Our trip to Petra was short, sandwiched between Israel and Egypt with only two days to explore before it was time to depart. Our expectations were managed, and our goals for Jordan were simple: cross the border, experience Petra, fly to Cairo the next day. When Petra changed from an anticipated day trip to an unforgettable memory, all that was left to do was drive four hours north to Amman to catch our flight to Egypt. Little did we know that brief road trip would take us through a surprising landscape and to the top of historic Mount Nebo to create a day just as memorable as our visit to Petra.
Our trips are often fast-paced with very little downtime, a necessary requirement as we work to maximize our vacation time and see as much as possible within very short days. When our itinerary required a lengthy drive from Petra to Amman, we both bemoaned how a whole half day of touring would be sacrificed to sitting in the back seat of a car. It seemed sad to lose so much time to staring out car windows, but since the land transfer was unavoidable we were resigned to making the most of it. Within minutes of departing from our hotel we forgot our frustrations. Our road trip took us from the shores of the Dead Sea to the top of Mount Nebo, and every turn showed us that taking it slow once and a while can be a wonderful way to spend a vacation day. If you find yourself on a car ride through Jordan, here is a sampling of some of the incredible sights you might see.
Wadi Rum

While tourists flock to Wadi Rum for rock climbing, camping, and camel rides, most visitors are familiar with its unique landscape from films like Lawrence of Arabia, Rogue One: a Star Wars Story, and The Martian. Matt Damon, who starred in The Martian, called it, “One of the most spectacular and beautiful places I have ever seen, and like nothing I’ve ever seen anywhere else on Earth.” As we stood atop a vista overlooking the landscape, we had to agree: it looks like the desert, the mountains, and another planet all at once. Our visit didn’t afford us the chance to camp or partake in the activities many tourists seek out, but it’s an impressive place to see and a great place to include when road tripping through Jordan.
Wadi Musa

For all of its ambiance and the hundreds of tourists who descend on Wadi Musa, the town is small and Petra is quite isolated from much of the rest of the country. It’s only from vantage points like the one we found as our road trip began that really show Petra’s place in the landscape.
Our Post: 1 Day at Petra, Jordan
Abarim Mountains

We were also surprised by the number of camels dotting the landscape and how they were frequently unattended. Our driver told us the camels often roam away from their home, sometimes for days or weeks, but they have excellent memories and always know how to find their way back. As our car drove past, the camels would sleepily lift their heads to look at us, turning as we disappeared from view. We enjoyed this game for hours, watching as camels would look up and down again as the car briefly interrupted the quiet.
Dead Sea

Our Post: The Dead Sea and the Fortress of Masada in One Day
Mount Nebo
Our road trip continued to Mount Nebo, the highest point in the Abarim Mountains and the most surprising highlight of our journey. Mount Nebo has biblical significance for being the place where God showed the promised land to Moses. According to the Christian tradition, Moses died and was buried on Mount Nebo, although his resting place has not been discovered.

This video, which we took during our visit, shows what the church looks like when standing by its alter.

We spent about 30 minutes at Mount Nebo, which is all our driver could allow us and ended up being a sufficient amount of time to explore. Admission was inexpensive (we paid 2 dinar, or 3 USD per person), and we had a chance to see everything along the pathway that connected the ticket booth to the church and the overlook point.
Mount Nebo was a beautiful, surprising stop on our road trip, and it’s a nice place to include whether you are visiting Jordan to see Petra like we did or are looking to experience as much of the country as possible.
Jordan Road Trip: a Great Experience
When we buckled our seatbelts and our driver pulled away from the hotel, I was sure I had nothing more to look forward to than an uncomfortable nap and a few hours of scrolling through my phone on the way to the airport. Four hours later, when we arrived at the departures terminal, I realized I had used my phone only to take photos of the roads we traveled and Mount Nebo. Jordan’s landscape captivated us that afternoon, and we felt both relaxed an infinitely more appreciative of the beautiful country we were leaving too soon.
Although we won’t abandon our break-neck travel pace anytime soon, our road trip through Jordan and our visit to Mount Nebo helped us remember the real value that comes from every journey. If your travel plans will take you through Jordan, a drive from Petra to Amman will uncover many of the same surprises we found. Leave a comment below and let us know if a similar road trip is in your plans—and let us know if you have any great road trip tips to share!
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