Travelling in Jordan as a Solo Female Traveller

Jordan is one of the best countries in the Middle East to travel to as a solo female traveller. It’s really safe, and has amazing scenery and sights. There are also loads of tour companies offering tours of Jordan, so you can join one of these for easy transport. Here’s my guide to travelling in Jordan as a Solo Female Traveller.

Is Jordan safe for Solo Female Travellers?

One of the top concerns for a lot of people when travelling in Jordan as a Solo Female Traveller is safety. Jordan isn’t as common a tourist destination as some places, so it’s natural for women to want to double check it’s safe to travel to solo. However, I found Jordan a super safe place to travel to. I had a great time travelling there.

I found all the people really friendly and helpful. Most people spoke good English, so it was easy to ask for help or have a conversation.

There were some places where there were some people being slightly pushy trying to sell things. This was particularly in Petra, where the paths were lined with stalls with people trying to sell souvenirs, scarves and all sorts of things. When you walked past, they would frequently call to you to ask if you wanted to buy something. But I didn’t feel intimidated at all. Almost everyone would leave you alone if you ignored them, or just smiled and said ‘no thank you’. If you did want to buy something, you might find people trying to charge you a high price and you’d need to negotiate the price down – but again, I never felt uncomfortable at all.

Political safety can also be a concern when travelling in the Middle East. The region is well-known in the news for wars and unrest. However, I didn’t feel at all unsafe in Jordan. When I visited, in autumn 2023, there was currently a war between Israel/Palestine. But it didn’t affect my trip at all – I still felt completely safe, and just sad that there were such terrible events happening so close.

What to wear when travelling in Jordan as a Solo Female Traveller

When Travelling in Jordan as a Solo Female Traveller, it’s important to respect the local culture when deciding what to wear. As a Muslim country, women in Jordan mostly wear modest clothes that covers most of their skin, and often wear a headscarf as well.

As a female tourist in Jordan, I’d recommend wearing long trousers rather than shorts. I’d also recommend wearing a loose, round-neck t-shirt or long sleeved top that isn’t too tight. You definitely don’t need to wear a headscarf if you aren’t a Muslim. But it’s still best if you wear longer clothes than you might be used to wearing at home. Even in the hot summers, it’s best to wear longer clothes. This is respectful to the culture, and also means that you avoid any potentially uncomfortable stares – from men and women – if you dress too differently.

Should I join a group tour to travel around Jordan?

Travelling in Jordan as a Solo Female Traveller would be completely safe without a group tour. However, the public transport in Jordan is very limited – which makes travelling without a group tour very challenging logistically. There’s not much of a train/bus network, and some of the main sights are quite spread out. So I’d recommend either hiring a driver, or joining a group tour. I joined a small group tour with G Adventures and had a great time. It was a great way to see lots of sights within a week without having to worry about the logistics of getting between places.

One week in Jordan: Top 10 things to see and do

For a more detailed itinerary, check out my blog for the best things to see, do and eat in a week in Jordan. Here’s my quick top 10 things to see and do when travelling in Jordan as a Solo Female Traveller.

1. Explore and hike around Petra

The top must-visit sight in Jordan is Petra. As one of the new Seven Wonders of the World, Petra has to be on the top of any list when travelling in Jordan as a Solo Female Traveller.

The Treasury is one of the most famous sights in Petra. You get to it after walking through a canyon, and it’s just amazingly detailed in the rock. There are often camels here as well, and you can climb up the rock to get an amazing view down over the Treasury.

The Monastery is another top sight in Petra. It’s a steep and fairly long hike – it’s a couple of hours from the Treasury – but worth it.

The views from the hike to the Monastery are also beautiful. And there are animals here as well – donkeys, camels, wild birds and goats.

2. Go snorkelling in the Red Sea

In contrast to the desert landscape of Petra, the Red Sea is another great sight. It’s a great place to go snorkelling, where you can see lots of colourful fish and coral reefs. Take a boat trip from Aqaba to relax in the sun and go snorkelling.

3. Take a 4×4 jeep safari in Wadi Rum desert

The Wadi Rum desert in Jordan is another top sight. It’s recognisable from films such as Star Wars and the Martian, and it really does feel like you’re on another planet.

A 4×4 jeep safari will take you into the remote desert, with stunning views across the sand. There are fascinating rock formations around every corner, and it’s just a magical place.

4. Ride a camel at sunrise in the Wadi Rum desert

The best way to enjoy the desert in Jordan is when riding a camel. A sunrise camel ride can be one of the top experiences in Jordan. It’s incredibly peaceful riding the camel across the sand as the sun starts to rise. Riding a camel can be quite uncomfortable – it’s quite high up and the camels rock around a lot as they walk! But it’s still an amazing experience.

5. Swim in the Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is a really unique body of water. It’s below sea level and incredibly salty. So when you ‘swim’ in the Dead Sea, you more just float around. I have to admit, I didn’t find it as relaxing as I thought I would – it was a windy day when I visited so the waves were big, which made floating difficult!

There’s also the Dead Sea mud, which is meant to be good for your skin. The mud was slightly disgusting, but still a good fun experience.

6. See the Roman ruins of Jerrash

Jerrash has some of the best preserved Roman ruins in the world. You can spend hours here exploring the sights, and learning more about how the Romans used to live. Hadrian’s Gate is one of the first things you come to, and it’s really impressive. There’s also an impressive circular forum, and a theatre as well.

7. Eat local food

Travelling in Jordan as a Solo Female Traveller wouldn’t be complete without trying some of the local food. One of my favourite dinner dishes was called ‘Sajiah’, which is lamb cooked with peppers and onions. Mansaf was another nice lamb dish.

And there are nice deserts in Jordan as well, including Harissa cake and Kunafa, a cheese-based desert. Check out my guide to the top foods to try in Jordan for more details about the best food to eat on your trip.

8. Watch the sunset from a rooftop bar in Amman

Amman is the capital of Jordan. It’s a lively city, and while it doesn’t have too many sights to see, it’s still a good place to visit. Some hotels have rooftop bars which overlook the city. This can be a great way to watch the sunset at the end of a busy day.

9. See the views and mosaics at Mount Nebo

Mount Nebo is an important religious pilgrimage site, as it’s allegedly here that Moses saw the Promised Land and lived the end of his life. Even if you’re not religious, it’s a great place to visit. The views from the mountain are lovely – even on cloudy days. And there are fascinating historic mosaics in this area as well.

10. Learn about the Crusades history at Karak Castle

The last of my top 10 things to do in Jordan is to visit Karak Castle to learn about the Crusades. Karak Castle is perched high up in the mountains. You can get great views from here over the surrounding landscape. And the castle is interesting to explore as well, with well-preserved ruins and plenty of rooms you can go inside. It’s a great way to learn more about the fascinating history of this part of the world.

Enjoy travelling in Jordan as a Solo Female Traveller! Make sure you also check out my other blogs on Jordan, with my detailed guide to spending a week in Jordan, and also the top foods to try in Jordan. You can also check out more of my guides for solo female travel, including the top destinations, top tips for solo female travel and small group tours for solo female travellers.