Jordan

Getting around

Jordan is so small that you can drive from the Syrian border in the north to the Saudi border in the south in just over five hours. There is only one domestic flight (Amman to Aqaba) and no internal public train service, so public transport here comprises of buses/minibuses, service taxis and private taxis.

Where public transport is limited or nonexistent, hitching is a common way of getting around. Hiring a car is a popular, if more expensive, alternative. Chartering a service taxi (white) or private taxi (yellow) is another alternative, and having a driver will take the hassle out of driving, although the cost will vary depending on your bargaining skills.

Hitching

Getting a ride

Hitching is never entirely safe in any country in the world. Travellers who choose to hitch should understand that they are taking a small, but potentially serious, risk. People who choose to hitch will be safer if they travel in pairs and let someone know where they are planning to go.

Despite this general advice, hitching is definitely feasible in Jordan. The traffic varies a lot from place to place, but you generally don't have to wait long for a lift on main routes. Hitching is only really worth it to avoid chartering expensive taxis or where public transport is limited or nonexistent, eg parts of the King's Highway and to the desert castles east of Amman.

Always start hitching early, and avoid 1pm to 4pm when it's often too hot and traffic is reduced while many locals enjoy a siesta. Also, don't start hitching after about 4pm unless it's a short trip on a road with frequent traffic, because hitching after dark increases the risk. The best places to look for lifts are junctions, tourist attractions (eg lookouts) or shops where cars often stop. Police stationed at major junctions and checkpoints are often happy to wave down drivers and cajole them into giving you a lift.

To indicate that you're looking for a lift, simply raise your index finger in the direction you're heading. On a large truck, you may be asked for a fare; in a private vehicle, you probably won't need to pay anything. However, to avoid a possibly unpleasant situation, ask beforehand if payment is expected and, if so, how much the driver wants. Otherwise, just offer a small amount when you get out - it will often be refused.

Finally, a few general tips. Don't look too scruffy; don't hitch in groups of more than two; women should be very careful, and look for lifts with families, or in a car with another local or foreign female; trucks on some steep and windy roads (eg between the Wadi Rum turn-off and Aqaba) can be painfully slow; and make sure you carry a hat and lots of water.

Picking up hitchhikers

If you have chartered a service taxi or private taxi you are under no obligation to pick up any hitchhikers, but if you're driving a private or hired car, the pressure to pick up people along the way can be intense. It's hard not to feel a twinge of guilt as you fly past locals alongside the road waving their arms frantically. On remote stretches where public transport is limited or nonexistent, eg across the Wadi Mujib valley, you should try to pick up a few passengers.

One advantage about picking up a hitchhiker is the chance to meet a local, and readers have often been invited to a home in return for a lift. Although you may be charged, you should never charge a local for a lift. They will assume that any foreign hitchhiker can afford to pay for transport, and that any foreigner driving a private or hired car doesn't need the extra money.

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Car & motorcycle

Bringing your own vehicle

Drivers of cars and riders of motorbikes will need the vehicle's registration papers and liability insurance. Strictly speaking you don't need an International Driving Permit (IDP) to drive in Jordan (your national licence is generally sufficient, unless you have your own car and plan on crossing any borders), but bring one with you to avoid any hassles. You also need a Carnet de passage en douane, which is effectively a passport for the vehicle and acts as a temporary waiver of import duty. The carnet will also need to specify any expensive spare parts that you're planning to carry with you, such as a gearbox. This is designed to prevent car-import rackets. Contact your local automobile association for details about all documentation.

At the borders to Jordan (and the ferry terminal in Nuweiba, Egypt) you'll be obliged to take out local insurance of JD35 (valid for one month), plus a nominal 'customs fee' of JD5 for 'foreign car registration'.

Finally, bring a good set of spare parts and some mechanical knowledge, as you will not always be able to get the help you may need. This is especially the case for motorcycles: there are only a few motorcycle mechanics in Jordan who are able to deal with anything modern.

Checkpoints

You may pass through checkpoints in Jordan, particularly when driving along the Dead Sea Highway near the sensitive border with Israel & the Palestinian Territories. Always stop at checkpoints. Foreigners are generally waved through without any fuss, though you may have to show your passport.

4WDs

Four-wheel drives are only necessary if you're going to out-of-the-way places in the deserts, such as Burqu. However, 4WDs should only be hired - and driven - by someone who is experienced; driving in the desert where there are no signs, and getting bogged in sand in 45°C heat, is one of the more dangerous things you can do in Jordan.

Four-wheel drive vehicles can be hired from reputable agencies in Aqaba and Amman, but are far more expensive than normal sedans: at least JD65 per day. Also, companies only offer 100 to 200 free kilometres; you then pay extra for each kilometre.

To get around Wadi Rum, you'll need to charter a 4WD jeep with a local driver.

Hire

Hiring a car can be expensive, but if you can split the costs, it's a great way of seeing a lot of Jordan quickly and easily.

It makes little sense to hire a car to travel to places like Petra and Jerash, which need a day or more to be explored properly on foot; or to Wadi Rum, where a 4WD as well as a local driver is needed. Chartering a service or private taxi with a driver is potentially better value in these places. Three days is sometimes the minimum period allowed by car-hire companies.

There are many agencies in Amman, a few in Aqaba and one or two irregularly staffed offices at Queen Alia airport and the King Hussein border with Israel & the Palestinian Territories. Any car-hire agency elsewhere is usually just an office with one guy, one desk, one telephone and one car for hire (usually his!). You'll get the best deal in Amman, where competition among agencies is fierce.

Avis(www.avis.com.jo) The biggest car-hire company in Jordan. Offices in Amman, Aqaba and King Hussein Bridge. Free drop-off at King Hussein Bridge or the airport; elsewhere JD25.

Budget (budget@go.com.jo)

Eagle Rent-a-Car (eaglerentacar@wanadoo.jo)

Europcar (www.europcar.jo) Free drop in Aqaba.

Firas Car Rental (alamo@nets.com.jo) Firas is the agent for Alamo Car Rental.

Hertz(www.hertz.com.jo) Drop-off at offices in Aqaba, Petra or Mövenpick Dead Sea Resort costs JD20.

National Car Rental (www.1stjordan.net/national) Offices in Amman and at Sheikh Hussein Bridge.

Reliable Rent-a-Car (www.reliable.com.jo) Reliable and recommended. You can reserve online; contact Mohammed Hallak. Baby seats are available.

Expect to pay JD25-JD35 per day for the smallest, cheapest sedan. This doesn't include tax or petrol, but usually includes free unlimited kilometres - undoubtedly a better deal than accepting a cheaper set-rate with a charge per kilometre.

For a three-day hire, companies will often waive the tax and include unlimited kilometres if the daily rate doesn't. Discounts of 15% or more are available for weekly hire; anything longer than one week is up for negotiation. A rate of JD20 per day for a reliable car with unlimited kilometres is a good deal.

Cars can be booked, collected and paid for in Amman or Aqaba and dropped off in the other city, but most companies charge from JD20 to JD25 for this service. Companies need a credit card for a deposit, but payment can be also made with cash; most major credit cards are accepted.

To ensure that you don't break down in the middle of nowhere, you should always hire a car less than three years old - most reputable companies won't offer anything else. Most hire cars have air-conditioning, which is a godsend in summer and vital along dusty tracks. Most cars are 'midrange' sedans though you can find cheaper rates if you are happy to squeeze into a tiny Korean hatchback. Cars with automatic transmission are more expensive, but anyone not used to driving on the right-hand side of the road should consider getting an automatic rather than a manual. Always carry a decent road map - these are not provided by car-hire agencies. Child-restraining seats are generally available for an extra fee.

Some agencies are closed on Friday and public holidays. If so, prearrange collection and delivery to avoid longer hire periods. Check the car over with a staff member for bumps, scratches and obvious defects, and check brakes, tyres, etc before driving off.

Finally, it is important to be aware that there are myriad complicated conditions and charges to remember and consider:

Most agencies only hire to drivers over 21 years old; some stipulate that drivers must be at least 26 years

Some offer free delivery and collection within the same city, but this is only during working hours

Hire is often for a minimum of three days, sometimes two and only reluctantly for one day. Very rarely will any agency give a refund if you return the car early.

Hire cars are not able to be driven outside Jordan

Insurance

Most car-hire rates come with basic insurance which involves a deductible of up to JD300 (ie in case of an accident you pay a maximum of JD300). Most agencies offer additional Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) insurance for an extra JD7 to JD10 per day, which will absolve you of all accident costs (in some cases a maximum of JD100 excess).

Insurance offered by major companies often includes Personal Accident Insurance and Theft Protection, which may be covered by your travel insurance policy from home. Always read the conditions of the contract carefully before signing - an English translation should always be provided.

If you're driving into Jordan in a private vehicle, compulsory third-party insurance must be purchased at the border for about JD35 (valid for one month). You also pay a nominal customs fee of JD5 for 'foreign car registration'.

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Bus & tram

Bus

Public minibuses and, to a lesser extent, public buses are the normal form of transport for locals and visitors.

Tickets for public buses and minibuses are normally bought on the bus. For private buses, tickets are usually bought from an office at the departure point. Tickets for private buses should be bought a day in advance; on public buses and minibuses it's every frail old man, woman, and goat for themselves. Bigger private bus companies like JETT (5664146; Al-Malek al-Hussein St, Shmeisani) (Amman to Aqaba), Trust International Transport (06 5813427) (Amman to Aqaba) and Hijazi (4638110) (Amman to Irbid) are generally the most reliable, comfortable and fastest because they generally don't stop en route to pick up passengers.

Unaccompanied men and women can sit next to each other, but some seat-shuffling often takes place to ensure that unaccompanied foreign men or women do not sit next to members of the opposite sex that they do not know. On smaller minibuses locals signify that they want to get off by rapping a coin on a side window.

Public buses and minibuses normally only leave when full, so you can sometimes wait around for an hour or more before you finally depart. Standing is not normally allowed.

There's little overcharging on minibuses, except for services to/from Wadi Musa (for Petra). Sometimes you will have to pay the full fare even if you're not going the full distance.

Bus

The two largest cities, Amman and Irbid, have efficient and cheap public bus networks, but few have destination signs in English (although some have 'English' numbers), there are no schedules or timetables available and local bus stations are often chaotic. Service taxis are much more useful and still cheap.

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Tours

An alternative to a pricey group tour organised from abroad is to arrange your own private mini-tour with a Jordanian travel agency. Many of these can arrange hiking or archaeological itineraries and provide a car and driver.

For hiking and activities in Jordan's nature reserves you are best off contacting the tourism department of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN; www.rscn.org.jo/), who can arrange short activity breaks or entire itineraries. For an extended trip to Wadi Rum it's best to contact a local Bedouin agency such as Wadi Rum Mountain Guides (www.bedouinroads.com).

If you're travelling independently, and on a tight budget, jumping on a budget-priced organised tour from Amman to a remote place like the desert castles of eastern Jordan is far easier, and often cheaper, than doing it yourself.

The following local agencies are reliable:

Alia Tours (06 5620501; www.aliatours.com.jo) Standard tours.

Archaeological Adventure Travel & Tourism (03 2157892; fax 2157891; a-a@index.com.jo)

Atlas Travel & Tourist Agency (06 4624262; fax 4610198; www.atlastours.net) Also offers side trips to Israel & the Palestinian Territories, Syria and Lebanon.

Desert Guides Company (06 5527230, 079 5532915; www.desertguidescompany.com; PO Box 9177Amman) Trekking, mountain-bike and adventure trips.

Discovery (06 5697998; www.discovery1.com)

Golden Crown Tours (06 5511200; www.goldencrowntours.com) Offers archaeological, religious and adventure tours.

International Traders (06 5607014; fax 566 9905; sahar@traders.com.jo) Expensive but reliable, and the representative for American Express travel services; locations in Amman and Aqaba.

Jordan Beauty Tours (079 5581644, 077 7773978, 077 7282730; www.jordanbeauty.com; Petra)

Jordan Direct (06 5938238; www.jdtours.com; Boumedien street, Amman) Located in Amin Marie Complex.

Jordan Eco-Tours (06 5524534; www.jordanecotours.com)

Jordan Experience (03 2155005; www.jordanexperience.com.jo; Wadi Musa) A Dutch/Jordanian venture; quite expensive.

Jordan Inspiration Tours (03 2157317, 079 5554677; www.jitours.com; Petra)

La Beduina(2157099; www.labeduinatours.com)

Petra Moon (03 2156665; www.petramoon.com; Wadi Musa) A professional agency that also offers an interesting range of treks in remote areas of Petra and Dana.

Royal Tours (06 5857154; www.royaltours.com.jo) Part of Royal Jordanian, and good for stopover packages.

Zaman Tours & Travel (03 2157723; www.zamantours.com; Wadi Musa) Adventure tours, camping, camel treks and hiking.

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Air

Since only 430km separates Ramtha in the north from Aqaba in the south, Jordan has only one internal flight, between Amman and Aqaba (JD39, 40 minutes).

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Bicycle

Cycling is a popular option, but not necessarily always a fun one. March to May and September to November are the best times to get on your bike.

The disadvantages are: the stifling heat in summer; the few places to stop along the highways; the unpredictable traffic, with drivers not being used to cyclists; the steep streets in some cities, such as Amman and Karak; the paucity of spare parts because so few locals ride bikes; and the tendency of Jordanian children to throw stones at unwary cyclists.

There is no way to cycle along the King's Highway without getting stoned. We read it in your guidebook before leaving, but thought that kids would not stone three male adults with beards and long trousers who are looking angry. We were wrong. And there are not only some groups of kids who try to stone you, but basically it's becoming a major hobby for all male children between three and 20… Cycle in the morning when children are at school and plan to spend plenty of time discussing and waiting; you probably won't do more than 40km a day.

Bernhard Gerber, Switzerland

The good news, however, is that the road system is satisfactory, the roads are generally smooth and the main cities and tourist attractions are well signposted in English.

With some preparation, and an occasional lift in a bus, cyclists can have a great time. Most major sights are conveniently placed less than a day's ride apart, heading south from the Syrian border - ie Irbid-Amman-Madaba-Karak-Dana-Petra-Ma'an-Wadi Rum-Aqaba. All these places have accommodation of some kind and restaurants, so there's no need to carry tents, sleeping bags and cooking equipment. Most other attractions can be easily visited on day trips, by bike or public transport.

The King's Highway is the most scenic route, but also the most physically demanding. The Desert Highway is boring and the traffic is heavy, while the Dead Sea Highway has extremely few stops, and is always hot. Two stretches along the King's Highway where you may want to take public transport are across the extremely wide and steep Wadi Mujib valley between Madaba and Karak, and between the turn-off to Wadi Rum and Aqaba, which is very steep, has appalling traffic and plenty of treacherous turns. The steepest climbs are those from the Jordan Valley up onto the eastern plateau in the north.

Spare parts are not common in Jordan, so carry a spare tyre, extra chain links, spokes, two inner tubes, repair kit and tool kit with spanner set. Also bring a low gear set for the hills and a couple of water containers; confine your panniers to a maximum of 15kg.

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