Ma'in Hot Springs and Dead Sea Panorama Tour from Amman

Ma'in Hot Springs, the hot waterfalls of Jordan

Ma'in Hot Springs, known in Arabic as Hammamat Ma'in, lie in a dramatic canyon about 260 metres below sea level, between Madaba and the Dead Sea. Rain that falls on the highlands seeps deep underground, is heated by geothermal activity and rises again as dozens of hot springs. The water, at around 45 to 60 degrees Celsius, cascades down the cliff in steaming waterfalls into natural and built pools.

The water is rich in minerals such as potassium, magnesium and calcium, and the springs have been valued for bathing since ancient times. Standing under a warm waterfall in the middle of the desert is a memorable experience, and the cliffs around are streaked with green moss and mineral deposits. Plan about two hours here to soak, rest and take photos.

How to get to Ma'in Hot Springs from Amman

Ma'in is about an hour and a half from Amman by road. The route crosses the high, farmed plateau around Madaba, then plunges down a steep, winding road into the canyon, losing more than a kilometre in altitude in a short distance. The views on the descent, over bare mountains and deep valleys, are part of the experience, and your driver can stop for photos.

Since public transport to the springs is very limited, a tour with a driver is the easiest way to visit. The best time to visit Ma'in Hot Springs is from October to April, when the cool air makes the hot water especially pleasant; in summer the canyon is very warm, so an early pickup is the wiser choice. Entrance tickets are paid separately at the site.

The Dead Sea Panorama Complex

From Ma'in the road continues towards the Dead Sea to the Dead Sea Panorama Complex, built on the edge of the cliffs high above the eastern shore. Its terraces offer one of the widest views of the lake: the blue water stretching north and south, the white salt along the shore and, on clear days, the hills on the far side of the valley.

The complex includes a small museum that explains the geology of the Jordan Rift Valley, the history of human settlement around the lake and why the Dead Sea is shrinking, which makes the view below even more meaningful. It is a calm, airy place to spend an hour, with time for photos and a rest in the shade before you head back.

The Dead Sea viewpoint, the lowest point on land

The tour also stops at a viewpoint over the Dead Sea, whose shore lies about 430 metres below sea level, the lowest dry land on earth. Its water is about ten times saltier than the ocean, and from above you can see the bands of salt and the changing colours of the water, from turquoise near the shore to deep blue further out.

Is the Dead Sea Panorama worth visiting? For anyone who wants to understand the landscape and see it from its most impressive angle, yes. If you would also like to float in the Dead Sea, choose the option with Salt Beach, or the option that adds the Baptism Site on the Jordan River, a UNESCO-listed place of pilgrimage, to the Dead Sea and Ma'in.