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Amman

Two day trips from Amman into biblical Jordan: Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where Jesus was baptised, and Mount Nebo, where Moses saw the Promised Land.

Amman makes a brilliant base for something you can’t do almost anywhere else: within an hour’s drive you can stand in two of the most significant places in the biblical world. We spent our time here on two day trips, one to the Jordan River, one to a mountaintop, and both left us slightly stunned.

Bethany Beyond the Jordan, where Jesus was baptised

Visiting Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the baptism site on the River Jordan. Watch on YouTube

Bethany Beyond the Jordan (Al-Maghtas) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the eastern bank of the Jordan River, recognised as the place where John the Baptist baptised Jesus. We explored the ancient churches, Byzantine ruins, natural springs and the historic baptism site itself, learning the story of one of Christianity’s most important pilgrimage destinations as we went.

Down at the river we stood just metres from Israel, watching baptism ceremonies taking place on the opposite bank, and visited the modern Greek Orthodox Church of Saint John the Baptist. Then came the moment we didn’t expect: we were given special access to touch the historic waters ourselves.

Practical note if you’re planning a Jordan trip, the video explains how the Jordan Pass works with religious sites like this one and what to expect from a visit. Whether you come for faith, history, archaeology or simple curiosity, it’s one of the most fascinating places in the country.

Mount Nebo, where Moses saw the Promised Land

Mount Nebo, where Moses looked out over the Promised Land. Watch on YouTube

Mount Nebo is where Moses is traditionally believed to have looked out over the Promised Land, and the view still delivers. On a clear day the panorama sweeps across the Jordan Valley towards Jericho, the Dead Sea and Jerusalem.

At the summit we visited the Memorial Church of Moses with its remarkable Byzantine mosaics, wandered the monastery ruins, saw the famous Brazen Serpent sculpture and the Abu Badd rolling stone, and stopped into the small museum. It’s a compact site, but standing at that viewpoint, you understand exactly why this mountain has drawn pilgrims for centuries.

Photos from our Jordan day trips

A few frames from that February 2026 day on the road: the spring and baptism pools at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, the summit marker at Mount Nebo, and a stop in Madaba, the mosaic town between the two, where the famous sixth-century map of the Holy Land covers the floor of St George's church.

Inga standing on stones beside the shallow spring at Bethany Beyond the Jordan, surrounded by tall dry reeds
Down at the spring at Bethany Beyond the Jordan. The water is shallow, quiet, and busier with pilgrims than it looks.
Inga and Dileep in front of the excavated Byzantine baptism pools and steps at Bethany Beyond the Jordan
The excavated baptism pools behind us, with the original steps that once led worshippers into the water.
Inga leaning on the carved stone marker reading Mount Nebo Siyagha, Memorial of Moses, with pine trees behind
The Mount Nebo Siyagha marker at the top. From here the view rolls out across the whole Jordan Valley.
Inga and Dileep outside the stone facade of St George's Greek Orthodox Church in Madaba, with black and gold doors
St George's Greek Orthodox Church in Madaba, the small church with a very big floor.
The sixth-century Madaba mosaic map of the Holy Land set into the church floor, with Greek place names in coloured tiles
The Madaba mosaic map: the oldest surviving map of the Holy Land, walked over gently since the sixth century.
A vivid fresco of the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan, with John the Baptist on the bank and four angels watching
A fresco of the baptism inside the church. After standing at the river itself, it reads differently.

There’s more from this trip on our YouTube channel, we film the real sights and sounds, no fluff. You’ll also find us on TikTok and Instagram.