Jordan is one of the most beautiful and diverse countries in the world, from ancient to modern, from man-made to natural wonders, the country is full of fabulous places to get great Instagram photos! This article has put together the top 10 most instagrammable places in Jordan and includes angles that are popular and ideas on how to make the shots your own.
10 Most Instagrammable Places in Jordan for Photos
Petra Treasury
The Petra Treasury, Al-Khezneh, is probably the most photographed spot in Jordan, and once you visit it, you will know why. But not all Instagram shots are created equal and if you want to get some of the best photos of the Treasury in Petra here are a few tips.
Mornings will often have some shadows on the face of the Treasury, the first photo below was taken mid-morning in the fall. Afternoons are better for fewer shadows. The second photo below was taken around 4pm in the summertime. The sun was behind the mountains already.
Popular shots at the Treasury are of the camels, on the camels, and of the carving itself. There is not a lot of space, distance-wise, you need a wide-angle lens to fit it all in the frame.
Petra Siq
The first of many instagrammable places in Petra is the Siq, a 1.2km narrow canyon that was formed by an earthquake. It was one of the few entrances into Petra and what helped keep the ancient site hidden for hundreds of years. With its rose-colored rock, steep cliffs and jagged corners it makes for beautiful photos. The cliffs are full of rainbow colors that can be brought out beautifully, with just a little post-processing. Be patient in the Siq, there are always people coming and going, you are sure to get time without people in the background.
Another tip is to turn around, sometimes the angles behind you are great too!
The Petra Treasury from Above Photo Spot
The sheer cliffs in Petra and the immense size of the Treasury make for epic Instagram locations. They are not for the faint of heart! Just looking at some Instagram photos in Petra is enough to get your heart racing. There is a safe way to get to the Treasury viewpoint in Petra and that is by hiking one of the popular trails in Petra, Al-Khubta trail. Do not go up the cliff on the left side of the Treasury, you need to walk to the trailhead and then up the backside of the mountain. It is about 45 minutes one way. If you were with kids like I was, there is a PokemonGo Gym up there! That really helped distract them from climbing!
Petra By Night at the Treasury
Another popular event, but not super popular for Instagram, and the caption in the photo does say it well! Petra by night is getting more and more popular as more and more visitors are coming to Jordan. It is not just a few people, you are among hundreds, and you need some good camera skills in the low light. But that doesn’t mean do not try it out!
Petra Monastery
Not nearly as visited as the Treasury, due to the amount of walking needed to get there, the Monastery does not disappoint visitors! While you are there, enjoy some sweet Bedouin tea! Again afternoons are better to avoid shadows on the cliff face.
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Amman Citadel
This is my favorite spot to start for great Instagram shots in Amman. Jebel Al-Qala is what tourists and the tourism board call the Citadel. There are massive remains of Hercules temple, the renovated Umayyad Palace and 360-degree views of the Amman hills from this spot
I have a post all about Instagram spots in Amman for you to get more information.
Umayyad Palace Ceiling, Amman
Built during the first half of the 8th century, most of the palace was ruined but has been beautifully restored, including the wooden roof. The light from either side makes for perfect lighting and one of the best indoor photo spots in Jordan. Nearby, the remains of the Byzantine Church provide plenty of photo ops. This is atop Jebal Al-Qala after the Hercules temple in the photo above.
The Dead Sea
Another one of the things to do in Jordan is to visit the Dead Sea. It can also make for great photos. I will warn you, because of the warm temperature compared to surrounding hills, there is often a lot of haze and you can sometimes barely see across to Jericho.
Here is how to get to the Dead Sea from Aqaba
Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum is an Instagrammer’s paradise. Blue skies, towering cliffs, and its moon-like landscape make for unlimited photos for Instagram.
Jerash
Jerash is the best-preserved Roman city outside of Rome. Its archaeological ruins make for amazing photos, whether it is the colonnaded streets, the theatre, or Hadrian’s Arch.
5 Things to Bring with You to Jordan
I have always been a guide book person and physically having that book in your hand as you plan your day, in addition to blogs like this one, can help immensely. Pick up a Lonely Planet Guide to Jordan (or the kindle version) before your trip to Jordan.
Whether you want to keep the sun off your head or want to show a little modesty, a scarf goes a long way in Jordan at any time of the year. You can bring one with you or pick up one when you arrive, but don’t leave your hotel in the morning without it! It can serve as a hat to keep the sun off your head and neck in the summer and can add some warmth in winter and can offer modesty to cover shoulders for women. It will also add to those Instagram shots! It doesn’t matter if you buy the red checkers or black and white, but red is more popular as that is the color of the Jordan army.
A Grayl Water Bottle is something I recommend for every traveler, not just those going to the Middle East. Some people say the water is safe to drink from the tap, others say it is not; it is not something I am going to chance. And Jordan has a HUGE garbage problem. The streets, the forests and even the desert are littered with plastic bottles.
If you consider drinking at least 1-2 big water bottles a day while you are there, think of how much plastic that creates when every visitor and the population’s 9 million people do the same. With a Grayl, you can filter any tap water (or actually any water source) and have clean drinking water in seconds. Since most people travel with water bottles already, consider one like this with a filter so that you are not just pouring from big water bottles to small. It might sound expensive, but when you compare it to spending a few dollars per day on water while you travel (and do not forget how expensive the water is inside airports), you will pay for this very quickly.
Kleenex or Wipes are other things to put on your list. Jordan’s public washrooms (and even restraint or hotel lobby washrooms can often be unstocked. Unless you are good with a bidet sprayer, bring yourself some kleenex or wipes just in case! You will find that most washrooms in tourist sites and rest stops have an attendant that will give you toilet paper and paper towel for a small tip. Usually, half a dinar is fine.
In Jordan, the plumbing is not set up to handle toilet paper. Every bathroom (even hotels) you should use the garbage can beside the toilet for your toilet paper and any sanitary products.
Motion Sickness Pills might be needed if you are prone to motion sickness and plan on traveling by bus or in the back of the car. There are many windy, hilly and bumpy roads in Jordan. Sea Bands might work for you if you are prone to motion sickness.
Travel Insurance for Jordan
There are a few other things to think about when it comes to travel. The first thing is travel insurance. Whether it is an emergency room visit for something as simple as strep throat, or an emergency appendix surgery, or an unfortunate moped incident things do go wrong when people travel every day.
I highly suggest travel insurance and a good policy. I personally never travel without it, and I even checked into my policy about care for my children if I am ever in an accident or hospitalized. There are just too many things to think about.
You can find out more information and buy your travel insurance here.
More Jordan Travel Resources
In order to help make your visit to Jordan as memorable as possible, I have created a number of resources from planning guides to local eats.
If you have just begun the planning, check out 101 Things to do in Jordan to give you some inspiration on the places you want to make sure you have time to see.
Rental Cars are very popular in Jordan, get a quote on renting a car before you arrive.
If you are working on a self-drive itinerary or plan to see the country independently, there is a guide on getting around in Jordan.
If you are thinking of booking a tour, or wondering how much hassle a self-drive itinerary can be, check out this post I have on the best Jordan tours to book.
For your time in Amman, check out top things to do in Amman and where to eat.
For your time in Petra, check out our guide to Petra and what to eat in Wadi Musa
Save on Air BNB
If you are planning on booking an Air BNB during your trip (or anywhere for that matter), use this link to save on your booking.
