The route
Two hours between them
Petra’s entrance is in Wadi Musa; Wadi Rum’s visitor center is about 120 km south, a two-hour drive. The obvious route is Amman → Petra → Wadi Rum → Aqaba, or the reverse from Aqaba. Most travelers do Petra first (it is the bigger draw and deserves fresh legs), then the desert as a contrast and a rest.
How long
Two days Petra, one or two nights Rum
Give Petra two full days — one for the main city, one for the trails. Give Wadi Rum at least one night; two is better, because the point is the evening, the stars and the dawn, not a jeep loop. A good minimum is four nights: two in Wadi Musa, one or two in a Rum camp. Add the Dead Sea or Aqaba at the end for a rest.
A working sequence
| Day 1–2 | Petra — main city, then trails |
| Day 3 | Drive to Wadi Rum, afternoon 4×4, overnight camp |
| Day 4 | Rum morning walk, drive to Aqaba or Dead Sea |
| Drive Petra→Rum | ~2 hours / 120 km |
| Drive Rum→Aqaba | ~1 hour / 70 km |
| Best order | Petra first, Rum second, rest last |
Common mistakes
What to avoid
Do not try Petra and Wadi Rum in a single day from Aqaba — you will see neither properly. Do not book a Rum camp and arrive after dark; the drive in is part of the experience and you miss it at night. And do not treat Wadi Rum as a half-day stop on the way somewhere — it rewards the night, not the drive-by. See our itineraries for full day-by-day versions.
More from the series
- How to Choose the Right Jordan Itinerary — A framework for the whole trip.
- Wadi Rum Beyond a Jeep Ride — Make the desert night count.
- Jordan Itineraries — Day-by-day routes including both.
See it through local eyes
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