Ramadan in Jordan: Information, Dates & Travel Tips

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Many international visitors wonder whether it’s a good idea to visit Jordan during Ramadan. The truth is that traveling to a Muslim country such as Jordan during Ramadan can be both beneficial as well as inconvenient.

I have gathered the most important things to know about Ramadan in Jordan to take into consideration when planning your trip.

What is Ramadan?

Ramadan is the holy month in Islam. There are ritual obligations called the Five Pillars of Islam which are the foundation of Muslim life. Fasting is one of those Five Pillars. For this reason, Muslims refrain from eating and drinking during daytime. Additionally, shorter working hours are common to allow worshippers to dedicate more time to religious activities and their families.

If you’d like to learn more about the traditions, check out my complete guide on Ramadan.

When is Ramadan in Jordan?

The dates of Ramadan are based on the Islamic calendar, which is a lunar calendar of 12 lunar months consisting of only 354 days. With lunar calendars being shorter than the Gregorian calendar (365 days), Islamic holidays such as Ramadan and Eid (the subsequent festivals) vary from year to year. The same principle applies to the Christian holidays such as Easter where dates are also based on a lunar calendar.

Year	Ramadan in Jordan (Dates*)
2022	Friday, 1st April 2022 – Saturday, 30th April 2022
2023	Wednesday, 22nd March 2023 – Thursday, 20th April 2023
2024	Sunday, 10th March 2024 – Monday, 8th April 2024
2025	Friday, 28th February 2025 – Saturday, 29th March 2025
2026	Tuesday, 17th February 2026 – Wednesday, 18th March 2026

* Please note that the dates of Ramadan in Jordan depend on the crescent moon. Slight variations (usually not more than a day) are possible.

Visiting Jordan during Ramadan

Depending on the year, it can happen that the best time to visit Jordan overlaps with the dates of Ramadan. Is it a good idea to visit Jordan during Ramadan?

Traveling to a muslim country such as Jordan during Ramadan can be a memorable cultural experience. However, it also involves some restrictions. Read below the main advantages and drawbacks of visiting an Islamic country during Ramadan.

Advantages

The main reason why visiting Jordan during Ramadan is the unique cultural experience that this involves. Muslims don’t consider Ramadan a punishment (although refraining from eating and drinking during the day might sound challenging). In fact, Ramadan is considered the holy month in which people dedicate their time to prayer and reflection. Fasting is a sign of faith which teaches sacrifice.

As such, the atmosphere during Ramadan is very different from other times of the year. The evening meal at the end of the daily Ramadan fast (known as Iftar), has a special significance. Family and friends get together to share a meal which consists of several courses. 

Some delicacies such as Qatayef are widely available during Ramadan, and this is the best moment for you to try even more local specialties.

Inconvenients

In respect of the locals and religion, during Ramadan even non-Muslim visitors should avoid eating and drinking in public during the day. While you are free to do so in your hotel room, please note that some restaurants are closed during the day. 

Another factor is that during Ramadan opening hours of most sights are shorter than usual and that there are less tourist guides available. Guided tours that require heavy physical activity (such as guided Wadi Mujib trails, hiking in Dana etc) are not available during Ramadan.

Therefore, if you are planning a round trip through Jordan that involves some physical activities, it is best to do so outside of Ramadan.