The ancient stone city of Petra is a vast expanse of ruins, one more marvellous than the other, that cannot be explored fully in just one day.
Therefore, many tourists decide to take it easy and spend some nights in the neighbouring town of Wadi Musa. From there, you also enjoy comfortable travel links to other parts of the country, such as the Wadi Rum Protected Area in Southern Jordan.
What’s Next? Explore Southern Jordan.
Southern Jordan is home to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Wadi Rum, a place of historical, cultural and natural importance. Wadi Rum is commonly referred to as Mars on Earth.
Visit Wadi Rum.
Explore Wadi Rum the worry-free way. Book Your tours and accommodation with Wadi Tribe and get the best deals. Save your spot today.!
If you are wondering how to get to Wadi Rum from Wadi Musa, we have all the answers for you! There is a total of four modes of transport that will get you to Wadi Rum Village.
We will explain to you how to use them and tell you which are the most direct, most comfortable and most affordable options.
- What’s Next? Explore Southern Jordan.
- Visit Wadi Rum.
- Wadi Musa to Wadi Rum – 4 Modes of Transport
- 5 Things to Know Before You Head to Wadi Rum
- Getting to Wadi Rum from Wadi Musa
- How to Get from Wadi Rum Village to Your Bedouin Camp
- FAQs
Wadi Musa to Wadi Rum – 4 Modes of Transport
There is a total of four modes of transport that provide regular links between Wadi Musa and Wadi Rum.
The Wadi Rum distance from Wadi Musa is approximately 112 kilometers, with an estimated travel time of about two hours.
All of them either start from the Petra Visitor Center or the Wadi Musa Bus Station:
- Taxi: Direct taxis between Wadi Musa (Petra) and Wadi Rum provide the fastest transfers. With a travel time of approximately two hours, they outrank the other services provided in Wadi Musa. The cost for a taxi is approximately 110 JOD. Book your taxi transfer with Wadi Tribe for preferential rates starting from 40 JOD.
- Rental Car: Rent your own car to enjoy full flexibility on your Jordan trip. Reach Wadi Rum from Wadi Musa in just about two hours and stop along the way as you please. Rental car prices vary, but tend to be affordable generally.
- Tourist Bus: Nearby Petra Visitor Center, daily tourist buses by the company JETT Bus depart heading to Southern Jordan. JETT bus ist a reliable partner for overland travel in Jordan and offer rides to Wadi Rum via Aqaba City for a total of 30 JOD per person.
- Local Bus: The local bus station in Wadi Musa boasts the usual Jordanian roster of white mini buses. With a transfer at Aqaba Bus station, you will reach Wadi Rum Village for just 13 JOD per person.
5 Things to Know Before You Head to Wadi Rum
Is this your first time coming to Wadi Rum?
Let us introduce you to some useful information that will make your desert adventures so much better:
- Entrance Fees: Wadi Rum is located inside the Wadi Rum Protected Area that is overseen by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority. Therefore, every tourist visiting Wadi Rum has to register at the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre and pay an entrance fee of 5 JOD. Kids enter for free. Also, if you purchased a Jordan Pass, your entrance fee will be waived.
- Cash Society: ATMs are not to be found in Wadi Rum. The local Bedouins are very much a cash society. Therefore, make sure to bring enough cash to pay for stays, tours and souvenirs. Your last ATMs will be in Aqaba City and at the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre.
- Camps and Tours: To make the best of your time in Wadi Rum, you should make sure to book tours along with your stay as the desert is barely accessible purely by foot. Book your camp and tours as packages to save on your stay.
- Meet Your Hosts: No matter where you are staying within the Wadi Rum Protected Area, you will most likely meet your hosts at the Wadi Rum Rest House. Make sure to tell your hosts in time, when you will arrive as they will be waiting for you at the parking lot of the Rest House.
- (Free) Extra Fun: Wadi Rum is an experience of a lifetime in itself. But if you have not gotten enough yet, you can enjoy a historical train ride experience on the edge of the Wadi Rum desert. Jordan pass holders can book their slot for free.
Getting to Wadi Rum from Wadi Musa
Ready to head to Wadi Rum? Let’s break down how you can use each of the four modes of transport outlined above.
Choose between comfort, flexibility and budget options to create your perfect trip to Wadi Rum:
Option 1: Taxi – The Comfortable Option
Calling a taxi to take you from Wadi Musa to Wadi Rum is by far the most straightforward travel option. Book taxis online in advance to avoid the hassle of negotiating a price on the spot. Current taxi prices hover around the 110 JOD mark.
With Wadi Tribe, you can book a taxi in advance online. Send a booking request through this booking form and take advantages of transfer prices starting from 40 JOD.
From your hotel in Wadi Musa to Wadi Rum, the travel time will amount to some two hours not including stops. Also, take into account that occasional road checkpoints can cause additional delays.
Usually though, they tend to be quick and hassle-free. This makes taxis the most comfortable, but also most expensive transport between Wadi Musa and Wadi Rum.
Option 2: Rental Car – The Flexible Option
Renting a car in Jordan is an amazing option to experience the country at your own pace. At Amman International Airport, affordable car rentals are plentiful.
Grab a rental car yourself and start driving. Be aware though, that to drive in Jordan you are strongly advised to get an International Driver’s Permit. For more information, consult this official government site.
Traffic in Jordan is sparse outside of the urban areas in the North and traffic rules are mostly the same as in Europe and the United States.
Therefore, your drive along the Desert Highway will be smooth and after some 1.5 hours you will turn onto Wadi Rum Road. The distance from the main highway to Wadi Rum Village is approximately 25 kilometers, which takes about 30 more minutes to drive.
Option 3: JETT Bus – The Best Pick
JETT Bus is the central Jordanian travel bus company with a wide network of useful travel connections. The company hosts a roster of tidy and comfortable buses. It allows for comfortable, budget-friendly travel between destinations.
To get from Wadi Musa to Wadi Rum, you will first have to take a JETT Bus from the JETT Bus station at Petra Visitor Center to Aqaba City.
In Aqaba City, you will have to spend the night, before catching an early bus to Wadi Rum next morning. Each bus ticket will cost you 15 JOD, totalling 30 JOD per person for the whole trip.
Option 4: Local Bus – The Budget Option
Locals tend to travel in local mini buses instead of big tourist buses. Local buses are less reliable than tourist buses, but charge less per seat.
Connections between Wadi Musa Bus Station and Aqaba Bus Station are plentiful. Between Aqaba City and Wadi Rum Village, there is at least one daily mini bus in the morning.
If you choose to travel with local buses, you will have to bring some patience as buses run under the wait-until-it’s-full principle. Also, you might be charged more being a tourist.
For orientation, the first leg between Wadi Musa and Aqaba should cost you between 5-8 JOD, while the second leg usually costs between 3-5 JOD. Overall, you should not pay more than 13 JOD for your mini bus journey, making it your cheapest travel option.
How to Get from Wadi Rum Village to Your Bedouin Camp
With all four modes of transport, you will arrive to Wadi Rum Village sooner or later. Make a quick stop at the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre, pay your entrance fee or present your Jordan Pass and end your journey to Wadi Rum at the Wadi Rum Rest House. If you arrive to Wadi Rum in your own car, you can let it on the Wadi Rum Rest House parking lot for free.
From the Wadi Rum Rest House, you will be picked up by your hosts that will take you to your Bedouin camp in the desert. As normal cars are not allowed in the desert, the camp transfer is made by off-road vehicles, often referred to as Jeeps in Wadi Rum (although they are not actual Jeeps). Depending on your camp’s location, it will only be another 15-30 minutes until you arrive your destination in the desert.
FAQs
How to go from Wadi Rum to Wadi Musa?
The most direct route from Wadi Musa to Wadi Rum Village is a direct taxi ride. It will take you about two hours. More affordable options such as tourist buses and local mini buses include a transfer in Aqaba and will take you some three hours in total.
Is 1 day enough for Wadi Rum?
The Wadi Rum Protected Area is a vast expanse of unique rock formations and desert landscapes. It is home to countless sights of historical, cultural and natural significance. We don’t believe you can see everything there is in just one day. If you are out of time though, a full day tour of Wadi Rum will at least give you a comprehensive overview.
How much is a taxi from Amman to Wadi Rum?
Arriving to Amman International Airport and going straight to Wadi Rum? While we strongly suggest stops on the way such as Petra (Wadi Musa), a direct taxi ride to Wadi Rum from Amman is a great, albeit costly, option. It will set you back approximately 110 JOD.
How far is the drive from Petra to Wadi Rum?
The rose city of Petra is located close to the modern-day town of Wadi Musa. Wadi Musa is connected via highways to the rest of the country, which allow for speedy travel. The average travel time between Petra and Wadi Rum is two hours.
Why is Wadi Musa famous?
Wadi Musa in itself is not a famous tourist destination. In fact, it is its proximity to the ancient ruins of Petra, that make Wadi Musa interesting. Many tourists decide to stay in Wadi Musa for a couple of nights to make the most of their visit to Petra.
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