Amman: Petra, Wadi Rum & Dead Sea 2-Day Tour
About This Experience
This is the itinerary the domain is named after, run as a two-day loop out of Amman. Day one is the long push south - roughly 225 km down the Desert Highway - then the walk through the Siq to the Treasury, with the rest of the afternoon in Petra at your own pace. You continue to Wadi Rum for a two-hour 4x4 run through the red sand before dinner at a Bedouin camp.
Day two starts with breakfast at the camp, then drops through the Great Rift Valley to the Dead Sea, roughly 400 metres below sea level, for the float and the mud. You are back at your Amman hotel the same evening, which is what makes this work as a bolt-on to a short trip or a long layover.
It is the most-reviewed tour in this niche by a wide margin, and the reviews are consistent about why: the drivers double as guides on the road, and the camp night is the part people remember. Book the mid-size group option if you want entry fees, a Dead Sea resort day pass and local guides folded into one price instead of paid piecemeal.
Highlights
- Walk the Siq and see the Treasury (Al-Khazneh) carved into the rose-red cliff
- Two-hour 4x4 jeep run through Wadi Rum's dunes, arches and Lawrence of Arabia country
- Overnight in a Bedouin camp with dinner and breakfast included
- Float in the Dead Sea at 400 m below sea level on the way back to Amman
- Hotel pickup and drop-off in Amman on the private options
What's Included
- ✓ Hotel pickup and drop-off in Amman (private options)
- ✓ Two-hour 4x4 jeep tour in Wadi Rum
- ✓ One night at a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum (one tent for up to 3 people)
- ✓ Dinner at the camp and breakfast the next morning
- ✓ Air-conditioned vehicle and English-speaking driver
Not Included
- Petra entry ticket - 50 JOD (about $70), payable on site
- Wadi Rum conservation-area fee - 5 JOD (about $10), payable on site
- Dead Sea resort beach pass and lunch - about $40 per person, cash to the driver (free on the mid-size group option)
- Local site guides at Petra and Wadi Rum (free on the mid-size group option)
- Additional meals, tips and travel insurance
What to Bring
- Passport or ID card
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sunglasses and a sun hat
- Swimwear and a towel for the Dead Sea
- Cash in Jordanian dinars for entry fees
Good to Know & Caveats
- Petra and Wadi Rum entry tickets are not included in the tour price. Petra is 50 JOD (about $70) for a one-day ticket if you are staying overnight in Jordan, and Wadi Rum's conservation-area fee is 5 JOD (about $10). Both are paid on site unless you add tickets at checkout.
- The mid-size group option bundles the Dead Sea resort entry, lunch and local guides at Petra and Wadi Rum into the ticket price - worth comparing against the private options before you book.
- Small-group and mid-size departures run to a fixed time and the bus will not wait. One bag per traveller.
- Petra involves a 20-25 minute walk through the Siq before you reach the Treasury, and considerably more if you continue to the Monastery.
- Camp tents sleep up to three; separate bookings get separate tents.
Not Suitable For
- Travellers who cannot manage a long day of walking on uneven ground
- Anyone bringing a drone - they are not permitted at these sites
Meeting Point
Pickup is from your Amman hotel on the private options. The shared mid-size group tour leaves from a fixed city-centre point at a fixed time and will not wait, so confirm both with the operator after booking.
What Travelers Say
Rated 4.9/5 by 1,528 verified GetYourGuide travelers.
A timeless moment! I had an amazing experience with a very attentive live guide. The night in Wadi Rum is a truly unique experience. We also visit points of interest in the desert, guided by the driver's very interesting explanations. The tour is perfect over two days.
— cass., Septemb
Our live guide Jafar was very knowledgeable and gave us great advice during this stay. Everything went smoothly. For an add-on, we were able to do additional activities that really added value to this excursion. A great experience for a quick stay in Jordan.
— Geoffrey, August
I could not recommend this highly enough. Qutaibeh was polite, informative and helpful. He would stop on the road to show us interesting things we may otherwise have missed. His advice about things to avoid around Petra so as to maximise the experience was tremendously helpful. The night in the desert was comfortable, with great food, good company and the accommodation exceeded expectations. Thank you to him and the company for a tremendous two days.
— Sean, August
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Petra and Wadi Rum entry fees included?
No. Petra is 50 JOD (about $70) for a one-day ticket if you are staying overnight in Jordan, and Wadi Rum charges a 5 JOD conservation fee. Both are paid on site. The mid-size group option is the exception - it folds the fees, local guides and a Dead Sea resort day pass into the ticket price.
How much time do you actually get in Petra?
Most of the first afternoon. After the drive from Amman you walk the Siq and then explore at your own pace. That is enough for the Treasury, the Street of Facades, the theatre and the Royal Tombs; the Monastery adds 850 steps and needs a deliberate early start.
What is the Wadi Rum camp night like?
A fixed camp with a communal tent for dinner, mattresses and blankets in a private tent for up to three people, and solar power. Nights are cold from October to March - well below freezing in midwinter - so bring layers even if the day was hot.
Can I do this tour from the Dead Sea or the airport instead of Amman?
Pickup is built around Amman hotels. Airport and Dead Sea pickups are sometimes possible on the private options but need to be agreed with the operator after booking rather than assumed.
Is two days enough for Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea?
It is enough to see all three properly if you accept that the driving is real - about 225 km each way plus the Rift Valley descent. If you want a slower Petra day and a second night in the desert, the three-day version is the one to compare.
