Jerash and Amman tour: Greco-Roman ruins and city highlights

Jerash was buried under sand for over a thousand years until archaeologists uncovered it in 1806.

A private 6-hour tour from Amman to Jerash, one of the Roman Empire's most prosperous Decapolis cities, with a local English-speaking guide and hotel pickup included. Walk through the ancient city's arches, theaters, and colonnaded streets, then return to Amman for a panoramic tour of the Citadel, downtown markets, and the city's historic and modern quarters. Entrance to Jerash is included. Depending on your option, Amman's Citadel and Roman Theater entry may be separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Jerash ruins and Amman city tour

• Pick up from Amman hotel
• Drive to Jerash with guide
• Explore Jerash ancient city ruins
• Visit Oval Plaza and temples
• Return to Amman city
• Panoramic tour of Amman highlights
• See Amman Citadel and Roman Amphitheater
• Free time in Amman downtown markets
• Drive through Jabal Al-Webdeih and Jabal Amman
• Pass Abdoun and Swefieh neighborhoods
• Return to hotel

The experience

How do you fit both an ancient Roman city and a modern Arab capital into one morning? This tour solves that by starting early at Jerash, where you spend the first part of the day walking through one of the best-preserved Greco-Roman sites outside Italy. Your private driver picks you up from your central Amman hotel in an air-conditioned vehicle and handles both the driving and the guiding, so there's no separate logistics to manage. The route passes through green landscapes and smaller towns, and your guide fills the drive with context about what you're about to see.

Once at Jerash, you walk the ancient streets on your own pace. The Oval Plaza is the centerpiece: an egg-shaped public square ringed by standing columns that still convey the scale of Roman ambition. The Temples of Zeus and Artemis frame the site, and the Hippodrome and colonnaded paved streets show how the city was laid out for both commerce and spectacle. Your guide explains how Jerash was established by Alexander the Great in the 2nd century B.C. and later became one of the wealthiest cities in the Roman Empire before sand covered it for centuries. The walk is substantial but manageable, and you set the rhythm.

After Jerash, you drive back to Amman for the second half of the tour. This part is a panoramic drive rather than a walking tour. You pass through neighborhoods and past landmarks rather than stopping at each one. The Citadel viewpoint gives you a vantage over the whole city and the Roman Amphitheater carved into the hillside in the 2nd century B.C. You'll see King Abdullah's Mosque, churches, and the downtown souks, and your driver can stop for free time if you want to browse the gold and spice markets. The tour then moves through the older quarters of Jabal Al-Webdeih and Jabal Amman, Rainbow Street (Amman's arts and shopping district), and the newer upscale neighborhoods of Abdoun and Swefieh before returning you to your hotel.

What’s included

• Your private English-speaking driver and guide.
• hotel pickup and drop-off from central Amman.
• entrance fees to Jerash (depending on your option).
• an air-conditioned vehicle with onboard Wi-Fi.
• a panoramic tour of Amman including the Citadel viewpoint, downtown souks, and the city's historic and modern quarters.

Options for this experience

3 options

Tour for holders of the Jordan PassGuide in English, Spanish or French · 09:00A traditional Jerash visit with a panoramic Amman tour, with no entrance fees for guests who bought a Jordan Pass. Pickup is included.

Tour of Jerash and AmmanGuide in English, Spanish or French · 09:00A traditional visit to Jerash plus a panoramic tour of Amman. Pickup is included.

Tour with LunchGuide in English, Spanish or French · 09:00A traditional Jerash visit and panoramic Amman tour, with lunch at a local restaurant. Pickup is included.

You pick the guide language when booking.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 09:00

Book up to12h before

AgesAdult (12 to 70 years) · Child (6 to 11 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish and French

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortInfant seats available

Operated by Zaid Tours and Travel

Is this one for you?Choose this private trip if you're staying in Amman and want to combine Jerash's ruins with a city overview in one morning. Your guide handles both sites while you walk the ancient streets, then drive past Amman's landmarks before returning by early afternoon.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish and French.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (under 6): free.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the Oval Plaza at Jerash?

The Oval Plaza is the main public square at Jerash, an egg-shaped courtyard ringed by standing columns that once served as the civic and commercial heart of the city. It's one of the best-preserved structures on the site and gives a clear sense of how grand the city was in its Roman heyday.

Do I have to walk a lot at Jerash, or is there a vehicle option?

Jerash involves a substantial walk through the ancient streets and around the major monuments: the Oval Plaza, temples, theaters, and colonnaded streets. The tour is suitable for all fitness levels, but it's not a drive-through. You're on foot exploring the ruins. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring sun protection.

What's included in the Amman part of the tour?

The Amman portion is a panoramic drive past the city's main attractions: the Citadel viewpoint, downtown souks, mosques and churches, and the historic and modern neighborhoods. You get free time in the downtown area for shopping, and the drive passes through Rainbow Street and the upscale districts. Entry to the Citadel and Roman Theater depends on which option you book.

Is hotel pickup really included, or is there an extra charge?

Hotel pickup and drop-off from central Amman hotels are included in the tour price. Your driver will collect you at the time arranged in your voucher. Contact the operator a day before to confirm the exact pickup time and location.

Can I do this tour if I don't have a Jordan Pass?

Yes. The standard tour option includes entrance fees to Jerash. If you already hold a Jordan Pass, there's a separate option for pass holders that excludes the Jerash entrance fee so you're not charged twice. Arab and G.C.C. nationals should book the Jordan Pass option, as reduced entrance fees apply to those passports.