Two weeks of exploring these two beautiful countryes, with options to make it your own.
Get to know these fascinating middle eastern countries and their seemingly endless deserts with this 14-day travel itinerary Israel and Jordan.
If you are looking for a unique trip, travelling to Israel and Jordan is a great choice. I loved the otherworldly desert ecosystem, with lots of beautifully coloured sand, rocks and mountains and the surprisingly green oases along the way.
Need some inspiration on how to get the best out of your visit to Israel and Jordan? Have a look at this itinerary. The itinerary is flexible and you can use the proposed options to plan your days.
Disclaimer: we travelled to Israel in 2022, before the conflict between Israelians and Palestinians escalated. If you are looking to visit Israel now, please check the travel advisories in your country and make sure it is safe to go.
Day 1 – Arrival in Tel Aviv
Options: explore Old Jaffa
Day 2-3 – Travel to and stay in Eilat
Options: go hiking in Eilat Ornithological park and Eilat Mountain reserve, or go snorkelling at Eilat Coral Beach Nature reserve
Day 4-5 – Travel to and stay in Aqaba
Options: go snorkelling or diving in the Red Sea
Day 6-8 – Pick up car and travel to and stay in Wadi Rum
Options: 2-day guided tour through the red and white desert of Wadi Rum. They offer balloon rides, make sure to book on time as they fill up fast
Day 8-9 – Travel to and stay in Wadi Musa
Options: explore Petra archeological site, hike the Ad-Deir trail to the monastery and ‘Treasury from above’ trail
Day 9-11 – Travel to and stay near Dana Reserve
Options: hike the Wadi Ghuweir trail and Dana reserve trail
Day 12-13 – Return the car in Aqaba, travel to and stay in Jerusalem
Options: explore Jerusalem old town, visit Bethlehem, take a dip in the Dead Sea, or go hiking in Ein Gedi Nature Reserve
Day 14 – Fly back home
Want to spot wildlife? Make sure to check bird migration season and base your travel time on that. Israel and Jordan are an important stopover for migratory birds and you can see many beautiful species when you’re there at the right time.
How to get around? Israel has a good public transportation system with lots of buses within and between cities and towns. We took the bus everywhere when we were there, and used Egged to check schedules. Only on Saturdays (Shabbath) we took a special taxi back to the airport, as public transport isn’t available then.
Jordan doesn’t really have great public transport. We used taxis to get to the border and rented a car from Aqaba to explore the country. Big roads are pretty well maintained and easy to navigate.
Need more time to relax? This is quite an intense itinerary, with lots of travel and short stays. If you would like a more relaxed trip, focussing on either Israel or Jordan would be the way to go. That way you’ll have more time to really get to know each country.
Do you have more time? The northern areas of both Israel and Jordan are beautiful as well, and perfect for bird spotting. You can extend your trip by travelling to Haifa, Israel and explore the northern part of Israel. Or you can drive up to Amman after visiting Dana Reserve and learn more about the ancient cultures that lived in Jordan.
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