got the Jordan Pass – Left Amman in taxi to the border : 25 JOD – Paid Jordan exit fee : 10 JOD – Paid Bus : 8,5 JOD (with luggage) – Passed israel security (15mn max, no question) – Took collectivo to Jérusalem : 47 NIS

From Jerusalem : – Booked ticket online at the hostel (In hebrew) 1 day in advance to go to Eilat : 70 NIS

From Eilat : – Took a taxi to border : 40 NIS – Paid israel exit fee : 105 NIS – Took a taxi to center of Aqaba : 15 JOD

Warning : I have to tell that they did not like the fact that I was reentering via another border … They kept my passport for at least 30minutes, it went from hand to hand. I enventually went through but at some point i thought i would have to pay or even they wont allow me through this border. Anyway, you can try but you have to know it is risky

Hi Jordan, all the information in your blog were very very very helpful. Thank you so much for that. I would like to ask something, if is possible, and I am sorry if it was said here before. I live in Qatar and I am planning to travel to Israel from Doha. I also would like to do a tourist trip to Petra. Flying from here is easy, there is no direct flights, the connection is in Jordan, but it is possible. I also would like to go to Petra but from Israel. I read that is possible to get a tour bus from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. My question is, I would be going from Doha to Tel Aviv, with Jordan connection, but crossing the border Israel – Jordan to visit Petra. Do you know if someone has done this before? Any tips? Thank you so much in advance for your attention.

Hi Eliza, Thousands of tourists do crossing every single day and this post tells you how to do it precisely 🙂

Joan** sorry .

January 2020 update. Got a free visa in wadi araba to cross from Israel to Jordan. Paid 105 isl by visa debit card as exit fee from Israel. A bit crowded for the new year but all the process took roughly one hour. On the Israeli side very good English. On the Jordan side just basic English but still enough to comprehend the situation and duties. Taxi from eilat ramon Airport was 100 isl. Taxi to Aqaba was 25 jd not really negotiable. Hope it helps. 🙂

Forgot to mention that I got my passport stamped. When I asked to make the stamp on a different paper I was told there was no problem at all and that the Jordan stamp is no more an issue nowadays. OK, I know these people can tell you everything to support their cause, but if you really care about not having your passport stamped, I suggest you to be really careful when giving them your passport and show how serious you are about the request. Otherwise you will not have the time to stop them in advance. So remember to ask ASAP because the Jordanian standard procedure is to stamp. My stamp is in Arabic but I can read the initials of the border name, so yes, other countries will know I’ve been in Israel if they know what to look for.

Suppose I enter Jordan from Syria is it possible to get a multiple entry visa with the Jordan Pass. And if you can get a multiple entry visa can you re enter Jordan through the King Hussein crossing?

I‘ve just crossed from Israel to Jordan in the south (Eilat to Akaba) and they issued me the visa on the border. So your information is still valid. Thanks, it was very helpful.

thanks for letting us know 🙂

Anyone has a good on line resource to fin buses in Palestine? I’m trying to find the best way to go from Hebron to Eliat.

Hi, Thank you for all the infromation! 🙂 however I wanna ask… If I´m not planning to buy the Jordan pass, will I still be able to get the FREE visa on arrival ? Is the Jordan Pass a requirement for the free visa? (will be staying in Jordan for 3 nights) Thank you!

Hi, Thanks for the info. I am an American living in Dubai and would like to drive to Israel through Saudi-Jordan-Eilat border. I am wondering if i can drive my car to Israel>

Thanks for any info

Hi I am planning to travel from Jerusalem to Petra , stay a night and than travel to Amman. Can you please advise how to do this. I was planning to rent a car drive to Eliot and return car there, cross border and than take taxi to Petra, and next day take taxi tp Amman. Are there car rental services in Eilot ?, is there car rental on Jordon side of border? Thanks

Hi Hyder, I am unsure about Jordan’s status, but cases in Israel are skyrocketing again as of 21 Sep 2021. Please write back when the pandemic is under control throughout the world. I realize it might be two to 4 years, so your and my not traveling is asking a lot. I miss traveling too. I would feel partially responsible if you or someone else where you traveled fell ill because of my encouragement and advice on how to travel during this once in a lifetime years long event. I know it’s getting old. I can’t wait to return to Petra as soon as my wish for travel doesn’t endanger others. Be well, Mary

Thanks, I along with my wife have received boaster dose of COVID vaccine, so I may make an attempt in November. Hopefully by than things may settle down. Also there is hope oral medication may be available. So fingers crossed. I appreciate your comment and concern. Thanks

I am an Australian tourist who want to travel to Jerusalem via king Hussein crossing on 1st December, 2021, I have two Pfizer vaccines! Can I get a tourist visa to visit Jerusalem at King Hussein crossing!! What do I need to get it.

Hello! Thanks a lot for this useful post. I plan to cross the Allenby Bridge/King Hussein Border from Jerusalem to Jordan. I have read lots of information about using a Jordan Pass to cross this border and still there is a lot of confusion. Can the Pass be used or do I definitely need to get a Jordan Visa on my passport in advance at the Jordan Embassy in my home country? Best, Concha

For the latest experience (March 2022) of getting from Amman to Jerash and to Jerusalem from there. Before leaving the country, you need to get a test from BioLab or Medlab. Ask around, many locals will know someone who comes to your house and takes a PCR test there (then it will cost 12 JD). There also exists a place in Weibdeh where you can get tested for free. Results will come within 8 hours or so. When filling out the entry form to Israel, Jerash (in Palestine) is not listed there. However, it was fine to just put in any other city nearby – don’t worry about it. The CR test when entering Israel has to be paid on advance online. The website is only in hebrew, and some cities (arriving destinations for quarantine) do not exist there, but don’t worry. At the moment there are no JETT busses operating between Amman and KHB (there used to be a bus from Abdali Station). A Careem from downtown Amman (Jabal Amman or Al-Weibdeh) cost around 14,5-15 JD. At the borde, if things get confusing, someone will help through the different stages of leaving Jordan where you will show your passport several times, your PCR test result and pay the fees of 10JD. The price of the bus between the Jordanian and Israeli border still prices in at 8,5 JD. You will enter the bus without your passport, before leaving the are redistributed again. On arrival at the “other” side, they will interrogate you for a few minutes or hours. Your passport is not stamped, you are given a paper slip. The bus to Jerash costs around 13 Shekel, Jerash is a nice town, so check it out. From there you can take a bus to Jerusalem.

thanks for your feedback, glad the border is open once again 🙂

Hi Julia, Hyder, I am planing to visit Jordan next week. If I arrive at Amman airport, and get single entry visa, can I go to Israel for day or two, and come back to Jordan, with the same visa? or I need multiple entry visa? As far as I understand, if I exit Jordan at Allenby Bridge/King Hussein Border, and return at the same border crossing, I will not need multiple visa, only single entry visa. And if I choose another border, I will need new visa. right-wrong? Thanks a lot!

When you exit Jordan you need to pay a 10 JD exit fee, and then I think that with a single entry visa you need to pay another one when you return into the country. All the people I know who went to Palestine and returned again without paying had a residency pass for Jordan.

My wife and I are planning to go from Eilat to Wadi Musa (near Petra) on Saturday, June 18. We then plan to visit Petra on Sunday, June 19, and then return to Elat the same day. We are fully vaccinated and received boosters. We have already reserved our Wadi Musa hotel. 1. Is the border (near Eilat) open on Saturdays and Sundays? 2. Any tips that you can provide on transportation (I want to arrange the transportation ahead of time)? Thanks!

Hello there! There are bus tours from Eilat that allow you to do Petra and Wadi Rum within the same day, just google “bus tour Eilat Petra”, you’ll find plenty of results, same for your first question 😉

Hi, In a couple months I plan on arriving at Queen Alia on a single entry visa. I then want to cross the Allenby border with Israel the next day and return after a week, spending some more time in Jordan. Can I still do this on the single entry visa. Thanks!

Hi there, Thank you for sharing your useful experiences. We plan to travel to Petra next week via the Arava crossing near Eilat. I‘m German but my husband is Israeli. There is an info, that Israelis need an arrangement through a travel agency and a Jordanian guide? Has anyone experience whether this is necessary to take care of? We already booked and arranged everything ourselves. Many thanks in advance Silke

Hello, Could you please share your experience about how it worked in the end? Did you get a special arrangement through a jordanian travel agency/guide to cross the border? I am also planning to cross the Wadi Araba border together with a friend with Israeli Passport. Thanks in avance, Andrea

I noticed you updated this on 31st July. I read online that the border crossing from Jordan into Israel is re-open from 1st August 2022. I would be travelling from Amman via the Allenby crossing. I am on the Israel website to find whether I need a VISA pre-departure, as I am seeing conflicting information online. The Israel website displays an error on their VISA page. For travelling via land with a British / Irish passport from Amman in Jordan to Israel, do you know whether VISA needs to be arranged before the trip? Or can it be arranged at this border? This is to continue the trip for 5 days prior to flight home from Tel Aviv.

Hi – I’m planning a visit in October 2022 where I will cross from Israel into Jordan at Wadi Araba / Yitzhak Rabin border. I was planning to do this on a Saturday. I am reading conflicting information about the border hours on Saturdays. Do you know when the border is open for crossing? Thank you!

Hallo, We will be flying in to Amman and then rent a car to drive down to Petra, Wadi Rum and Aqaba. Do you know if there are any problems crossing that border with entry to Jordan at Amman airport? (EU passport holder).

Hi Tobias. which border? if you go from Amman to Aqabaa there isn’t any border in between, you are in Jordan

Hi Joan, sorry I wasn’t clear. We want to cross the border into Israel at the Wadi Araba border crossing. Before Jordan, we will travel to Lebanon. Have you experienced any troubles having a Lebanese passport stamp when crossing into Israel?

Hello dear ,

Thank you very much really for the helpful information, I’ve a European passport booked from belgium to AMMAN airport & the return after 2 weeks will be from aqaba , my question is can i arrive to Amman and tell the officer that I’m heading to Aqba within 48 hours so i will have a free visa ? Then stay 4 night in aqaba and then go out from aqaba via elat to visit jeureslem 1 day & then go back to aqaba via elat to stay another 3 days before catching my flight back from aqaba to Belgium?

All of that with a free Jordanian visa ???

Either enter / exit ??

Please advise & confirm

Very confusing is it. I have a Jordan Pass and would like to go to Jerusalem for a couple of days. I would cross at King Hussein/ Allenby Bridge. Is this possible? I could use some advise. Thanks

Hi! Your Jordan pass is a pass to visit touristic sites in Jordan, what is confusing is why you mention it here when asking about going to Jerusalem which is in another country 🙂 Crossing the border can take time but if a smooth process… As long as your passport is not issued by IRI, it should not be a problem.

It’s a bit urgent! Can I pay the Israeli exit tax with Visa card at the Allenby Bordercrossing or do I need to bring Shekel in cash? Do they take Euro or Jordanian Dinar? Thanks!

Report border crossing Jordan-Israel

I took a cab to the border in Jabal Amman on Sunday, 20.11.2022 at 7am, I organized the cab in advance and negotiated 20JD (so about 30€). At shortly after 8 o’clock I was there. You go into a room with several receptions where you pay the exit tax and your passport (with my still valid visa) is checked and taken. Only cash payment is possible on the Jordanian side, I paid in JD.

You then wait in this room until you are directed to the waiting shuttle bus. There you wait until all seats are full and officials come with the passports, you get it back. For the shuttle bus you have to pay 7JD per person and 1,5JD for big luggage. But nobody checks how many pieces of luggage you really have. Also there only cash payment possible.

The bus leaves and you are let out at the Israeli control station. You have to label your big luggage and hand it in, you can take your hand luggage to the body scanner. Depending on the load one waits in a queue. After that there is a restroom. Afterwards you have to answer questions about your stay and you get your visa as a small blue piece of paper, which is VERY important, so keep it well. Then you can go to the baggage claim and get your luggage, it is recommended to travel only with hand luggage, then it goes faster. From the border until we were ready on the other side it was about 4 hours.

Now when you are done you step out and cab drivers want to hail you, but there is also a shuttle bus that runs so every 15-20 minutes. You can pay in JD or shekels cash, so 11-12JD per person to get to Jerusalem, luggage costs extra. The bus does not leave until everything is full. You are let out at the Damascus Gate in the city center. From there it’s good to take public transport to other places (e.g. Tel Aviv; first take streetcar line 1 to the train station and then buy a ticket (card payment at the machine only possible for longer routes like Tel Aviv-Jerusals, but only at the one at the train station) for about 6-7€, the train runs regularly). If you don’t have shekels in cash yet, there is an ATM right by the place where the bus drops you off. Tickets for bus and streetcar can only be paid with cash at the moment. We were also checked several times. Green top-up cards are available for 5.5 shekels (about €1.50), which you have to feed with cash (but no large bills!) at the stops. A single ticket also costs 5.5 shekels. When you get off, however, it is immediately no longer valid. A day ticket for 12.5 shekels is worth it.

On Monday, 28.11.2022 I left at shortly before 10 at the Damascus Gate to the border crossing. The entrance for the shuttle is somewhat hidden in a courtyard and is located near the drop-off point of the outward journey. If you don’t find the courtyard, ask around. You can take this bus for about 50 shekels (13€). At the border you drop off your luggage again. You pay the heavy exit tax, depending on the exchange rate about 50-60€, payable cash or with card. The Israeli visa is checked and you get back into the shuttle, where you have to pay again about 8JD per person. On the Jordanian side the visa is checked. This process took only 2.5 hours, including travel time to the border.

For the entire outbound trip I spent 62€ and for the entire return trip I spent 93€ (Added including travel from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv!). To note: have the necessary cash with you Plan enough time If you enter AND leave via the Hussein bridge/Allenby border crossing, you don’t need another visa (provided it is valid on re-entry). I don’t think there is a visa on arrival on the Jordanian side (but you would have to check)

Hi Lilli and Joan, If I go to Israel from Allenby bridge with Jordan Pass, can I then return to Jordan from the same border without having to pay a new visa fee? If not, provided there is no visa on arrival in this border, I should then head for the Sheikh Hussein border, right?

Hi fellow restless souls, has anybody successfully obtained visa on arrival for entrance to Jordan on Wadi Araba / Yitzhak Rabin border? Was it still free?

Hi, I am planning crossing the wadi Araba border this month on a British passport. I will be staying in Jordan for 2 nights before flying out from Amman. Has anyone made this trip recently? And were you able to obtain visa at this border?

Hi Joan My husband and I will be crossing from Israel to Jordan via the Sheik Hussein Border in the north of Israel . As the entry visa fee for Jordan is included in the Jordan Pass, we will not need cash to enter Jordan. However, as I understand it, we will have no other choice than to take a taxi from the border to Irbid or Amman. So we will need cash for the taxi ride. Do you know if there is an ATM machine on the JORDANIAN SIDE of the border once we have crossed it, so we can withdraw Jordanian Dinar? We would like to avoid currency exchange offices and rather withdraw cash directly from an ATM as it is cheaper. Thanks in advance for your input! 🙂 Best, Eva

Hello Everything is so confusing we are planning to cross from Jerusalem to Amman via king Hussain Bridge with my family. There is so much information about Jordon pass and visa upon arrival. We are Canadian. Can someone give us 1st hand information about how to cross from via Allenby Bridge to Jordon do we really need to prearranged visa or we can just get stamped at king Hussain border crossing.

We will be crossing from Jordan to Israel, not sure right now which land crossing we will be using. I was wondering are there any rules for liquids crossing Jordan/Israel land borders like there are with flying? thank you, Barbara

Just to be clear…I can fly into Amman, travel around Jordan, then cross into Israel via the Allenby/King Hussein Bridge, where I eventually need to return to go back to Amman, if I’m flying onwards to Lebanon (Beruit) IF I don’t want any signs of a bording crossing into Jordan from Israel…is this correct? Is this really the only way that the Lebanese officials will have absolutely NO reason to believe that I traveled in Israel? Thank for any advice.

I recently cross from King hussain Bridge to Israel, Jericho they do not stamp your passport or put any information on your passport. They will give you a piece of paper it will have your picture and permit number. You have to keep that with your passport when you’re traveling inside Israel As there will be many check-post. On your way return to King hussain Bridge bader Crossing they will take that blue piece of paper and will give you a pink paper that shows you are exiting the Israel, and when you enter Jordan, they do not stamp your passport as you have never left the Jordan.

We (an American and a Brit) crossed at the Allenby Bridge border from Israel to Jordan and then back again in March 2023. IMPORTANT: (1) You need a visa in advance to cross into Jordan at the Allenby Bridge border and (2) Have some cash on hand to pay for the bus from Jordan to the Israeli border. We spent about 50 shekels in cash per person to cross to Jordan, and about 90 to return. All stops took JOD, NIS, or USD.

A few travel tips: 1) We used the Moovit App to travel from Jerusalem Central Bus station to the Allenby Bridge. The bus gets you 90% of the way there and drops you in the middle of the highway, then you have to take a taxi from the highway to the border terminal. The taxi is 50 shekels per person 2) The border crossing was smooth a quick for us. We paid Israeli exit fees and a bus fee by card. On the Jordan side the driver will take the passport from you and take it to the boarder terminal, no need to worry just stick with them. 3) On the return to Israel, we caught a shuttle bus from the border to the Damascus Gate in Jerusalm. This was easy but also required cash. Upon the border check they take your passport don’t worry you will get it back.

All in, we paid cash for: the Israeli taxi, the Jordanian exit fee (10 JOD per person), the Jordanian shuttle bus, and the shuttle bus to the Damascus Gate in Jerusalem. Everything else we paid by card. Make sure you leave time for the shuttles to ‘fill up’ it takes as long as it takes. The whole process took us about 2.5 hours each way.

Hi Nicole, thanks a lot for this travel reports and tips!

Hey, I have a question. On the guide it says that tourists that enter jordan thru the airport and then cross to Israel using the the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge may return to Jordan through this crossing without a new visa as long as the visa has not expired. How can we confirm this info because if we indeed cross to Israel and then they ask us for a new visa when we want to get back into Jordan we will need to get to an embassy which would be a big problem and a waste of time?

Hi Pedro, this no other way to verify this other than trusting travel reports and reading the comments from people on this post.Unfortunately, there’s no official info on this matter, and embassies will always tell you a different story.

Hi. Thanks for the terrifically useful information. I hoping to gain some clarity on visa requirements for re-entering Jordan. We are entering Jordan (on a visa via Jordan Pass) and will travel to Jerusalem and then back to Jordan. We have received conflicting information about the visa requirements. The Jordan Pass visa is single entry though some sources (including yours) states that if we exit and re-enter via Allenby / King Hussein Bridge we can use that visa. I am just seeking assurance that this is the case. I would dearly love to avoid having to spend time in Amman seeking another visa before we leave for Jerusalem. And we don’t have time to get a Jordan visa in Israel. Thank you! Lucy

Thanks Lucy, let us know how it goes 🙂

Hey, I’ve read Nicole’s comment (24/03/2023) but can’t reply for some reason. What I’m wondering is the following: I’m trying to get from Amman to Jericho, what happens once I arrive to the King Hussein Bridge? I pass the Israeli border, what then? Are there taxis? Buses? How do I continue from there?

Hi. I am a photographer living in Israel with both Israel and US passports. I need to get to The Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” across the Jordan River from Jericho to photograph the site. I understand I cannot cross the Allenby bridge because I am an Israeli citizen, so I need to cross at Sheikh Hussein the north. I would like to bring my own vehicle if possible but I understand this may be dangerous and not worth it. It is also a 4WD SUV. What are your recommendations for travel? Bring my own? Rent a Car? Hire a Taxi?

Any recommendations of drivers to hire? Or can I find one at the border crossing? Do you think I can accomplish all this in one day or should I plan 2 days and if so where can I stay close to the site? Many thanks in advance?

Hello everyone. Can anyone who has recently crossed through the Eilat/Aqaba border (from Israel to Jordan) confirm whether visas are still issued on arrival? Many thanks.

I understand that the Jordanian visa on arrival is still available at Aqaba crossing. However, I would like to know how much I would pay for this visa if I were to exit Jordan-on the same day as entry-but via the Saudi border….

Thank you for all the info. It is indeed helpful. Here is my question and confusion. I am a Canadian citizen, traveling from Doha to Amman. I an not staying in Amman but will be going straight to Jerusalem for 5 days with the tour company from Jordan. Then I will be returning back to Amman to fly back home. What type of Visa do I need from Amman airport? I am not sure about which land border will be used to enter Jerusalem because we are only visiting Al Aqsa area. The travel agent from Canada says to have $US120 dollar ready at Amman airport for visa on arrival and that I should get a multiple entry visa. (The rest of the group members are all coming from Canada) I am not sure if I can get a multiple entry visa on arrival. Your quick response /help will be greatly appreciated. I am leaving in one day time. Thank you so much in advance.

We were recently on a long trip through 5 Middle East countries, making our border crossing into Israel potentially tricky. We wanted to give some input to your posts on Israel & Palestine seeing that we found it very valuable. Being independent explorers travelling to less travelled places, relevant and on-the-ground details are not easy to find, so we need to do a cross section of research, including speaking to locals. When we did find a blog post for Palestine – yours stood out with the most in depth, practical with real life experience attached to it. So thank you.

A taxi to from Aqaba to the Aqaba/Eilat border crossing must be well negotiated, because it varies radically. We paid 7JD from downtown Aqaba to the border, which was reasonable. Walking through the border controls are smooth and not overly onerous.

We had travelling from Lebanon to Jordan and then to Israel – so we were prepared for lotsa questioning or perhaps refusal of entry (as some blogs speculated). This was not the case. We were asked about Lebanon – purpose of our visit, how long, who do we know/related to there, what places did we visit whilst there and why, did we work there or plan to, accommodation we used. For all of these questions we had evidence on hand (cloud based seemed good enough) – but we were not asked to show evidence to the customs officer, just asked to answer the questions honestly. We were very transparent, even about going to southern Lebanon (south of Tyre & Sidon) very close to UNIFIL (Palestinian) controlled refugee camps and Israeli border. Israel has loads of surveillancing, so best to be transparent.

Customs officer appeared serious, but did not really interrogate us and issued us our Israeli “blue card/visa” relatively easily.

NB : If travelling the other way into Jordan, you can apply for a Jordan Visa on Arrival at this and other border crossings except King Hussein/Allenby Bridge, as well as the Queen Alia International Airport.

Armed soldiers everywhere, and guided us to the Uber / taxi pick up point into Eilat. If you are taking the bus from Eilat heading north, taxi will drop you off at the central station.

Hoping for peace in the Middle East at this time !!!!

Thanks for this detailed report!

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• How to Plan a 10-Day Israel, Jordan, Egypt Itinerary

For first-timers who want to experience the Middle East, a cross-border journey through Israel, Jordan, and Egypt is one of the most popular options.

Not only are these countries the safest countries in the Middle East but they also offer various experiences, including but not limited to relaxation, history, nature's beauty, and religion, which are perfect for families and couples.

However, planning a trip to visit three countries within 10 days could be challenging. Read on to see our travel advice and itineraries, which have been designed to meet various needs and interests.

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Where to go in 10 days in israel, jordan, and egypt, itinerary 1: a 10-day classic itinerary covering israel, jordan, and egypt, itinerary 2: a 10-day relaxing itinerary embracing israel, jordan, and egypt, itinerary 3: a 10-day biblical itinerary traversing israel, jordan, and egypt, how much does a 10-day trip to israel, jordan, and egypt cost.

Generally speaking, 10 days is not enough to fully explore Jordan, Israel, and Egypt's highlights but, luckily, most of them are clustered around a few cities/areas, so you could see the main attractions.

For the most reasonable route plan and to save your limited time, we'd like to recommend that you spend 4–5 days in Egypt, 3–4 days in Jordan, and 2–3 days in Israel.

• In Egypt, Cairo with its iconic pyramids is considered a must-visit destination for a first trip to Egypt. If time permits, taking a Nile cruise between Luxor and Aswan while visiting the attractions alongside would be a good option.
• In Jordan, the Dead Sea and Petra are the most popular sites for first-timers. Exploring the Wadi Rum desert for its unique moon-like landscape would be a good choice if you have more time in Jordan.
• In Israel, Jerusalem is definitely not to be missed for its special history and being the holiest city. Haifa (the Hanging Gardens) and the Sea of Galilee (where it is believed Jesus walked on water) are also worth a day trip.

Due to limited flights from America or Europe to Jordan, and the fact that Jordan shares land borders with Israel and Egypt, it's recommended to start your trip either from Egypt or Israel.

If you have a preference and want to prolong the time spent in a specific country but would like some help planning your trip, please feel free to contact us and we will make a private tour plan that meets all of your needs.

Discover real reviews of Highlights Travel Family 's best-rated service across trusted platforms.

For first-timers, this time-smart itinerary would allow you to enjoy the most popular highlights in Israel, Jordan, and Egypt.

You would start from Israel's holiest city, Jerusalem, then enjoy the magical Dead Sea in Jordan for a weightless floating experience, and appreciate the Giza pyramid complex, the Temple of Luxor, and the Valley of the Kings in Egypt.

Here is the suggested itinerary:

• Days 1–2: Jerusalem, the ancient holy city with the famous Western Wall
• Day 3: The Dead Sea, effortlessly floats at the lowest point on Earth
• Days 4–5: Petra, a beautiful rose-colored ancient city with rock-cut architecture
• Day 6: Amman, the bustling capital and the largest city of Jordan
• Days 7–8: Cairo, a vibrant metropolis full of ancient architecture
• Day 9: Luxor, the biggest open-air museum of temples in the world
• Day 10: Return to Cairo to depart from Egypt

You would start your trip by landing in Tel Aviv in Israel, then transfer to Jerusalem in about an hour to see the Night Spectacular light show . During your days in Jerusalem, you would visit the Western Wall and its tunnels to fully understand the conflict and sacredness of religion, and discover the Temple Mount , which was the location of so many events in the Bible.

Then, you would go to the Dead Sea in Jordan as your next stop, since it could offer a magical experience of effortlessly floating as well as a mineral-rich mud spa to soothe your nerves and body. The journey would continue to Petra, where you would witness its UNESCO World Heritage Site — a rose-colored sandstone city.

In addition, you would travel back to Amman , the capital of Jordan, for a city tour and food adventure before departing from Jordan and flying to Cairo , the capital of Egypt.

Landing in Cairo , an hour's drive would bring you to Giza to see the spectacular pyramids and the Great Sphinx , where you could ride a camel to marvel at these spectacles.

Finally, you would end your trip by visiting the historical sites along the drive to Luxor , such as the Valley of Kings to see the pharaohs' tombs, the Temple of Horus , and the Temple of Luxor to witness the glorious old days of the gods of Egypt.

Do you find this itinerary interesting? Contact us and we will help you to customize your unique private tour so that it meets all of your needs.

Do you happen to have a vacation that exceeds 10 days? Check out this tour package: 15-Day Best of Israel, Jordan, and Egypt Family Tour

Slower than the classic route, this 10-day itinerary focuses on relaxation and includes a Nile cruise in Egypt and one night's camping in the Wadi Rum desert in Jordan. It's very popular with couples and families wishing to celebrate an anniversary, birthday, or graduation.

Since the departure time of the cruise ship is basically fixed and we don't want any unforeseen circumstances to disrupt your travel plans, we believe that starting your trip from Egypt and ending it in Israel would be the most reasonable choice.

• Days 1–2: Cairo — explore the mystery behind the pyramids and sphinxes
• Days 3 –5 : A Nile cruise from Aswan to Luxor — enjoy some quality time with your family
• Day 6: The Dead Sea — watch the sunset at the lowest point on Earth
• Day 7: Petra —hike through the centuries-old rose-colored city
• Day 8: Wadi Rum — appreciate peaceful and magical hours under the starry night sky
• Days 9–10: Take a city tour in Jerusalem, then depart from Israel

You would start your trip by arriving in Cairo , the capital of Egypt, and do a day trip to Giza to see the incredible pyramids and sphinxes , thinking about the myths and mysteries that have been left for us mortals to ponder.

Next, you would fly to Aswan to board the Nile cruise ship and start your 4-day cruise along the Nile River to Luxor .

During your cruise, you would explore the sights around the Nile, such as the Philae temple complex , the Temple of Horus , and Luxor Temple . What's more, you could have some quality time with your loved one(s) by enjoying authentic Egyptian cuisine or partying with the crew on board.

After the amazing 4-day cruise, you would fly to Amman , the capital of Jordan. You would participate in a foodie adventure during a city tour in Amman as a warm welcome, then you would take a private transfer to the Dead Sea for a beautiful sunset and a weightless floating experience.

Subsequently, you should save some strength for the 1-hour hike in Petra , the UNESCO World Heritage site, where you would be surprised by this ancient city that has been entirely carved out of rose-colored sandstone and has survived for centuries.

Then you would explore the Wadi Rum desert by taking a drive in a jeep, visiting the local Bedouin tribes, and camping in the desert overnight in a half-transparent tent. Just imagine what it would be like when night falls — you and your loved one(s) could cuddle under the starry night sky while staring at the bright galaxies. It would be something that is beyond words.

You would end your trip by staying for 2 days in the holiest city of Israel, Jerusalem , and visiting its highlights, including the Western Wall , the Church of the Holy Sepulchre , and the Church of the Nativity to feel the divine atmosphere and religious vibe in the air.

Insider tips:

When you choose a private tour to visit these three countries, you may want more privacy and intimate time with your loved one(s), so we would arrange a dahabiya cruise boat for you.

Unlike other cruise types with dozens of cabins, dahabiyas only have 6–12 cabins for about 15 passengers. While enhancing your privacy, the service quality and infrastructure of a dahabiya would also be better suited to your needs.

This itinerary is designed for those who want to spend more time in Israel and experience the deep religious connections to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

On this trip, we want to offer you a perfect blend of adventure, exploration, and cultural immersion, from the modern delights of Tel Aviv to the natural beauty of Jordan, and the ancient wonders of Egypt.

• Day 1: Tel Aviv, the vibrant and cosmopolitan hub of Israel
• Day 2: Haifa, the beautiful seaside city with the Hanging Gardens
• Days 3–5: Jerusalem, the ancient holy city with the famous Western Wall
• Day 6: The Dead Sea, effortlessly floating at the lowest point on Earth
• Day 7: Petra, a stunning rose-colored city with rock-cut architecture
• Day 8: Wadi Rum, the desert with a unique moon-like landscape
• Days 9–10: Visit the Giza pyramid complex in Cairo, then depart from Egypt

Upon your arrival in Tel Aviv , you could take some time to immerse yourself in this vibrant city that's known for its beautiful beaches, lively markets, and rich cultural heritage.

The next morning, you would go to Caesarea to explore the well-preserved Roman Theater and the remains of a Roman temple . Later, you would continue your adventure to Haifa , a beautiful seaside city, to witness the magnificent Hanging Gardens and the Shrine of the Bab .

Then you'd visit Nazareth , the biblical city where Jesus grew up, and the Sea of Galilee , where it is believed Jesus walked on water. During the day, you would be fully immersed in the serene atmosphere and feel the rich spiritual significance of these sacred places.

Jerusalem is the reason that most travelers choose to pay a visit to Israel as it's the holiest city in Israel — the most famous center of cultures and religions. You would visit the Western Wall , dive into the ancient streets of the Old City , and wander around the bustling markets of the Arab Quarter . Led by the Arabic food aroma, you could fall in love this city due its sacredness and timeless promise.

Subsequently, you would stay by the Dead Sea in Jordan for one night. Enjoy the extraordinary experience of floating weightlessly, and soothe your nerves and body before your trip to Petra.

Petra is renowned as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Trekking for about an hour to the Treasury, with a most iconic facade, you would be amazed by this rose-colored sandstone city because of its size and aesthetic architecture.

After spending one night in Petra , you would take a day trip to the Wadi Rum desert for an adventure deep in the desert. You would appreciate the otherworldly moon-like landscape by jeep and marvel at the vast desert expanses. As night falls, you could settle into a half-transparent tent and gaze at the starry sky, surrounded by an immense silence.

Finally, you would spend your days in Cairo , the bustling capital of Egypt, to explore the wonders of the Giza pyramid complex and the Egyptian Museum where you would see an extraordinary collection of artifacts, including the priceless treasures of Tutankhamun.

Typically, a private 10-day trip to Egypt, Jordan, and Israel costs about US$2,500–4,000 per person based on a group of 2–4 people.

The estimated cost includes 4-star hotels, a full-day itinerary, tickets for attractions, transportation, a private car, and a private guide. However, these vary between countries both in terms of cost and service level:

• Egypt: approximately US$200–300 per day per person
• Jordan: approximately US$250–350 per day per person
• Israel: approximately US$600 and above per day per person

Please be aware that high-season price rises also apply to Middle Eastern areas during holidays, such as Christmas and New Year, and the best season weather-wise from November to February. At these times, prices increase by more than 30%.

We suggest planning your trip ahead of time and booking your flights and hotels at least 6 months in advance. Or you can simply choose to travel with Global Highlights and we will provide a wonderful, smooth trip for you, allowing you to enjoy your vacation without any of the logistical stress.

Why Global Highlights (10,000+ reviews & 98.8% 5-star rating)

• Save Your Time:
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• Real-time 1V1 expert planning
• Maximize Your Flexibility:
• Personal local guide and ride
• Explore at your own pace
• Celebrate Your Journeys:
• Specially-crafted family adventures
• Celebrate milestones with style!

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Israel or Jordan – What is the best destination?

Israel or Jordan? Which country in the Middle East should you travel to next…? Both are internationally known as great travel destinations, offering unique experiences and landscapes, but which is the best option to travel?

We will explore everything about them, trying to figure out which is more fitting for you… Israel or Jordan? If you want to learn more about each country, you’ll probably enjoy the following:

• What is Jordan famous for?
• What is Israel famous for?

Both countries offer a wide range of activities for different kinds of travelers, but they are also similar in many ways. To better understand which one fits you better, we will compare them in terms of the:

• Natural beauty;
• Landmarks and attractions;
• Culture and heritage;
• The people;
• Eco-friendliness;
• Food scene;
• Travel Infrastructure;
• Travel safety;
• How Touristy;

To be perfectly honest, we thoroughly enjoyed both countries, and visiting both on the same trip would be great. If that’s a possibility, go! But at the very least, you should have three weeks available – if you can’t continue reading.

Page Contents

Israel vs. Jordan – Travel

Natural beauty – jordan vs. israel.

Israel and Jordan are neighbors and share many geographical characteristics. They are mainly dry semi-arid countries with deserts, the dead sea, the Jordan Valley, and a coastal city in the Aqaba Gulf in the Red Sea.

However, there’s one huge difference, Israel has a long Mediterranean coast, while Jordan is almost landlocked and has vast interior desert areas, which may not be a disadvantage. It depends on what you are looking for – deserts can be outstanding.

Despite the considerable similarities, we found Jordan to be more beautiful, primarily due to the out-of-this-world setting of Wadi Rum. Israel has beautiful areas, but none comes close to Wadi Rum. So, Jordan gets a close win here, mainly if you are into deserts and extraterrestrial landscapes.

Which has the best attractions and landmarks? Jordan or Israel?

This is a challenging topic, and it surely doesn’t have a correct answer as it will depend on what you are looking for on this trip. Israel and Jordan share the Dead Sea and the coral reefs in Aqaba Golf; however, in both cases, it is better to visit them in Israel, as it has a better touristic infrastructure.

Both countries also have crusaders’ fortresses, large roman archeological sites, and slot canyons to visit:

• Caesarea Maritima or Gerash? Gerash is larger and has more impressive buildings, but Caesarea is so nice by the sea.
• Akko Fortress or Ajloun Castle? Akko Fortress is well-conserved and has some excellent features, but Ajloun is picture-perfect on top of a hill.
• Red Canyon or The Siq in Wadi Mujib ? The Red Canyon is fun and beautiful, but the Siq is one of the most remarkable activities we have ever done.

However, there are also unique things that attract people from all over the world by themselves. Destinations that are unique and don’t have similar ones anywhere else:

• Israel allows you to visit Jerusalem and the Bahai Gardens;
• Jordan has the new world wonder of Petra and the above-mentioned Wadi Rum;

As we said, this is not an easy pick. Looking only at the landmarks and activities, I think we enjoyed Jordan a bit more, but it’s by an inch, and it will mostly depend on what you are looking for.

To further compress and understand what each country has to offer, we suggest reading about the landmarks in Israel and Jordan. We have written specific articles about each:

• Famous landmarks in Israel
• Famous landmarks in Jordan

Cultural Heritage of Jordan vs Israel

The cultural heritage of Jordan and Israel is incredibly rich. This area is one of the cradles of human civilization, home to three of the most influential religions globally and several empires.

However, Israel is unique in this regard as it is the only Jewish country in the world, and it has Jerusalem, arguably the most influential city in human history. Jordan has plenty to offer, too, there are several important religious landmarks, and it has a fascinating Arab and Bedouin culture. Yet, there are other Arab nations, many other Muslim-majority countries, and a few other countries with large Bedouin populations.

Thus, for its singularity, we believe Israel wins this round. However, it really depends on what you are looking for. If you want to experience Bedouin hospitality or the Arab world, you are obviously much better in Jordan.

Beaches of Israel vs. Beaches of Jordan

This round has a clear winner, Israel. Both countries have beaches at their extreme south in the Gulf of Aqaba, which are similar. But that’s all Jordan has to offer, and Israel has another much larger coast in the Mediterranean.

The beaches in the south don’t really have sand, are extremely hot in summer, and have small coral reefs. We found the reefs to be larger and livelier on Eilat’s side.

The Mediterranean beaches in Israel are excellent, with long stretches of sand and clear water. There are lively urban beaches and secluded ones. Israel isn’t purely a beach destination but a pleasant add-on. Plus, the beaches in Tel Aviv are some of the best urban beaches we have ever visited.

Finally, Jordan is a conservative Muslim country, and wearing revealing clothes to the beach is tricky. In Israel, there’s no such problem at all!

The people – Israel vs Jordan

Another easy clear victory, but not for Israel – it’s not even a contest.

Jordan people are warm, friendly, and caring and enjoy receiving travelers. Both the Bedouins and all the others. We lost count of the time he heard welcome to Jordan, even if we were dismissing them because we weren’t interested in buying anything.

Israel is very different. Israelis don’t really care for tourists or travelers. They don’t even put on a smile, and sometimes they are borderline rude. So much that we wondered… is it us or them? It’s them; we are not the first ones to conclude that Israelis are blunt and rude.

So, in this case, it’s not only Jordan that is good but also Israel is bad… If warm and friendly people are essential, choose Jordan!

Trash and eco-friendliness – Jordan or Israel

This is a case where neither is good… though one is much worse than the other.

So, neither countries are very clean and eco-friendly, but Israel is doing a better job with garbage disposal and cleaning up the mess. Israel is far from being a clean country. It’s embarrassingly dirty for such a developed and prosperous country. There’s lots of garbage in the cities, people randomly throw things on the ground, and plastic is still overly used.

Yet, Jordan is so much worse. Unfortunately, it’s one of the dirtiest countries we have visited. The cities are full of garbage; the closer to markets and local neighborhoods, the worse it gets. Even the fields are full of plastic. Some tourist places are cleaner, and the city center of Madaba is surprisingly neat. Even though it would be considered dirty by western standards. Jordan needs a mentality revolution about trash and plastic.

So, Israel is far from being a good example, but it’s still much better than Jordan. If this is very important to you, Israel is a better option, though it will probably shock you.

Regarding nightlife, Israel also wins clearly, mainly because of Tel Aviv, where great bars, restaurants, and parties exist. Tel Aviv is also famously liberal, much more than the rest of the country, so you’ll probably fit in easily.

Jordan, on the other hand, is a conservative Muslim country. However, compared to other Muslim countries, it’s quite liberal with foreigners. Though, it is far from being a place to party. Alcohol is allowed but expensive.

So, Israel is the only option, really, if you want to party while on this trip.

Food in Israel vs Food in Jordan

This is another topic where Israel and Jordan end up being very similar, with many similar dishes, techniques, and ingredients – which is only natural due to the geographical proximity and shared history.

Israeli and Jordan food share many dishes, as many famous dishes in Israel are of Palestine origin or from Arab countries from which Jewish Israelis originated. Israel has some unique dishes and has plenty more and better fish than Jordan.

The most popular dishes in Israel are Falafel, Knafeh, Shawarma, Hummus, Baba Ganoush, and so on… All of these are also among the most popular in Jordan. Though, Jordan also has Bedouin dishes, which Israel doesn’t. Things like Zarb, Mensaf, or Maqluba are delicious and ubiquitous in Jordan but don’t exist in Israel.

As the food is so similar (and delicious), we were tempted to give it a draw, but the truth is that Jordan seems to have more food diversity, and local food is also cheaper. So, we will attribute this one to Jordan.

Travel Infrastructure

Israel is a much richer country than Jordan, and that reflects in its infrastructure – the roads are better, the attractions and visitor centers are better established, there is more accommodation diversity, and so on.

However, Jordan is far from underdeveloped; traveling independently or on tour is easy. It simply is a few steps behind, though it is visible that it is becoming more and more popular, with new constructions, resorts, and with many low-cost flights from Europe.

So, Israel wins this topic, and it’s a better option if you prefer a more developed tourism industry.

Travel Safety – Israel and Jordan

Due to their location, geopolitical instability, and recent conflicts, both Jordan and Israel are constantly on the news. However, we should note that these are arguably the two safest countries to visit in the region.

To better compare the safety of each country, we will use the safety index of travelsafe-abroad.com. So,

• Israel has a safety index of 60 (out of 100)
• Jordan has a safety index of 53 (out of 100)

The main difference between the countries is that Israel is much safer for women travelers. That being said, when we visited either of them, we always felt safe and had no problems.

Anyway, Israel wins this round, as it is generally a bit safer than Jordan (and much safer than most people think), particularly for women solo travelers.

Israel or Jordan – Travel costs

It may surprise you, but both countries are expensive destinations, though for different reasons.

Finding cheap accommodations in Jordan is possible if you don’t mind roughing it up a bit. We did it, and it was fine. Local food is inexpensive, and everything else is medium-priced or expensive. Attractions, tours, and activities are very expensive, particularly Wadi Rum, Petra, and Wadi Mujib. They are incredible but costly. The Jordan Visa costs almost 60 USD per person…

Tip: You can buy the Jordan pass to reduce costs a bit.

Israel is an all-around expensive country. Apart from local street food, everything is expensive. Accommodations, rentals, fuel, tours… Attractions are less costly than in Jordan, but that’s only because they are extraordinarily pricey in Jordan, not because they are cheap in Israel. Finding affordable accommodations in Israel is also more challenging than in Jordan.

So, including everything expenses but the flights, our average costs were:

• Jordan – 75 USD per person per day, traveling a couple;
• Israel – 76 USD per person per day, traveling as a couple;

In both cases, we traveled independently for a similar number of days (though we did a tour in Wadi Rum); we stayed in cheap hostels and guest houses and tried to eat locally and often street food. Yet, they are some of the most expensive destinations we have ever been to. It may be possible to reduce these numbers, but it’s not easy, and it will probably mean skipping a few things that you should do.

We will tie this, as the average numbers are very similar, though for different reasons.

Both Jordan and Israel are pretty popular among travelers and have been increasing their popularity in recent years (excluding covid, obviously). In 2019, Israel received 4.6 million international arrivals, while Jordan received 4.5 million.

We have traveled to both countries in the shoulder season. We did not feel the attractions, even the most popular ones, were overcrowded. On the other hand, lesser-visited attractions were terrific to visit as they had few people.

So, it’s another tie here; it’s a minimal global difference that can change yearly. It’s way more important when you travel than if you are going to Jordan or Israel.

Jordan or Israel Travel – Our Verdict

Looking at this mathematically, Israel won 6 rounds, Jordan won 4, and there were two ties. However, we strongly suggest you don’t look at it in these terms. You should choose a destination based on what you are looking for and your type of traveler.

So, you should visit Israel if you:

• Want to go to the beach;
• Are into Jewish culture;
• Are traveling for religious reasons;
• Want to party and experience nightlife;
• Are looking for well-developed infrastructure;
• Safety is a big issue for you, mainly if it is a woman traveling solo;
• Want a more liberal culture;

On the other hand, you should go to Jordan if you:

• Want to experience Arab and Bedouin Culture;
• Want to experience the desert;
• Don’t mind not drinking alcohol;
• Are looking to the most beautiful settings;
• Want the most impressive landmarks;
• Crave for the best food at reasonable prices;
• A friendly people.

Neither is a good option if you don’t want to spend money and are on a tight budget and if eco-friendliness is important to you.

In hindsight, Jordan and Israel are neighbors that sometimes look like they are a world apart. Israel is more developed and liberal, but it is also less friendly. Yet, looking at things closely, they share a lot of common traits in food, history, natural settings, and even some landmarks (other landmarks are significantly different).

Now you just need to choose which things are more important to you!

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Is it safe to travel to Jordan right now? Latest travel advice

The foreign office has updated its travel advice for jordan following the us and uk strikes on houthi bases in yemen.

J ordan is in a rare position in the Middle East — it shares a land border with both Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. While the country hasn’t been directly involved in the conflict between Israel and Hamas, there have been protests over the war and it has been a key mediator. Jordan has come under added scrutiny since a drone attack killed three US troops on January 28 near the Syria-Jordan border, with the UK Foreign Office updating its travel advice.

Meanwhile, the country’s tourism board has emphasised that it remains “safe and welcoming” to tourists, and that its focus is the “safety and wellbeing” of all visitors who might want to explore the majestic Nabataean tombs at Petra and the mesmerising coastline along the Dead Sea, or understand the lives of the Bedouin people. Whether you have a trip coming up or are just beginning to plan one, here’s what you need to know.

Main photo: visitors enjoying the architectural ruins at Petra (Getty Images)

What’s the latest government advice about travelling to Jordan?

The UK Foreign Office advises against all travel to anywhere within 3km of Jordan’s border with Syria — this advice was in place before war broke out between Israel and Hamas . It considers the rest of the country to be generally safe for travel.

Since January 11, US and UK forces have carried out strikes against Houthi bases in Yemen in response to the group’s continued attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea. After the strikes began, the Foreign Office updated its travel advice for all neighbouring countries, including Jordan.

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It said: “Military activity is currently under way in response to attempts by Houthi militants to prevent movement of international shipping in the Red Sea. While the area of activity is limited to the Red Sea and Yemen, there is a possibility that travel advice for nearby countries could change at short notice. You should continue to monitor travel advice and follow any relevant instructions from local authorities.”

On 28 January, a drone attack against the US military on the Jordan-Syria border saw three US service members killed and dozens wounded.

While the Foreign Office hasn’t expanded its “do not travel” zone, it has updated its travel advice with the following: “The situation in southern Syria is fragile and security threats in the form of instability or terrorist activity could arise with little or no notice.”

Has Jordan been affected by the Israel-Hamas conflict?

Jordan has not been directly affected by the war between Israel and Hamas, in the sense that it is not involved in any fighting. It has been among the Arab nations trying to broker peace between the two, and there have been protests within the country.

Jordan has come under added scrutiny recently, however, because of a drone attack on January 28 on a US base near the Syria-Jordan border. Three US troops were killed and dozens more were injured; it is the first time US troops have been killed in the Middle East since the war in Gaza began. The Islamic Resistance of Iraq (IRI), an umbrella grouping of Iranian-aligned militias, has claimed responsibility for the attack, according to the UK Foreign Office.

On the situation in Jordan, the Foreign Office said: “The Israeli government has declared a state of emergency across the whole country. International borders (air and land) in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories (OPTs) could close at short notice. As a result, the crossings between Jordan and Israel and the West Bank might be closed at short notice.

“In response to events in Israel and the OPTs, a number of demonstrations have taken place in Jordan and more protests have been planned over the coming days, including after Friday prayers. Some can be spontaneous and involve large numbers of people. You should avoid demonstrations and protests.” It added that “recent protests have also taken place in the vicinity of the Israeli and US Embassies”.

In a statement, the Jordanian tourist board said: “In light of the recent developments in Gaza, we want to emphasise that Jordan continues to be a safe and welcoming destination for tourists from around the world. Our commitment to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all visitors remains unwavering and we want to reassure everyone that Jordan’s borders are open to tourists.”

Here’s what you need to know about the travel advice for other countries

• Is it safe to travel to Israel right now? Latest travel advice • Is it safe to travel to Egypt right now? Latest government advice • Is it safe to travel to Turkey right now? Latest travel advice • Is it safe to travel to Dubai right now? Latest travel advice • Is it safe to travel to Morocco right now? Latest travel advice

Is it safe to travel to Jordan right now?

The UK Foreign Office considers Jordan to be a safe destination and, aside from its advice on avoiding the border with Syria, has no warnings against travelling there. However, although most tourists have visited the country without incident, it is worth remaining vigilant.

Levels of crime are generally low in Jordan, with most incidents involving pickpocketing, bag snatching or theft from cars. You should keep your valuables secure and have your photo ID with you in case of checks.

According to the Foreign Office, disputes between tribes, families and other social groups can start without warning and turn violent or involve the use of firearms. It also states terrorists are likely to try to carry out attacks in Jordan — these could take place at locations visited by tourists such as hotels, shopping malls, restaurants and tourist sites. The last high-profile incident was in November 2019, when a man carried out a knife attack at the Roman site in Jerash that left eight people injured.

What are Jordan’s entry requirements?

British citizens will need a visa to enter Jordan for tourism which can be obtained on arrival. Your passport will need to have a minimum of six months’ validity on the day you arrive.

A tourist visa costs 40 Jordanian dinars (about £46) and is valid for one month. The visa can be extended for up to six months once you’re in Jordan. However, if you stay in the country for more than 30 days, you’ll need to undergo a mandatory HIV test and obtain a health certificate, which currently costs 20 dinars (about £23).

If you’re leaving the country via one of the road borders, you’ll also need to pay an exit tax of ten dinars (about £11); those leaving the country on a flight are exempt.

• Best things to do do in Jordan • Best time to visit Jordan

Is Jordan safe for female travellers?

Jordan is generally safe for female travellers but they can receive unwanted attention, in the form of both verbal and physical harassment, in more remote areas of the country. The Foreign Office says that occasionally these situations have escalated and there has been an increase in reports of sexual assault.

Female travellers should therefore take care when walking or travelling alone, during the day as well as at night. They should also avoid sitting in the front seat of a taxi.

Is Jordan safe for LGBTQ travellers?

The Foreign Office says that Jordanian law does not “explicitly prohibit homosexual acts”. However, public displays of affection between same-sex couples are not generally tolerated and could lead to arrest under other Jordanian laws.

Can you drink alcohol in Jordan?

Jordan is a predominantly Muslim country but alcohol is permitted. However, it’s illegal to consume alcohol on the street — it’s only allowed in bars, clubs, hotels and private homes.

You should also be aware that during Ramadan, while restaurants in cities such as Amman remain open during the day, eating in the street is likely to cause problems.

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Related articles

How to Get From Israel to Jordan

As Israel and Jordan are arguably two of the most historic nations in the world, it should come as no surprise that travelers find it difficult to choose between the two. Jordan may have only become an independent state in 1946 but it is home to some very significant historical locations including the UNESCO World Heritage site of Petra. This once thriving Nabatean city is located in Jordan’s desert where visitors can visit jaw-dropping sites including Al-Khazneh and Ad Deir.

Nestled beside the magnificent Dead Sea lies the Jordanian neighbor of Israel ; a grand country packed with sacred sites, majestic architecture, beaches and cosmopolitan cities. With so many sights to see and valleys to explore, it is safe to say that Israel is a traveler’s paradise. Though there has been rising conflict between the two nations in recent years, it is still possible for visitors to travel between the two. It is fairly simple to get from Israel to Jordan making it an ideal multi center vacation.

Borders between Israel and Jordan

In Israel, there are three border crossings which cost around 100 ILS (30 USD) to exit from Israel or 8 JD (12 USD) to exit from Jordan. Perhaps the most convenient border crossing to get from Israel to Jordan is the Yitzhak Rabin Terminal/Wadi Araba Crossing . This crossing provides the shortest waiting times and is close to the city of Aqaba in Jordan and the coastal resort of Eilat in Israel. It usually only takes one hour to cross into Jordan and visitors will need to bring a visa prior to arrival.

The other border crossings from Israel to Jordan are the King Hussein Bridge (Allenby) Terminal and Jordan River Sheikh Hussein Crossing.

Joining a Tour from Israel to Petra or Wadi Rum

The most convenient way to travel from Israel to sites like Petra or Wadi Rum in Jordan, is by joining an organized group tour from Israel to Jordan . Depending on where in Israel you are departing from, there are various options to explore Jordan from Israel. If you are based in Tel Aviv, the best tour options are this daily  Petra Tour from Tel Aviv and this Petra and Wadi Rum Tour , also departing from Tel Aviv. In case you are starting from Jerusalem, check out this daily  Petra Tour from Jerusalem as well as this Petra and Wadi Rum Tour from Jerusalem . Starting from Eilat, travelers can join this daily  Petra 1 Day Tour from Eilat or this Petra and Wadi Rum 2 Day Tour from Eilat .

How to Get From Israel to Jordan By Car

Our airport shuttle from Israel to Jordan is one of the most popular, affordable, and hassle-free options you can choose. Reserve your shuttle spot here , departing from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem and arriving in Amman ‘s airport.

Those who have arranged a rental car for their adventure from Israel to Jordan can drive to any of the three border crossings. It is not possible to drive from Israel into Jordan with a rental car but there is a car park at the border crossings for those who intend to return to Israel. Those who have their own privately registered vehicle can drive from Israel to Jordan as long as the owner of the vehicle is present for the entire journey.

How to Get from Israel to Jordan By Bus

For those on a budget getting a bus is a good option when traveling from Israel to Jordan. At the Yitzhak Rabin Terminal/Wadi Araba Crossing, visitors can catch a bus to Eilat in Israel and then take a taxi, or, walk from the Eilat stop for 1.5 kilometers. There are no buses near the border on the Jordanian side so visitors will need to take a taxi from here.

For the King Hussein Bridge crossing, bus 961 runs regularly from Damascus and drop passengers off just 2 kilometers from the crossing. A bus then takes visitors across to the Jordanian side for 5JD (7USD) and 1.5JD per luggag e item (2.20USD). From the Jordanian side, buses run to Amman in around one hour.

How to Get from Israel to Jordan by Taxi

As most travelers will be crossing the borders from Israel to Jordan independently, there are many taxis at each crossing. As the nearest bus stations are a short drive away from the crossings, taxis are more expensive than in Jordan’s towns and cities. Prices vary depending on the border crossing and destination you are visiting so always agree a price with the driver before hopping into the taxi.

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24 Hours in Petra

24 Hours in Wadi Rum

Pay in full discount on selected dates. Save $285 pp!

19 Day Incredible Egypt, Jordan & Israel Premium Small Group Tour

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These tours are our proudest creations. They have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. Please see the Important Information on your selected tour for exact group size. Enjoy features such as hand-picked accommodation, a sampling of the region’s best culinary delights, and a range of optional activities to choose from to best suit your travel style.

This tour is conducted at a medium-fast pace. Some long travel days may be required to complete this itinerary and you will typically spend two nights at each destination, with some one night stays required. This trip includes a mix of sightseeing and free time to explore at your own pace. You will be required to move about unassisted, including getting on and off vehicles, walking up and down stairs and some activities will be conducted on uneven or steep terrain. You will be required to handle your own luggage.

This tour is fully escorted by an expert English-speaking guide who will accompany you throughout the tour.

River cruises are a relaxed, informal way to travel - there are fewer passengers on board compared to an ocean cruise, which means ample opportunity to make lifelong friends. You will pass through the world's most loved cities and towns; disembark and enjoy a shore excursion or two, or simply wander around and explore on your own. 

Take advantage of our 7 day cooling-off period. 

Travel with the experts for a carefully curated, value-packed discovery of the world's most iconic destinations. Our tours are bursting with must-see sights, rich experiences and quality inclusions, all at an unbeatable price. Bucket list dreams are ticked off on these all-encompassing journeys.

Day 1 Cairo

Salaam Alaikum! Welcome to Egypt. On arrival at the airport, make your way to your hotel located near the Pyramids of Giza.

A buzzing metropolis, home to at least 19 million people, Cairo gives you a great feel for Egyptian streetlife. It’s busy – almost frantic – and among the hustle and bustle, it’s an exciting blend of old world and new. Arabs call this city Umm al-Dunya (the mother of the world). There are many beautiful mosques to visit, like the Mohammed Ali Mosque in the Citadel. Or head to the oldest part of Cairo, the Babylon Fortress, to see ancient ruins. For stunning panoramic views of the capital, go up the 187-metre-high Cairo Tower.

Try some street food – lamb shawarma, anyone? – or get a taste of Egyptian street life by visiting a cafe. Sit in an ahwa and sip traditional mint tea. The shisha pipe can be found in many ahwas and restaurants across Cairo.

Day 2 Cairo

This morning, meet your guide and head out to see some of the world’s most iconic sights – the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx. Explore these structures that have stood tall for some 4,500 years and learn about the ancient history of the monuments. The oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact, the pyramids are a sight to behold.

Afterwards, we visit the Egyptian Museum, home to one of the world's great collections of antiquities. Wander the treasure-filled halls of the museum, a highlight of which is the masses of gleaming artefacts recovered from the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Day 3 Cairo Luxor

Today, enjoy a free day at leisure.

Later this afternoon you'll be transferred to the airport to board your included flight to Luxor.

Join a local guide to get in touch with Cairo's Islamic heart. From backstreet bazaars to minaret-topped mosques, and neighbourhood coffee houses, these are the places that make Egypt's sprawling capital what it is. We will visit Sultan Hassan mosque and Madrasa, the finest piece of early Mamluk architecture in Cairo. It was built between 1356 and 1363 by Sultan Hassan then we will enjoy a walk in Moez street starting form Bab el Fetouh and we will end our Adventure in Khan El Khalili Bazaar. A labyrinth of narrow streets and passageways, Khan el-Khalili is one of the world’s largest bazaars and offers a truly authentic local Cairo experience.

Please note: the start and duration times outlined are subject to change based on factors beyond our control such as traffic and weather conditions. Your Tour Guide will confirm operation times with you whilst on-tour and can answer any further questions you may have.

Starts: 8:30am End: 3:30pm Inclusions: private transportation, private guide

Day 4 Luxor Embark on Nile Cruise

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel then we'll explore the magnificent Karnak Temple, which is perhaps the most impressive of all the ancient pharaohs' monumental works. One of the world's most celebrated temple complexes, Karnak was built over some 200 years and was once known as the 'Chosen of Places'. Your guided tour of this vast temple of impressive pylons, obelisks and chapels will reveal its finest sections, such as the Avenue of Sphinxes and the Great Temple of Amun.

Then it’s time to embark on your luxury Nile cruise that will be home for the next 4 nights. You’ll cruise between Luxor and Aswan on this elegant ship, with all the comforts you would expect from a 5-star floating hotel.

Please note that since the sailing distance between Luxor and Aswan is approximately 200kms, that it is typical for all cruises operated along the Nile to be docked for majority of the time to conduct sightseeing, with the sailing to occur of an evening. The vessel will be docked either in Luxor or Aswan. Depending on the time of year and number of vessels operating at the same time, you will also find that all vessels are docked beside one another, which is beyond our control.

To ensure that our customers have appropriate expectations prior to their journey, it is important not to compare this experience to that of a European River Cruise, which tend to cover a greater distance and on larger vessels. Instead, you will experience a Deluxe stay on-board your vessel, offering a great chance to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the banks of the Nile while you sit back and relax. Your cruise schedule will be provided once on-board.

Situated on the East Bank of the Nile River, in the city of Luxor, Luxor Temple was built approximately 1400 BC. The site is over 73 sq km and exhibits obelisks, giant statues, an Avenue of Sphinx statues, the Grand colonnade and the Barque Shrine of Theban Triad. Viewing is as majestic at night as it is during the day.

Start: 4:00pm End: 6:00pm Inclusions: return transfers to temple, entrance into Luxor Temple

Day 5 Luxor Valley of the Kings Luxor Edfu

Today we'll discover some of the many wonders of ancient Thebes. Our first stop is the Colossi of Memnon – two 17-metre-high statues on Luxor's west bank. Carved from granite blocks, they represent the Pharaoh Amenhotep III and were once part of an impressive colonnade.

Continue on to the spectacular royal burial site of the Valley of the Kings. Buried under the arid hills here are the tombs of more than 60 pharaohs, many richly decorated with reliefs and paintings. Explore this sprawling and spectacular place with your guide, where the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (16th to 11th century BCE) were secretly interred for all eternity, and where archaeological discoveries are still being made. Your guide will explain the history of and legends surrounding these remarkable people, their funerary rites, and the significance of the many paintings and hieroglyphics, still well-preserved in the deepest tombs.

After paying a visit to three of the most interesting royal tombs we'll continue to the Mortuary Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, a stunning colonnaded building of sharp lines that contrasts beautifully against the craggy high cliffs behind it, creating a spectacular natural amphitheatre. One of Egypt’s greatest queens, this temple was built to prove her importance among the ancestors.

Enjoy lunch upon your return to the boat. There is time to relax on deck, or in your cabin, before we set sail for Edfu. Generally the journey from Luxor to Edfu takes place between 1pm an 11 pm, though the departure time may vary, depending on river traffic. En route to Edfu we pass through the Esna Lock and head upstream.

Edfu Temple Please note: The only mode of transport available to visit the Temple of Edfu is by locally managed horse and carriages. As a responsible travel-focused business, animal welfare is extremely important to us and we want to ensure that we are not promoting any activities where the working animals are not properly cared for. Unfortunately, some operators of the Horse and Carriages have been found to be in breach of our animal welfare guidelines and it is, for this reason, we will no longer include the visit to the Temple of Edfu.

In addition to the animal welfare concerns, we have had a substantial amount of feedback suggesting that the experience itself is quite uncomfortable due to the pushy nature of the vendors and local suppliers outside the site. While we recommend that you do not use the horse and carriage to visit the Temple, the decision is ultimately up to you. Edfu is an included port stop on the Nile River cruise schedule.

Day 6 Edfu Kom Ombo Aswan

Today we will moor near Edfu – home to ancient settlements and temples, as well as a bustling town centre and a bazaar.

Later we'll return to the boat where we’ll continue travelling upriver, with plenty of free time for relaxing on the sundeck and taking in the surrounding sights – from fishermen casting nets and farmers working their land to the desert hills that frame the lush riverbanks.

This afternoon we'll arrive at Kom Ombo Temple. Set dramatically on the bank of the Nile, 47 kilometres north of Aswan and 168 kilometres south of Luxor, the soaring, chunky columns of the double temple are a magnificent sight to behold as you arrive from the river.

Dedicated to the gods Sobek and Haroeris, the temple's finely carved reliefs give a sense of this area's prominence as capital over the surrounding region during the Ptolemaic era. Today, Kom Ombo may be a sleepy agricultural backwater surrounded by sugar cane fields, but its prime position along the Nile meant it was once one of Upper Egypt's most important centres. Wander through the temple's colonnades, gazing up at scenes of kingly propaganda, and you'll get a sense of this rich history for yourself.

Return to the cruise boat where you’ll continue travelling upriver towards Aswan.

Please note: the only mode of transport available to visit the Temple of Edfu is by locally managed horses and carriages. As a business that seeks to promote responsible travel, animal welfare is extremely important to us at Inspiring Vacations, and unfortunately, some operators of the horse and carriages have been found to be in breach of our animal welfare guidelines. It is for this reason we do not include the visit the Edfu Temple. While we recommend that you do not use the horse and carriage to visit the Temple, the decision is ultimately up to you and your guide can help arrange transport and ensure the best horses are used.

Day 7 Aswan Abu Simbel Aswan

Today you will awake before sunrise for an early morning start. Sit back and relax as you drive to the ancient Abu Simbel temples, near the southern Egyptian border. You will have an early arrival into Abu Simbel to view one of the most incredible sights you will see. The two enormous sandstone structures were built in the 1200s BCE by Ramses II to serve as lasting monuments to himself and his favourite wife Nefertari. The larger temple, dedicated to three major Egyptian deities, features four large statues of Ramses II on its façade, while the smaller temple is dedicated to the goddess of love, Hathor, with statues designed to embody Nefertari.

Set on the banks of the artificial Lake Nasser, the structures were once in danger of being flooded with the construction of the Aswan High Dam but were saved via an extensive project to cut the temples into pieces and move them to higher ground, where they are seen today.

On our return to Aswan the rest of the day is free for you to make your own discoveries.

This afternoon, we'll enjoy a sailboat ride around the Nile River islands in a traditional felucca (a small, traditional Egyptian sailboat).

Philae Temple is situated on an island just south of Aswan. It was built by the last dynasty of ancient Egypt, the Ptolemaic. The temple is dedicated to Isis - the goddess of healing, magic and birth, her husband Osiris and their son Horus.

Take a 20-minute drive from Aswan to the dock, where you will embark on a 20-minute boat ride to Agilkia Island, where the Philae Temple complex is located. You will have approximately 2 hours exploring the island and temple before returning to Aswan by boat and road vehicle. 

Start: pending Cairo to Aswan flight  Duration: 3 hours Inclusions: return transportation (boat and road vehicle) from Aswan to Agilkia Island, entrance into Philae Temple complex

Day 8 Aswan Cairo

Today we will leave Aswan and make the short flight back to Cairo. On our return to Cairo enjoy your free time relaxing or doing some last-minute sightseeing.

Sit down for a home-cooked meal with a local family. During this experience, you'll get to visit a local family and learn about Middle Eastern traditions, Egyptian culture and tasty food but most importantly, enjoy a delicious and authentic home cooked meal.

Start: confirmed on tour Duration: 3 hours Inclusions: return transportation, home cooked meal

Day 9 Cairo Amman

Today, say goodbye to your Egyptian tour leader and get ready for the next leg of your journey as you are transferred to the airport for your flight to Amman, Jordan. Welcome to Jordan, cosmopolitan and contemporary, yet steeped in biblical history. On arrival at Amman's Queen Alia International Airport, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel. You will meet your Jordanian tour leader today.

Day 10 Amman Jerash Amman

After breakfast enjoy a tour of this capital city. Cosmopolitan and contemporary, yet steeped in ancient biblical history, Amman is a bit of a chameleon. Most of the city's historical sites are located downtown. Here we'll visit the Citadel, with remains from the Roman to the early Islamic period; the Jordan Archaeological Museum, which houses the oldest Neolithic statues dating from 8000 to 5000 NC, as well as other valuable artifacts; the souq, where we'll get an idea of everyday life; as well as the beautifully restored 2nd-century Roman Theatre.

Next we'll take a short drive (approximately one-hour) north to Jerash. Once one of the grandest ancient Roman cities in the world, Jerash now boasts some of the best Greco-Roman ruins around. Admire this site's striking collection of crumbling archways, theatres, baths, public buildings and colonnaded streets. Grand columns encircle the city's centrepiece, the Oval Plaza, a wonderfully atmospheric place to linger after exploring this ruined city's lasting riches.

Day 11 Amman Petra

Today marks the beginning of our journey towards the fabled site of Petra. En route we'll visit Madaba, an ancient market town that's home to a number of fine Byzantine mosaics, the most outstanding of which lies within Saint George's Greek Orthodox Church. Here, a map of the Holy Land once carpeted the whole floor, said to contain more than two million pieces. Crafted around 560 CE, a large swathe of this mosaic map can still be viewed, providing the oldest map of Palestine in existence.

Next we'll continue to the ancient village at Dana, on the edge of the Dana Biosphere Reserve, where local artisans sell silver jewellery.

Later, we'll drive along the King's Highway, up to Shobak Castle, sometimes known as Montreal. Perched at the top of a hill in the desert, this ancient Crusader castle was originally built to protect the eastern flank of the Latin Kingdom and its trade routes to the sea before it fell to Muslim sultan Saladin in 1189. Stroll the site and discover a small chapel, original gatehouse, and find out where a long, dark secret passage leads.

Day 12 Petra

Get ready for Petra! A firm fixture on most bucket lists for good reason – the jewel of Jordan is an arresting sight. The so-called Rose City boasts an impressive series of tombs, caves and temples hidden behind ornate façades carved directly into the rock. No one knows the exact date of this desert kingdom's creation, but the lost city of the Nabateans is believed to date as far back as the 2nd century CE. The city has lain empty and unknown for centuries, only rediscovered in 1812 by a Swiss explorer.

You'll feel just like Indiana Jones, as you meander through the narrow canyon known as the Siq; at times the path measures only a few metres wide, with walls soaring up to 180 metres on either side of you. It's easy to imagine the armies and merchants who made their way here many years ago, and the sense of awe they too must have felt upon reaching this ancient rock-hewn kingdom, surrounded by such a stark landscape. The Siq is the main entranceway to The Treasury – perhaps Petra's most iconic sight, and one of its most elaborate temples.

Petra's greatest surprise, however, is its size. With our guide we'll explore the old Roman road, the amphitheatre and several tombs. We'll also climb up to the beautiful façade of the Monastery, from where you will have a magnificent view of the entire site.

Exploring this truly extraordinary destination is sure to be a highlight of your trip.

Day 13 Petra Wadi Rum

We continue to Wadi Rum and browse around the excellent and informative visitor's centre. We'll visit several of Wadi Rum's distinctive rock formations and soak in the vast silence, towering sandstone mountains and spectacular desert landscapes of this surreal 'Valley of the Moon', where, the wind-sculpted rock formations change in hue throughout the day.

We'll also meet with local Bedouins, who live in scattered camps throughout the area, and ride camels to our traditional Bedouin tent, situated deep within the valley. We'll enjoy an evening with them at one of their camps, savouring the hospitality of these nomadic peoples and the uninterrupted desert panoramas.

Wadi Rum is probably best known for its connection with the enigmatic British army officer TE Lawrence, who was based here during the Great Arab Revolt of 1917-18. Much of David Lean's movie on his exploits, Lawrence of Arabia , was actually filmed in this very region.

Please note - While we are sure that this experience will inspire you, please be aware that your stay will differ from that of a traditional hotel. There are no hotels in or near Wadi Rum: the only places to sleep are the numerous bedouin-run camps dotted around the desert. The camps that we use are quoted as being 'luxury' because their locations differ from other styles of camps and your tent will have its own ensuite. Even at the best and more 'luxurious' camps, bathroom facilities within the tents are somewhat rudimentary and the bedding can also be quite basic, however still offering you a comfortable nights' accommodation. All of your meals are included and will be served in a common social area. While we may not make it sound glamorous, it will be a unique and memorable experience.

Day 14 Wadi Rum Dead Sea Amman

After waking up in the unique environment of the luxury camp this morning, we'll enjoy a walk around the area before scaling one of the large dunes to enjoy sensational views of the surrounding area; keen photographers will be delighted. We'll then ride camels back across the Wadi Rum desert.

Later, we'll drive for approximately an hour and a half to reach a radically different landscape – the Dead Sea. We'll spend the afternoon on the shores of this famous body of water, named for the dearth of life in its waters. The saline water has a high density that keeps bathers buoyant and makes getting underneath the surface very difficult. Floating on the surface without any sort of lilo makes for a once in a lifetime experience. Afterwards we'll return to Amman for the evening.

Day 15 Amman Masada Jerusalem

Leaving the hotel early this morning, we make our way to the Allenby bridge, at the Israeli border. The bridge crosses the Jordan River near the city of Jericho and connects the West Bank with Jordan. Bid farewell to your Jordanian leader and hello to you Israeli leader who will guide you through the remainder of your tour. En route to Jerusalem we visit the ancient fortress of Masada. Situated at the very top of an isolated rock plateau in southeastern Israel, Masada is the site of the Jews’ last stand against the Romans after the fall of Jerusalem in 70 CE, and is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Afterwards, we continue our drive to Jerusalem, where we'll enjoy a welcome dinner to celebrate our first night in Israel.

Day 16 Jerusalem

Today we visit to the Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall. The most famous Islamic site in Jerusalem, the Dome of the Rock is also the oldest surviving Islamic monument on the globe, dating back to the late 7th century CE. The slab of stone concealed within this Islamic shrine, is, however, sacred to both the Muslim and Jewish faiths. With its shimmering gold-plated dome dominating the skyline of the Old City, the Dome of the Rock is perhaps the most iconic of all Jerusalem's sights.

Close by, we also visit the Western Wall, or 'Wailing Wall', which is one of the holiest sites in the world for the Jewish people. Each year, thousands of people journey here to recite prayers and to wedge small slips of paper – upon which prayers and petitions are written – into the cracks between the stones. 

Afterwards, we explore the Old City and walk the Via Dolorosa, or the ‘Way of Sorrow’. The route is believed by many to be the path that Jesus walked on the way to his crucifixion and it remains a place of Christian pilgrimage.

Day 17 Jerusalem Bethlehem Nazareth

Our first stop this morning is the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the birthplace of Jesus. We then continue north to the Sea of Galilee. This freshwater lake is home to numerous Christian holy sights, from Capernaum (sometimes referred to as the 'Town of Jesus') to Tabgha and the Mount of Beatitudes. Afterwards, enjoy a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

Day 18 Nazareth Caesarea Jaffa Tel Aviv

After breakfast we explore the sights of Nazareth, including the fabled Church of the Annunciation.

Continue to Caesarea. Caesarea is known for its national park, which harbours Roman ruins, from aqueducts and an amphitheatre to the remains of a hippodrome. The restored Caesarea amphitheatre hosts concerts during the summer months.

Continuing on we visit the ancient port city of Jaffa, out of which Tel Aviv has grown. We'll finish our day in this cosmopolitan city, full of bars, restaurants and shops.

Day 19 Tel Aviv

Unfortunately, today marks the end of your incredible tour through Egypt, Jordan & Israel. 

What's Included

• Incredible sightseeing with entry fees included – Get up close to the Great Sphinx, float in the Dead Sea, marvel at the ancient Abu Simbel temples, see the ancient city of Petra, explore the holy city of Jerusalem and more
• Intimate small group experience, with no more than 16 people
• All internal flights
• 13 nights in premium, 4 and 5-star accommodation
• Cruise the Nile on your floating home for 4 nights
• Overnight stay in the magical Wadi Rum desert
• Most meals – Breakfast daily, 6 lunches and 6 dinners, including a dinner with local Bedouins in the desert
• Fully escorted by professional, English-speaking guides in all three countries, including an expert, Egyptologist guide in Egypt
• Dedicated, comfortable transportation

Sightseeing Highlights

• Cairo - Pyramids and Sphinx
• Cairo - The Egyptian Museum
• Luxor - Karnak Temple
• Luxor - Colossi of Memnon
• Luxor - Valley of the Kings (3 tombs)
• Luxor – Tut Ankh Amon Tomb
• Luxor - Hatshepsut Temple
• Kom Ombo - Kom Ombo Temple
• Aswan Elephantine Island
• Abusimbel Excursion
• Amman - City tour
• Jerash - Spectacular Roman ruins
• Petra - Ruins of Petra
• Wadi Rum - Desert wilderness
• Dead Sea - Swimming in the Dead Sea
• Masada - Ancient Fortress
• Jerusalem - Mount of Olives
• Jerusalem - Gethsemane
• Jerusalem - Way of the cross
• Jerusalem - Dome of the Rock
• Jerusalem - Western Wall
• Bethlehem - City tour

Cruise Details

For more information on your Nile cruise, click HERE .

Payment Terms

Secure your trip with a $99.00 deposit per person. Once we receive your deposit, we will send you an invoice with your remaining balance and payment options. Instalment Schedule:

• At the time of booking pay a $99.00 deposit per person.
• Pay a 1st installment of $670.00 per person within 28 days.
• Pay a 2nd installment of $1,340.00 per person within 90 days.
• You will then be invoiced for final payment 120 days prior to departure.

Important Information

Fitness Requirements While the tour itinerary should give you some guidance and overview to the expected requirements, to determine if this tour is right for you we categorise each of our tours in terms of their intensity. These guidelines are to ensure that each tour group is conducted as expected and to ensure the overall satisfaction of all Inspiring Vacations customers.

As a general rule, porterage is not included, therefore at all times you are expected to handle your own luggage where help may not be available.

This particular tour is categorised as a '3'

Moderate Tour : A good level of fitness and mobility is required, as this tour includes a moderate level of physical activity and is considered a medium-fast paced tour. You should be able to walk up and down stairs, get on and off the coach and able to walk reasonable distances of approximately 2 kilometres per day or more with ease. Any physical ailments you may have must be disclosed at the time of booking to determine your suitability. If you have any form of walking aids, other than a walking stick or hiking poles, then this tour is not suitable.

Tipping A friendly reminder that tipping is not included in your package. You will be asked to provide tipping to your guide towards a ‘kitty’, which is then used towards the guide tipping for the services of helpers, hotel staff, restaurants and airport porterage. We suggest USD$5 (AUD$7 approx) per person per day towards the kitty. Please note that this tipping is not for the guide, merely for the guide to tip the services of the driver and local workers during your tour. While not made compulsory, if you choose not to contribute to the kitty it means that the guide is tipping for these services out of their own pocket. Your cooperation in this instance is most appreciated.

Tipping for your guide will be collected at the commencement or conclusion of their services in each country. To remove the uncertainty and stress of not knowing how much is appropriate to tip we recommend USD$6-8 (AUD$8-12 approx) per person per day. The amount you wish to contribute is dependent on the services received and at the complete discretion of the guest. Thank you for your understanding.

Accommodation The accommodation listed is subject to change. Any changes will be of an equal or higher standard. Bedding configurations (double or twin) are requests only. All efforts will be made to meet your preferences however any changes are beyond our control.

Single Supplement Single supplement is $2,239.00 per person, in addition to the twin-share price.

Triple Share Not available.

Travel Insurance Travel insurance is compulsory for this tour to protect yourself against the unexpected. In addition to the support that a policy may provide, you may be asked to present a copy of your travel insurance documentation while traveling.

Visa & Passport information It is the traveller's responsibility to ensure they have a valid passport. The passport must be valid for a minimum of six months from the intended date of return.

Visas may be required.

Please note that some of your fellow travellers may be travelling on an alternative combination of our Middle East tours so your group may change as you travel from one country to another.

Children Children must be 2 years old or over and share a room with parents at all times. Children are the same price as adults.

Trip Style - Small Group Tour These tours are our proudest creations. They have been crafted for Inspiring Vacations travellers exclusively, with personal and unique experiences in mind. You will travel with only a maximum of 20 other guests. Enjoy choice features such as hand-picked accommodation, a sampling of the region’s best culinary delights and a range of optional activities to choose from to best suit your travel style.

Optional Tours

To enhance your journey, we are offering guests a choice of the following optional activities (prices are per person):

• Cairo city tour (Day 3) - $56 per person
• Optional Tour - Luxor Temple (Day 4) - $36 per person
• Visit to Philae Temple (Day 7) - $56 per person
• Cairo home-cooked meal (Day 8) - $50 per person

Optional tours can be selected once you have finalised your tour purchase and paid your deposit. When completing your Passenger Booking Form, you will be asked if you would like to add Optional Tours, where any applicable cost will be added to your final balance. If you choose not to select them at this time, you can choose to add them later by logging in to your Account online.

Please note that you must select your Optional Tours no later than 70 days before departure, after which you will be required to purchase them on tour. Please keep in mind that anything purchased on-tour is subject to availability and prices may vary as you will be paying in local currency. We appreciate your understanding.

Pre and Post-Tour Accommodation & Extra Services

You can enhance your holiday by arriving or departing before or after the tour. On this tour you can choose from the following options:

Pre Tour Accommodation

• $319.00 per room, per night for double and twin share
• $306.00 per room, per night for solo travellers

Post Tour Accommodation

• $388.00 per room, per night for double and twin share
• $363.00 per room, per night for solo travellers

Arrival and departure airport transfers

• Pre tour transfer - $63 per car, maximum of 2 travellers
• Post tour transfer - $106 per car, maximum of 2 travellers

Your transfer may be shared with other Inspiring Vacations customers. Please select the number of extra nights required in the 'Additional Nights Accommodation' field when making your purchase. The additional cost for these arrangements will be added to your final payment invoice and are subject to availability.

Flight requests & booking information

This package is sold as land only, however you do have the option of adding international airfares to your booking. Simply click on’ book now’, and under upgrades ,  you will be asked “Would you like us to contact you around our flight service?” By selecting this option Inspiring Vacations will contact you to discuss adding flights to your chosen destination. We can assist with flying the airline of your choice to turn your booking into a flight inclusive package. We would be more than happy to provide you with a quote for the following requests:

• Airline Preferences - You may wish to fly with a particular airline
• Cabin Preferences - These include upgrading to premium economy or business class
• Extensions (start and end cities must remain the same) - You may request to extend your stay pre or post tour.
• Meal Requests - You may request a specific meal for dietary requirements.
• Seat Requests - If you would like to request particular seating. However please note, not all airlines allow the selection of pre-purchased seat arrangements.

We are currently unable to provide a quote for the following requests:

• Stopovers - Is where you might want to stop in transit for a certain amount of days prior to your tour or after your tour.
• One way flights
• Different start or end city to the tour - you may not amend the arrival or departure city of your itinerary. 
• Around the world tickets  - Is when a ticket includes multiple stops in different continents.
• Return home to a different city from the one you departed.
• Frequent Flyer point redemption - Is when an airline allows you to redeem points to pay for your flights or upgrade your ticket.  

Online check-in 

Some airlines may not permit online check-in where flights have been booked by a travel company. Where unavailable to do so online, you will be required to check-in at the airport. Inspiring Vacations cannot check-in online on behalf of our customers.

• International airfares
• Airport Transfer
• Travel insurance (compulsory)
• Optional activities
• Personal expenses
• Anything not mentioned in the itinerary

What Weather to Expect

Click HERE for more information on weather in Egypt.

Click HERE for more information on weather in Jordan.

Click HERE for more information on weather in Israel.

Departure Dates

Select your departure month

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‘We saw an immediate drop’: Jordan’s tourism industry is suffering amid the Israel-Hamas war

Jordan’s economy relies heavily on tourism but since Hamas’ attack on Israel in October and the ongoing war in Gaza, tourism in the country has slowed down. This is also the case in other countries in the region, including Israel itself, Lebanon and Egypt.

• By Shirin Jaafari

A general view of the ancient city of Jerash, north of the capital Amman, Jordan, Dec. 6, 2023. Jerash is one of the most popular attractions in Jordan behind Petra. It is considered one of the largest and most well-preserved sites of Roman architecture in the world outside of Italy, and its history goes back more than 6,500 years.

The ancient Roman ruins of Jerash, on the outskirts of Amman, Jordan, represent one of the best-preserved Roman cities.

Here, gladiators once competed in chariot-racing contests as spectators watched from the stone seats.

Dhirar Atmeh grew up in the area.

“When I used to come, and you know, see people come in as tourists, I said ‘this is my thing. This is where I should go,’” he said.

Atmeh has been working as a tour guide in Jordan for the past two decades. He said that nothing brings him more joy than telling foreign visitors about the long history and the splendor of this site.

But these are tough times for Atmeh and the thousands of others who work in the tourism industry in Jordan and neighboring countries. The war in Gaza has brought his business to a near standstill, he said: “I lost 80% of my job. I mean 80% of my reservations were canceled.”

Tours from the US, Europe and Australia were canceled one after another. People stopped coming.

Atmeh has five kids and he said he’s struggling to provide for them. For him, what’s happening now brings back difficult memories of the early days of the pandemic, when he lost most of his assets.

“I had a car. I had to sell it. I had a house, I sold it. Many things … I had a piece of land also I sold. So, it wasn’t easy.”

Atmeh said that he’s worried about the weeks and months ahead, as there seems to be no end to the fighting.

Already, Jordan’s unemployment rate, as of last year, was about 23%, according to the World Bank.

If tourists don’t come back, he said, it’s not like he can just find another job.

Tours here are typically part of a package that includes Jordan, Israel and Egypt. Conflict in one of them means that people cancel their whole trip.

Ben Julius is the founder of Tourist Israel, one of the largest tour agencies in Israel.

“From the beginning of the war, we saw an immediate drop, close to zero, from what was expected to be one of the best and busiest periods ever.”

In Israel, flights have been canceled, tourist sites have been closed and hotels have been empty .

“It’s been very difficult for us. Around 70% of our team — we immediately had to send to furlough again. Many of them only came back into the tourism industry and back into the company in the last year because of the recovery from COVID.”

Julius operates tours in Egypt as well, and he said that they’ve had many cancellations there, too.

In Lebanon, the Christmas season is also shaping up to be a loss this year .

Juliuis is seeing signs of improvement for next year. He said that people are booking their trips in advance.

“That’s giving us a little bit of hope going into next year.”

Meanwhile, back in Jordan, the minister of tourism, Makram Mustafa Queisi, predicts an even bigger drop in the number of tourists in the coming months if the war doesn’t stop.

“The problem is that people in the West and elsewhere, actually, when they look at the map, they don’t differentiate between Jordan and the neighboring countries. People don’t understand that we are not in a war zone.”

He said he wants to change that perception and help people understand that Jordan is a safe place to visit. When tourists don’t come, he said, that affects a wide swath of the economy.

“We talk about the bus drivers for example, we speak about restaurants, we speak about hotels, we speak about the tour operators, and the people who work with the tour operators.”

For tourism to survive, he said, this region needs stability and security.

“This aggression has to stop because at the end of the day there’s no winner.”

In the meantime, Jordan is using this unexpected break in tourism to renovate some of its historical sites.

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'Garden of Eden': Israel's Jordan Valley opens new national park

A n archaeological site in the Jordan Valley that experts at the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) call a “prehistoric Garden of Eden” was dedicated and opened to the public on Thursday.

At 1.6 million years, it is the oldest of its kind in Israel and one of the earliest outside of Africa. Saber-tooth tigers, giraffes, and huge, hairy mammoths walked in ‘ Ubeidiya Park – an archaeological site of world-class importance for researching humans.

The ceremony took place in the presence of Jordan Valley Regional Council Head Idan Greenbaum, IAA Director Eli Escuzido, Israel Nature and Parks Authority General Manager Raya Shurky, Lake Kinneret Authority Chairman Moti Dotan, and Prof. Omry Barzilai, the representative excavator of the ‘Ubeidiya renewed archaeological mission.

Located next to Kibbutz Bet Zera, it was first identified in 1959 by Izzy Merimsky, a nature instructor and resident of the area.

Prof. Moshe Stekelis, Prof. Ofer Bar-Yosef, and Prof. Eitan Tchernov led a series of excavation expeditions. These missions revealed early hominin remains; flint, limestone, and basalt tools; evidence of many kinds of wildlife, including giraffes, jaguars, and hippopotami; and extinct species, such as mammoths and saber-tooth tigers.

The hominin who lived in ‘Ubeidiya belonged to the species known as Homo erectus.

A recently published study regarding a teen’s skeleton found in the Stekelis excavation provides a new understanding: The human migration out of Africa was not a one-time event but occurred in waves.

After the last excavation season in 1999, the site stood abandoned and exposed to the ravages of nature. Then, in 2021, site excavations were renewed in the context of a focused study by Prof. Barzilai on behalf of the Israel Antiquities Authority and the University of Haifa, together with Prof. Miriam Belmaker from the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma. In its wake, the site underwent conservation and development and is now accessible to the public.

2022: Ubeidiya is declared national park

In 2022, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority declared ‘Ubeidiya a national park. Simultaneously, the site was associated with the national project to rehabilitate and revive the Southern Jordan River Reserve in the Lower Jordan River’s northern segment, led by the Lake Kinneret Authority and the Jordan Valley Regional Council.

Coordinated efforts by the relevant bodies combined forces to implement the opening of the project to the general public.

Access roads were paved, as was a circular pedestrian route with explanatory signage. This is the first of three site development stages. In the next stage, the original excavation field laboratory will be opened as a visitor center.

Escuzido said, “This is a red-letter day for prehistory. ‘Ubeidiya is unique: This is a prehistoric site of inestimable scientific importance for researching the beginnings of the human race . Previous efforts to develop the site were unsuccessful due to the lack of appropriate partners to manage and maintain it. Today, turning ‘Ubeidiya into a national park as part of the greater Southern Jordan River Reserve promises a bright future.”

Shurky said that “the ‘Ubeidiya region is an exciting journey backward in time. The site contains three important areas that connect to one heritage story in the history of our land. First, ‘Ubeidiya’s prehistoric site represents man’s entry into the Middle East 1.5 million years ago.

Secondly, the adjacent Tell ‘Ubeidiya represents early Israel, which is based on the inscription of the Egyptian Pharoah Merneptah. Moshav Menahemia represents the beginning of the Zionist movement; established in 1901 right in this district and heralding Zionism flourishing throughout this region. These three sites tell the story and provide the complete picture of life in this region throughout the course of history until our own times.”

According to Zvika Sloutzky, the director of the Lake Kinneret Authority, “developing the northern part of the Lower Jordan River was declared to be a national project. This comes after it suffered many years of pollution and neglect since sewage was streamed here, and it was also used as an outlet for saltwater springs diverted from the north of the Kinneret.

The project’s purpose is to make this section of the river accessible to hundreds of thousands of visitors who visit this area while at the same time retaining its nature and character and transforming it into a swimming and recreational area. Many of the components are now completed.

The ‘Ubeidiya site lies on the western side of the lower Jordan River’s northern segment, while the river’s entire route has benefited from accelerated rehabilitation thanks to the Lake Kinneret Authority’s efforts here since 2012. Within this framework, restoration works were carried out on the prehistoric ‘Ubeidiya site, which has successfully turned it into an attractive and experiential visitor site for the general public.”

The site parallels the East African Olduvai Gorge sites, known as the “Cradle of Humanity,” said Profs. Barzilai and Belmaker.

“Ubeidiya has 30 geologic layers containing evidence of human activity during a time when there were many volcanic activities and the Syro-African Rift was widening and deepening,” Barzilai added.

Most of the layers are tilted since the area uplifted and became inclined due to later tectonic movements. This facilitates a journey through time, going back over one million years. “Excellent preservation of the site’s material finds enables recreating the Jordan Valley’s early ecological conditions,” say the scholars. “There is a unique broad selection of species to be found here, of which most are extinct and which includes African fauna side-by-side with European species.

The flint and stone tools at ‘Ubeidiya served its inhabitants to execute daily activities – butchering and cutting animal carcasses, processing vegetal foods, and more. These represent the Acheulian culture, including hand axes, scrapers, chopping tools, and spheroids and polyhedrons.” 

Israel to open new north Gaza crossing for overseas, Jordanian aid

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Netanyahu says Israel preparing for scenarios in other areas than Gaza

Israel is keeping up its war in Gaza but is also preparing for scenarios in other areas, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday, amid concern that Iran was preparing to strike Israel in response for the killing of senior Iranian commanders.

The Russian defence ministry said on Thursday it hit fuel and energy complex facilities in Ukraine with a "massive" retaliatory strike using high-precision, long-range weapons from air and sea as well as drones overnight.

Middle East latest: Iran attack on Israel could be 'imminent'; Why some Israeli soldiers are 'refusing to work' near Gaza border

Security circles in the US and Israel have likely accepted that the killing of a top Iranian commander in Damascus earlier this month means Iran will have to "retaliate in some form", with reports suggesting an attack could be imminent.

Thursday 11 April 2024 13:18, UK

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• Live reporting by Brad Young

A former Israeli ambassador to the US has called on Israel to strike "the head of the snake" in Tehran.

Danny Ayalon said Iran was attempting to encircle Israel with a "ring of fire" around Israel in the form of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

His comments come after Iran vowed to retaliate against Israel following a strike that killed senior Iranian commanders in Damascus - an attack Israel has not said it was responsible for.

"It is not surprising that Iran is continuing with a very aggressive approach, where they really try to change the entire landscape of the Middle East," said Mr Ayalon.

"With this heightened tension, there is a novelty here. Iran, for the first time, is threatening to strike, itself, directly at Israel, and not through proxies."

Mr Ayalon said Israel has a "fairly good missile defence" but Iran could attack Israeli tourists abroad or embassies.

"I think that by striking at the head of the snake in Iran and in Tehran, this is probably the most effective way to bring Iran back, to keep it at bay."

The Hamas-run Gaza health ministry has said at least 33,545 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's military offensive since 7 October.

Another 76,094 have been injured, the ministry added in its latest update.

The ministry's figures do not differentiate between civilians and fighters, but it says the majority of those killed were women and children.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the war in Gaza will continue but adds that his forces are preparing for scenarios in other areas.

He said: "We established a simple principle - whoever hurts us, we hurt him. We are preparing to meet the security needs of the state of Israel both in defence and in attack."

The comments come following a visit to an air force base in southern Israel and amid fears of Tehran launching a retaliatory strike over the killing of senior Iranian commanders in Damascus.

Palestinian residents have been returning to Khan Younis after Israeli forces withdrew from the area.

Footage shows much of the the city in ruins.

The Times of Israel has reported that one IDF brigade remains in the area.

The Kremlin has called on all countries in the Middle East to show restraint, as the region braces to see whether Iran follows through on its threats against Israel.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov asked governments to avoid the region slipping into chaos.

Iran has vowed revenge for an airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus which killed a top Iranian general and six other Iranian military officers on 1 April.

There had been no requests for Russia to mediate between Israel and Iran, Mr Peskov said.

He claimed the Israeli strike was a violation of international law. 

The Biden administration has been very frustrated with Israel over Gaza in recent weeks, but when it comes to Iran, America still has Israel's back, says Middle East correspondent Alistair Bunkall .

"The Americans have been very worried over the last six months that [the conflict] would spill out. Now that really is a possibility if Iran decides to retaliate and how Iran decides to retaliate."

A "like-for-like" retaliation could involve an attack on something connected to the Israeli government or military, said Bunkall.

This may not be in Israel - it could include an Israeli diplomatic mission abroad.

It may be an Iranian proxy like the Houthi or Hezbollah that carries out such an attack, ratter than Iran itself.

This could "be enough not to force Israel to attack Iran directly".

"The one thing I think is not in any doubt is if Iran does decide to retaliate then it would spell a very, very dangerous and risky moment for a region that is already incredibly tense."

More than 100 female soldiers are refusing to serve in surveillance units on the Gaza border, according to reports.

Fears among the conscripts included that female border observers were among those killed or taken hostage by Hamas on 7 October, Israeli news agency Ynet said.

Of the 346 draftees, 116 would not travel to a border protection corps training base.

This is the third group of draftees that have refused the posting, where soldiers monitor cameras and report potential incidents, since the war began.

In January, Ynet reported a group of 50 female soldiers declined to be taken to the base on the grounds that senior commanders had disregarded warnings from observers ahead of the 7 October attacks.

The vast majority of those serving in the border surveillance unit are female soldiers, according to the Times of Israel.

Israeli forces did not consult senior commanders or Benjamin Netanyahu before killing three sons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, according to Israeli media.

Neither Mr Netanyahu nor defence minister Yoav Gallant were told in advance of the strike, which was coordinated by the Israeli military and the Shin Bet intelligence service, senior Israeli officials told Walla news agency.

They said his sons were targeted as fighters and not because they were relatives of the political leader.

The Israeli military did not comment on reports that four of Mr Haniyeh's grandchildren were killed in the attack.

A 23-year-old man from Leeds has been handed a suspended sentence after publishing pro-Hamas content on X.

Ozain Ibn Yousef, of Mexborough Place, admitted posting images of armed soldiers wearing Hamas headbands and sharing Hamas-led videos in October and November last year, according to the UK's counter-terrorism policing group.

He was given a 16-week custodial sentence, suspended for two years, on Tuesday.

Since 2001, the UK has proscribed Hamas's military wing as a terrorist organisation. This was extended to the whole group in November 2021.

Yousef was charged on 27 February 2024 with publishing images that aroused reasonable suspicion he supported a proscribed organisation.

Alongside the suspended sentence, Mr Yousef was ordered to undertake 100 hours of community service and he will be subject to a 35-day rehabilitation requirement.

Russia's foreign ministry has told citizens they should refrain from travelling to the Middle East, especially to Israel, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories. 

The US and its allies believe major missile or drone strikes by Iran or its proxies against military and government targets in Israel are imminent, Bloomberg reported yesterday.

"The tense situation in the Middle East region persists," said the Russian foreign ministry.

"We strongly recommend that Russian citizens refrain from traveling to the region, especially to Israel, Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, except in cases of extreme necessity."

Earlier this morning, German airline Lufthansa said it had suspended flights to the Iranian capital, Tehran.

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Refrain from travel to the middle east: russia tells citizens.

Russia advises against Middle East travel, citing ongoing tensions in Israel, Lebanon, and Palestinian territories. US anticipates imminent Iranian missile strikes in Israel. Security stable in Jordan.

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How and when to watch today’s total solar eclipse

The path of totality for Monday’s eclipse will sweep across 15 states, from Texas to Maine from 1.30pm CT and ending at about 3.35pm ET

• If you missed the total solar eclipse just wait … until 2044
• Millions witness rare total solar eclipse
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The total solar eclipse that will traverse a large chunk of the continental US on Monday, along with parts of Mexico and Canada, will be one of the most spectacular celestial events in recent memory. Here’s what you need to know:

What is a total solar eclipse?

The phenomenon occurs when the moon moves in front of the sun, and blocks its face completely, causing the bright sky to darken to twilight in just seconds. The track of the moon’s shadow is called the path of totality , which for Monday’s eclipse will be about 115 miles wide and sweep across 15 states in the US in a north-east direction, from Texas to Maine, for roughly an hour, beginning at 1.30pm CT and ending at about 3.35pm ET.

How rare is it?

The most recent total solar eclipse in the US was in 2017 , but an interval of only seven years is unusual. The previous one before that took place in 1979, and the next one visible in the contiguous US will not be until August 2044. Only 16 other total solar eclipses have occurred over at least a part of the lower 48 states in the last 155 years.

Didn’t we just have a solar eclipse?

Last October’s stunning “ring of fire” show was what’s called an annular solar eclipse, which occurs when the moon moves directly in front of the sun, but is at or near its farthest point from Earth, so is not large enough to entirely cover the sun’s face. You can find Nasa’s guide to the various types of eclipses here .

Why is this one special?

An estimated 31.6 million people, almost three times as many as in 2017, live in the path of totality – which is longer, and also wider than almost every other total eclipse before it, because the moon is closer to Earth and casts a broader shadow. The time of totality in any given location is also longer. Seven years ago, the longest duration anywhere was two minutes and 42 seconds. On Monday, it will be four minutes and 28 seconds in Torreón, Mexico, while almost every place along the path can expect between three and a half to four minutes of totality.

How can I watch it?

If you live anywhere in the path of totality, or can travel to it, congratulations, you have a front-row seat. Just remember you need eclipse glasses (more on that in a minute) to look up at all times other than the few minutes of full eclipse. But everyone in North America outside the path should be able to see at least a partial eclipse of varying percentages, and Nasa will be livestreaming the entire event here . Here’s the caveat: longer-range weather forecasts call for rain and clouds in many areas of the southern and central US on Monday, so the best viewing could be in the east.

And here is Nasa’s Eclipse Explorer , where you can enter any US address or zip code to find out what will be visible from that location.

What can I expect to see?

You can find Nasa’s guide to the stages of a total solar eclipse here . First contact is when the moon’s outer edge first appears to touch the sun, creating the beginnings of a partial eclipse and a crescent sun reducing in size until totality (second contact). In the moments before totality, look for (in order) shadow bands, Baily’s Beads and a diamond ring, three of the most memorable stages of a total eclipse.

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Shadow bands, says Nasa , are rapidly moving, long, dark bands separated by white spaces that can be seen on the sides of buildings or the ground just before totality; Baily’s Beads are short-lived light rays from the sun streaming through the valleys along the moon’s horizon, and give way to the diamond ring effect, the final, single spot of bright light immediately before the end of any direct sunlight.

The sun’s corona , the outermost part of its atmosphere, can only be seen during the total part of the eclipse, then, following totality, the same effects come in reverse. For most locations, the partial eclipse phase lasts from 70-80 minutes, according to Nasa.

How do I watch safely?

To look at the eclipse directly, you must have special eclipse glasses. Regular sunglasses, frosted or darkened glass, or any other method lacking the necessary eye protection just won’t cut it. Nasa’s must-read eclipse safety guide on the subject says: “Viewing any part of the bright sun through a camera lens, binoculars, or telescope without a special-purpose solar filter secured over the front of the optics will instantly cause severe eye injury.” Don’t do what Donald Trump did in 2017.

Many stores, businesses, schools and libraries are still offering glasses free or at low cost (Google is your friend here), but you need to make sure they are safety rated. The American Astronomical Society warned last month that unsafe fakes and counterfeits were circulating, and has published a handy list of suppliers of safe solar viewers and filters (certified ISO 12312-2 compliant).

Experts advise against taking photographs of the eclipse with a mobile phone (unless it’s protected by a solar filter) because it could damage the camera. Nasa has thoughts here .

What if I don’t have eclipse glasses?

You can make a box pinhole projector following the steps in this video , courtesy of Nasa’s Goddard space flight center. An even simpler method is using anything with a small hole, such as a kitchen colander, to project an image on to the ground. And remember that many places across the entire country, such as science centers and zoos, will be hosting special eclipse events so you can watch the action safely.

• Solar eclipses

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