What to Wear in Jordan: Dress Code, Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea

What to wear in Jordan comes down to two questions: how covered should you be, and how much will the temperature swing? In our experience Jordan is a warm, welcoming country for women travellers, but it is a conservative society, and a single trip can take you from a cool morning in Amman to a hot afternoon in Petra and a cold night under the stars in Wadi Rum. This 2026 guide covers the dress expectations for visitors, the seasons, what to wear in Amman and its mosques, at Petra, in the desert and at the Dead Sea, and a packing list built around long kaftans, tunics and wide trousers.

What is the dress code in Jordan for tourists?

There is no formal dress law for visitors, but there are clear expectations. The Canadian government's travel advice notes that Jordan's customs, laws and regulations adhere closely to Islamic practices and beliefs, and advises visitors to dress conservatively and behave discreetly (Government of Canada travel advice). The Rough Guide to Jordan is more specific: cover shoulders and knees, and for women, loose-fitting, opaque clothes that cover the legs, arms and chest are a major help in relating normally with local men, while shorts and Lycra leggings are best avoided (Rough Guides).

That brief suits resort wear perfectly. A long kaftan or caftan with sleeves, a midi or maxi dress that skims rather than clings, or a tunic over wide trousers all meet it without feeling like a costume. Keep a light scarf in your bag to cover your neckline or shoulders, or your hair at a mosque. Jordanian cities are more relaxed than the countryside, and in our experience you will see a wider range of dress in west Amman's cafes than in a village near Petra; when in doubt, cover a little more.

When to go: Jordan's seasons and what they mean for packing

Jordan's weather depends on altitude as much as season. Amman sits on hills between about 700 and 1,000 metres, and its winter, from the end of November to early or mid-March, sees temperatures around or below 17°C, rain, and sporadic snowfall once or twice a year (Wikipedia: Amman). Spring is brief and warm, and summers are long but tempered by breezes. In the desert, the swings are bigger: in Wadi Rum, at about 950 metres, average daytime highs climb from about 15°C in January to about 35°C in July, while the average overnight low is about 5°C in January and still only about 19°C in July (Wikipedia: Wadi Rum).

Winter brings two practical warnings. The UK government notes that during the rainy season, from November to March, there is a risk of flash floods in Jordan's wadis, and that heavy snow can trap vehicles and block mountain roads, including around Petra. It also advises bringing appropriate clothing for extreme temperatures on any outdoor activity (GOV.UK travel advice). Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the most comfortable times to visit in our view, with one wardrobe that does both day and night: light linen and cotton for the day, and a proper jacket for the evening.

Amman: the citadel, the souks and the mosques

Amman is a hilly, modern capital, and you will walk a lot of stairs between the Citadel, the Roman Theatre and the downtown souks. A co-ord set of a long-sleeved shirt and wide trousers is the most practical outfit for a day here, and a shirt dress in linen does the same job. In the evening, Rainbow Street and the restaurants of Jabal Amman and Weibdeh are relaxed and stylish; a printed kaftan or a maxi dress with a stole works for dinner.

The King Abdullah I Mosque, with its blue mosaic dome, is open to tourists. Men must wear long trousers, women must cover their heads, arms and legs, and a hooded gown is provided free of charge for visitors who need one (Wikipedia: King Abdullah I Mosque). Arrive in an ankle-length, long-sleeved outfit with a scarf large enough to wrap around your head, and slip-on shoes, since shoes come off at the door.

What to wear to Petra

Petra is the reason most people come to Jordan, and it is a walking day before it is a fashion one. UNESCO describes it as half-built, half-carved into the rock, and surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges, approached through the Siq, a natural winding cleft in the rock (UNESCO World Heritage Centre). The walk back up to the gate through the Siq takes an hour or more, and the Monastery, Petra's largest monument, takes almost an hour to reach along a path of rock-cut steps (Wanderlust).

Dress for that. Wear broken-in trainers or walking shoes with grip, not sandals; the paths are sand, gravel and polished stone. Loose trousers or a skirt that does not restrict your stride, a breathable long-sleeved top or shirt for sun protection, a hat and a small backpack with water are the essentials, plus a layer for early mornings and the cool of the Siq. Petra's rose-red rock looks beautiful against white, saffron, rust and cobalt, so if you want photographs, a long kaftan in a strong colour is worth carrying to change into for the Treasury, then out of again for the climb.

“Jordan rewards a long, loose silhouette. Cover the shoulders, let the fabric move, and choose one strong colour that will sing against the sandstone,” says Ramola Bachchan, the fashion designer behind First Resort.

Wadi Rum: desert days and cold nights

Wadi Rum is a protected area of about 74,000 hectares in the far south, a desert landscape of narrow gorges, natural arches and towering cliffs, inscribed by UNESCO as a mixed natural and cultural site (UNESCO World Heritage Centre). Most visitors take a jeep tour and spend a night in a Bedouin camp. Dress for sun by day and for cold by night: a loose long-sleeved shirt and trousers in a light colour, a scarf you can pull over your nose and mouth when the jeep kicks up sand, sunglasses and a hat. As the Wadi Rum figures above show, even midsummer nights fall to around 19°C on average, and winter nights to around 5°C, so pack a warm jacket or fleece and something cosy to sleep in.

The Dead Sea and Aqaba

The Dead Sea is the lowest place on land: as of 2025 its surface is about 440 metres below sea level, making its shores the lowest land-based elevation on Earth, and it is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world (Wikipedia: Dead Sea). Most visitors float from one of the resort hotels on the Jordanian shore, where swimwear is the norm. Bring an old, dark swimsuit you do not mind sacrificing to the salt and mud, flip-flops or water shoes for the hot, rocky shore, and a cover-up, sarong or short kaftan for walking back through the hotel.

Aqaba, on the Red Sea, is Jordan's beach and diving town. In our view the same rule applies there: swimwear at hotel pools, private beaches and on dive boats, and a cover-up or dress that covers your shoulders and knees as soon as you head into town.

Visiting during Ramadan

The Canadian government's travel advice notes that in 2027 Ramadan is expected to begin on or around 7 February, and that visitors should refrain from eating, drinking and smoking in public between sunrise and sunset (Government of Canada travel advice). It is a beautiful time to see Jordan, with lively evenings after the fast is broken, but lean to the more covered end of your wardrobe: ankle-length hems, sleeves to the wrist and a scarf always to hand.

A week in Jordan: the packing list

1. Two long kaftans or caftans with sleeves, one for dinners and one in a strong colour for Petra photographs.
2. Two tunics and two pairs of loose, wide trousers.
3. One co-ord set with long sleeves for Amman and travel days.
4. One maxi dress in an opaque fabric.
5. A large lightweight scarf for mosques, desert sand and sun.
6. A warm jacket or fleece for Wadi Rum nights and winter in Amman and Petra.
7. An old dark swimsuit and a cover-up for the Dead Sea and Aqaba.
8. Broken-in walking shoes with grip, slip-on sandals, water shoes, a hat, sunglasses and high-factor sunscreen.

If you are combining Jordan with Egypt or the Gulf, the same capsule works there too; our guides to Egypt and Oman cover the differences.

Browse our kaftans and the vacation edit, in sizes XS to 8XL at the same price, made to order and shipped worldwide.

Frequently asked questions

What should female tourists wear in Jordan?

Loose, opaque clothes that cover your shoulders, arms and knees, such as long dresses, kaftans, tunics and wide trousers. Jordan has no law requiring visitors to cover their hair, but a scarf is needed for mosques.

What should I wear to Petra?

Comfortable closed shoes with grip, loose trousers or a long skirt you can climb in, a breathable top with sleeves, a hat and a warm layer. Petra involves hours of walking on sand and rock, and the climb to the Monastery is on rock-cut steps.

Does it get cold in Wadi Rum at night?

Yes. Even in summer, nights in Wadi Rum average around 17 to 19 degrees C, and in winter the average overnight low falls to about 5 degrees C, so pack a warm jacket or fleece for a desert camp.

Can I wear a swimsuit at the Dead Sea?

Yes, at the Dead Sea resort hotels, where swimwear is the norm. Wear a cover-up such as a kaftan or sarong when you walk through the hotel or leave the beach.

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