During my trip to Jordan at least half of the traveller I met didn’t know about the Jordan Pass or were told at the last second just before boarding the place. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a budget backpacker or a fancy-hotel type, the Pass is something you should seriously think about getting before heading to Jordan.
What is the Jordan Pass?
The Jordan Pass is a pass, issued by the Jordanian government, that works like a combined ticket for over 40 attractions and archaeological sites all over Petra. Among those ones it also includes entrance to Petra, Amman Citadel and Wadi Rum Desert.
Example of my Pass
Different types of Jordan Pass
At the moment, on the website jordanpass.jo there are three types of Pass, each varying just a little from one another. The Jordan Pass Wanderer has a price of 70JOD (90€), the Jordan Pass Explorer is 75JOD (97€) and the Jordan Pass Expert is 80JD (104€). The major difference between the three passes is how many days you wish to spend visiting Petra. Therefore with the Wanderer you can spend 1 day, with the Explorer you can spend 2 consecutive days and with the Expert you can spend 3 consecutive days in Petra.
Waiving of the entry visa
One of the most important thing to be mentioned about the Pass, is the waiving of the visas. At arrival in Amman, the Jordan authorities will charge you 50JOD to process and issue your personal 30-days visa for the country. NOTE: This will only apply if you stay at least 3 nights in the country.
Nevertheless, in case you’re flying in & out to/from Jordan through the airport of Aqaba, due to a very unique Schengen agreement, the entry visa will be issued to you for FREE.
Is the Jordan Pass convenient?
So there we are at the final most important question: is the Pass convenient for me to buy before arriving to Jordan?
YES, for those flying in Amman, getting the Pass is a must. If you consider the entry visa price (50JOD), a 1-day entry to Petra (50JOD) and the entrance fee to Wadi Rum (5JOD), the total is already higher than the price of any Jordan Pass. On top of this, if you plan on visiting any other attraction (around the country entrance fees vary from 3-5JOD/site) you’ll be spending even more!
MAYBE, for those flying in Aqaba, getting the Pass is an option. Considering you won’t be paying the visa fee and assuming you want to visit Petra e.g. 1-day (50JOD) and spend some time in the Wadi Rum Desert (5JOD), you’ll end up saying a little. That said, if you’re planning to visit 4-5 other attractions (e.g. Jerash, Amman Citadel, Roman Theatre etc..) you’ll be likely to end up spending the same.
In conclusion, getting the Pass before heading to Jordan is, overall, a smart thing to do. Whether you’ll be getting in the country from Amman or Aqaba, it’s likely that the Pass will save you money but even if it does not, it will make it more convenient for you since you’ll often jump past the queues.
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