Jordan
Best time to visit Jordan: weather and seasons by month
Go in April or October for the whole country: mild days, cool nights, Petra and Wadi Rum at their best. March, May, September and November are the quieter shoulder months. Skip July and August for Petra and the Dead Sea unless you start at dawn, and treat December to February as a Dead Sea and Aqaba season, not a highlands one.
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GuideJordan
Key facts
- Best overall
- April and October: mild days, cool nights, all regions workable
- Shoulder months
- March, May, September, November: fewer crowds, some heat or cold at the edges
- Cheapest
- January and February: low season in Amman and Petra, but cold and wet
- Avoid for Petra
- July and August: 35–40 °C by midday at Petra, hotter at the Dead Sea
- Winter escape
- Aqaba and the Dead Sea stay mild December to February; swimming water warm all year
- Rain and flash floodscheck
- Wet season roughly November to April; flash-flood risk in Petra, Wadi Rum and Wadi Mujib from October
- Wadi Mujib Siq trailcheck
- Opens roughly April to October only
- Book early
- April and October are peak: Petra hotels and Wadi Rum camps fill weeks ahead
- Ramadan 2027check
- About 8 February to 9 March 2027 (lunar — check): shorter site hours, limited daytime food
Summary: month, crowd, price and verdict
Jordan's seasons split by altitude, not by calendar alone. Amman, Jerash, Madaba and Petra sit at 700–1,100 m and get cold, wet winters; the Dead Sea, Jordan Valley and Aqaba sit far lower and stay warm. Use the table to pick a month, then check the region notes below before you book.
Prices are 2026 estimates and follow demand: April and October are the two peaks, January and February the cheapest for the highlands.
| Month | Verdict | Crowds | Prices | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | Caution | Low | Low | Cold and wet in Amman and Petra, occasional snow; Dead Sea and Aqaba mild |
| February | Caution | Low | Low | Still cold in the highlands; Ramadan starts about 8 February 2027 (check) |
| March | Go | Medium | Medium | Spring flowers, mild days; Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr in 2027 change opening hours (check) |
| April | Go | High | High | Best month for Petra, Wadi Rum and walking; book Petra hotels early |
| May | Go | Medium | Medium | Warming fast; Eid al-Adha and Independence Day (25 May) mid-to-late month |
| June | Caution | Low | Low | Hot in the south and the valley; start early, highlands still pleasant |
| July | Caution | Medium | Medium | 35–40 °C at Petra by midday, hotter at the Dead Sea; Gulf visitors fill Amman and Aqaba |
| August | Caution | Medium | Medium | Hottest month; Wadi Mujib water hikes are the relief; Jerash Festival evenings |
| September | Go | Medium | Medium | Heat eases late in the month; good diving in Aqaba |
| October | Go | High | High | Second peak: warm days, cool nights; first flash-flood risk after autumn rain |
| November | Go | Medium | Medium | Clear and mild; nights cold in Wadi Rum, so carry a layer |
| December | Caution | Low | Medium | Cold rain in Amman and Petra; Christmas in Madaba and Fuheis; Aqaba and the Dead Sea warm |
Verdicts follow the parent Jordan country facts; prices are 2026 estimates.
How to choose your dates
Start with the one thing you cannot move: Petra. It is the stop that suffers most from heat and cold, and the one that needs the most daylight. If Petra is the centre of the trip, aim for late March to mid-May or late September to mid-November. If you can only travel in July or August, plan Petra for opening time, take the Siq in shade, and keep the afternoon for a hotel pool or the drive to Wadi Rum.
- Pick the season first: spring (March–May) or autumn (October–November) suits the whole country.
- Then pick the month by crowd and price: April and October are the peaks, so book Petra and Wadi Rum weeks ahead.
- Then check the lunar calendar: Ramadan and the two Eids move about 11 days earlier each year and change opening hours, restaurant service and bus availability (check).
- Then check the region: in winter, swap Amman's rain for the Dead Sea and Aqaba; in summer, do the south at dawn and the highlands in the afternoon.
- Finally, check the wet season: flash floods are a real risk in Petra, Wadi Rum and Wadi Mujib from October to April (check).
| Region | Best months | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Amman and the highlands (Amman, Jerash, Madaba, Ajloun) | April, May, October, November | January and February for cold rain and snow |
| Dead Sea and Jordan Valley | November to April | June to September for 40 °C+ heat |
| Petra, Dana and Wadi Rum | March to May, October and November | July and August for midday heat; January for freezing nights |
| Aqaba and the Red Sea | All year; best November to April | July and August for 40 °C+ air temperatures |
Notes before you book
Ramadan is the biggest single variable. In 2027 it runs roughly 8 February to 9 March (check). Expect no eating, drinking or smoking in public by day, many restaurants shut until sunset, liquor shops closed and most bars not serving alcohol. Hotels still serve guests, and streets come alive after iftar. Eid al-Fitr follows immediately and brings three to four days of closures, with Aqaba and the Dead Sea filling with domestic visitors and buses selling out.
- Eid al-Adha, about 15–19 May 2027 (check), brings four to five days of closures and full hotels in Aqaba and at the Dead Sea.
- Independence Day is 25 May; Labour Day is 1 May. Both are low-impact public holidays.
- Christmas is noticeable in Madaba and Fuheis, where many residents are Christian.
- Winter rain in Amman and Petra is often heavy but short; pack a waterproof layer rather than an umbrella.
- Desert nights in Wadi Rum are cold even in summer; a fleece earns its space in every month except July and August.
- Wadi Mujib's Siq trail only opens roughly April to October (check), so a winter trip loses that hike.
FAQ
Questions people ask
What is the best time of year to visit Jordan?
April and October. Days are mild, nights cool, and Petra, Wadi Rum, Amman and the Dead Sea all work in the same trip. March, May, September and November are close behind with fewer crowds.
When is the cheapest time to visit Jordan?
January and February, the low season for Amman and Petra, with the lowest hotel rates. The trade-off is cold, wet weather in the highlands. If you want cheap and warm, base yourself in Aqaba or at the Dead Sea instead.
What is the weather like in Jordan each month?
December to February: cold and wet at 700–1,100 m, mild at the Dead Sea and Aqaba. March to May: mild to warm, spring flowers. June to September: hot, 35–40 °C at Petra and hotter in the valley. October and November: warm days, cool nights, some rain late in the season.
Is summer too hot to visit Petra?
It is workable if you start at opening time, walk the Siq in shade and finish the main route before midday. Afternoon temperatures of 35–40 °C make the long climbs unpleasant. Many travellers shift Petra to spring or autumn instead.
Can I visit Jordan in winter?
Yes, if you build the trip around the warm south. Aqaba and the Dead Sea are mild from December to February, and Aqaba's swimming water stays warm all year. Petra and Amman can be cold, wet and occasionally snowy.
Does Ramadan affect a Jordan trip?
It changes the rhythm rather than closing the country. Sites run shorter hours, many restaurants shut by day, and alcohol sales are limited. Hotels still serve guests. In 2027 Ramadan falls roughly 8 February to 9 March (check).
Deep dive
Every source; changeable facts are marked check
Sources
- officialJordan Tourism Board
- officialJordan Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
- officialJordan Meteorological Department
- secondaryWikivoyage – Jordan