Petra is gorgeous, but it's teeming with tour groups. Wadi Rum was much less crowded than Petra, and I found it to be a truly peaceful escape. It was more expansive, and I had no problems getting photos of the landscape without people in them.
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Wadi Rum is also about a day's worth of touring, and because of the desert heat it is better to be able to get an early start. An itinerary I would recommend is (3 nights): Arrive in Jordan and go straight to Petra, spend the night in Petra. Spend a full day exploring Petra, spend the night in Petra.
Our Petra & Wadi Rum Day Trip gives travelers staying in Amman and the Dead Sea the opportunity to see the wondrous sites of Jordan all in one day. This adventure will take you to two of the world's most impressive and unforgettable sites.
The main sights can be experienced in one full day, but for those who like hiking and exploring off the beaten track, two to three days is ideal. If you want to plan and make the most of your time in the desert, I'm sharing all the details from our two-day adventure trip in Wadi Rum below.
If you plan on coming to Petra for only a day, you're missing out on most of the experience. One day in Petra is not enough. In fact, you could spend a whole week in Petra and still find new things to do! Petra is a relic of the past, a living city that transports you hundreds of years back in time.
March and the two first weeks of November are the best months to visit Wadi Rum, as they are not too frequented and the weather is pleasant. But the best time to visit Wadi Rum depends also on your expectations; if you want to escape crowded times, you should come in winter or summer.
The most beautiful wadi of Jordan – Wadi MujibAt some point you really have to go swimming, as there is a steel cable along the wall that you 'have to' hold onto.
Part of the reason that camping in Wadi Rum is so affordable during the initial booking process is that the guides running the camps make a good chunk of their money selling Jeep tours and camel rides. This is simply part of the process, and nothing to be worried about at all–but it helps to know what to expect.
Due to the large size and diverse desert landscape of the Wadi Rum Desert, it is advisable to have a tour guide when exploring. The Wadi Rum desert is a dry valley covered mostly in sand and most often very hot and arid. It can be difficult to explore the area on one's own due to the harsh conditions and size.
In my opinion, spending 2 days in Petra will give you plenty of time to explore this beautiful ancient city and world wonder. By entering Petra through the Siq on day 1, while taking the back entrance on day 2, there is plenty of variation during your visit.
The distance between Petra and Wadi Rum is about 110km, more or less 2 hours. Be careful as some parts of the road are damaged and dangerous. There are several transportation options between Petra and Wadi Rum. All transportations are direct, so it is pretty easy and fast.
Taxi from Petra to Wadi RumThis should be somewhere between 35-40 JOD (after you've haggled) and since Petra welcomes many independent visitors, it's also possible to split the cost with other solo travellers.
The cost to enter the Wadi Rum Protected Area is 5 JD per person (free with the Jordan Pass). Most buses that travel the highway between Aqaba and Petra/Amman should be able to drop you at the intersection to Wadi Rum, except the buses from Jett company.
Travelers to Jordan typically plan a trip for five to six days when combining Petra with Amman, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea. If you're not interested in those extensions, two to three days are enough for your Petra trip. Read on for the best itineraries, including Petra and beyond.
How much walking will I have to do to visit Petra? The archaeological site of Petra is pretty massive; it covers 60 square kilometres with differences in terrain and elevation. To walk from the Visitor Centre all the way to the Monastery (the “end” of the site) will take roughly 2 hours at a reasonable pace.
The entrance into Petra is in the town Wadi Musa, a great place to stay overnight when visiting Petra. The walk from the entrance of Petra to the Treasury (the iconic facade that is the highlight on a visit to Petra), is 2km long, or just over one mile.
?45 JD per person (with lunch)Guides will either trek leading you with ropes or mounted on their own camel. *Please note evening camel rides are available but may cost extra.
Spring and autumn are the most popular times to visit Wadi Rum, so expect to see many tourists at the popular sites. In March and November the nights can still be pretty cold with a minimum temperature of 5 °C (41 °F), but in the other months night temperatures rise up to 13 °C (55 °F).