Private driver
The option most travelers choose
A private driver is how most visitors see Jordan, and for good reason: it is flexible, comfortable, and removes every logistical decision. You are picked up at the airport, driven site to site, and can stop whenever something catches your eye. For our tours this is the standard, and it is the difference between a trip and an ordeal in summer heat.
It costs more than self-drive, but when you divide it across a group and factor in time saved and stress avoided, most travelers find it worth it — especially for first visits.
Rental car
Freedom, if you are confident
Renting a car suits independent travelers who like driving and want full control. Roads between major sites are good; driving is on the right; and a GPS phone with offline maps handles navigation. The challenges are Amman traffic, the winding mountain roads of the King’s Highway, and the odd livestock on rural roads. See our full driving in Jordan guide before you decide.
Options compared
| Private driver | Easiest, flexible, best for first visits & groups |
| Rental car | Most freedom, needs confidence, cheaper for 2+ |
| JETT / coaches | Amman–Petra, Amman–Aqaba, cheap, fixed schedule |
| Local minibuses | Very cheap, no fixed timetable, hard without Arabic |
| Domestic flights | Amman–Aqaba only, saves the long desert drive |
| Taxis | Good in towns; agree price or insist on meter |
Public transport
Possible, but limited
JETT buses run comfortable coaches from Amman to Petra (Wadi Musa) and Aqaba, and to Jerash — book ahead. Local minibuses are cheap and go almost everywhere, but they have no published timetable, leave when full, and are hard to use without some Arabic and a lot of patience. They suit backpackers with time, not travelers on a one-week schedule.
There is no public transport into Wadi Rum — you arrange a 4×4 from the visitor center or through a camp. For distances and drive times, see the dedicated page.
Keep exploring the guide
- Driving in Jordan — Roads, rules and whether to self-drive.
- Distances — Realistic driving times between sites.
- Browse Tours — Private driver journeys across Jordan.
Turn this knowledge into a journey
Tell us your dates, your pace and who is travelling, and we will shape a private Jordan journey around it — through local eyes.