A Travel Guide to Mount Nebo in Jordan
Mount Nebo in Jordan is a place of high significance, and it is one of the must-visit places in the country. This travel guide aims to provide you with tips for visiting Mount Nebo, from where you can get amazing views of the Dead Sea and even Jerusalem. We share with you information on how to get to Mount Nebo, how much is the entrance fee, what you can see in the complex, and based on our personal experience, we will tell you whether it is worth visiting Mount Nebo or not.
Jordan is a country where many best things to do are closely connected with religion, and when we were planning our Jordan itinerary, sometimes we had a hard time deciding what place is worth visiting.
Especially for us, ordinary travelers, who are more interested in nature and architectural wonders, than in spiritual sites.
But we have good news. Mount Nebo is worth visiting for all travelers. The top of the hill where you'll find the viewing platform, Moses Memorial Church and the Serpent Statue is approximately 710 meters above sea level, and this place is absolutely gorgeous.
Though when you reach Mount Nebo, it is hard to avoid mentioning why is this place so significant, and why it became a pilgrimage site.
Mount Nebo is mentioned in the Bible, and it was this particular hill that Moses ascended, and from here he could see the Promised Land, a place he was never able to enter during his life.
According to the legend, Moses died on Mount Nebo at age 120 and was supposedly buried in Wadi Mujib, but the exact location is still unknown.
In this blog post, we would like to share with you our personal experience from visiting Mount Nebo and provide you with practical information such as how much is Mount Nebo entrance fee, how to get to Mount Nebo, or where to stay.
But there is one thing you should know even before reading the rest of this blog post.
It is definitely worth traveling to Mount Nebo.
VISITING MOUNT NEBO: OUR EXPERIENCE
Mount Nebo site opens at 7 AM in the winter (and even earlier in the high season)
Since we knew we would have a long day ahead of us since we wanted to drive King's Highway all the way to Petra.
And also see some of the must-visit sites such as Umm ar-Rasas or Karak Castle along the way, we were the first visitors there that day.
We bought tickets and entered the complex. The path led us straightforwardly to the main viewing platform, but before that, we passed around several stone memorials and several information signs.
Do not rush, the hilltop of Mount Nebo is an only short walk from here, and enjoy the light breeze and the sight of wonderful olive trees around.
Then we continued, and in a few minutes, we appeared on a small plaza, where was yet another mosaic covered by a roof to prevent destruction.
As we had already visited the nearby city of Madaba, we knew the area is well-known for well-preserved mosaics, but to be honest, we did not expect to see them on Mount Nebo as well.
And then, it was time to get to the viewing platform. We must say, that for us, the panoramas we could see from Mount Nebo were the highlights of our entire visit.
From the top of the hill, you can see the valley of the River Jordan, the Dead Sea, West Bank (city of Jericho to be precise), Bethlehem, and on a particularly clear day, you can even see Jerusalem in Israel.
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We hope one day we will see Mount Nebo from this country as well. Here we must say that because of the heat the views from Mount Nebo are often covered in haze, but we were very happy with what we saw.
When we were approaching the viewpoint, it was not possible to miss the famous Brazen Serpent Monument created by the Italian artist Gian Paolo Fantoni.
The statue represents the bronze serpent on a pole which Moses erected to protect his people from a poisonous snake which God had sent as a punishment.
When looking at the statue, you will soon realize that two pictures merge here - one of the bronze serpent of Moses, but the shape also reminds the crucified Jesus.
Once we took enough photos of the expansive views, it was time to go inside Moses Memorial Church.
Our experience was probably enhanced by the fact we were there alone, but even if there were people, it would be forbidden to use the phone inside the church and to speak.
So those of you looking for a really peaceful place will find here the happy place. Also note, that if you want to enter the church, you must have your knees and shoulders covered.
The original church was built on Mount Nebo in the 4th century but has been many times rebuilt by then.
We were absolutely taken away by the successful renovation - on the floor and on the walls you can see wonderful, several centuries old mosaics, ancient columns, while most of the church is apparently more modern and airy.
When we are visiting churches, we usually do not spend there much time because it is dark inside, the air is moisty, and it is cold. But not in this church. It was warm, the wood around us smelled nice, the building was light, and mosaics beautiful.
And the absolute silence and stillness was also something to remember.
After we spent some time in the church, we went outside, visited for a while a small museum on-site which holds a few artifacts from the area and also reminds the visit of Pope Benedict XVI in 2009 , and then headed to our car with another stop in our minds - Mukawir.
MOUNT NEBO ENTRANCE FEE
First, it is necessary to say that even though Mount Nebo is one of the top tourist attractions in Jordan, it is not included in the Jordan Pass.
It is for sure worth it to purchase the Jordan Pass for your travels in the country, but you won't be able to use it here.
The whole complex of Mount Nebo has been recently renovated, and the entrance fee has increased to 2 JD per person, but it is still pretty cheap for what you get.
The ticket booth and the entrance itself are pretty large and seemed a bit exaggerated to us since it was only us and one other traveler there the morning of our visit at the beginning of March, but we assume large tour groups are coming here in the high season.
You will find inside the complex new toilets, and in the admission fee is included the entrance to the viewpoint and the Moses Memorial Church on the top of the hill.
Mount Nebo parking is free of charge, and there is plenty of parking spots.
HOW TO GET TO MOUNT NEBO
Mount Nebo should, for sure, have a place on your Jordan itinerary.
No matter what are your plans, getting to Mount Nebo is quite easy from every direction, the only downside is that you need to have your rental car (this is the best way how to get around Jordan) as at the moment, there is no public transport to Mount Nebo.
If you do not have a rental car, you still can hire a driver in either Madaba or Amman, or you can join a tour. These tours usually combine some other popular stops.
For example, this private Madaba and Mount Nebo tour will show the best of these places.
But there are also Madaba and Dead Sea Day Tours, which will take you to Madaba, Mount Nebo, and the nearby Dead Sea.
The least challenging way how to get to Mount Nebo by car is from Madaba as the mount lies only 15 minutes or so away.
From Madaba, you simply have to follow Palestine Street which flows into Al-Quds Street, which leads to Mount Nebo. If you are traveling to Mount Nebo from the south from King's Highway or from the north from Amman, get via road 35 to Madaba, and then follow the same instructions.
It is also possible to reach Mount Nebo from the Dead Sea area. Follow road number 65, then turn right to the scenic side roads leading to Mount Nebo.
Some adventure travelers even decide to hike to Mount Nebo from the Dead Sea area. The climb takes 5 - 7 hours.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
WHERE TO STAY BEFORE OF AFTER VISITING MOUNT NEBO
The visit to the site of Mount Nebo will take you approximately one hour, so then it is necessary to decide where your next steps will lead you.
For example, we stayed the night before in Madaba, then visited Mount Nebo early in the morning, and traveled King's Highway all the way to Wadi Musa, Petra.
But you can also sleep in Amman or one of the resorts around the Dead Sea.
We've handpicked the best accommodation in every destination where you will most likely spend a night before or after visiting Mount Nebo.
Amman | Gallery Guest House - We stayed in this hotel for a couple of days, and really enjoyed clean, air-conditioned and quiet rooms, lovely breakfast, and helpful staff. This hotel is located a walking distance to Amman Citadel, super popular Hashem Restaurant, or Rainbow Street. Great value for money. Free parking on the street in front of the hotel.
Madaba | Mosaic City Hotel - Great location, friendly atmosphere, tasty breakfast, and helpful staff are the main features in this hotel. It is worth it to ask for a room with a balcony facing the garden.
The Dead Sea | Mövenpick Resort & Spa Dead Sea - A luxurious resort offering top services on the shore of the Dead Sea is a top pick for travelers looking for a peaceful retreat.
Petra | Town Season Hotel - This well-rated hotel has beautiful decor, the staff is friendly and the location is also very convenient. This is for sure one of the best pics for visiting Petra the next day.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
