I am so happy that my plan to the Siq Trail (Wadi Mujib) and Dead Sea turned out to be delicately perfect. Both are indeed best done in one day as they’re located right next to each other.
We left Amman around 12 PM with a private driver arranged through my hotel. It was 65 JOD (USD 92) for a half-day trip covering both destinations. Pretty fair for 3 people, I suppose?!
Our first stop was lunch at a family-owned restaurant near the Dead Sea called Beit Sweimeh. At first, I was a bit doubtful because we were the only guests and the restaurant literally sits in the middle of the desert, surrounded by houses that are far apart from each other. But the food turned out to be delicious just like I read on the reviews, and it came at a great price too. We ordered 4-5 dishes for sharing, and it cost only around 30 JOD.
THE SIQ TRAIL – WADI MUJIB
From the restaurant, we drove another 40 minutes to Wadi Mujib Adventure Center, arriving around 3 PM. The officer at the entrance warned us to hurry because they close at 3:30 PM, but once inside, we could stay and enjoy the gorge. So if you are planning to come, make sure you arrive before 3 PM.
As what I always imagined, Wadi Mujib was so much fun. Though I was planning to do the longer trail one like Malaqi Trail, but due to several reasons I finally ended up with Siq Trail. Malaqi is the longer one, it needs 7 hours and starts early in the morning, while Siq Trail is the shortest, it’s actually part of Malaqi Trail that only need 2 – 3 hours to finish.
But I don’t regret at all, the gorge at the Siq Trail was incredibly amazing — the canyon walls twist and curve beautifully with shades of light red and gold, made it to one perfect nature sculpture. The river stream down to it adding the whole vibe to be an impressive canyon experience. My favorite view was at the end of the trail, where a huge stone hanging above the stream. Floating beneath it was the best feeling ever!
The canyoning itself was a good portion of adventure I needed: it consist of climbing multiple small waterfalls, pulling through currents, and walking or body drifting between towering canyon walls. There were some challenging sections with heavy streams, but we were lucky — one of the officials ended up guiding us through stream after stream all the way to the end. We didn’t specifically ask him to, he just appeared and naturally stayed with us, maybe because we looked amateur? lol. But honestly we needed his help, his presence gives us more confidence and assurance, otherwise we might take way more longer or worse, give up in the middle. So yeah, we tip him at the end as a token of appreciation.
We finished around 5:30 PM, rinsed off quickly, and continued to the Dead Sea. I didn’t bother rinsing properly because we were about to get wet again anyway, I just changed into my swimsuit and off we went.
Pro Tip: All the safety equipment, like life jackets, is provided. They also rent water shoes and dry bags, though I didn’t use them—I brought my own cheap water shoes (so I could toss them afterward) and a dry case for my phone, where I slipped some money as well. We left all other belongings in the car since there are no lockers on-site. Hats or sunglasses aren’t necessary—it’s mostly shady, and you’ll likely lose them when passing through the heavy streams.
THE DEAD SEA
Floating on the Dead Sea has always been on my bucket list — I mean, it’s the lowest point on earth. How cool is that? But then I wanted more from it, would it be possible to experience it during the sundown? Because I had a feeling it would be magical! And yes… I did it and it was pure magic!!!
But when I researched online, everything seems to point toward resort visits. It sure looks nice, but I feel like the resort experience overshadowed the real magic of the Dead Sea itself. And also, the water near resorts looks… darker and dull? Meanwhile, I’d seen photos of clearer water of the Dead Sea elsewhere. So I dug deeper, and found the kind of spot I’d been wanting to go. No, it’s not the Public Beach — it actually much more raw area, but still possible to reach out.
There are two options I knew :
1. The spot near the entrance of Wadi Mujib.
It’s less than 1 km south of the Wadi Mujib Adventure Center. Keep an eye on the right side of the road — you’ll spot a small parking area. Park there, then walk down the path to the water.
2. The Salt Beach
You can just follow the coordinates — it’s marked clearly as “Salt Beach.” on Google Maps. This is the one with the photogenic salt formations and those crystal-clear hues.
Initially, my plan was to go to Salt Beach, but time was a bit tight — and my driver mentioned that a section of the road was closed. So he brought us to the first spot instead, which already magical enough, especially at sunset. If you do have time, go ahead and visit Salt Beach — and stop by the pink lake nearby while you’re at it.
Watching the sunset over the Dead Sea ended up being one of the best decisions I made. The whole landscape turned gold — the water, the sky, the salt stones — everything glows so beautifully and so solemnly. I swear, it’s one of the best sunset moments you can have in Jordan.
The floating experience was amazing too. I didn’t have any cuts, but I’d scratched my leg the night before, so I felt a tiny bit of tingling when I stepped in. I floated for maybe only around 10 minutes. The salinity is strong, and staying too long isn’t great for the skin. We just sat by the shoreline and soaked in the view, watching the sun gracefully drop behind the Palestinian land.
Pro Tip : I used the same cheap water shoes from Wadi Mujib — highly recommended because the salt stones are sharp and can hurt your feet.
Bring a large water bottle to rinse off after; there’s a rinse area on-site, but it was closed when we went, so it’s better to be prepared. Also don’t forget to bring your own towel.
