Photos taken by Shefa’a Tawil (University of Iowa Class), Student Correspondent for CET Jordan, Summer 2025
I ducked into the cab, leaned back, and after a few minutes of driving, asked, “ممكن أفتح الشباك؟”—May I open the window?—as we began our descent toward the Dead Sea from Madaba. My friends from CET sit on either side of me, while others follow in a second cab behind us. I wait for the driver’s curiosity to kick in. It always does. A young Arab woman speaking Arabic, but traveling with clearly foreign friends—we never go unnoticed.
The questions come quickly: Where are you from? How will you get back from the Dead Sea? Oh, you want to visit the Ma’in hot springs? How will you get there?
Then, the haggling begins.
The haggling is the best part—it makes me happy. Coming from the rigidity of fixed prices in America, the fluid, back-and-forth bargaining in Jordan, and more broadly the Middle East feels freeing. It pushes me to grow, to read people and to speak with confidence, all while thinking in Arabic. Even when it doesn’t go well, there’s always a lesson to glean from the experience.
We eventually settled on 20 dinars total: a ride from the Dead Sea to the Ma’in hot springs the next day, then from the hot springs to the bus stop back in Madaba.
That cab ride was just one of many stories from my time exploring Jordan. In a country with little to no formal public transportation, combined with CET’s prohibition of renting vehicles, how do you get around? This blog is part travel guide, part personal journey—full of travel methods within Jordan.
Getting around Jordan is never one-size-fits-all—your best option depends largely on your destination and budget. For longer trips between cities (for example, Amman to Aqaba) , the JETT buses offer a reliable and comfortable way to travel, while local buses provide a cheaper, albeit less predictable method. Sometimes, especially when time is tight or you’re traveling with friends, biting the bullet and taking a cab, Uber, or Careem becomes the most manageable option, especially when costs are shared.
There is a JETT bus station close to the apartments CET places us in. There is also a local bus station located on the seventh circle, about a 11 minute walk from our apartments. I highly recommend a trip with the local bus. Fares are under 5 dinars (one dinar from Madaba to Amman) and it is one of the best travel experiences I’ve had in Jordan.
If you are a nature fan, and want to hit as many wadis as possible in Jordan I recommend Jordan Trips. For 35 dinars (can be negotiated for lower if you bring a large group) you can visit beautiful wadis in Jordan with the locals. These will be some of the best people you will meet in your life. Trips take roughly the whole day (7:30 am to 7:30 pm). Brunch and dinner is provided.
The best part is, if you ever need travel advice you have a wonderful person to talk to. Please speak with the travel king, aka our Resident Director, Ahmed. The first time I asked him for travel advice, I saw the biggest smile spread across his face and I immediately knew I was in good hands.
Traveling in Jordan can feel overwhelming at first, but with a little patience, and an adventurous spirit anything is possible. No matter what you do, every journey offers its own adventure and lesson. Please, my biggest advice is that no weekend should be spent in Amman. Travel, explore, and live.
Safe travels my friends. I wish you the best.