Jordan or Egypt. Which country should you visit in 2024?
Walking down the Siq in Petra in awe of the place in absolute peace was one of my all time favourite travel experiences.
Egypt offers many ancient treasures, but can it beat moments like this?
Following trips to both Jordan and Egypt in 2023. I have first hand experience of both countries. I visited the main highlights in both places and explored the culture, food and transport .
This blog will compare the two mystical nations, and I will give you tips and tricks to enjoy both places safely.
My final verdict is at the end of the blog. So let’s find out where you are booking flights to next!
Sharing a special moment at the Treasury at Petra with a camel.
Visiting the tourist spots in Jordan and Egypt.
Both countries are a treasure trove of historical sites dating back thousands of years.
This was the biggest lure for me, along with wanting to sample the Middle Eastern way of life for the first time.
There won’t be enough space in this article to go over them in all detail, however, I have many blogs on both countries - so go and check them out after!
Let’s uncover the gems of both countries.
Selfie time at the Great Pyramid of Giza.
Petra vs Pyramids of Giza.
There is no doubt that the two main wonders of Jordan and Egypt are the biggest draws for global tourists. They are both iconic symbols of the great history of the countries.
I must say that Petra is my greatest travel experience ever, so that takes the win in this comparison. I would recommend you book a 4 day private tour in Jordan, as you get driven to all the top sites at your own pace, and it is more efficient than relying on public transport.
We got to spend all day in Petra doing it this way - Anything less than that would have made it harder to reach the monastery.
There is so much to explore on site to learn about Petra’s history.
Arriving at my third wonder of the world.
The pyramids are a close contender though, and offered a fascinating morning visit. I loved entering inside the pyramid, and grabbing the famous camera shot on the camel with an amazing backdrop.
Similarly, you want to be pre-planning your trip to the Pyramids of Giza, as they are not an easy place to navigate unless you have your wits about you.
There are many locals just waiting to take your money ASAP.
I would advise you to pre-book a tour of the site to enjoy the full experience and put your mind at ease in advance. I booked with Get Your Guide and the service was professional from the on-time pick up to the high level educated local guide.
The guide helped to keep scam artists away from us, which was worth its weight in gold.
Amman vs Cairo.
I found the two capitals to have similar vibes, so it is difficult to pick a winner here.
As you would expect, there was bustling daily life in the bazaars and downtown areas of both Amman and Cairo. The traffic was harder to navigate in Cairo though, as it was never ending and not orderly - this made the city break part of my Egypt trip more entertaining though!
I enjoyed learning about the ancient past of Egypt at Coptic Cairo and the Egyptian Museum, however, I equally enjoyed the Citadel and Roman Theatre experiences in Amman, which teach a hands-on history lesson.
The view from the Citadel hill of the whole of Amman is definitely worth a mention also.
Both cities are rich with history and offer moments of awe.
I really enjoyed the street art in Amman, along with Rainbow Street. This offered more of a tourist feel than Cairo in terms of entertainment and nightlife.
I feel like the Jordanians have added a bright vibe to an otherwise dull city.
Cairo could do with more of this in my opinion!
An awesome backdrop of Amman in Jordan.
A famous building mural in Amman.
Some other awesome places to visit.
Egypt and Jordan are both abundant with ancient landmarks, so much so, that you may be overwhelmed when planning your itineraries.
Here is a list of the notable places that should be in your plans.
Egypt.
Valley of the Kings (Luxor).
Valley of the Queens (Luxor).
The Temple of Philae (Aswan).
The unfinished Oblesik (Aswan).
The Temple of Hatshepsut (Luxor).
Abu Simbel.
Karnak Temple (Luxor).
Luxor Temple.
Sofitel Legend Old Cataract Hotel (Aswan).
Luxor Museum (Luxor).
The Mummification Museum (Luxor).
A personal highlight of Egypt was visiting the famous Pharaoh Tut’s tomb at the Valley of the Kings. This was a bucket list activity made even better by several minutes in solitude with the Mummy of Tut.
King Tut’s tomb - one of Egypt’s main highlights for me.
Jordan.
The Dead Sea.
Map of Madaba Church.
Wadi Rum Desert.
Jerash.
Aqaba City.
Jordan offered more variation with its tourist sites. Not many countries can offer the mixture of natural Canyons, the lowest point on earth, another worldly desert, and ancient cities. Especially when you consider its small size.
Egypt’s temples are amazing, however, after you visit several of them, they don’t offer too much variation. The Aswan Nubian Villages do offer a unique travel experience though.
Jordan just edges Egypt on landmarks!
Chilling in a coffee shop in Rainbow Street in Amman.
The cultures of the countries.
If I am being honest, the hassle culture of Egypt took me completely by surprise. I had experienced something similar in Marrakech and seen videos of the pyramid hustlers before.
However, I was in for a big shock!
Throughout my time in Luxor I was chased, heckled and scammed. I did learn how to minimise this after a day or two, but it did put a small dampener on my trip.
Imagine you’ve spent a full night on a rickety night train with broken sleep, and you finally arrive at Luxor station excited for the ancient treasures awaiting for you.
Then you step onto the platform and several locals run towards you to try and sell you tours, taxis and anything else you can think of.
Not ideal!
My experience of Jordan was the polar opposite.
I found Amman to be laidback, even in Rainbow Street where it is more lively.
There were no locals approaching us until we got inside of the main Petra site. Even then it was mainly the famous Treasury spot where this occurred.
The local culture in Cairo.
A Nubian charm in Egypt.
One thing that separates the two countries is the taste of Nubia in Aswan.
I had the opportunity to stay in a Nubian Guesthouse and to visit the ‘Gharb Seheyl’ village while visiting Aswan.
The colourful quirky vibes from the locals are infectious, and they certainly offer a nice change from the locals who push the hassle culture too far in Luxor and Cairo.
I got invited into a Nubian home for tea and a show, which was awesome. By the end of the performance they had everyone up singing and dancing.
One of the most interesting aspects was watching the young children ride camels without supervision.
It was quite the Aswan experience!
The local culture in Aswan.
The camels at Petra and the Pyramids.
The camels are an aspect of Middle Eastern/African culture which offer a unique travel experience.
I had only ever rode a camel in Marrakech in Morocco before 2023.
From what I personally witnessed, the camels were looked after better at Petra than the Pyramids of Giza. I felt the Egyptian hassle culture has an impact on the way the camels are treated.
I didn’t personally see any camels getting treated badly, however in Jordan, more care was taken with them for sure.
I also witnessed some camels in their natural habitat in the Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan. Without humans using them for tourist purposes.
This gives me the best memories of all the camel encounters I have had.
A camel in front of the Great Pyramid in Egypt.
A cheeky camel at Petra.
My personal highlight for both places.
I have memories to last a lifetime from both trips, so it is difficult to pick a favourite, however, here are some notable experiences.
Jordan - Wadi Rum Desert.
Stepping foot onto the Martian like sand in Wadi Rum for the first time felt like I had been transported to Mars. The size of the mountains cannot be conveyed across in photos. They were truly magnificent and really put life into perspective.
I can only imagine what it is like for the local Bedouin people living in the vastness of Wadi Rum.
We had a cool time climbing up some of the rocks to get some unique photos with our tour guide.
Climbing up some sand dunes was also breathtaking, even if I was sceptical about scorpions!
The Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan offers a unique experience.
Egypt - Sailing on the Nile.
Sailing on the River Nile is on most people’s bucket list, and mine is no different!
This was one of the things I was most looking forward to on my Egypt trip. I was lucky to experience riding on a felucca in Aswan, along with other taxi boats.
On my way to the Nubian Village, I was taken on a Nile tour by a local lad named ‘Farroukh’. This got me thinking about the local culture.
The Egyptian boys are expected to act as adults from a very young age, whether it is to drive a boat on the Nile, or ride a camel or tuk tuk.
They are subject to the tourism world very early on.
It was certainly an eye opener and the sort of authentic travel experience I am constantly seeking.
Sailing on the Nile in Aswan.
On my way up the 800 steps to the Monastery at Petra.
How to get around both countries.
I would not recommend planning to drive in Egypt.
There are no rules on the road.
This took me by surprise!
I found there to be more transport options in Egypt, which made it easier to traverse the different locations.
In the popular Egyptian cities of Cairo, Luxor, and Aswan there was an abundance of options on the road and Nile, although there is no fixed cost, so you are relying on your haggle skills and a language barrier to negotiate a fair price.
I feel like I overpaid on many of the journeys I took, but the hassle of haggling vs extra money spent was not worth the stress personally.
We spent a lot of time with our private tour guide in Jordan in a luxurious vehicle which helped massively, however, the roads were a lot quieter in Jordan, so less options.
Even in Amman, I only witnessed taxis compared to the addition of tuk tuks, horse and carts and plenty of motorbikes in Cairo.
When planning both trips, the difference in available options to travel between different places within the countries was broad.
There many old cars and taxis driving around Jordan.
Tuk Tuk in Cairo.
Is it cheaper to visit Jordan or Egypt?
This is difficult to do an exact comparison as a result of the culture of Egypt.
It is considerably cheaper than Jordan in most cases, however, tourist prices are dictated at the moment, therefore, every visitor has a different experience.
Jordan is expensive for most things, but it is a fixed cost.
A little comparison to show the difference in costs.
Petra 50 JD (£58) vs Pyramids 200 EGP (£5.50).
Purchasing a Jordan Pass in advance will save you some cash in Jordan, but Egypt is way clear in terms of affordability.
Egypt wins this one comfortably!
Is the food better in Egypt or Jordan?
A Bedouin feast.
I found the food to be disappointing in both countries, however, I have visited many countries with exceptional cuisine, - so the benchmark is very high!
We stayed in a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum Desert, which was awesome and a travel experience I have never experienced before.
We enjoyed a dinner that was prepared by the ‘zorbing’ method (Bedouin’s version of a BBQ), where the food is prepared under the ground in an earth oven.
The locals put on a feast for us, before we all chilled around a fire under the starry sky with tea.
This was a real insight into the local Bedouin culture!
A shout out to the shawarmas in ‘The Best Shawarma’ shop in Rainbow Street in Amman. They were a fast food option that ticked every box.
A feast served up in the Bedouin Camp in Wadi Rum Desert.
An Authentic food experience in Luxor.
I had heard some horror food poisoning stories from friends before I headed to Egypt, which made me careful with food I consumed, however, I did find some gems.
In Luxor, The famous restaurant ‘Sofra’ was an awesome Egyptian dining experience.
I visited during a quiet time in the afternoon to escape the scorching heat in Luxor. This made my experience better, as the restaurant was half empty, meaning I had the full attention of the waiters. I tried a meatball dish named after a king also - Pretty cool!
In Aswan, I also enjoyed a feast, but this time with a Nubian twist in the Bob Marley guest house I was staying in. This was very pleasant as the restaurant was located on a terrace overlooking the Nile at dusk.
A very memorable experience.
Jordan just about wins the food debate, due the one-of-a-kind experience in the Desert.
This will always live on in my memory as a surreal moment.
An Egyptian feast at Sofra Restaurant in Luxor.
Meeting the locals in both countries.
Although I was pulling my hair out with some of the Egyptians behaviour towards me, I did meet some lovely locals.
The photo below shows my interaction with an Egyptian market trader called ‘Eddie’.
While I got my Egyptian bookmark personalised with my name in hieroglyphics, I had mint tea with him. This was a nice experience which I will always remember.
I also had some nice tour guides throughout my Egypt trip.
A local I shared a tea with at Luxor market.
Most of the locals who I interacted with in Jordan were awesome.
Our tour guide (below) looked after us on our three day tour which included Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea.
Ahmed looked after us from start to finish and explained the history of the different sites very well.
He made sure we were fully equipped with a dry bag in advance for our very wet trip to Wadi Mujib Canyon also, which was a nice touch.
Another notable character we met was ‘Mo’ from Little Petra. He was full of life and very knowledgeable.
Our tour guide in Wadi Rum showing us the sand.
Is it safer in Jordan or Egypt?
I can only offer advice on my personal experience of both countries as of my visit in 2023. I would always plan ahead and do some thorough research due to ongoing issues in the region.
I felt safer in Jordan out of the two, however, I didn’t have many issues in either country.
As a solo-traveller in Egypt I had some scam artists trying their luck etc. but nothing major.
As seen in the photo below, there were armed guards and police officers throughout Egypt. At the landmarks and in many places in Cairo.
This was a paradox for me though. Although you are technically safer, an illusion was formed in my mind that they were expecting something to happen. This did put me on edge throughout my trip.
In Jordan, I didn’t feel unsafe at any point of my whole trip.
An armed security guard at the Temple of Philae in Aswan.
Which country is better for Solo travel?
Egypt seemed to have a better transport network between its different cities and archaeological sites. This makes it easier to move around at a reasonable cost without being able to split any costs.
I found that hostels and hotels aren’t ideal in both countries. I’ve had much easier solo trips in the Balkans or Asia in terms of meeting fellow travellers.
The language barrier is a big factor in this.
A tour to the East Bank and West Bank in Luxor is a full day trip which offers plenty of opportunities to meet people. I enjoyed a day with 10 random strangers.
By the end of the day, I was having dinner with two of them!
Impressive statue in the Nubia Museum in Aswan.
Egypt vs Jordan - The final verdict.
Both trips were awesome, so it is difficult to choose between the two countries, as are both abundant with rich travel experiences.
The chilled culture I experienced in Jordan made it a more enjoyable trip than Egypt. I also got scammed a couple of times and had to haggle for basically everything in Egypt.
Jordan was more ‘it is what it says on the tin’ vibes. You know exactly how much you are paying and what to expect for your money.
Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea all offered completely different experiences, whereas, in Egypt the temples etc are quite similar so there isn’t much variation until you head to the Nubian Villages.
I would still say that you should visit Egypt, but if you are choosing your next bucket list trip,
Jordan is my choice!
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