Pack into a minibus from Amman to Aqaba, or perch atop a lolloping camel for a trek in Wadi Rum.
The deserts of Jordan make up whole eastern chunks of the country, bordering Saudi Arabia and Iraq. The lush north-west of the Jordan Valley runs down to the salt-laden Dead Sea, which is the lowest point on earth. The corals and warm seas of the Gulf of Aqaba lie on the tip of the south. Nearby is Wadi Rum's Bedouin landscape in the vast southern desert, with the hills along the south-west belt. The huge chunk of desert comprising Jordan's northern half is famous for its desert castles.
Bus and minibus
Cheap and practical, minibuses are the best (in some places only) way of getting around. Zippy 15- or 18-seaters travel on fixed routes, but there are no timetables – they only leave when they're full. From Amman in the north to Aqaba in the far south – down the decent Desert Highway – the buses cover 320km in around four hours. Larger government-owned coaches are less common.
Taxi and Servees
For getting around the city, or taking the short trip between Amman and Jerash, use the meter-operated private yellow taxis. Servees taxis are large and white, and operate on a shared basis for longer journeys. They're quicker than minibuses, much cheaper than private cabs, and the best way to travel between Amman and Damascus, for example.
Train
The slow, century-old Hejaz Railway travels between Amman and Damascus, with a rebuilding of the national rail network promised in the future. Little seems to have improved since Lawrence of Arabia sped down these tracks.
Four-legged service
While perhaps not as comfortable for your bottom as a minibus, a three-day camel trek around Wadi Rum – or a donkey ride up the hill to the monastery in Petra – is the local specialty and enormous fun.
Transport Tips
The iconic Road to Damascus leaves Jordan through its northern border with Syria. Unrelated men and women don't usually sit next to each other on public transport, so some shuffling around may be in order to allow some separation of the sexes.
Time Travel
You can stand at the peak of Mount Nebo, from where Moses is thought to have seen the Promised Land. Stand and marvel at Madaba's Byzantine mosaics. Check out the work of artists in residence at Amman's contemporary Darat al-Funum galleries.
