Self-Launched Jordan: Amman, Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum & the Dead Sea
6 days · Jordan
G Adventures charges £1,975
No-markup version: ~£420 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched 6-day loop of Jordan's greatest hits — Amman's Roman citadel and downtown falafel joints, the colonnaded streets of Jerash, a full day in the rose-red city of Petra, a Bedouin night under the stars in Wadi Rum, and a weightless float in the Dead Sea. Based on G Adventures' "GX Jordan - Ambassadors" summit trip (a premium, event-ticketed departure tied to their 35th anniversary and World Community Tourism Summit), this version strips out the conference programme and private van, replacing them with the JETT and local minibus network, self-booked guides via GetYourGuide, and independent community tourism experiences such as Bait Khayrat Souf and El Safi Kitchen-style women's cooperatives. Costs are rough per-person backpacker estimates in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Amman — downtown orientation and street food
Amman
Land at Queen Alia International Airport and take the Sariyah Express airport bus into the city (about £7, runs hourly to Tabarbour/North Bus Station) or a shared taxi for roughly £18 if you're arriving late. Check into a hostel or budget hotel in Jabal Amman or downtown (£15-20 a night for a private room, £8-10 for a dorm). Skip the private transfer and spend the late afternoon walking the Rainbow Street area, the Roman Theatre and the Citadel at golden hour (JD 3 / ~£3). For dinner head to Hashem on Prince Mohammed Street for falafel and hummus for under £3, or grab knafeh at Habibah Sweets. DIY replacement for the welcome dinner: a 'food and history walk' self-guided using a free app, or book a small-group downtown food tour on GetYourGuide (~£25) if you want a local host.
🚌Sariyah airport bus ~£7; walking in the centre
🛏Hostel or 2-3* boutique guesthouse in Jabal Amman, £15-20/night
- →Citadel and Roman Theatre entry ~£3
- →Rainbow Street evening wander (free)
- →Hashem falafel dinner ~£3
Amman walking tour, then Jerash by bus
Amman / Jerash
Morning free walking tour of downtown Amman (tips-based, ~£5 tip) covering the souk, Al-Husseini Mosque and the old city's coffee culture. Then take a local bus or minibus from Tabarbour bus station to Jerash (~£1.50-2, 1hr) — far cheaper than the JETT tourist shuttle (£10 return) if you're flexible with timing. Jerash's colonnaded Oval Plaza, Hadrian's Arch and hippodrome take 2-3 hours; entry is covered by the Jordan Pass if you bought it. On the way back, stop for an afternoon at the women-run Bait Khayrat Souf cooperative near Jerash (book ahead, ~£10 for tea, bread-making and crafts) — the community-tourism element of the original trip, done independently. Afternoon bus back to Amman. Optional: overnight in Jerash or Ajloun instead and save a bus journey. Evening in Amman's Weibdeh neighbourhood for a cheap mezze dinner (£7-9).
🚌Local minibus Amman-Jerash return ~£4
🛏Hostel or 2-3* boutique guesthouse in Amman, £15-20/night
- →Downtown Amman walking tour (tip-based)
- →Jerash archaeological site (covered by Jordan Pass)
- →Bait Khayrat Souf women's cooperative visit ~£10
JETT bus to Petra — afternoon in Wadi Musa
Wadi Musa (Petra)
Take the early JETT bus from Amman's Abdali station to Wadi Musa/Petra (~£10-12, around 3.5hrs, book online the day before). Take two nights here rather than one — Petra deserves a full day and you can add the free 'Petra by Night' candlelit walk on Monday/Wednesday/Thursday evenings (~£12, book locally). Afternoon: check into a family-run guesthouse in Wadi Musa (£12-18/night), do the free Wadi Musa viewpoint walk, and eat a cheap mansaf or maqluba lunch (£6) at a local restaurant. Evening: tea at El Safi Kitchen-style community project or a cooking demo with a village family (book direct through your guesthouse, ~£12) — a DIY version of the Planeterra-supported dinners. Get to bed early; you'll want to be at the Petra gate for opening.
🚌JETT bus Amman-Wadi Musa ~£11
🛏Family-run guesthouse in Wadi Musa, £12-18/night
- →JETT coach journey
- →Wadi Musa viewpoints (free)
- →Petra by Night candle walk ~£12
Petra full day — then Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum
Petra / Wadi Rum
Be at the Petra visitor centre by 6:30-7am (entry via the Jordan Pass, otherwise JD 50 / ~£55 per day). Walk the Siq to the Treasury, climb to the Monastery via the 800 steps, and loop back through the Royal Tombs and the High Place of Sacrifice — 6-7 hours of exploring. A self-booked local Bedouin guide for the highlights is ~£25-35 via GetYourGuide, or simply follow your own map. Early afternoon, transfer to Wadi Rum: shared minibus taxi from Wadi Musa to Wadi Rum village takes about 2hrs and costs £4-6 per person if you join other travellers (ask your guesthouse to arrange it). Check into a Bedouin desert camp (£15-22 a night for a shared tent or basic private bubble, including dinner and breakfast). Evening: sunset from a rock arch, zarb-cooked dinner, sage tea around the fire, dabke drumming — the Bedouin night without the group markup. Book the camp direct or via Booking.com and confirm the jeep tour is included.
🚌Shared minibus Wadi Musa-Wadi Rum ~£5; walking in Petra
🛏Bedouin desert camp in Wadi Rum, £15-22/night incl. half board
- →Petra full-day self-guided visit (Jordan Pass)
- →Optional local Bedouin guide ~£30
- →Sunset viewpoint and Bedouin camp evening (included)
Wadi Rum jeep tour, then Dead Sea float
Wadi Rum / Dead Sea
Dawn light over the desert, then a 3-4hr shared 4x4 jeep tour (JD 40-50 / ~£45-55 per vehicle split between 3-4 people, so £12-18 each) hitting Lawrence's Spring, the Khazali canyon inscriptions, the red dunes and the mushroom rock. Breakfast back at camp. Then head north: shared taxi or minibus from Wadi Rum village to Aqaba or Ma'an, bus onward to Amman, and a local taxi/kangaroo bus down to the Dead Sea (~£8-10 total, allow 4-5hrs). Alternatively, pre-book a shared 'Jordan Pass transport' shuttle or Klook day transfer. Overnight at a budget Dead Sea guesthouse or the cheap public-access Amman Beach area instead of a resort — public beach entry with towel and mud is around £15-20, versus £100+ for a hotel day pass. Float, mud up, rinse off, and watch the sunset over the West Bank ridges. Dinner at your guesthouse, £6-8.
🚌Shared 4x4 and shared buses Wadi Rum-Dead Sea ~£15
🛏Budget guesthouse near Suweimeh/Dead Sea, £18-25/night
- →Wadi Rum shared jeep tour ~£15
- →Dead Sea public beach + mud ~£18
Dead Sea morning, return to Amman and departure
Dead Sea / Amman
One last early float before the heat and crowds arrive, then a shared/local bus or service taxi back to Amman (~£5-7, 1hr). If you have time before your flight, squeeze in a final cheap lunch downtown and pick up za'atar, olive oil and Dead Sea mud products from the souk at a fraction of airport prices. Sariyah bus back to Queen Alia airport (~£7). No farewell gala this time — but you've done the same landscapes, the same community projects and the same Bedouin night for a fraction of the sticker price.
🚌Local bus to Amman ~£6; Sariyah airport bus ~£7
🛏None (departure day)
- →Sunrise Dead Sea swim (free)
- →Downtown Amman souk shopping
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£420 | £1,975 |
| Duration | 6 days | 6 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £1,555 per person (79%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£420
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Self-Launched Jordan: Amman, Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum & the Dead Sea cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £420 per person for 6 days in Jordan. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,975 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £420 — a saving of roughly £1,555 (79%) per person.
How long is the Jordan trip?+
This itinerary runs 6 days, covering 6 day-by-day stops through Jordan.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Jordan, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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