Jordan

Prices in Jordan for transport

Public transport (buses and minibuses)

Approximate cost of tickets for travel between cities:

• Bus Amman - Irbid - 2 IODINE (3$).
• Bus Amman - Aqaba - 8 IODINE (11$).
• Bus Amman - Petra - 10 IODINE (14$).
• Bus Amman - Dead Sea - 7 IODINE (10$).
• Minibus Aqaba - Wadi Musa (Petra) – 5 IODINE (7$).

Several bus companies operate in Jordan. One of the most popular is Jett (see prices and schedule here).

Taxis and transfers

Estimated prices in Jordan for taxi and private transfer:

• Taxi from Wadi Arava checkpoint to Aqaba - 10-15 IODINE (14-21$).
• Taxi from Aqaba airport to city - from 15 IODINE (21$).
• Taxi from Amman Airport to Dead Sea - from 35 IODINE (50$).
• Taxi from Aqaba to Petra - from 50 IODINE (70$) one way and away 80 IODINE (112$) round trip with waiting.
• Трансфер из аэропорта Акабы в город с персональной встречей – 40$ for the machine.
• Трансфер из аэропорта Аммана в город с персональной встречей – 40$ for the machine.
• Трансфер из аэропорта Аммана на Мертвое море с персональной встречей – 60$ for the machine.

Taxi from the border to Aqaba Airport Taxi rates from Wadi Arawa checkpoint to Aqaba and other places

Car rent

• On 1-2 days - from 35-40$ per day.
• On 3 days - from 30$ per day.

Fuel:

• Diesel fuel - 0,41-0,44 IODINE (≈0,6$).
• Gasoline 90 – 0,56 IODINE (≈0,78$).
• Gasoline 95 – 0,72-0,75 IODINE (≈1,02$).

Current prices can be checked on the websites:

• Rentalcars
• EconomyBooking

Gas station in Wadi Musa

Climate

Subtropical Mediterranean climate, sharply continental, very dry. Average January temperatures +8 .. + 14 ° C, July +24 .. + 30 ° C (at average daytime temperatures of about +35 °C). The most favorable time to visit Jordan is spring and autumn. It rains in the north from November to March.

It's usually warm in the Dead Sea and in Aqaba, and you can swim all year round. The water temperature in the Red and Dead Seas does not drop below all year round +21 °C. Summer nights in these places are warm, like fresh milk. At the same time, in most of the central regions of the country, it is rather cool at night.: on a journey through them, tourists need to take long sleeves and trousers with them.

Near the oldest surviving Christian church

On Christmas 2019 years I was lucky to be in that place, Where, as modern scholars and church historians believe, the oldest surviving Christian church in the world was built.

Now the Jordanian city of Akkaba is located here., and in the first century A.D. there was a settlement called Ezion-Gaver.

In the books of Numbers and Deuteronomy, Ezion-Geber is one of the last places, where the Israelites stayed while wandering in the wilderness. Under King Solomon, there was already a serious seaport here, from where the joint expeditions of Israel and the Phoenician city of Tire went to Arabia and Africa. When Israel fell apart, then the city becomes the arena of struggle between the Israelites and the Edomite kingdom, the capital of which was the famous Petra.

IN 8 century BC. Ezion-Geber finally passes from Judea to Edumea. Then the city becomes an arena of struggle between both kingdoms, becomes part of Nabatea, and at the beginning 2 century A.D.. становится частью римской провинции Аравия Петрейская. true, skeptics claim, that Ezion-Gaver was elsewhere, whether to the north, or even on the island, and here on the site of Aqaba there was a completely different settlement.

Anyway, in 300 A.D.. в этом римском поселении строится христианский храм. Найти его оказалось делом совсем не простым. It is not included in tourist routes. Neither the locals, neither the police could tell us anything. The location of the ruins was approximately known to us ("Behind the fence near the Moven Peak hotel"), but, wandering around the alleged location of the oldest church, we didn't find anything. Map helped, which showed the "archaeological site" icon.

It turned out, that the ancient church is in the same place, as our hotel "Mina".

At first, behind a tiny fence, we saw an excavated, partially restored wall about 0,7 meters. Foundations were visible behind it, several rooms, in no way resembling a church in its layout. Церковь оказалась через дорогу за решетчатым металлическим забором. В темноте перед нами предстали изъеденные временем каменные стены высотой до 2-х метров.

No excavations are currently underway here. Information stand faded. The only defense of the ancient church is a green fence. No canopy has been installed over the church.

Seem to be, that there are inhabitants in the temple: stray cats. Noticing our interest in the temple, они стали разглядывать нас. Почему никакой работы по раскопкам и консервации храма не ведется, I couldn't find out.

In the same time, even, if you count the church in Aqaba, the oldest building, purpose built as a church (that is, do not take caves adapted for temples and temples of other religions converted into churches), there are at least ten no less ancient churches, including. in Jerusalem and even in a German city ... However, the Jordanians are convinced, что самая древняя церковь находится в иорданском городе Акабе.

On photos: this is how the ruins of the church look in the evening. Later I'll post on my blog a view of the ruins of the church in the daytime..

Money

Money can be exchanged at the airport, at the hotel and at exchange offices. Payment for goods and services is usually made in dinars, foreign currency is almost never accepted. Credit cards and traveler's checks are accepted only in major tourist centers, in hotels, ticket offices and large stores (the most common are American Express and Visa - they are accepted almost everywhere, Diners Club is accepted less often, and cashing MasterCard cards is sometimes difficult, so it's better not to take them). It is almost impossible to pay with credit cards in the interior regions of the country. Banks work with 8:30 to 12:30 and s 15:30 to 17:30 from saturday to thursday (cash desks usually close at 12:30).

Tipping is given in gratitude for the good service of the hotel staff (0,5 IODINE), tour guide (2 JOD per person), the driver (1,5 JOD per person), horse driver in Petra (2 IODINE) etc. Usually they make up the bulk of the earnings of Jordanians employed in the tourism sector - a certain insignificant amount "plus a tip" is usually indicated in the employment contract, so no tip Jordanian, likely, will be offended.

Visa costs

Виза в консульстве – 67$ (?). It is not necessary to go to the now mythical Jordanian consulate to get a visa, as there are other easier ways to get to Jordan, without pre-issuing an entry permit. A preliminarily prepared visa in your passport will only be required to cross from Israel through the Allenby Bridge / King Hussein Bridge checkpoint.

Виза по прибытию – 40JOD (56$) either 10JOD (14$), if the estimated period of stay in Jordan is more than 3 days. Issued at Amman airport and at the northern crossing from Israel "Jordan River" / "Sheikh Hussein".

Безвизовый въезд – 0$, if you are to arrive in Jordan on vacation via Aqaba airport, arrival at the seaport of Aqaba or land crossing through the Wadi Arawa checkpoint (in the latter case, with a planned stay in Jordan for more than 2 nights).

Безвизовый въезд по билету Джордан Пасс – 0$ for a visa, you will only need to pay for the ticket itself, which will include visits to most of Jordan's attractions, and spend more than 3 nights in Jordan (I'll tell you more about JordanPass below). Valid at all crossings, except for checkpoint with Israel "Allenby Bridge" / "King Hussein Bridge".

All options are discussed in more detail in the article Visa to Jordan.

Alcohol prices in Jordan

In such cities, like amman, Aqaba, Wadi Musa and Madaba, finding alcohol will not cause any particular difficulties. Alcohol is sold in specialized stores. On the maps of the maps.me mobile application, some of these alcoholic drinks are indicated as an icon with a bottle and a glass. In fact, there are many more shops selling liquor, so it is best to ask their location from the hotel reception, where we stopped to rest. In Aqaba prices are lower, than in other cities, since there is a duty free zone.

Alcohol prices in Jordan:

• Local beer - from 2-3$.
• Local wine - from 15-20$.
• Whiskey - from 10-15$.
• Local anise vodka Arak - from 10$.

Liquor store in Aqaba

Aqaba city

It's time to tell about the city of Aqaba, главном морском порте Иордании.

Aqaba is the fifth most populous city in Jordan with 9 million inhabitants. It lives about 150 thousand. man.

One side, the city is much cleaner, than the cities of Tunisia I visited, Egypt, India and Gambia. With another, despite the resort status, something went wrong, and some shops and hotels darken with empty shop windows and windows.

The whole city is filled with the smells of various hookahs and coffee with cardamom. By the way, on the market it can be bought by 5 dinar per kilogram. Я прихватил с собою в Москву килограммов пять.

There are a lot of working children in the city. However, given the high birth rate in Jordan, cannot be ruled out, that their share is lower, чем у нас.

IN 12 century crusaders built a fortress in Aqaba. But in 1170 year the Arabs captured the city from the Crusaders. И больше город к крестоносцам уже не вернулся.

In Arab and Byzantine times, it was the most important port on the Red Sea.. It was the seizure of this port by Faisal bin Hussein with the assistance of T. Lawrence in August 1917 the year was a turning point in the Arab-Ottoman hostilities: through Aqaba, the Arabs began to receive weapons and ammunition from the British.

Jordan's coastline is only about 28 km. Part of the coast is occupied by the port of Aqaba, Jordan's only port. A lot of land is private, what is holding back the development of tourism. To increase the coastal line, Jordanian authorities plan to make an artificial bay, extending the Gulf of Aqaba deep into Jordan. However, the project cost is one and a half billion dollars.

Interesting, that in the 1960s the length of Jordan's coastline was still 2 times less. However, Jordan and Saudi Arabia exchanged territories: Saudi Arabia transferred part of the coast to Jordan, and Jordan - 5 thousand. desert kilometers in the southeast. Now oil is being extracted on these lands.

The depth of the Gulf of Aqaba - 1500 meters. However, the Red Sea itself is even deeper - 3000 meters. All this is not particularly felt on the beach, где мелководная полоса длится метров двадцать.

True, there are other problems on the public beach. In 1-x, he is very dirty. Not even very clear: is it sand, interspersed with husks from seeds, or the husk of seeds interspersed with sand. At 2 p.m., in the zone, fenced for swimming, I stepped on a sea urchin twice. And special pleasure to me this, admit, did not deliver.

An interesting feature of the Akaba beach is that, that on the first line by the beach, instead of luxury hotels, there are tiny, in size from 4 to 10 meters of gardens, separated from each other by small embankments. Where are they from here, я так и не понял.

By the way, the highest flagpole in Jordan is located on the beach in Aqaba. His high - 136 meters. The size of the flag hung on it is 60 on 20 meters, and weight - 460 kilogram.

Cups of local "seeds" are sold in front of the beach: boiled beans unknown to me and undercooked corn, unpleasant for my European taste.

For about 4 dinar you can get to the beach called "Japanese Garden", where mock-ups of a tank and a plane of wartime models are flooded. They are overgrown with corals, look mysterious and enigmatic. But I go there, Alas, не попал.

A feature of the 3-star hotel "Mina", in which I was destined to live 7 days, delicious cuisine and unusually dirty carpets in the hallway. maybe, in hotels with a large number of stars, all - still cleaner.

Tourist safety

Jordan is one of the most stable and secure countries in the Middle East. There is almost no crime here: police patrols meet on city streets, but security problems usually do not arise. There are no interfaith conflicts in the state either. To avoid unpleasant surprises, it is recommended to drink only bottled or boiled water, and also consume pasteurized milk, well done meat and fish, vegetables, pre-processed. Don't order drinks with ice cubes: better ask to bring them chilled.

When swimming in the extremely salty Dead Sea, you should take care of your eyes: it is best to wear goggles for swimming in the pool or sunglasses - they will protect your eyes from accidental splashes.

How much did we spend for 5 nights and 6 days in Jordan?

Our spending:

• Accommodation - 180$. Two nights in Petra, two more - in Madaba and the last - in Amman. All hotels were relatively inexpensive, at the same time clean and tidy.
• Food - 104$. We ate quite modestly, since there was no time during the day, and in the evening there was no strength to go to cafes. Primarily, had breakfast at the hotel, and then only had dinner with fast food, which was taken to the hotel on the way. Usually it was one of the following dishes: grilled chicken, barbecue (kebab), shawarma or falafel.
• Alcohol - 33$. We tried local beer (6 cans) and wine (1 but.).
• Rent a Car - 312$. This includes car rental 5 days, the cost of returning the car elsewhere, fuel 66 liters and parking for one night in Amman.
• Transport - 80$. This includes the cost of a taxi from the Wadi Arawa checkpoint to Aqaba airport, then from there to the city, private trader from Amman to the King Hussein Bridge checkpoint and the price of bus tickets across the border.
• Sights - 244 IODINE (342$). Jordan Pass Tickets, tour of Wadi Rum, religious sites (not included in JP).
• Exit fee - 20 IODINE (28$). According to some rumors, if you are in Jordan for more than 3 nights, then you do not need to pay the exit fee. They took from us.
• Souvenirs - 13$. Magnets, handkerchief, batteries, candles in the church.

Total left, that our trip to Jordan for two 6 дней обошлось в 1092$ без перелетов. It never worked out on a budget, although the prices after Israel seemed very humane. As we can see, the most expensive items are car rental, entrance to attractions and then only accommodation.

In hotels and shops were calculated, primarily, cards. Cash was used in cafes and street shops, when paying for a taxi, excursions and small attractions, not included in the JordanPass ticket.

we

Marina and Kostya Samorosenko

Internet in Jordan

Internet in Jordan is well developed. Mobile Internet services are provided by the largest mobile operators in the country. If Internet is needed in Jordan on an ongoing basis, then get it, by purchasing an Orange modem. Prices for modems and tariffs can be viewed .

Most telecom operators in Jordan provide high-speed 3G internet connectivity.

Средняя скорость мобильного 3G интернета в Иордании — 7,2 Mbps, а максимальная — 21 mb / sec.

Internet prices vary in Jordan, depending on the chosen provider and its tariff. It ranges from 0,5 ior. dinar ( rub.) for 250 MB of traffic.

Entertainment, excursions and sights of Jordan

On the way from Petra to Aqaba, visit the Wadi Rum Desert, to enjoy unique landscapes, similar to which are not found anywhere else on the planet.

Jerash is an almost entirely preserved example of a provincial city from the times of the Roman Empire. He has 17 Byzantine churches, two amphitheaters, several pillared ancient streets. It is located an hour north of Amman, and for the high preservation of ancient buildings, it is often called the "Pompeii of the East".

Christian pilgrims and people, interested in the history of the first centuries of Christianity, worth visiting the sights of Madaba and its surroundings: Madabu itself, memorial to Moses on Mount Nebo, place of the Baptism of Jesus in Tel al-Harrar, as well as many other historical sites. And for tourists, those interested in the history of the Crusades, should definitely visit the crusader castle in Karak, whose walls remember the era of Salah-ed-Din.

Gadara (nyne Umm-Keys) - the scene of the biblical legend about the Gadar pig. The majestic streets have survived to this day, framed by colonnades, vaulted terrace and the ruins of two amphitheaters.

The "favorite" of archaeologists Pella is incredibly rich in antiquities. There, except for excavations of the ruins of the Greco-Roman period, traces of an Eneolithic settlement can be seen (4 century BC), ruins of fortified cities of the Bronze and Iron Ages, ruins of Byzantine churches and houses, as well as a residential area of ​​the early Islamic period, with a small medieval mosaic.

Caliph palaces of the desert are about 30 residences, once immersed in greenery and flowering gardens and irrigated with original irrigation structures, some of which have survived to this day, eg, castle in Ajloun. Each, who is interested in the history of the Arab Caliphate, must not miss a unique monument of that era - the medieval baths of Qasr-Amr, decorated with frescoes with images of people and animals.

Fans of outdoor activities will not be bored in Jordan. You can rent an SUV and travel from north to south of the country with a visit to the biblical cities and fortresses of legionnaires. Or as part of a caravan to cross the central highlands and desert in the east of the country in a week, staying in a new place every night. The same routes can be taken by train from the First World War., who walks along the very edge of the desert.

Besides, you can fly in a hot air balloon or paraglider over the Wadi Rum desert, play paintball or golf, go horseback riding or hiking in the mountains.

Citizens of Russia and CIS countries, except Moldova, receive a visa upon arrival in the country, I paid 20 IODINE (about 28 USD). For this, the passport must be valid for at least 6 months.

Number of tourists, those who want to get a visa upon arrival, may be considerable: have to wait in line.

Cuisine and restaurants

Jordanian cuisine is generally faithful to Arab culinary traditions, however has many characteristics. Contrary to popular belief, local cuisine is not so hot and spicy, as they usually think. But mint is added to food everywhere., various greens and herbs, lemons in all kinds, onion, pickled olives, pine nuts. Salads are popular as appetizers, stew, pastries with different fillings, as well as dishes of finely grated peas with herbs - "falafel" and "hummus".

In addition to different types of lavash and ragyf bread, cakes "kmazh" are popular in the country, which are often used as a kind of "edible spoons". Local meat dishes - most often chicken, lamb or veal with rice or potatoes. Traditional side dishes - different types of salads and stews.

Sweets, produced in Jordan, considered one of the best in the Arab world. These are the cookies sprinkled with sesame seeds, "Baklava" (pahlava) with pistachios, famous "kanafa" (knafe) with cheese, pies "kataf", guava dessert "javafa" ("Answer"), excellent ice cream, various candied fruits and hundreds of other confectionery.

Local and foreign alcoholic beverages can be purchased at any time, except for the month of Muslim fasting. From local spirits it is worth trying "arak" - it is diluted with water, has the color of milk, as well as the specific smell and taste of anise. Local wines are also good (white, pink and red). Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer is offered in many cafes and restaurants (but not in all), a, Besides, sold in special stores.

Travel insurance cost

The cost of one day of health insurance while on holiday in Jordan in 2020 r. is from 50 rub. (less 1$). Given such a low cost of the policy in relation to the high prices for medical services (if you suddenly need them), obviously, что есть смысл немного потратиться на страховку.

Websites, where can I buy:

• cherehapa.ru/jordan - a large selection of cheap insurances among different companies.
• tripinsuarance.ru - for those, who values ​​quality over cost.

Lifehack. If you plan to combine visiting Jordan and Israel on your trip, you can add both of them in the field with the country of destination. In this case, the cost of the policy usually does not change. Basically, the same can be done with other countries, where you plan to stay within the same trip.

Mobile communications in Jordan

Local SIM card

GSM cellular standards are widespread in Jordan 900\2100, as well as UMTS standards (3G) и HSPA+ (3.75G) mobile internet. Mobile communication with international roaming covers the territory of the capital, major cities and resorts in Jordan.

The mobile and internet market leaders in Jordan are 3 operator:

• (Brand FastLink)
• (formerly MobilCom)

Prepaid SIM cards of major mobile operators in Jordan are sold at branded kiosks everywhere, from the airport to shopping centers and supermarkets.

To purchase it and then activate it, you need to present your passport and fill out a form. You can activate the SIM card and recharge it directly at the place of purchase, by asking the seller for this service.

Starter packs of prepaid SIM cards in Jordan cost on average 5 ior. dinar ( rub.), а карточки пополнения — от 1 to 20 ior. dinar ( rub.).

All internal calls from mobile operators in Jordan are free. Local calls in Jordan cost from 0,1 ior. dinar ( rub.) in a minute, а звонки в Россию — от 0,7 ior. dinar ( rub.) per minute.

Roaming in Jordan

For mobile communications in Jordan, you can use roaming offers from leading domestic mobile operators.

Roaming tariffs in Jordan from major Russian operators

	Incoming call	Outgoing call to RF	Outgoing SMS	Mobile Internet
Megaphone	119	119	19	63 rub. (100 kb)
MTS	155	155	19	30 rub. (40 kb)
Beeline	129	129	19	300 rub. (first 5 MB), Further - 60 rub. (1 MB)
Goodline	7	32	40	331 rub. (1 MB)

Prices are in rubles

Estimated prices in Jordan

• Bottled water 1,5 l - 2 ior. dinars (131 rub.)
• Rice 1 kg - 1 ior. dinar (65 rub.)
• Eggs 12 PC - 1,7 ior. dinar (111 rub.)
• Fruits 1 kg - 1-2 ior. dinars (65-131 rub.)
• Cheese 1 kg - 5 ior. dinars (328 rub.)
• A cup of coffee - 1 ior. dinar (65 rub.)
• A pack of cigarettes - 2 ior. dinar (131 rub.)
• Beer 0,5 l - 3,5 ior. dinar (234 rub.)
• Wine 0,7 l - 15 ior. dinar (984 rub.)
• Lunch at a good restaurant: 20-30 ior. dinar (1312-1968 rub.) per person
• Entrance fees to museums / attractions - 1-3 ior. dinar (65-197 rub.)
• Билет в Петру — 50 ior. dinar (3281 rub.) on 1 day
• Gasoline 1 l - 0,7 ior. dinar (46 rub.)
• Double room in the hotel - from 10 ior. dinar per day (656 rub.)

Attraction fees

Jordan has, what to look at. What is Petra worth, desert wadi rum, Мертвое море и римский город Джераш.

Top sights of Jordan

Examples of prices for entrance tickets to the main attractions of Jordan:

• Aqaba Castle + museum - 1 IODINE (4$).
• Desert Wadi Rum (entrance ticket) – 5 IODINE (7$) + excursion by jeep (you can't drive your car) average 40-50 IODINE (56-70$).
• Petra (1,2 or 3 days) – 50 IODINE (70.5$), 55 IODINE (77.5$) or 60 IODINE (84.5$).
• Shobak Castle (Montreal) - is free.
• El-Karak Castle + museum - 2 IODINE (2.8$).
• Archaeological Museum of Madabe + Archaeological Park in Madaba + Ruins of the Church of the Apostles in Madaba - 3 IODINE (4.2$).
• Citadel in Amman + museum - 3 IODINE (4.2$).
• Roman Theater in Amman - 1 IODINE (1.4$).
• Ajloun Castle - 3 IODINE (2$).
• Ruins of the Roman city of Jerash - 10 IODINE (14.1$).
• Ruins of Pell - free for now.
• Ruins of Um Al Jemal - Free.
• Hammam Castle - free.

Most of the attractions can be visited within . Plus, it gives the right to visa-free entry, subject to certain conditions. Ticket price: 70 IODINE (99$), 75 IODINE (106$) and 80 IODINE (113$) depending on the number of days visiting Petra. If you look at Petra, Wadi Ram, Jerash and a couple of museums / castles, then the JordanPass ticket will pay off even without taking into account the cost of the visa, which you don't have to issue with him.

Attractions on the map of Jordan:

Rent a Car

The country is represented as international, and small local rental offices. To rent a car, you will need an international driving license and a credit card (only for short stays in the country). Depending on the car class, on the card is blocked as a deposit from 150 to 500 USD. Rented vehicles differ from other things with green license plates. Cars have the same numbers, used by travel companies. Driving your rented car outside Jordan is prohibited. Renting a car through a travel agency will cost a little less, than directly.

Telephone codes in Jordan

Calling code of Jordan: 962

Jordan area codes

Amman dialing code: 6

Aqaba dialing code, Peter, Karaka: 3

Jerash dialing code, Irbida, Ajluna: 2

Area code for the area of ​​the Merv Sea, Jordan Valley, Madaby: 5

How to call from Jordan to Russia

Urban, mobile: 00 – 7 (Russia code) - your city code - phone number;

Example: 00-7-495-123-45-67; +7-495-123-45-67

How to call Jordan from Russia

Urban: 8 – гудок – 10 – 962 (Jordan code) 6 (at Amman) – номер телефона;

Mobile: +962 -phone number;

Example: 8-10-962-6-71234567 or +962-7871234567;

How to call within Jordan

0 -phone number

Example: 0-2045678956

Prices for holidays in Jordan by tour package

it happens, that the cost of a vacation in Jordan may be lower, if you do not organize the trip yourself, buy a ready-made tour. Package tour usually includes prices for: air ticket + hotel + insurance + transfer. Sometimes it can also include food..

Prices in Jordan for a vacation on the Red Sea for a week on average starts from 1000$ for two. But I met and 48 thousand roubles. (820$) In a hotel 4* on 7 days with breakfast. Obviously, that such a tour will be cheaper, rather than buying a flight ticket yourself, book a hotel to get to it, buy insurance. And then there's food included.

Where to find cheap prices for holidays in Jordan in 2020. by voucher:

• level.travel/jordan - compare prices from different tour operators, which allows you to find the lowest prices for the tour.
• travelata.ru/jordan - similar to the previous one, for a change, you can compare prices, to choose the best option.

Below is a calendar of low prices for tours to Jordan.