Last updated on August 2, 2025 by Shannon
Visiting the Middle East was a goal for my travels for a long while. I had always wanted to travel to the Middle East, but didn’t make it there on my round the world trip, or in several subsequent years of travels.
Why? Well, some of it came down to perception—I travel solo and I wasn’t sure if it would be safe to visit anywhere in the Middle East as a solo female traveler.
But the chance to visit Jordan with a dear friend cropped up unexpectedly while I was living in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and I thought: “Yes, now’s my chance to see if my safety concerns matched the reality on the ground.”
Is Now the Time to Visit the Middle East?!
There have been tensions and conflicts in the Middle East since the beginning of time, so it’s easy to believe there is no good time to visit the area, and no countries safe from the conflict.
The reality could not be further from the truth. Although there are absolutely unsafe areas in the Middle East, the media is heavy-handed with political coverage on exactly those conflict zones, and the U.S. Department of State has warnings issued for a lot of countries in the region.
But there are lesser-known countries offering rich cultural heritage and an unexpected mantle of safety. Jordan is one of them.
Non-confrontational foreign policies mean that Jordan is on great terms with the U.S., the UK, and several nearby countries, and belongs to the United Nations. And while Arabic is the country’s official language, English is widely spoken and taught at many public schools in the country. That means Jordan a great option for travelers looking for a safe way to visit the Middle East.
Wait, Where’s Jordan Located?
Jordan is located in the geographic region known as the Middle East and shares borders with Israel, Iraq, Syria, and Saudi Arabia.
From a safety perspective, much of Jordan is safe but all travelers should give the borders with Syria and Iraq a wide berth (a minimum of 5 km)—this is essential for a safe trip to Jordan. There are countless beautiful areas of the country far from those conflict-ridden borders.
Is Jordan Safe to Visit?
Jordan is safe for travelers overall, but there is a “Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution” travel advisory from the U.S. Department of State in effect since October 2022. Practically speaking, the travel advisory includes key information on areas that have spillover from the conflicts in Syria and Iraq.
Note that the USDS errs very heavily on the side of caution when issuing travel advisories—the best bet is to compare the U.S. travel advisory with that from the United Kingdom and Canada for a clear official picture of the safety situation. Why check these sources? You should know the areas of the country where there have been recent demonstrations and where you should have deeper vigilance.
Where is the current safety risk in Jordan? Terrorist threats occur against Jordanian targets fairly regularly, but the government thwarts them and there have been no major attacks since 2016. The treat of these is why there is elevated risk levels and warnings from the US, UK, and Canada.
In short: Jordan is safe enough to plan travel and have a good time in the most popular regions of the country. On the ground, travelers report that Jordan feels quite safe and besides some of the usual issues—pickpocketing, etc.—that outright violence is not presence.
That said, females and solo travelers should take caution—and all travelers should take more precautions than they might in some areas of the world.
Book travel insurance for your trip—a great policy provides coverage in case of medical emergencies, lost or stolen gear, adventure sports riders, and more. I used IMG Global in Jordan—and for more than a decade—and I highly recommend it!
Is Jordan Safe for Females and Solo Travelers?
Jordan is one of the only countries in the world where I have been sexually harassed (Turkey is the other). I was walking with a friend under the midday sun, dressed modestly with no skin showing, and my driver and tour guide were 25 paces ahead of me on the sidewalk when a group of rowdy young men walked by and aggressively squeezed my breast.
That was it—done in an instant and over in a flash. I was so startled that I barely reacted before they were far behind us. I was left spluttering while my best friend questioned me, verifying what she saw is what actually happened. It did. And it sucked. I felt defeated and off-kilter by that sudden and unprovoked assault.
And yet, it’s not the strongest memory of my time in Jordan—I remember the smiles of women at the social enterprises we visited, the awe-inspiring sight of Petra, feeling sheepish as I tried to work out how to properly accept and drink tea with the Bedouin, and frolicking in the Dead Sea.
Does that moment mean that Jordan is unsafe for women, solo travelers, or female solo travelers? Not at all. Jordan is as safe as any country for women—this incident could have been anywhere in the world. Now, there was a slightly higher probability of it happening in Jordan, given the cultural norms in the region toward women.
That’s what travelers should keep in mind: Local Jordanian women are treated differently in Jordan (and all of the Middle East) than the independence and autonomy that women in the West are afforded. Those differing attitudes have spillover.
Extreme violence in Jordan is not common, but the region’s attitudes mean that female travelers, particularly those traveling alone but not only those traveling solo, should take all of the normal cautions women take anywhere: don’t get inebriated past the point of functioning, ask your guesthouse for trusted drivers, don’t walk alone at night. These tips are not isolated to Jordan—they reflect what women have to contend with anywhere in the world.
In short? Is it safe for solo female travelers: Yes, but be aware of gender-based cultural attitudes and prevent situations where women are alone and vulnerable near men or groups of men. Always sit in the back seat of a taxi.
Read: An Honest Conversation About Safety and Solo Female Travel
What are the Main Risks and Issues
Safety is a deep topic, it involves general travel safety—will I face a terrorist attack or be grievously harmed by someone else—but also things like risky activities and how you approach your travels. The world is not as dangerous as you assume, but then again, having the right knowledge about a place is essential when you’re visiting conflict-adjacent places. These are some of the key risks, issues, and scams you should be aware of to stay safe in Jordan:
Keep your belongings close.
Pickpocketing or bag snatching is fairly common, particularly in markets, where people are tightly packed. Keep your belongings secured and close while walking around, and use travel hacks like a carabiner that attaches your purse or backpack to your chair while eating.
Always negotiate for fair prices.
Lying and price-gouging are pretty normal anywhere there are tourists, so be aware that the main travel scams in Jordan revolve around ripping off tourists. That antique you buy might be a fake, local textiles might be made in China, and taxi drivers might take a circuitous route to your destination. And you’ll nearly always be quoted a price that’s higher than you should pay, so you’ll need to negotiate respectfully.
None of these things are unsafe, but they are something you should be aware of across all of Jordan, but particularly in the most touristy areas.
Assess the safety risks for yourself.
Safety standards are not as well enforced in Jordan as they are in many countries, meaning activities like diving in Aqaba are poorly regulated. Always use trusted tour operators when booking adventure activities, check your gear, and maintain awareness of the activity in question and other possible risks.
Watch the weather.
Flooding is possible during the November-March rainy season. If you’re renting a car or visiting the Jordan Valley, pay attention to government flood alerts to stay safe.
Use safe transportation.
Book a taxi through your hotel or use a ride-hailing app like Uber—these cars are in better condition and the drivers are safer and more reliable for all travelers, solo female travelers included.
Insure your belongings.
Buy travel insurance before your trip—given the sheer range of things that can go wrong on any trip, from road accidents to theft to sickness, I always use IMG Global travel insurance so I know I’m safe if something unfortunate does happen.
Onward travel
Having explored large swaths of Jordan, here are some guides and information about the other things to do in the region.
Locations » Dead Sea | Petra | Amman | Wadi Feynan Eco-Lodge | Wadi Rum
Safety » Is Jordan Safe? | Solo Female Travel Safety
Food + Culture » Middle Eastern Food Guide | Jordanian Culture | Bedouin Culture
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Very brave women, wonderful post!
whats your instagram id? great pics of jordan. i would have never considered it, but you’ve impressed me. good luck, looks like an adventure!
My instagram is ShannonROD, though the photo in this posts is from my good
friends over at @umarket (twitter, not sure their instagram! :) Thanks for
the comment and support – it was a great adventure!
Soo exciting! Have fun and can’t wait to read all about it. Jordan – and the whole of the Middle East – is very high up on my list of must-visit places but I’ll be living vicariously through you for the time being!
Thanks Rebecca! Just got back to Thailand today and had an amazing
visit to Jordan- more posts will be coming very soon! :)
just wanted to say ‘thanks’ for not accepting my previous comment.
if you’re coming here, then the first thing you should know is that it’s called PALESTINE and not ISRAEL.
Oooh, jealous! Jordan and Syria are in our travel plans for next year so looking forward to reading about your experience, especially the veggie food part. Enjoy!
I’ll make sure to include copious amounts of veggie foodie delights – had my
first tastes this morning and this region is a feast for us veggies! :)
You girls are going to have such a blast. I’m so excited for you! And the food, oh!
Thanks so much Stephanie! :) Got my first taste of the food this morning
and my tastebuds are in heaven!!
How exciting! You’re going to have an amazing time, Jordan is a wonderful and friendly place (even in the dodgiest hospital in Amman, where I managed to end up one afternoon :D) Will you spending a night in the desert at Wadi Rum? That was definitely a highlight of my time there – just me, my friend, the stars and a soundtrack of traditional Bedouin music…totally blew me away.
Thanks so much for weighing in Megan! We are definitely spending a night at
Wadi Rum and will be out with the traditional Bedouins – it’s one of the
parts I am so looking forward to…and good to know even the dodgy hospitals
are solid choices (somehow I often find myself there too!). :)
I just got back from Jordan and Egypt, where I was traveling with a US tourism delegation investigating travel safety. I had an AMAZING time in Jordan, and would love to go back. Petra is even more impressive in person than in photos, and the Bedouin culture is fascinating. I felt completely safe traveling there, even when we were about 40 minutes from the Syrian border. (Search for #SafeME on Twitter for Jordan posts). You’ll have a great time. Look forward to reading about your travels!
Thanks so much for weighing in on this Leslie! Your experiences over the
past weeks must have been amazing – appreciate the tips as that was
something on my mind, so it’s good to have a first hand account! Cheers and
thanks, will look up that hashtag. :)
Jordan is a great country. I stopped there last year on my RTW trip. I can pretty much guarantee that your experience will be different since it is a press trip. I had some difficulties being a solo female traveler in the Middle East. It was quite challenging in some ways, but I really did enjoy my time in Wadi Musa once I got myself settled for the few days I was there. I live in Portland, OR and am planning to go TBEX in Vancouver. WDS sold out before I found out about it. Either way, if you need any assistance in Portland, feel free to contact me! I love showing people around.
Sorry to hear that you had some difficulties there as a solo woman – no doubt I will be differently exposed to many of the situations you faced with a tour guide the whole time. I found some most likely similar challenges in India, but it really helps when you’re able to take a break for a few days and work out of a “home base” of sorts!
Thanks for the offer about Portland! Those days are all up in the air, so I really appreciate the offer :) Will get in touch, or meet you at TBEX at the very least :)
Hi Shannon, that’s awesome that you and Jodi get to go to Jordan together. I’ve heard such great things from other bloggers who went there recently. It should be a blast. I’m sure you will love the food as well. :)
The other bloggers have really had some amazing experiences so I’m honored that I get to join the ranks traveling over there! :) Can’t wait for the food. I love Asia and all, but a change of pace food-wise is going to rock!
How exciting! The Middle East is definitely on my list of places to visit–my mom learned Arabic in the FBI and kept in touch with many of her professors, so I’ve grown up exposed to a bit of the culture. I’ve heard nothing but good things about Jordan–can’t wait to hear your take on it!
That’s a wonderfully personal connection to the region – I always find that makes a country a lot more enjoyable, when you have a really compelling reason to go visit! Maybe after Oz/SEA?! :)
It’s a definite possibility–although it’s still a region that I wouldn’t feel comfortable exploring as a single female. Need to convince a friend!
I’m dying to get to Jordan, this post just ignited my wanderlust for the country even more!
That’s how I felt! I was digging around online to find out some fun facts and it just incited more of an itch to visit there next week :)
Hi Shannon,
How did you go about planning your trip to Jordan?
Great post! I learned so much about Jordan from this – we really want to go there in the next couple of years ~Andrea
Thanks Andrea! I had fun looking up some new facts too – it was like an Easter egg hunt online to find some neat niche facts about the country before I head there :)
Looking forward to your jump for joy shot in front of Petra :)
Hah! It’s going to be EPIC! And we’re going to finagle a way for Jodi to get one too – preferably without jumping…I’ll let you know how that goes :)
Outstanding! Congratulations! Can’t wait to hear all about it. That’s on my short list of places I want to go too.
Thanks James! The Middle East (including Jordan) was high on my short list as well, so this is a fun development :)
Good share By review your post Jordan sounds awesome place to travel.Thanks for this post and experience.Have a great time………!!!!!!!
Thanks for stopping in! I’m excited to head there – stick around next week for the updates on what it’s like to travel there! :)
Congratulations on getting sent there. Look forward to hearing all about your travels there. I would love to go to Jordon!
Thanks Anthony! The country has so many different options – I’m psyched to see it’s different facets and personalities :)
Awesome! Jordan is definitely on our travel list as well. Have a great time!
Thanks guys! And when you get there shoot me an email :)
Could not be more enthused for you. :) Truly. Who hasn’t had their toes wiggle when they see the scene in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” where Petra appears ahead?
Regarding the Dead Sea, that’s certainly something to see sooner than later, because apparently it’s disappearing fast…20 metre fall in the 20th Century, I believe.
Looking forward to seeing Jordan vicariously through you guys. :)
Thanks Mike! Can I make a confession here in the comments and admit that I haven’t seen Indiana Jones?! But, uh, yeah, still thrilled to be seeing Petra ;-)
That’s intriguing about the Dead Sea – I hadn’t read that yet. Glad to be going there now then!
Have a wonderful time — they are great hosts.
Thanks Michael! Everyone’s so sweet so far, I’m looking forward to it :)