Travel Facts

Visa & Passport
In general your passport has to be valid minimum 6 month beyond the length of the trip. Most nationalities can obtain the Jordanian visa at the airport or the land borders, except the Allenby Bridge/King Hussein Bridge.

The cost of a single entry visa is 20 JD per person (around 30 USD), it is valid for 28 days. Groups of five persons or more arriving through a Jordanian tour operator are exempted from all visa charges if they stay minimum 2 nights in Jordan, arrive and depart on the same flight.

Arrivals at Aqaba, either through the port, the airport or at the crossing from Israel or Saudi Arabia, are granted a free visa to Jordan. Some nationalities need the visa prior to arrival. Contact us if you are not sure about your status.

When travelling in areas like the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea, take your passport with you. Due to the close location to the border of Israel and the Palestinian Territories, passport checks are common.

Entry & Exit Jordan
Airports: Jordan has three airports and the most visitors arrive via Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), 30 minutes distant from Amman city. East of Amman, Marka Airport mainly serves as a regional airport. North of Aqaba, King Hussein International Airport (KHIA) is located, approximately a 45 minutes flight from Amman.

Border Crossings: Jordan shares borders with Israel and the Palestine Territories in the west, Syria in the north, Iraq and Saudi Arabia in the north and south. Between Syria - Jordan, you can cross two borders Jaber or Ramtha. Jaber is 80 kms away from Amman and more popular for visitors. Both borders are open 24/7 throughout the year.

Three border crossings are existing between Israel/Palestine - Jordan:
- The Allenby/King Hussein Bridge, 57 kms away from Amman, is open Sun - Thu 08:00 - 20:00 for arrivals and 8:00 to 14:00 for departures and Fri - Sat 08:00 - 13:00. It is not possible to obtain here a visa to Jordan. The border is closed on Yom Kippur and the Feast of Sacrifice (Eid al Adha).

- The Sheikh Hussein Crossing/Jordan River Terminal in the north, 90 kms away from Amman, is open Sun - Thu: 06:30 - 21:00, Fri-Sat: 08:00 - 20:00. It is closed on Yom Kippur and the Islamic New Year.

- The Wadi Araba Crossing/South Border, 7 kms away from Aqaba, operates Sun - Thu 06:30 - 20:00 and Fri - Sat 08:00 - 20:00. Wadi Araba Crossing closes on Islamic New Year and Yom Kippur.

No land border connects Egypt - Jordan, but between the two countries daily ferries are operating. There is the boat service from Nuweibah to Aqaba Port, and another from Taba to Aqaba.

The border between Iraq - Jordan is called Al Karamah Border Crossing, 331 kms away from Amman. There are three border crossings Saudi Arabia - Jordan, open 24/7 throughout the year: Umari and Mudawara Border as well as the Durra Crossing, close to Aqaba.

Climate/Weather
Jordan is characterized by a Mediterranean climate ideal for year-round holidays. Best travel time is spring and autumn, as summer is hot and sunny, especially in Aqaba and at the Dead Sea. These two areas are in turn ideal for a winter break due to the mild temperatures (16-22 C) in this season. In the rest of the country winter weather can be cool, with rain and occasional snow. Jordan is a very sunny country with average daily sunshine hours ranging from six to seven in winter and twelve to thirteen in summer. Although summer temperatures are high, the nights are rather cool.

Money
The official currency is the Jordanian Dinar (JD), which is divided into 100 piastres or 1,000 fils. Notes are in denominations of JD 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in denominations of JD 1, 1/2 and 1/4; 10, 5, 2 and 1/2 piastres. Foreign currency can be changed at any bank, moneychanger or better hotel. Banks are closed on Fridays and American Express, Visa, MasterCard are the most widely accepted credit cards and can be used at major hotels, restaurants and tourist shops. ATMs are available in larger towns. Traveller's Cheques are accepted by licensed banks and bureaux de change.

Vaccinations & Health
Tetanus, Diphtheria, Polio vaccinations are recommended, also Hepatitis A. The health care system in Jordan is quite advanced, although services remain concentrated in Amman. General advice is to avoid tap water and use instead bottled water. Fruits and vegetables should be washed before eating; avoid salads and cold meats that have been sitting out for a long time, especially during summer months.

Business Hours
Most businesses are open every day except Fridays. As a guideline, the opening hours are Sun - Thu 8:30 to 13:30 and 15:30 to 18:30. Banks serve clients from Sun - Thu 8:30 to 12:30, some open again from about 16:00 to 17:30; government agencies Sun - Thu 8:00 to 14:00. During the month of Ramadan the business hours are shortened. Banks and government departments may only be open for two or three hours in the morning.

Public Holidays
Besides Friday, the official weekly day of rest, there are public holidays like New Year's Day (Jan 1), Labour Day (May 1), Independence Day (May 25) and Christmas (Dec 25).
Additional holidays with various dates are Easter, Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan), Eid al-Adha (end of the pilgrimage to Mecca), Islamic New Year and the Birthday of Prophet Mohammed.

Customs
Outside touristic places and in downtown Amman travellers should cover legs and shoulders to respect local Muslim conservatism regarding the dress code. Religious customs should be considered, particularly during the month of Ramadan when eating, drinking and smoking during daylight hours should be discreet as it is forbidden for Muslim.

Photography
Before photographing local people, ask for permission to do so. It is forbidden to take photos from military facilities.

Tipping
Most of the better hotels and restaurants will add a 10% service charge to the bill, but it is common to pay a tip in smaller establishments. It is customary to round up the price of a taxi trip instead of tipping. Your guide and driver also expects a tip.

Language
Arabic is the official language, English is widely understood.

Time
Local time is GMT +2 (GMT +3 from April to October).

Electricity
Electrical current is 220 volts AC. European two-pin plugs are the most common.

Communications
The international dialing code for Jordan is +962. City/area codes are in use, such as 03 for both Aqaba and Petra, 05 For Dead Sea 06 for Amman.

Emergency
Emergencies:911