Middle East

Jordan in December

Quiet and atmospheric, with real cold at night. Heavy rain occasionally closes Petra's siq for flash-flood safety.

Quiet valueCool, Petra highs near 54F (12C), rain spells

The Monastery at Petra, Jordan — JordanPhoto: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 3.0

The straight answer

December is a quiet, good-value month to visit Jordan. Quiet and atmospheric, with real cold at night. Heavy rain occasionally closes Petra's siq for flash-flood safety.

Weather: Cool, Petra highs near 54F (12C), rain spells
Crowds: 2 of 5
Prices: 2 of 5

What December is like in Jordan

December is quiet and atmospheric with real cold at night. Petra highs are around 54F (12C), rain spells come and go, and heavy rain occasionally closes the siq for flash-flood safety. Crowds and prices are low. Wadi Rum nights drop close to freezing, but the Dead Sea and Aqaba stay mild.

It suits travelers who want quiet sites and do not mind bundling up. Families with young kids may prefer spring or fall. If you come, book a heated camp in Rum and build in extra time at Petra, then warm up at the Dead Sea or in Aqaba.

Make the most of December

What is especially good about Jordan this month.

Quiet Petra

The main trails and viewpoints are calm. On a clear day, the winter light is crisp and clean.

Dead Sea escape

Mild temperatures at the lowest point on Earth make December a pleasant time to float.

Warm winter Aqaba

The Red Sea coast offers sun and warmth while the highlands are cold.

What to pack for December

A warm insulated jacket
A hat and gloves for camp nights
A rain shell
Hiking shoes with grip
A swimsuit for the Dead Sea

Our timing tip

Book a camp in Wadi Rum with heating or heavy bedding, since the cheaper canvas camps can be very cold in December.

Book Jordan for December.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Jordan
Opens a hotel search for Jordan in December, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for December
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Jordan
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Jordan
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Jordan for December. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in December

Petra by Night

Several evenings a week, year-round, weather permitting

The siq and Treasury plaza lit by candles, with Bedouin music. Touristy and worth it once; check the current schedule locally as nights can change.

Ramadan in Jordan

Dates shift about 11 days earlier each year; check the current window

Petra, Rum, and hotels operate normally and tourist restaurants stay open, but many local eateries close until sunset, some site hours shorten, and evenings turn festive. The Eid holidays that follow bring busy domestic travel.

Things to do in Jordan

Full guide

Petra, over two days

One day barely covers the siq, Treasury, and city center. A two-day ticket costs little more and buys you the Monastery climb and the high places without racing. Start at opening, 6am, to walk the siq nearly alone.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

The Monastery trail at Petra

About 800 rock-cut steps up from the city center to Petra's biggest facade. Go mid afternoon when the sun swings onto the facade and the day-trip crowds have drained.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Wadi Rum by 4x4, then a night in camp

A sunset jeep tour into the protected area, dinner in a Bedouin camp, and a night under the stars. Staying over is the whole point; day trips miss the silence.

Tickets and tours →

Floating in the Dead Sea

Use a resort or managed beach for showers, you will want them, and keep the water out of your eyes. Mornings are calmest; mud on, float, rinse, repeat.

Tickets and tours →

Jerash

One of the best-preserved Roman provincial cities anywhere, an hour north of Amman: colonnaded streets, theatres, and a hippodrome, usually gloriously uncrowded.

Tickets and tours →

Amman's citadel and downtown

The citadel's Temple of Hercules overlooks a Roman theatre and the downtown souk. Finish with knafeh, the local dessert obsession, at a downtown sweets house.

Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Enter Petra at 6am. The tour-bus wave from Amman and the cruise ports arrives mid morning; walking the siq at dawn, and reaching the Treasury with a handful of people, is a different experience from the same walk at 11am.
Sleep in Wadi Musa two nights and buy the two-day Petra ticket: day-trippers see the front of the site, you get the Monastery, the high places, and the quiet hours at both ends of the day.
Do the Monastery climb after 3pm, when the light hits the facade and the midday crowd has gone; do the Treasury and siq at dawn. Opposite ends of the day, opposite ends of the site.
Book Wadi Rum camps directly and stay two nights if you can: sunset and sunrise in the protected area happen after the day-trip jeeps leave.

Know before you go

Petra is open every day of the year, but heavy winter rain can close the siq on short notice for flash-flood safety, and rare snow occasionally shuts the site entirely for a day or two. Between November and March, keep one flexible day in the plan.
Wadi Rum camps run year-round, but winter nights drop near freezing and the cheaper camps are canvas-and-blanket affairs: from December through February, book a camp with heating or serious bedding, or expect a cold night.
During Ramadan, the headline sites and tourist services all operate, though some hours compress and many local restaurants outside tourist zones close until sunset. Alcohol service is reduced. Dates shift about 11 days earlier each year.
Petra by Night runs only on certain evenings each week and cancels in bad weather; if it is on your list, arrange your Wadi Musa nights around the current schedule rather than assuming any given evening.

Jordan in December, quick answers

Is December a good time to visit Jordan?

December is a quiet, good-value month to visit Jordan. Quiet and atmospheric, with real cold at night. Heavy rain occasionally closes Petra's siq for flash-flood safety.

What is the weather like in Jordan in December?

Cool, Petra highs near 54F (12C), rain spells.

Is Jordan crowded in December?

December is one of the quieter months in Jordan; most sights can be done without long waits.

What is happening in Jordan in December?

Petra by Night (several evenings a week, year-round, weather permitting); Ramadan in Jordan (dates shift about 11 days earlier each year; check the current window).