Jerusalem Travel Forum

I will be staying in Jerusalem a few days, then want to go on to Jerash, then Petra, before returning to Tel Aviv to fly home. Any suggestions for places to stay in Jerash and Petra, and how to get from Jerusalem to Jerah to petra, then back to Tel Aviv?

Hope you can help me out.

Here is a great web site that confirms the best way to go is on a tour.

This site describes a tour from Eilat but we took one from Tel Aviv. Make sure you have a visa.

Jerash is in the north, more or less opposite Caesarea. Petra is far to the south, closer to Aqaba. Are you planning on renting a car once in Jordan, for the trip?

From Israel to Jerash you would probably want to use the Sheik Hussein crossing, near Beit Sha'an. You *must* have a visa in advance. Not available at the bridge crossing afaik.

I don't know anything about the public transportation system in Jordan, but from Petra I would return to Israel via the Aqaba crossing to Eilat and then take a bus or fly back to Tel Aviv for your flight home.

This may be a very complicated trip to do on one's own.

There are a number of organized tours that do this trip in 2 or 3 days.
Some possibilities are:
http://www.tourplanisrael.com/?CategoryID=226&ArticleID=229
http://www.israelpetratours.com/content/petra_jerash.asp

Have fun!

I might also suggest that you check out Ruth's site, Jordan Jubilee:
http://www.jordanjubilee.com

and the map on: http://www.jordanjubilee.com/genjord/tourmap.htm

Another possibility of course is to fly direct to Amman and then go slightly north (~50 km) to Jerash before turning south to Petra. You can get to Jerash from Amman very easily by bus from the Tarbarbour station in Amman, the trip takes a little over an hour.
For more details, see:
http://www.jordanjubilee.com/visitjor/jerash.htm

There is only one hotel in Jerash, the Hadrian's Gate Hotel, just opposite to Hadrian's Arch: http://www.jordanjubilee.com/visitjor/jerash.htm