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Amman, Jordan Packing List

Amman is usually the arrival point before Petra and Wadi Rum, but the city itself rewards a couple of days — Roman ruins in the city centre, a thriving café culture, and some of the best hospitality in the Middle East. Packing here means balancing a conservative dress code with genuine desert heat.

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✅ Essentials Checklist

  • Passport valid 6+ months — Jordan Pass covers visa fee plus major site entry (Petra, Jerash) if staying 3+ nights
  • Travel insurance
  • Modest clothing — shoulders and knees covered, especially for women, even though Amman is relatively liberal by regional standards
  • Comfortable walking shoes — Amman is built on hills, and Petra requires serious walking
  • Sunscreen SPF50 ↗+ and a hat — desert sun is intense
  • Reusable water bottle — tap water is chlorinated but bottled is standard practice for visitors
  • Cash in Jordanian Dinars for markets and smaller vendors
  • Light scarf (useful for sun, dust, and mosque visits)

👕 Clothing Checklist

  • Modest, loose-fitting clothing — cover shoulders and knees
  • Comfortable walking shoes — essential for Petra's uneven terrain
  • Light layers — desert temperatures drop sharply after sunset
  • Sun hat and sunglasses
  • Light scarf or shawl
  • Warm layer if visiting Wadi Rum overnight (desert nights are cold year-round)

⭐ Nice to Have

  • Jordan Pass purchased online before arrival (covers visa + Petra + other sites, genuine cost saving)
  • Trekking sandals or boots with good grip for Petra's Monastery climb
  • Portable phone charger for long desert excursion days
  • Small day pack for Petra (a full day of walking with limited shade)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Jordan Pass and is it worth buying?

The Jordan Pass bundles the visa fee (normally payable on arrival) with entry to over 40 attractions including Petra, Jerash and Wadi Rum. For anyone staying 3+ nights and visiting Petra, it is almost always cheaper than paying separately — Petra entry alone costs more than the pass difference. Buy it online before you fly; it must be purchased in advance to include the visa waiver.

How much walking does Petra actually involve?

More than most visitors expect — the walk from the entrance to the Treasury alone is about 1.2km through the narrow Siq canyon, and seeing the site properly (including the Monastery, which requires climbing roughly 800 steps) is a full, demanding day of 8+ miles of walking on uneven ground. Comfortable, broken-in walking shoes are essential, not optional, and an early start avoids both the heat and the crowds.

What should women specifically consider packing for Jordan?

Jordan is one of the more liberal countries in the Middle East and Western clothing is common in Amman, but modest dress (shoulders and knees covered) is still respectful and advisable, particularly outside the capital and at religious sites. A scarf is useful both for modesty at mosques and as practical sun/dust protection at Petra and Wadi Rum. Loose, breathable fabrics manage the desert heat far better than tight clothing.