Jordan's climate offers everything from chilly desert nights to warm baths in both the Red and Dead Seas, and packing clothes for a trip here can be a bit of a challenge. Before I traveled to Jordan, I googled once, twice and thrice to get tips on what clothes I would need to bring with me. So that you don't have to google as much as I did, here are my best tips!
I visited Jordan at the turn of March/April, which is a perfect time of year.
Conservative dress
Jordan is a welcoming and friendly Muslim country with residents of many different religions and ethnicities. Modern women in Amman often dress in Western clothing, but many rural women dress much more traditionally and cover their hair. I always dress a little more conservatively when I travel in Muslim countries - both out of respect for the culture, but also because I then feel that I don't stand out as much as a tourist. Clothing is also always the best protection against strong sun.
Short skirts, short shorts, tank tops, low-cut tops, tank tops and bikinis may be fine to wear inside a tourist hotel, but for city life in Amman and when visiting historical sites, I recommend bringing slightly longer sleeved and airy tops/shirts long pants or skirts that go well below the knees. For public beaches, I recommend bringing a swimsuit instead of a bikini. I didn't see any men wearing shorts other than tourists.
Take a scarf with you when you need to be able to cover yourself a little extra - for example when visiting a mosque. A scarf is also good to have to wrap around the neck/head if the sun is strong.
I mainly wore long sleeved long dresses, straight jeans, airy and baggy cargo pants, t-shirts with sleeves, a scarf and long thin cardigans. For salty baths, I brought a bathing suit.
Cold and hot - at the same time
It's easy to think that it's warm all year round in Jordan, but it can get really chilly in autumn, winter and spring. When I visited Jordan in March/April, it was mostly around 22 degrees and sunny down by the Red Sea and at least 5-10 degrees at night in Wadi Rum.
I wore a windproof goretex hooded jacket with a fleece jacket underneath in Wadi Rum, which was absolutely perfect clothing. It was really cold to go on a jeep safari at sunset and I probably would have liked to have also brought a thin hat or a pair of mittens. Hiking pants were also a good choice, as they are windproof and therefore kept me warm.
When the evenings in Amman offered 10 degrees, then I was glad that I brought slightly thicker tights to wear under the dresses.
Petra is at a high altitude and can be quite chilly. Windbreaker and fleece were perfect for my visit. Comfortable shoes are a must and preferably shoes with a little grip, as there may be some hiking on rocks. We saw some girls strutting around in big glamorous dresses to take beautiful pictures, but it just felt really cold. 95% of those who visit Petra dress for outdoor activities.
A cap or sun hat is always good to bring.
Summarized packing list
So, if we sum it up - what clothes should you pack for a trip to Jordan? Depending on the season and if you are not going to Wadi Rum or Petra, you can skip the gloves and the hat. Aqaba has summer temperatures all year round (although it is more like a Swedish summer during the winter months).
- Sun hat/Cap
- Scarf
- Wide trousers, preferably in linen if it's warm.
- T-shirts with slightly longer sleeves
- Swimsuit
- Windbreaker (spring/winter/autumn)
- Fleece jacket (spring/winter/autumn)
- Long skirts
- Thicker tights (spring/winter/autumn)
- Thin cardigan
- Well worn sneakers with good grip for Petra/Wadi Rum
- Thin mittens/hat (spring/winter/autumn)
Travel in Jordan during Ramadan
One month a year is Ramadan in Jordan and this year Ramadan fell during my trip to Jordan. During Ramadan, you fast between sunrise and sunset, but there are tourist restaurants that are open for lunch. In tourist hotels, you hardly notice that it is Ramadan, except that the sale of alcohol is partially restricted during certain times or certain premises. All historical sites and tourist attractions seemed to be open as usual, but it is good to remember not to eat and drink in public during the day during Ramadan. There is no formal dress code for tourists during Ramadan, but I recommend dressing up a little extra.
If I recommend traveling to Jordan during Ramadan? Yes! I think Ramadan in Jordan gave me an extra dimension of the country and the meals in the evenings when the fast is broken (iftar) are absolutely incredible. Alcohol is not something I miss when I travel, I'm just as happy to order a lemon/mint drink.
Have you traveled in Jordan? Do you have any more tips on what to pack for clothes?
