Jordan Tours

• Jordan's official name is the “Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan”
• Jordan is bounded to the north by Syria, to the east by Iraq, to the southeast and south by Saudi Arabia, and to the west by Israel and the West Bank.
• The lowest point of dry land in the world is the shore of the Dead Sea in Jordan at 420 metres beneath sea level.
• Traces of human activity in Jordan have been found dating back all the way to the Paleolithic period (500,000 BC to 17,000 BC) 
• Jordan is a constitutional monarchy. The current monarch, King Abdullah II ibn Al-Hussein, is Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. 

Australian passport holders travelling to Jordan need a visa at this time. Please visit the Passports and Visas page for more information.

We require that your passport is valid for travel for at least six months from the date you are planning to return to Australia. Your passport must be valid to travel internationally and must be machine-readable. You also need to carry a valid return ticket on you. 
 
Whether travelling on an Australian passport or the passport of another country, all travellers require visas for a number of countries, and it is your responsibility to secure what may be required before departing Australia. You can consult with your travel agent, but it is also recommended that you check the foreign embassy website for your respective destination as it can also provide you with useful information. 
 
Australian Embassy in Jordan:  
41 Kayed Al Armouti Street 
Abdoun Al Janoubi, Amman 
Ph. +962 6 580 7000 
Fax. +962 6 580 7001 

The official currency of Jordan is the Jordanian Dinar. Notes come in denominations of JD50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Ensure you change a small amount into small denominations. 
 
Advise your bank of your travel plans so that they can make a note of it, otherwise they may cancel your credit card as a safety measure due to the overseas transactions. Also make a note of the 24-hour emergency contact number of the bank or building society which issued your credit card in the unlikely event that your card is lost or stolen. 
 
Whenever possible use ATMs when the banks are open (Mon – Fri) so that if a machine ‘eats’ your card you can then deal with it straight away. It is always advisable to carry a supply of cash in addition to your credit card. 
 
If you don’t have Jordanian Dinar’s with you on arrival, we advise you to exchange some money into the local currency at the airport even if the exchange rate is not the best, this way you’ll have money to get a drink, snack or give a tip during those first few hours of arrival. Your guide will be able to advise you on the best places to exchange money. 
 
Small change is also useful for paying for toilets while on tour which is customary in many places outside of Australia. 

• The price of a cappuccino in Amman is approximately 3 JOD 
• The price of an inexpensive lunch is approximately 4.50 JOD
• The price dinner in a moderate restaurant is approximately 13 JOD 
• The price of a beer in a local pub is approximately 5 JOD

Jordan offers an amazing array of Middle Eastern dishes; try the ubiquitous kebabs and shawarma, musakham (a chicken dish that is baked on Arabic bread), yogurt, mensaf (the national dish, consisting of yogurt, rice and lamb), fabulous unleavened breads, maglouba (a fish/meat stew) and very fine desserts. There’s a lot of open-pit cooking. The figs and apricots are a real treat. Turkish coffee and mint tea are available everywhere. A limited variety of international cuisine is available at the more deluxe hotels and resorts 
 
Eating or feasting, a popular pastime in this part of the world remains at the centre of cultural celebrations, and the daily cycle of life. Water should be drunk from bottles only, however, please ensure that bottle top seals are not broken. Soft drinks and alcohol are not a problem, but ice should be avoided. Eating at local restaurants is generally fine and it can be a great, fun experience. Choose restaurants that are busy as the turnover of food is likely to be higher. Take care with seafood and avoid undercooked meat. Only eat fruit you have peeled yourself and give salads a miss. 
 
Important: When dining at buffets (i.e. breakfast) please refrain from taking food away with you to ‘save’ for later!  If you feel that you’ll need snacks between meals, pack some dried fruit, nuts, muesli bars etc. 
 
If you have specific food allergies and/or preferences, we highly recommend you take every precaution before your tour, including carrying a small card with your food allergy listed in each language of every country you are travelling to show to table staff when ordering. Whilst we take all dietary requirements seriously, due to the serious nature of potential allergic reactions, it is your responsibility to be as prepared as possible.  
 

Summers are very warm, with temperatures running 32-44C. Rain falls most frequently from November to March. Winters can be very drizzly, damp, and cool and snow even makes an appearance in Amman and the mountains. A thin jumper can be useful even during the summer, as the contrast between the day and night temperatures are quite dramatic. Aqaba and Wadi Rum are usually a few degrees warmer than the rest of the country during the day, however the temperature can plummet during the night. 

Want to get out and explore on your own? 

In Jordan, public transport is somewhat limited to local buses and can be difficult to navigate, so the easiest way to get around in Jordanian cities and towns is by taxi. However, walking around the city centre is also a wonderful way of soaking up the local atmosphere. 
 
When catching taxis, make sure you have small change on you and choose one with a meter, if it doesn’t have one then negotiate the price before getting in. We recommend you ask your guide or hotel staff the names of reputable taxi companies. 

So, you’d love to bring home a special souvenir from Jordan… 
 
Among the most popular things to buy in Jordan are the decorated sand bottles, often with highly intricate designs made with the aid of a knitting needle and funnel! Petra is a good place to buy these, as the sand used is almost always the natural sand of the rock and salesmen will often refer to them as “Petra’s Treasure”.  Jordan is also popular for Madaba rugs, leatherwork, silver work, jewellery, Dead Sea products and Hebron glass. There are many gold and silver shops to be found in the souks of Amman, where prices are determined by weight. Bargaining is acceptable in the souks, but it’s not widely used in the more upmarket shops. 

• Criticising the King or Royal Family is a serious legal offence!
• In Jordan, it's considered polite to refuse a meal three times before accepting it. 
  It is common for Arabs to greet each other by giving a small kiss on both cheeks. This is a sign of warmth, affection and is giving to both men and women. It is not expected by foreign visitors, however, it is a sign of warmth, and best not to be caught off guard if greeted with a small kiss on both cheeks.
• Don't eat, drink or smoke in public during the day while travelling within the holy month of Ramadan. Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is a time of fasting for the Islamic people. Each day during this month, Muslims all over the world abstain from eating, drinking, smoking, as well as participating in anything that is ill-natured or excessive, from dawn until the sun sets. Fasting is intended to educate the Muslim in spirituality, humility, and patience.  The precise time of Ramadan will at times vary from place to place because some depend a great deal on moon sightings, while others rely on science. 
   

Jordan has many festivals and celebrations running throughout the year. The most important for Muslims (in fact, Muslims all over the world) is the holy month of Ramadan. Dates vary each year depending on the cycles of the moon. During this month, Muslims avoid food and drinking from sunrise to sunset, but after this time, the streets come alive with people celebrating with family and friends.  
 
Muharram is the beginning of the Islamic New Year. It takes its name first month of the Islamic calendar and just like Ramadan the dates vary each year depending on the cycles of the moon. Muharram is celebrated in many towns across Jordan with food, dances, and traditions. 
 
Other national public holidays to be aware of include: 
 

• New Year’s Day 
• Good Friday 
• Holy Saturday (Easter Saturday) 
• Labour Day (01 May) 
• Independence Day (25 May) 
• Eid al-Fitr (multi-day holiday to celebrate the end of Ramadan – dates vary) 
• Eid al-Adha (two-day holiday in the Summer months – dates vary) 
  Arafah (dates vary) 
• Muharram (dates vary) 
• Prophet's Birthday (dates vary) 
• Christmas Day  
• Boxing Day