What to Pack for Jordan: 27 Essentials
Think you’re ready to take on the rough terrain of Petra, the salty Dead Sea, arid Wadi Rum, and stylish Amman? Uncovering the hidden gems of the Middle East on a visit to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan requires all the right items. Figuring out what to pack for Jordan depends on your itinerary—which could be filled to the brim with eclectic activities, from canyon hiking to rooftop dining. Here’s what to pack for Jordan, which I learned on my trek around the country with Intrepid Travel.
The Suitcase
Osprey Packs Transporter 65 Travel Duffel Bag
A durable yet lightweight bag with lots of space and hauling power is a must for Jordan if you’ll be heading anywhere outside the city—where it’s sandy and hot. The varied terrain means you might have to carry your bag to the hotel. Osprey Packs’ Transporter 65 Expedition Duffel hits all the requirements: It packed down my hiking boots and packing cubes with straps so I could keep necessities accessible at the top, and still left space for gadgets and accessories in a zippered inner pocket. Detachable backpack straps allow it to morph between duffel and backpack in seconds, and the bag folds into a pouch for easy storage at home or in the hotel room when it’s not in use.
The Purse
Arden Cove Full Anti-Theft Waterproof Cross-Body Bag
As in most cities in Europe and the Middle East, in Amman you’ll want to dress up a little bit for your average day out. At the same time, I needed a day pack for necessities on hikes and at sites like Petra. This meant carrying a secure yet stylish day-to-day purse, plus a day pack to roll up and keep in my main bag for the days I’d need to throw everything into a hiking pack. Arden Cove’s Waterproof Anti-Theft Cross-Body is both sleek and utilitarian, with enough card slots and zippered pockets to secure all your valuables, plus your passport. The chain makes it dressy enough for nights out, but it also blends in enough to suit casual environments.
Day Pack
Herschel Ultralight Daypack
A super-light daypack is stashed in my main suitcase on any active trip I take. This one’s internal sleeve and spacious main compartment can fit and organize necessities, including a big water bottle, extra layers, sunscreen, a hat, and sandals.
The Hiking Boots
Keen Gypsum II Waterproof Hiking Boot
For steeper or longer hikes, a hiking boot with ankle support, like these lace-up hikers from Keen (for both men and women) is a good idea.
Trekking Socks
Alvada Thermal Wool Hiking Socks for Men & Women
High socks with extra padding might be the most valuable thing you take on a hike.
Trekking Poles
Montem Folding Collapsible Hiking Poles
These are optional, but a good idea if you need extra support going downhill on rocky terrain—which you’ll find a lot of on the way down to the Dead Sea and Petra. Opt for foldable trekking poles that pack away easily.
Waist Pack
Kammok Pika Pack
Take the plunge and embrace the fanny pack. Kammok’s Pika Pack is better than a day pack for those hard hikes where you only need a water bottle and some sunscreen on hand. It can be fastened around your waist for hands-free trekking when you’re using poles on rocky terrain, or slung over your shoulder on less demanding hikes. It fit my large canteen, hat, scarf, and bottle of sunscreen, while the zippered front compartment held my phone and smaller items like lip balm, sunglasses, and cash.
Hiking Pants
Columbia Pilsner Peak Pull-On Cargo Pants
Protect your legs while staying cool and comfortable with hiking pants or leggings that still breathe, like Columbia’s Pull-On Cargo Pants for women or Silver Ridge Pant for men, which feature built-in sun protection and lots of pockets.
RELATED: Hiking Outfits That Are Both Comfortable and Stylish
Canteen
ArtLife Sport Half Gallon Water Bottle
A lightweight water bottle that can hold at least a liter is ideal.
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Shorts
Head Athletic Workout Shorts
You’ll want shorts for hot hikes outside the city, but women should again opt for something more modest or ones that will fit under pants since it’s uncommon for women here to show their legs. I love HEAD track shorts because they dry fast and are thin enough to wear under pants in case you’re not sure when you’ll need to cover up for a mosque or church visit.
Travel Towel
Matador NanoDry Shower Towel
For camping or a post-hike dip in the Dead Sea, a travel towel like Matador’s NanoDry Shower Towel is a must-have travel—the super-thin, 47-by-24-inch towel fits into only five ounces of bag space.
Travel Sleeping Bag or Liner
Sea to SummitThermolite Reactor Fleece Liner
Camping in the desert means surprisingly cold temperatures at night. Prepare by bringing a travel sleeping bag, or a packable sleeping bag liner like Sea to Summit’s Thermolite Reactor Fleece Liner. I was glad I had it, even with the blankets and mattresses provided at our camp.
RELATED: Best Sleeping Bags for an Amazing (and Toasty!) Night’s Rest
Soft Sandals
Sanuk Yoga Dawn TX Sandal
Long travel days are not where you want to be breaking in a new pair of stylish sandals. Sanuk’s Yoga Dawn TX Sandals have a yoga-mat insole and soft faux-leather straps that cushion your feet. They’re the style you want without the blisters.
Sneakers
DailyShoes Unisex Memory Foam Slip-Ons
In addition to hiking boots, you might still want to bring some durable lightweight sneakers or slip-ons for easier walks, like traversing through Petra’s rocky Siq, where you won’t want clunky hiking boots on.
Outerwear
Craghoppers Madigan Jacket
One warm-yet-thin jacket you can layer will be useful and stylish in both the desert and the city. Craghoppers’ Madigan Jacket fits the bill and has plenty of pockets to boot.
A Long Skirt
Made by Emma Maxi Skirt
Respect the local customs of the Middle East by dressing modestly. Travel-friendly options include this Made by Emma option, which has lightweight moisture control fabric.
Modest Dresses
Craghoppers Women’s NosiLife Savannah Dress
If you pack a dress, go for something knee-length that also has adjustable sleeves to protect you from the sun. This dress by Craghoppers fits the bill and has added UPF50 and mosquito protection.
T-Shirts
Lululemon Swiftly Relaxed Short Sleeve
For long days of walking in the sun, exercise T-shirts that are made from sweat-wicking material and cover your shoulders are a must-have in Jordan.
Jeans
Mother Ankle Straight Leg Jeans
A pair of comfortable, dark-denim jeans are perfect for nights out in Jordan.
RELATED: 18 Pairs of Soft, Stretchy Jeans That Feel Like Leggings
Fleece
Amazon Essentials Women’s Full-Zip Polar Fleece Jacket
Cool desert evenings call for a versatile fleece you can layer or wear on its own, like this one from Amazon Essentials.
Sunscreen
Sun Bum Mineral SPF 50 Sunscreen Lotion
If you’re diving in the snorkel-worthy Red Sea, make sure you’re using all-mineral sunscreen that won’t harm the colorful coral reefs.
RELATED: The Best Drugstore Sunscreens To Add To Your Amazon Cart Right Now
Micellar Water or Wipes
Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water
If you’re camping or hiking you won’t always have running water, so bring a travel-size bottle of micellar water or some wipes to cleanse dirt and oil from your face after a sweaty day.
Portable Charger
Anker PowerCore 10000
Camping in the desert calls for a back-up charger. This by one Anker has over 10,000 five-star reviews.
Plug Converter
Newvanga Universal Travel Adapter
Jordan uses an array of travel outlets, but the U.K. and E.U. plugs on the average universal adapter seem to be the most common.
Sunglasses
Sojos Unisex Polarized Sunglasses
We love this tortoiseshell style with 100% UV protection, but choose whichever pair of shades is most comfortable for you.
Scarves
Achillea Large Pashmina
A necessity for women as an option to cover up whenever appropriate, scarves come in handy as for sun protection for men, too.
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