Considering the relatively short flight times from many major European airports, Jordan in the heart of the Middle East is the most unique place you can get to on a short holiday.
| Our Recommendations for Your Petra Wadi Rum Trip: |
| 1. Spend at least two days in Petra to make the best of it. 2. Check out our guide on How to Get to Wadi Rum from Petra. 3. Get a Jordan Pass to save on fees. 4. Stay in a traditional Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum. |
From the bustling cultural capital of Amman, to the ancient stone city of Petra and the new UNESCO World Heritage Site Wadi Rum, Jordan has it all.
Jordan private tours offer a variety of activities and tour packages in Jordan, including visits to Petra and Wadi Rum. Let me show you today, how you can combine Petra and Wadi Rum, even if you are on a schedule.
Jordan in a Nutshell.
Make the most of your visit to Jordan and combine your Petra and Wadi Rum experience. Let us take care of your time in the Wadi Rum desert.
- Jordan in a Nutshell.
- Exploring the Ancient City of Petra – An Overview
- How to get from Petra to Wadi Rum
- Make the Most of Your Time in Wadi Rum – An Overview
- FAQs
Exploring the Ancient City of Petra – An Overview
Considering the sheer magnitude of the ancient remnants of Petra, it is wise to consider booking a tour to explore Petra in its entirety. You are not limited to this option though. With enough energy in your legs and enough time on your hands, you can also explore Petra on your own. Let me show you the perks of both of these options.
Joining a Petra Jeep Safari Tour
If you don’t want to worry too much about getting to every single sight in Petra and want to conserve at least some of your energy, joining a Petra Jeep Safari Tour might just be your pick. The specific configurations from company to company can vary a lot. Let me break down, what you can generally expect.
Within Petra, you will have the chance to explore the ancient city as part of a guided tour. To reduce your leg work, you can opt for horses, camels and even donkeys to get around. To get to the monastery and the very end of the complex, donkeys are the go-to.
Other jeep safari companies also offer a short cut to the Monastery at the end of the complex by driving all the way around Petra and dropping you off close to the monastery. This way, you will be able to see the most prominent sight of Petra after the sacrificial palace without several hours of scrambling. For exact tour price suggestions, we suggest you to compare the multitude of offers online. Competition is harsh and there is always a good deal around.
If you enter Jordan via the capital of Amman, you can stay there for a night or two, before heading to Petra with one of the tourist buses offered by JETT Bus.
If you are not entering Jordan via plane, but via Palestine (West Bank) close to the Dead Sea or Egypt at the Gulf of Aqaba, you might want to consider booking a day tour from there to reduce the planning on transport that you will have to do.
Note that there is a border fee of $65 per person, which covers departure taxes, visa arrangements, and assistance from border representatives. To check details of the border crossing process, make sure to refer to official government resources. Also, make sure to familiarise yourself with the Jordan Pass as it can help you save on those fees.
Exploring Petra on Your Own (Our Recommendation)
But after all, we all enjoy a solid workout, don’t we? Exploring Petra by foot can be a challenging task, but a very rewarding one, too. We opted for a solo mission instead of one of the group tours, while visiting Petra, and enjoyed every second of it.
Coming to Petra on your own, you can choose between a day ticket or multiple day tickets (for two or three days). While a single day entry amounts to 50 JD, entry fees for two or three days of entry only amount to 55 JD and 60 JD respectively. Note: The entrance fees to Petra can be included in your Jordan Pass. Also, it waivers you Jordan visa fee! Click here for more information.
While we opted for a single day entry, we recommend you to at least visit Petra for two full days. The complex is extensive and includes an outrageous amount of sights. From Al Siq, through the Treasury, the Ancient Place of Sacrifice, the countless tombs (such as the Obelisk Tomb and the mountaintop tombs) all the way to the Monastery on top of the hill, Petra has it all.
For your overnight stay in Petra, you will be choosing your accommodation in the neighbouring town called Wadi Musa. While picking your hotel (or hostel), we advise you to pick one as close to the entrance of Petra as possible as you want to to all the walking inside of Petra, not on your way there.
How to get from Petra to Wadi Rum
The logical next step after Petra is heading on to Wadi Rum. While Jordan has a lot more to offer than just Amman, Petra and Wadi Rum, during a short week-long stay, these will be the places you do not want to miss out on. Fortunately getting from Petra to Wadi Rum is very easy.
If you don’t want to have a worry in the world, you can easily book a private tour that will take care of your transfer between Petra and Wadi Rum. However, there is many more cost-efficient and not so complicated ways to get from Petra to Wadi Rum.
If you plan to arrive to Wadi Rum on your own, opting for a rental car is your most hassle-free option. Rentals are relatively cheap in Jordan and traffic outside of major cities is sparse. On your way from Petra to Wadi Rum, you will first travel on the King’s Highway before merging with the Desert Highway that will take you all the way to the limits of the Wadi Rum Protected Area. From there, you will follow Wadi Rum Road until you arrive at the Wadi Rum Visitor Center.
Traveling South without a rental car, is a feasible option as well. Tourist bus company JETT Bus, local bus operators and private taxis are your best shout for an uncomplicated transfer between Petra and Wadi Rum.
Taxis are the most costly option with local bus providers providing the cheapest fares. Transfer times are more or less the same with around three to four hours of driving between the two sights.
With Wadi Tribe, you can take advantage of the best rates for transfers between Petra and Wadi Rum. Pay as little as 40 JDs for a taxi transfer son up to 4 people. Book today to save your price!
Make the Most of Your Time in Wadi Rum – An Overview
After Petra, Wadi Rum is home to even more spectacular sites that have earned the location the recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. Wadi Rum, known for its red sand desert and unique sandstone rock formations, is THE place to try out the Bedouin lifestyle. Let me tell you how.
Stay the Night in a Bedouin Camp (Our Recommendation)
For centuries, Bedouins have called Wadi Rum home. While the Bedouin tribes of Wadi Rum used to be semi-nomadic, many of them have been subjected to a more sedentary lifestyle recently. Tourism now plays a big role in their survival, which is why you will find many Bedouin Glamping Style Campsite offers online.
We recommend you to go for it and go for a traditional-style Bedouin camp in the desert. In a Bedouin campsite, you can still find many elements of traditional Bedouin culture such as the black goat-hair tents and the traditional Zarb, a type of Bedouin barbecue. Your stay in a tradition bedouin camp usually includes an authentic Jordanian dinner and breakfast as well as access to electricity and communal bathrooms.
If you are looking for a bit more comfort, one of the deluxe tents might just be your pick. Equipped with air conditioning, a private bathroom and a panoramic terrace, they strike a balance between traditional elements and a deluxe tent experience.
Join a Jeep Tour with an Optional Sunset Camel Ride
The camping and stargazing experience in the middle of the Wadi Rum desert is already worth a visit. However, your visit to Wadi Rum wouldn’t be complete without a Wadi Rum tour. If you are just staying for a short time, joining a Half Day Tour or a Full Day Tour of the Wadi Rum desert will be your best option.
These group tours on the back of jeeps give you a comprehensive overview of the Wadi Rum desert, stopping by many of the most famous sites in Wadi Rum such as Lawrence Spring, Al Khazali Canyon, Abu Khashaba Canyon and Umm Fruth Bridge among others. Every tour is operated in small groups and in English allocating time for exploring and even making space to enjoy free time in the desert.
During jeep tours, guests are treated to a lunch cooked in the desert by one of the Bedouin guides as well as loads of delicious Bedouin tea, a staple of Bedouin hospitality. Full Day Tours are capped of by a sunset session out in the White Desert – again with copious amounts of sweet tea. If you wish, you can even add camel ride to that.
FAQs
Is Wadi Rum and Petra the same?
No, Petra and Wadi Rum are two different sites in the country of Jordan. Petra is an ancient stone city in the center of Jordan. Wadi Rum is a property in the South of Jordan that consists of sandstone mountains, red sand deserts.
What is so special about Wadi Rum?
Wadi Rum is known for its unique natural landscape consisting of red sand and eroding sandstone rock formations. Also, it is home to the Bedouins, leaving behind a rich cultural trace in the desert, building upon historical traces of the ancient Nabataean civilisation.
Can you do Petra and Wadi Rum in one day?
You can do Petra and Wadi Rum in one day. However, doing both of these in a single day might be a little stressful. Therefore, we recommend you to join a guided tour or one of the group tours offered online. This way, you will not waste time on border fees, the Petra Wadi Rum transfer and entry fees to Wadi Rum, while still being able to explore the sights at your own pace.
Wadi Tribe 