This information has been compiled for your reference in good faith but please use this only as a general guide. We advise you to check with relevant authorities with regard to the latest requirement for passport, visa, travel advisory, entry restrictions, health requirements, local currency etc as these are subjected to change with without prior notice and our information given below may not be as updated.

Best time to go: Jordan has a typically Middle Eastern climate in which summers are very hot, with temperatures reaching up into the forties Celsius. The best time to visit climate-wise is in spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November), when the daytime temperatures aren't too extreme. Winters can be surprisingly harsh: Petra has sometimes experienced snow, and the nights get cold especially in the desert regions. Winter is also when the majority of the rain falls, but showers tend to be short and sharp.April is probably the best month, when temperatures are warm and wildflowers are in bloom. March can be cold and rainy in the north but is balmy by the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea.

The Dead Sea, in the northwest of Jordan, forms the lowest point on earth.

Visa:All foreigners need a visa to enter Jordan. All nationalities except Colombian and Chinese nationals can purchase a visa at the border. The current fee is JD 40 (approx USD 56) and has to be paid in cash. Visas are valid for two weeks from entry, but can be easily extended for up to three months. Packages arranged through us will have Visa costs included.

Petra known as the rose red city, remained unknown to Europeans until the nineteenth century.

Currency: The local currency is the Jordanian Dinar, symbol JD, also pronounced as “jaydee.” There are 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 JD notes. The dinar is divided into 100 piasters (pronounced “pee-asters”) of 1000 fils. The fils is the unit most commonly used and you will usually see prices written as 4,750 (which is 4 JD and 750 fils). Currency can be exchanged at major banks, exchange booths and at most hotels. Street money-changers are best avoided. Exchange rates are set daily by the Jordanian Central Bank.All major credit cards and US dollars are widely accepted although some, not all, stores may charge you a 3-5% service fee if paying for your shopping with a credit card. Most local kiosks and souvenir stalls will only accept local/US currency. 

Copper mining was an important activity in Jordan around 5,000 years ago.

Health: It is advisable to carry some Imodium withyou in case you get an upset stomach from the difference in cuisine. The different spices andfoods may be a little upsetting to your stomach and it is best to be prepared just in case. Rabies exist in Jordan in rural areas although it is very unlikely that you will come in contact with a rabid animal. Immunisation is available in eithera series of three injections over a period of one month (lasts 3-5 years) or a single visit booster dose that lasts only 6-12 months. Please consulta medical practitioner for advice. Bottled wateris readily available throughout your tour and werecommend that you purchase this rather than drink the local tap water.While the local water is usually heavilychlorinated and safe many people find they getupset stomachs after drinking these supplies.

Jordanians believe that excessive praise of children brings bad luck, so it should be avoided.

Food and drinks:Food in Jordan tends to be a mixture of Arab and Lebanese cuisine. A Standard Jordanian meal will consist of a main dish supplemented by a number of appetisers such as tahina (sesame seed puree) and baba ghanoug (tahina, garlic and charred aubergines) dips, salads and side-dishes. Mensef is the national dish of Jordan. This traditional Bedouin meal consists of lamb (or goat) cooked with herbs in a yoghurt sauce with rice and bread.

It is considered polite to refuse a meal three times here before actually accepting it.

Public Transport: Most travellers opt to hire a private driver, although rental cars and tourist buses are available as well. Buses in Jordan do not follow timetable schedules and their low frequencies of public transportation services thus Taxi is a good transport solution in the country: they are plentiful and their price is quite affordable. Some of them are Uber, Careem, Jeeny, Petra Ride.

Safety & security: There is a high risk to your security close to of the borders with Syria and Israel due to conflicts in the region and we advise against all tourists and other non-essential travel to the border area. Security on the border is reportedly heavy and military activity has caused fatalities and injuries in this area. New Zealanders in Jordan should be aware there is the potential for the ongoing conflict in the region.

Landmines and unexploded munitions are located near some military installations and borders. These areas are usually fenced and marked with skull-and-crossbones signs, although this may not be immediately obvious due to the state of disrepair of some fences and signs.

New Zealanders travelling or living in Jordan should have comprehensive travel insurance policies in place that include provision for medical evacuation by air. New Zealanders in Jordan are encouraged to register their details with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Clothing: Jordan is a primarily Muslim country, although the freedom of all religions is protected. Muslim women’s clothing often covers their arms, legs and hair. Western women are not subject to these customs, but very revealing clothing is never appropriate and conservative dress is advisable for both men and women in the old part of Amman (downtown), and outside the cities. Shorts are rarely worn by either sex, and would be out of place in the downtown Amman area. Topless sunbathing is prohibited and one-piece swimsuits are preferred, although two-piece swimsuits are acceptable at hotel pools.

Please be sure to bring comfortable, rubber-soled walking shoes, as a fair amount of walking is involved on the tour. You are also advised to bring sunscreen, a hat and insect repellant with you.  Cargo pants, modest shorts and jeans are acceptable daytime wear. It is advisable to bring a small flash light with youifyou will be camping and going to areas with minimal electricity such as Wadi Rum and Feynan.

A natural spring in Wadi Musa (Moses’ Valley) near Petra is purportedly the site where Moses in the bible struck the rock and made a spring to appear during the Israelites 40 years of wandering in the desert.

Language: The official language of Jordan is Arabic, but English is widely spoken especially in the cities. Many Jordanians have travelled, or have been educated abroad, so French, German, Italian and Spanish are also spoken, but to a lesser extent. When Arabic is written in Jordan using the Latin alphabet, English spelling is applied; however, these spellings can be interpreted in various ways - the spelling, for example, of street addresses can vary widely. For this reason, the sounds of the words are a much better guide than the spelling.

Gratuities: Tipping in Jordan is a part of the culture and in most cases leaving a tip is good etiquette, unless of course the service was terrible. Many industries, such as restaurants, pay lower wages to the employees with the expectation that they will receive tips. Therefore, it's important that you give generously when you get amazing service. A tip of 10% is standard in almost all circumstances. If you find a charge has already been added to your bill (which is common), consider giving the worker a small tip anyway, since they will likely not receive that percentage.Taxi drivers are generally not tipped, but it is customary to pay the nearest round figure to the price on the meter. It may be difficult to get change for a large bill, so carry plenty of small denominations and coins for taxis.Generally, guide in Petra and Jerash can be paid tip of USD 15.00 per local guide. For restaurants an average of USD 07-10 per person per restaurant is okay. Drivers joining clients in the program would anticipate USD 10 per day or more.

Jordan’s economy is very small, in fact one of the smallest in the Middle East, owing to its limited natural resources.

Departure tax:There are three departure taxes from Jordan: four Jordanian Dinars (JD) across land borders (JD 8 for Jordanians), JD 6 from Aqaba by sea, and JD 15 when leaving by airplane (JD 25 for Jordanians).Generally your international air ticket should include airport tax on international departure.

It is widely believed that Mount Nebo in Jordan is the burial place of Moses.

Internet:There are Internet cafes all around Jordan in and outside hotels.

Jordan is the top contributor among all Arab countries in terms of internet content. 75% of all Arabic online content originates from Jordan

Telephone: IDD service is available within cities, with direct dialing to most countries. Country code: +962 (followed by 6 for Amman, 3 for Aqaba and Petra, 5 for Dead Sea and Ma'in).  Please check with your telephone service provider to see if you can make/receive cellular calls on your telephone from Jordan. Please advise family and business associates to call you instead. While calling New Zealand from Jordan, you will need to dial +64.

Time Difference: Jordan is 11hrs behind New Zealand from April to September and 10 hrs from October to March.

Photography: One hour developing is widely available. All sorts of films, cameras, disposable cameras, camcorders are available. Like in any country, it is advisable that one asks permission before photographing strangers.

Almost every single building in Amman is made of stone or concrete and clad with thin, white limestone slabs. Thus there really are no landmarks and every building looks almost identical

Electricity: Electricity is supplied at 200 volts all over Jordan, European round/ 2-prong plug are used. Transformers and adapters are widely available.

Amman

The capital of Jordan is a modern, bustling place, originally set over seven hills. Many of its buildings are only a few decades old, but there are some exceptions, such as the King Hussein Mosque, right in the heart of the city centre, built in 1924.Some remnants of its more ancient history are also visible, such as the Roman theatre around which the downtown area of Amman grew up. On a hill above Amman is the citadel, along with a patchwork of Roman, Byzantine and Ummayad ruins, testament to the range of civilization which have left their mark on the country.The citadel is also home to the Jordanian Archaeological Museum with displays on the Dead Sea scrolls and other finds, some dating to prehistory. The Museum is due to relocate in the next couple of years. Other museums and galleries abound in Amman, including the Royal Automobile Museum, established by King Abdullah II in memory of his father King Hussein, many of whose cars are on show here.

Petra

The Rose City of Petra is the jewel in Jordan’s glittering archaeological crown, and is now one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. Accessed on a walk through a narrow, deep and winding cleft in the rock that is known as the Siq, the end prize is the hidden valley where the Rose City of Petra lies. And the first sight to behold is the façade of Al-Kazneh – aka the Treasury of Petra. This rose red building actually served as a royal tomb, but got its name from the legend that pirates hid their treasure there. With a backstory like that and its amazing appearance its no surprise to learn that it was this building that served as the Holy Grail’s resting place In Indiana Jones and the last crusade.In all, there are some 800 registered sites in Petra, including some 500 tombs. Just as fascinating as the rock–carved monuments are the strange rocks themselves. Sandstone shot with minerals burst into colour giving off blue, red, orange and green hues. Amongst the rocky and sometimes jagged scenery, it’s sometimes hard to know what is man–made and what the result of pure nature is

Wadi Rum Desert

A vast, silent landscape of ancient riverbeds, pastel-coloured stretches of sandy desert and amazing rock formations known as jebels which rise from the desert floor at Wadi Rum in the south of Jordan. Wadi Rum possesses unspoilt beauty forged by millions of years of geological formation, erosion and evolution. The region is also home to semi-nomadic Bedouin living in their great goat hair tents, tending their herds of sheep and goat and preserving a lifestyle that has been practised here in the Arabian Desert for centuries. On visits to Wadi Rum, we take a 4x4 desert jeep ride through the heart of the stunning wadi, enjoy a traditional Jordanian grilled dinner and camp under the stars or in tents.

Aqaba

Situated on the tip of the Red Sea on the Gulf of Aqaba, the laid-back resort of Aqaba is Jordan’s only gateway to the sea. Renowned for its pristine sandy beaches, clear waters and colourful reefs studded with marine life, Aqaba is just the ticket for sun, fun, diving, snorkelling and swimming. It’s also a great place for water sports such as water skiing, parasailing, jet-skiing and fishing and ideal for a spot of relaxation. Historically, Aqaba boasts sites dating back to 4,000 BC, including the recent discovery of possibly the world’s oldest church dating from the 3rd century AD, the remains of the medieval walled city of Ayla and a Mamluk fort.

The Dead Sea

The lowest point on the earth’s surface, the Dead Sea is a fascinating natural phenomenon. Straddling the border between Israel and Jordan, the mineral content of this 75-km-long and 10-km-wide saltwater lake tops out at 33%, or about six times as salty as a normal ocean. This incredibly high salt content means the Dead Sea is extremely buoyant, making it impossible to sink or swim in - the only option is to bob around like a cork! It’s called the Dead Sea as nothing can live in it. There are no fish, seaweed or plants of any kind in or around the water. What you’ll see on the shores are clusters of white salt crystals. These salts are mineral salts, which is just like you find in the oceans of the world, only in extreme concentrations. Many believe that these salts have curative powers and therapeutic qualities, and so the Dead Sea is a great place to try out a spot of pampering in the local spas.

Jerash & the Decapolis

Second only to Petra in touristic appeal, the 2,000 year-old Graeco-Roman ruins of Jerash are recognised as one of the best-preserved member cities of the Decapolis, a confederation of 10 Graeco-Roman cities. When Emperor Hadrian paid a visit in 129 AD, the place was buzzing. The citizens threw up a Triumphal Arch for him which still stands today. Exemplifying the finesse of Roman urban life, the town boasts a hippodrome, the old sports field that once held 15,000 spectators, a stunning amphitheatre with amazing amplification abilities, the forum which gracefully links the main north-south axis of Jerash, a colonnaded street paved with original stones and the rut marks of chariots and a nymphaeum replete with ancient fountains trimmed with dolphins and various temples.

At the far end of the city is the Temple of Artemis, fronted by a small forest of columns, topped with exquisitely carved Corinthian capitols. A short way north of Jerash is another Decapolis city, Umm Qais.As well as Roman remains, including a unique five-apsed basilica, there are also the ruins of a late 19th century Ottoman village, but the crowning glory of Umm Qais is its amazing location, atop a ridge with far-reaching views over the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan Valley.

Mount Nebo

Mt Nebo is a very important Christian site, recently visited by the Pope, for it was here, on the edge of a ridge overlooking the Dead Sea, that Moses first caught sight of the Holy Land, having led his people from Sinai.

It is said that he also died and was buried here. In the basilica that marks the spot, beautiful mosaics depict rustic scenes every bit as colourful as the day they were laid.

Madaba

Jordan, though an Islamic nation, has a vibrant and well-preserved Christian heritage.The town of Madaba is still Christian, and amongst its churches are some superb mosaics, the most famous of which is a 6th century mosaic map depicting the Holy Land.It is fun to spend a while picking out the various cities and locations, and admiring the little vignettes the artist incorporated into the map.

Kerak

For over three thousand years the route from Amman south to the Arabian Peninsula has been busy with pilgrims, merchants and conquering armies. Winding through sheer wadis, and along precipitous ridges, it passes numerous important historical sites.For the modern visitor, it begins with a visit to Madaba and Mt Nebo, before heading south to the crusader castles. The most impressive of these is Kerak, whose solid crusader walls, refined by the Mamlukes, sit on top of a steep outcrop, making this an almost impregnable position. An altogether older fortress sits at Mukawir, on an isolated cone of rock overlooking the Dead Sea - it was here that Salome danced for Herod in exchange for the head of John the Baptist.