Petra from Amman: Day Trip, or Overnight with Wadi Rum?
4 min read
For most visitors, the full-day Petra tour from Amman is the right choice. It does one thing: it takes you to Petra and back. The 14-hour versions that add Wadi Rum fit two famous places into one day, but most of that day is spent in the car.
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-day private or group tour to Petra | 10–11 hours | €68.78 | 4.9 from 183 reviews | Petra without rushing |
| Petra and Wadi Rum day tour, private or group | 14 hours | €95.23 | 4.9 from 893 reviews | A taste of both on a short trip |
| Petra and Wadi Rum private day tour | 14 hours | €107.12 | 4.9 from 334 reviews | The same combination, with add-ons |
| Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea, 2 days | 2 days | €247.97 | 4.9 from 1,574 reviews | Petra plus a night in the desert |
The distance decides the day
The 2-day tour’s page gives the drive from Amman to Petra as 225 kilometres. The itinerary of the full-day Petra tour lists three hours in the car each way and about five hours at Petra. Lunch and a horse-drawn carriage ride appear in that itinerary, but not among the inclusions, so plan to pay for them yourself. Pickup is at your Amman hotel. A local guide is not included; the page says one can be hired at the visitor centre.
Whether the entry ticket is part of your price depends on the option you choose when booking. The listing says the Petra ticket is included “if option selected”, so check which option you have picked before you pay twice.
Check dates and prices for the full-day Petra tour
Petra and Wadi Rum in one day: a stretch
Add up the listed itinerary of the Petra and Wadi Rum day tour: three hours of driving, three hours in Petra, 105 minutes of driving, two hours in Wadi Rum, then 3.5 hours back to Amman. That is roughly eight hours in the vehicle for five hours on foot or in a jeep. The jeep ride and the entry tickets are included only if you select those options.
The second 14-hour tour (Petra and Wadi Rum private day tour) lists Petra (two hours), the Treasury (one hour), the Royal Tombs (one hour) and the Siq (30 minutes), then three hours in Wadi Rum. Lunch, entry fees, the on-site guide and the 2-hour jeep ride are add-ons there. If you want Wadi Rum, a night in the desert makes more sense, and our guide to the 2- and 3-day tours compares them.
Tickets and the Jordan Pass
According to the official Jordan Pass site, the pass includes Petra entry and waives the tourist visa fee if you buy it before you arrive and stay at least two nights (three days). If you are in Jordan that long, check the pass before buying tickets separately. The pass does not cover Petra by Night, an evening show that runs on selected nights. It does not fit a day trip, because you would be on the road back to Amman at that hour.
Who should choose what
- Choose the Petra-only day if you have one free day and want to see the site with as little driving as possible.
- Choose a 14-hour combination only if Wadi Rum is a must and you cannot spare a night. Expect a very long day.
- Choose the overnight tour if you want Petra and the desert without two 3-hour drives in one day.
All four booking pages ask for comfortable shoes. According to its page, the 2-day tour is not suitable for children under 12, pregnant women, people with mobility impairments or people over 80. Check the restrictions on the day tours’ pages too before you book.
See more options in the Petra tours from Amman, Wadi Rum tours and private tours from Amman.
Our recommendation: the full-day Petra tour — the simplest way to see Petra from Amman in one day.
