Petra, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea from Amman: 2 or 3 Days?
5 min read
For most travellers, the 2-day Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea tour is the sensible default. Of the three tours compared here it has the most reviews, and one night in a Bedouin camp is what makes it worth the drive. Choose the 3-day trip if Petra is your priority and you want a full day there.
| Tour | Duration | From | Rating | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea, 2 days | 2 days | €247.97 | 4.9 from 1,574 reviews | The classic loop |
| Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea, 2 days (second operator) | 2 days | €185.17 | 4.8 from 279 reviews | The same loop, private tent with bathroom |
| Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea, 3 days | 3 days | €449.94 | 4.8 from 223 reviews | A full day in Petra |
What the 2-day tours do
Both 2-day listings follow the same route. On day one you leave Amman for Petra, walk the Siq to the Treasury, then drive on to Wadi Rum for a 2-hour jeep tour, dinner and a night in a Bedouin camp. On day two, after breakfast, you drive to the Dead Sea and return to Amman. The first listing puts the drive to Petra at 225 kilometres, so day one is long before you reach the desert.
The listings differ in the details. The first tour includes one night in a tent for up to three people, dinner and breakfast. The second says its tents are not shared, that each separate booking gets its own tent, and that the “deluxe” tents have air conditioning and a private bathroom, but are not bubble or Martian tents. Pickup in Amman is part of both, though the first listing makes an exception for its mid-size group option.
Check dates and prices for the 2-day tour
What is not in the price
On both 2-day tours, entry fees to Petra and Wadi Rum and local guides are not included. Entry to a Dead Sea resort beach and lunch are also extra; the second operator says this is paid in cash to the driver, and the first lists it as optional and subject to weather and advance reservation. The exception is the first tour’s mid-size group option: its page says it includes entry to a Dead Sea resort with lunch, and local guides at Petra and Wadi Rum. Both pages recommend the Jordan Pass. The official Jordan Pass site says it includes Petra entry and waives the visa fee if you buy it before arrival and stay at least two nights (three days). The first operator adds that the pass does not cover the Dead Sea fee.
The 3-day tour: a different trip
The 3-day tour is slower and covers more. Day one goes via Mount Nebo, Madaba, the Dana Biosphere Reserve and Shobak Castle to a 3-star hotel in Wadi Musa. Day two is a full day in Petra, followed by a night at a Wadi Rum camp. Day three is the jeep safari and the Dead Sea, with a return to Amman in the evening. Breakfast at the hotel, dinner and breakfast at the camp and the 2-hour jeep safari are included; entry fees and local guides are not.
See dates and prices for the 3-day trip
Who should choose what
- 2 days: you have two days, accept a long first day, and want the desert night.
- 3 days: you want Petra at your own pace and a hotel bed before the camp.
- Neither: a single Petra day is simpler. Our Petra day trip guide compares them.
The booking pages list groups for whom the tours are not suited: on the first 2-day tour children under 12, pregnant women, people with mobility impairments and people over 80; on the second, people with back problems, wheelchair users and people over 80; on the 3-day trip, people with mobility impairments. Read that section before you book. More choices: multi-day tours from Amman and Wadi Rum tours.
Our recommendation: the 2-day tour for most; the 3-day trip when Petra comes first.
