Things to do in Jordan: activities and adventures

Hiking

Jordan's hiking ranges from short trails in Petra to the 675 km Jordan Trail. Favourites: the Monastery and High Place of Sacrifice in Petra, the Wadi Dana trail to Feynan in Dana, RSCN trails in the Ajloun Forest, and guided scrambles in Wadi Rum.

Canyoning and water hikes

From April to October, the Wadi Mujib Siq Trail and its longer guided routes are Jordan's most famous wet hikes; Wadi Ghuweir near Feynan and Wadi Hasa are wilder options with guides. Never enter canyons when rain is forecast.

Canyoning

Wadi Mujib Siq Trail hiking experience from Amman

≈ 8 h

Transport and a guide for the wet Siq Trail (open roughly April to October), with the Dead Sea nearby for afterwards.

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Desert safaris, camels and balloons

Jeep tours and camel treks are the classic ways to explore Wadi Rum; sunrise hot-air balloon flights operate in the cooler months, weather permitting.

Full day

Wadi Rum: 9-hour jeep tour with guide, meal and optional stay

≈ 9 h

A full day in the protected area by 4×4 with a Bedouin guide, lunch cooked in the desert and the option to stay overnight in camp.

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Adventure

Wadi Rum: 9-hour jeep tour with camel ride, sandboarding and lunch

≈ 9 h

Full desert day mixing jeep, a short camel ride and sandboarding on the red dunes.

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Diving and snorkelling

Aqaba offers shore-access reefs and wrecks — the Cedar Pride, a tank and a C-130 aircraft — with warm water most of the year.

Red Sea

Aqaba: private diving tour with optional transfer

≈ 3–5 h

Shore or boat dives on Aqaba's southern reefs and wrecks with a private instructor; beginners can do a try-dive. 4.9/5 from about 260 reviews (as of November 2026).

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Snorkelling

Aqaba: glass-boat snorkelling with Berenice beach-club day use

≈ 4–6 h

Glass-bottom boat ride over the coral with a snorkelling stop, then the rest of the day at the Berenice beach club.

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Floating, spas and hot springs

Float in the Dead Sea, try a mud wrap at a resort spa, or soak in the hot waterfalls of Hammamat Ma'in.

Climbing

Wadi Rum's sandstone walls offer multi-pitch trad routes and Bedouin scrambles; climb only with an experienced local guide and proper equipment.

Food and culture

Cooking classes in Amman and Petra (Petra Kitchen), Bedouin coffee and bread-making at Feynan, food walks in downtown Amman and evenings in Wadi Rum camps with zarb. See our food guide.

Cycling and running

Jordan's empty roads and trails attract cyclists — the King's Highway is a classic multi-day ride with long climbs out of the wadis — and runners come for events such as the Dead Sea Ultra Marathon and desert races around Petra and Wadi Rum. Ride and run early in the day and carry plenty of water.

Choosing operators safely

• The Jordan Tourism Board lists licensed tour operators; the UK FCDO advises checking safety measures and insurance.
• For canyoning, climbing and remote hikes, use guides who know the flash-flood risks and carry first aid and communications.
• For diving, choose accredited centres (for example PADI) with well-maintained equipment.
• Make sure your travel insurance covers the activity — some policies exclude canyoning, climbing or diving.

Activities by season

Hiking in Petra beyond the main trail

Petra is one of the best hiking areas in Jordan. Besides the main trail to Qasr al-Bint and the Monastery climb, the Jordan Tourism Board lists the Al-Khubtha trail to the viewpoint above the Treasury (4–5 hours, hard), the guided Monastery back route from near Beidha (4–5 hours, hard), the long Ad-Deir to Kharrubat al-Fajjah traverse (7–8 hours, guided only) and the Beidha trails past Bir al-Arayis and Little Petra (2.5–3 hours, guided). Guides are booked at the Petra Visitor Centre. See things to do in Petra.

Classes, crafts and community experiences

Jordan has many ways to meet people rather than just monuments. In Wadi Musa, Petra Kitchen runs evening cooking classes where you prepare mezze and a main course with local cooks; the Shaqilah Centre near Petra offers workshops in silver, pottery, stone carving and henna. In Madaba, mosaic workshops show how tesserae are cut and set. Around the Ajloun Forest Reserve, community projects make olive-oil soap and biscuits, and in Dana the RSCN workshops produce dried fruit and silver jewellery. At Feynan, Bedouin hosts teach bread-making and coffee rituals. Booking these directly supports local families.

Safety and fitness

Most activities need no special fitness, but Petra's Monastery climb (about 800 steps), the Dana–Feynan descent and the Wadi Mujib trails are demanding. The UK FCDO notes that the quality of tour operators varies and advises choosing operators with suitable safety measures and insurance, never diving or snorkelling alone, and avoiding wadis after heavy rain from November to March. Carry plenty of water — 3 litres a day or more on summer hikes — and check that your travel insurance covers adventure activities.

Diving and snorkelling in Aqaba

Jordan's 27 km or so of Red Sea coastline is short but rich. The best sites lie along the south coast between the port and the Saudi border, where the reef starts a few metres from the shore — so most diving is from the beach or short boat rides. Japanese Garden is a favourite for colourful coral; the Cedar Pride, a cargo ship scuttled in the 1980s, is one of the region's most famous wreck dives; and newer artificial reefs — including a tank and a C-130 Hercules aircraft — attract both divers and snorkellers. Visibility is usually good and the water is warm enough for diving all year, from about 21 °C in late winter to 26–27 °C in late summer.

Beginners can do a try-dive or a PADI Open Water course in three to four days; certified divers can book guided fun dives. Snorkellers need only a mask and fins from a beach club. The UK FCDO advises choosing operators with recognised accreditation such as PADI and never diving or snorkelling alone. See Aqaba things to do.

Desert adventures in Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum is Jordan's adventure playground. Beyond the classic 4×4 tours, you can ride a camel for an hour at sunset or for several days with a Bedouin guide; scramble up natural rock bridges such as Burdah with a local guide; climb Jabal Umm ad Dami, Jordan's highest peak at about 1,850 m, for views into Saudi Arabia; or try multi-pitch climbing on the sandstone walls with a qualified guide. Sandboarding on the red dunes is popular with families. In the cooler months, sunrise hot-air balloon flights float over the desert when the weather allows. At night, the dark skies make Wadi Rum one of the best places in the region for stargazing. See things to do in Wadi Rum.

Cycling, running and races

Cyclists come to Jordan for the King's Highway, a classic multi-day route with long climbs out of Wadi Mujib and Wadi Hasa, and for desert rides around Wadi Rum; several local operators offer supported trips. Runners can join events such as Dead Sea and Petra races and desert ultramarathons, whose dates vary from year to year — check the organisers' sites. Heat is the main challenge: train and ride early in the day, and avoid summer for long efforts.

Stargazing and birding

Wadi Rum and Feynan have exceptionally dark skies. Birders head to the Azraq Wetland and the Aqaba Bird Observatory during spring and autumn migration, when millions of birds pass along the Rift Valley.