If you have been following my family for a while, you will know that Jordan was one of the most life-changing trips for me for quite a few reasons. I first visited when the boys were 5 and 3 and then came back 6 months later and spent a whole month in the country. What followed was return trips year after year, a fondness for the people and the place, a food tour business, and a lifelong love of sharing this part of the world with others. Nothing gives me more joy than hearing that families are planning a trip to the Middle East and have Jordan on their itinerary.
How to Spend One Week In Jordan with Kids
Jordan is a small country with a LOT to see! That is why it is perfect for family travel. Most days mean short travel time and more time exploring. Jordan can be explored in a couple of days, but to really get a sense of the place and see most of the sights, 5 to 7 days is ideal. Slow travellers may want 10-14 days to allow for some multi-day hikes and time in remote eco-lodges.
If you are the typical family traveller, however, I have put together the best way to see the country in one week. It gives time to explore Petra, a night in Jordan’s desert (always a favorite with kids), plenty of Roman Ruins, floating in the Dead Sea, snorkelling or diving and plenty of food recommendations packed in! Whether you choose to rent a car or hire a guide and driver for your week, this is how I would plan it if I were planning your trip for you!
Why trust this itinerary?
I’ve been visiting Jordan for 10 years and have travelled throughout the country with my children from preschool age through their teenage years. This itinerary is based on multiple trips and is designed for families who want to balance Jordan’s iconic sights with realistic travel days.
Day 1 Arrival
Most international long-haul flights into Amman arrive in the evening. So other than getting to your hotel, there is nothing on arrival day. If your flight arrives during the day, I would suggest you drop your bags at your hotel and head into downtown Amman.
If you are adventurous and comfortable navigating foreign cities, grab a taxi and have it take you to Hashem Restaurant. Order falafel, fatteh, ful, and mint tea. Dip the pita bread (known as bread in Jordan – if you ask for bread, this is what you are getting) into everything (ok not the tea) and have a taste of a typical Jordanian meal!
If you have older kids (especially teens) or if you love good food then I am going to shamelessly tell you that you should book an evening tour with Amman Food Tours. I started this tour in 2022 with my late partner, who was a tour guide in Jordan and an ex-restaurant owner. He loved sharing local dishes with visitors to Jordan and I sure loved eating them. That’s the short story on how Amman Food Tours started. Today, I work with local female guides in Amman who introduce visitors to the city through their own lived experiences and deep local knowledge. While women remain underrepresented in front-facing tourism roles, particularly as guides, I’m proud that Amman Food Tours creates opportunities for talented local women to share their stories, culture, and expertise with visitors.
If you are a little less ambitious and do not want to start with a trip to downtown Amman, consider a hotel with a pool and enjoy a swim. (From April to October – check exact opening and closing as the pools are very cold in the winter and likely not open.) If your kids are anything like mine, they love the opportunity to play after a travel day! Two with outdoor pools that we have enjoyed are Intercontinental Amman (I like the location is walkable to Rainhow Street and has a nice outdoor pool deck) and Landmark Amman (locally women-owned hotel with a great pool)
For those considering hiring a guide and/or driver for your week, start with an airport pickup, have them take them to your hotel for the night, or arrange with them something to start your day with (they might suggest something a little different than I have here, and that’s ok.)
Here is a list of what my teens enjoyed in Amman.
Here is a list of kid-friendly things you won’t find in a guidebook.
Day 2: Roman Ruins and History
If you are doing this trip self-guided, grab a taxi from the hotel to the Amman Citadel (its called Jebel al-Qala). Parking in Amman is annoying, and a taxi is just a few dollars. If your family is into history, you can hire a licensed guide from the entrance. If you are into history, spend a few hours here; if you want to explore, take in the history and the views, it is more like an hour visit. You know your kids best.
From there, you can exit the site and walk down the steps and cross the street to the Roman Amphitheatre. Climb to the top, shout from the stage, and marvel at the ancient site. It was recently used to watch World Cup matches, and what a sight indeed to see thousands packing the ancient seats to watch Jordan compete in their first ever World Cup. On warm days, you can buy Turkish ice cream outside the site. If you want to try real Arabic ice cream, head over to Bekdesh. Its a bit of a walk from the theatre, but lots to see on the way.
Google Maps is pretty reliable in Jordan. It has surely changed travel in the last decade, making it easy to plug something in (like Bekdesh) and see exactly how to get there! Do not be afraid to ask anyone on the street for help (and don’t be surprised if you are even asked if you are looking for something. Jordanians are THAT friendly. And genuine about it.
Depending how much you ate at the buffet (or if you have teens who are always hungry) this is a good opportunity to try Hashem Restaurant.
The afternoon is spent visiting Jerash. Which is about an hour’s drive. Head back to the hotel and grab the car. Jerash is the most well-preserved Roman city in the world outside of Rome. Jerash features theatres, churches, temples, and colonnaded streets. You can easily spend a few hours walking around the site and you can also hire a local guide here.
If you did not dive into the food scene on a food tour last night or did not explore much beyond the Amman Citadel and Roman Theatre, you can book a food tour tonight and one of our lovely guides will show you around Rainbow Street, the local souq and fill you up with plenty of Jordanian food!
Its a busy day, but it will keep you awake if you are jetlagged!
Overnight in Amman.
Day 3: Mosaics and Castles
After breakfast at your hotel, drive to Madaba, which is less than an hour by car. Here is some more history, including the biggest mosaic map describing the Holy Land in St George’s Church. It dates back to the 6th century AD. These kinds of places are best understood if you have a guide, but there are always staff on site who can tell you about it (especially if you do not have a lot of religious knowledge).
Another stop worth making is Mount Nebo, where Moses saw the “Promised Land” for the first time. The Franciscan monks originally built a small church here to house early Christian mosaics. In 2016, a new church was built. It features restored mosaics all over the church.
If you want some hands-on activities, Madaba is a great place to try mosaic making. For those who like to shop, there are lots of souvenir shops featuring locally made mosaic art (and all kinds of Jordanian souvenirs).
Today has lots of stops, and the next is Karak Castle, one of the best preserved Crusader castles in Jordan. My kids loved exploring a real castle and took headlamps from room to room.
End your day by driving to Petra and overnight in Wadi Musa, the city where Petra is located.
Movenpick Petra is my usual suggestion for families. It has parking for the car, a small swimming pool, and is right outside the Petra Visitors’ Center Entrance. Tomorrow is going to be a lot of walking and what you do not see on a map is that everything outside the visitor’s center is UP HILL! So even 200m uphill is quite far when you have been walking all day. If you do decide to stay up the hill, there are always locals who will give you a ride back to your hotel (for a fee of course). Because you have a car, you can also drive to the Visitor’s Center and park your car. That opens up other hotel options. Marriott has a beautiful hotel with sunset views at the top of Wadi Musa (and also has a lovely outdoor pool).
Overnight Petra
Day 4 Petra
Today is all about Petra.
Explore the center of the Nabatean kingdom, which occupied the site in the 3rd century BC, lasting over 400 years. Located along historical trade routes between Africa, Asia, and the Mediterranean, Petra flourished with prosperity.
Discovered only 200 years ago, plan to spend the whole day at the site. There is a restaurant in the site that offers a buffet lunch or you can pack a lunch with you. I would suggest the Al Khubtah trail to get a great overlook of the treasury. The Monastery is also 100% worth the trek; it is stunning and very few visitors to the site venture that far.
Here are my suggestions for places to eat near Petra after your visit.
Overnight in Petra
Day 5
Today, you can go back to Petra or visit Little Petra in the morning. It is also an opportunity to do the back door hike into the Monastery and then out the siq if your family likes hiking. Make sure to get an early start so you can be back at the car. Then head to what my kids say is the best part of Jordan, Wadi Rum Desert!
Book a Jeep Tour (they have set rates at the visitor’s center depending on the length of the trip – the price is per truckload (fits 6 easily).
Enjoy the sunset at one of the most beautiful places on earth and overnight at a local camp. The camps have changed a lot in the last 10 years, and there are hundreds to choose from. My favorite options are Luxury Rum Magic or Hasan Zaiwadeh Camp, as you can drive your rental car to either of them. (I like leaving stuff in the trunk and just bringing an overnight bag into camp.
Overnight Wadi Rum Camp
Day 6: Red Sea
Enjoy breakfast in your camp and then drive to Aqaba (about an hour). Take a snorkel or dive boat out and see the coral reefs that make the area famous. Today is the kind of day to enjoy a beach resort and the waterfront where locals spend their holidays.
In the evening, walk the promenade, browse the market, and enjoy plenty of restaurants with either street food or sit-down dining.
Here are some other ideas of things to do in Aqaba with kids.
Overnight Aqaba
Day 7
Your last day in Jordan. Drive to the Dead Sea from Aqaba. It takes about 4 hours. Check into a hotel and float at the lowest point on earth. Enjoy an evening buffet and get a few hours sleep before those early morning international flights.
Why This Itinerary
This is a very great introduction to Jordan. It does not require backtracking and gives you a circular loop of the country. It is not rushed either, so you can enjoy each stop without a “let’s go, we are behind” which happens a lot when you try to see everything in 4 or 5 days!
More articles about Jordan:
Souvenirs from Jordan: The BEST Things to buy in Jordan
Lindsay Nieminen hails from Vancouver, Canada and shares her love of travel on this website. She is passionate about showing others that they should not put off traveling the world just because they have children or are single parents. She aims to encourage them to seek out adventure, whether it is at home or abroad by providing information on how just about everywhere can be a destination to explore as a family.