Highlights of Jordan day-to-day itinerary

Day 2 Jerash & Amman
After a leisurely breakfast, drive about an hour north of Amman to the wonderfully preserved Roman ruins of Jerash. This is a history lesson writ large and the children will enjoy clambering over the ruins, climbing precipitous staircases and dodging the goats that come to the far reaches of the site to graze.

Return to Amman in the afternoon and perhaps take a late afternoon stroll through the downtown area, stopping at the vast amphitheatre.

Day 3 Kings Highway & Kerak
Follow the scenic Kings Highway south towards Petra. Along the way you will stop in Madaba, where you can see the exquisite Byzantine mosaics, and at Mt Nebo, from where Moses surveyed the Promised Land. From here the road meanders across farmland before suddenly arriving at the edge of Wadi Mujib, a huge canyon that cuts its way east to the Dead Sea. The road drops 1,300m down the side of the canyon and the views are absolutely staggering.

Later you will arrive at the crusader castle of Kerak, perhaps the best preserved in Jordan. The castle has thick battlements that soar over the town below, and many dusty tunnels and rooms to explore.

Overnight near Petra.

Day 4 Petra
A full day to enjoy the Nabatean ruins of Petra. Even getting to the site is an adventure, following the narrow ‘siq’ through the cliffs before arriving at the intricately carved façade of the Treasury. You might recognise this from Indiana Jones films. Younger children may enjoy riding through the siq on a horse-drawn carriage to keep little legs fresh for exploring the rest of this huge site.

The city was built by the Nabateans over 2,000 years ago in a dramatic location. All around you are vast cliffs, with their rock faces carved into façades. There is also an enormous amphitheatre and a long colonnaded main street that leads from one edge of the city to the other.

Active families will enjoy the climb up to the Monastery, perched on a hill-top high above the ruins with commanding views across to the Dead Sea. There is also the option to take a donkey up to the monastery which means that you can get even the youngest children to the top.

Day 5 Wadi Rum
Drive to Wadi Rum where you will take a 4WD jeep ride into the desert. Lawrence of Arabia was filmed here and the massive rock outcrops, chiselled by the wind into weird and wonderful shapes, will fire the imagination of both children and adults.

Children will adore clambering to the top of the highest sand dunes – a safe activity for even the youngest with no sheer drops and only endless soft sand to roll down. Go exploring in the maze of small canyons nearby. Marvel at the rock formations that the weather has created from the crumbling sandstone. Stop for a cup of hot sweet mint tea in a Bedouin tent. And climb up high to a narrow rock bridge….if you dare.

You will spend the night in a traditional Bedouin camp, dining on exquisite Jordanian food. Later lie back under the night sky to see if you can spot a shooting star; it will be one of those moments your family will savour forever.

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