Wadi Rum Tours | Wadi Rum to Petra | UFO Adventure Travel
Contact Us | +91 9756600449 | [email protected]

Difficulty

Moderate

Max. Altitude

1700m

Duration

8 Days

Best Time

Feb, Mar, Apr, Oct, Nov, Dec

In A Hurry?

You can download our complete tour details and guide for WADI RUM TO PETRA. Also, you can schedule a callback from UFO Adventure Travel.


Tour description

Jordan's Wadi Rum and its 'rose-red City' of Petra provide a magical setting for an adventure trekking holiday in Jordan. Rising abruptly from the desert plains, the red-ochre sandstone mesas of Wadi Rum provide one of the world's most dramatic landscapes. It was famously described by T.E.Lawrence as "Rum the magnificent... vast, echoing and God-like." In this traditional hunting ground of the Bedouin, our 5-day Wadi Rum to Petra trek will take you on ancient trails through hidden canyons and across open rocky slopes to the summits of several of the biggest formations in Jordan, including Jebel Um Adaami (1832m), Jordan's highest peak. Throughout the trekking in Jordan, some easy scrambling will be required to get to the best viewpoints and the guide will carry a rope to safeguard exposed sections, such as the final part of the approach to the dramatic Burdah Bridge. Four-wheel-drive vehicles will provide back-up and we will camp each night on the sands in the company of our hospitable Bedouin hosts. A final highlight of this outstanding Arabian adventure holiday is our 2-day visit to the awe-inspiring 2300 year old, rock-hewn city of Petra. Here, we will make our initial approach via the back trail from Little Petra and the fantastic rock-hewn `Monastery` as we spend the whole day exploring the site, following in the footsteps of the ancient and the intrepid. We will camp inside Petra archaeological site and hike up to Jebel Haroun next morning, Petra's highest summit.


Virtual tour of
WADI RUM TO PETRA

Is this Holiday for you ?

This is not a long or sustained trekking holiday. It is a series of day-hikes in an unusual mountain area. We will walk for around 4 to 5 hours on each of the 4 days that we spend at Wadi Rum. This will involve walking on desert trails and soft sand, as well as scrambling on the jebels themselves. When climbing on the jebels we will usually be following routes which have been used for generations by Bedouin hunters and shepherds. The Bedouin guide will carry a climbing rope, which may be used on exposed sections to reassure group members who are not confident scramblers. The altitudes attained during this holiday will not cause problems. At the time of year that we will be visiting Jordan (winter) it will not be extremely hot during the day. However, we will encounter day-time temperatures as high as 30 degrees centigrade and sun protection and adequate hydration are important considerations.

Walk in the steps of Lawrence of Arabia

Ascend Jordan's highest peak - Jebel um Adaami (1832m)

Visit the ancient stone city of Petra





  • 8 Days, 2 nights hotel, 5 nights camping
  • 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 6 dinners
  • Max group size: 16
  • The best period for trekking in Jordan is in the late autumn through to early spring season, from October through to mid April. Outside of this period it can be very hot, with temperatures, rising to 40°C in July and August. In October and in April, the maximum daytime temperature is likely to be in the high twenties or low thirties °C, falling as low as 10°C at night. Heading into November the temperatures begin to cool and by December/January, typical daytime maximum temperatures are around 12 - 15 °C falling as low as 5°C at night. In December and January it can even snow in Amman.

Start Date End Date Code Adult Price Status  
19-04-2023 26-04-2023 WR-Apr23 1385 Available
22-03-2023 29-03-2023 WR-Mar23 1385 Available

  • Local guide
  • Airport transfers as described
  • All land transport involved in the itinerary
  • All accommodation as described
  • Meals as per the Meal Plan
  • All permits and entrance fees in the itinerary
  • All costs are applicable for double occupancy
  • Travel insurance
  • Visas
  • Some meals as per the Meal Plan
  • Airport transfers other than those described
  • Tips for local staff including the local guide and drivers
  • Miscellaneous expenses - drinks and souvenirs etc
  • Personal camera equipment & gear
  • Flights and airfare
  • Breakfasts on trek consist of bread, a variety of cheese, honey, jams, yoghurt, fruit, tea and Nescafe. For lunch there will be a variety of salads, spicy humus, breads and other dishes from which we can select, or a full packed lunch. Dinner will usually be a soup followed by barbeque or pan fried meat and vegetables with plenty of bread, yoghurt, and humus followed by fresh fruit and tea or coffee. Mineral water is provided. Vegetarians can be catered for.
  • A single group transfer will be arranged from Amman Airport to the hotel in Amman. This transfer will meet the arrival of the Royal Jordanian flight from the UK and will normally depart from the airport at around 0100 hours (the early hours of Day 2 of the trip itinerary). At the end of the trip there will be a single group transfer from the group hotel in Wadi Musa to Amman Airport timed to meet the check in for the Royal Jordanian flight back to the UK which departs in the late morning. This transfer will be after breakfast on Day 8 of the trip itinerary. A representative of our local agent will assist with the transfers between the airport and the group hotel. If the arrival transfer does not work with your flight, you will need to make your own transfer arrangements at Amman Airport. The airport is 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of the town of Madaba. Fixed price tan-coloured airport taxis are readily available outside the terminal exit doors. They charge a standard fare of JD20 for the one-way trip to Madaba. Airport taxis are preferable to the yellow taxis, which are metered but usually entail some sort of haggling with the driver. There is an ATM and money changing facilities in the airport. On day 8, should you require an airport transfer, these can be arranged by the hotel reception staff or alternatively please contact the UFO office for prices.
  • During this trip the group will spend 2 nights in Hotel and 5 nights camping.. All accommodation is allocated on a twin sharing basis. If you are travelling by yourself you will be paired up with another single client of the same sex. All accommodations used by UFO adhere to hygiene and comfort norms. For Hotel prices and single supplement costs please contact UFO office.
  • Day will start with a hot cup of tea served to you in the tent at around 6.30 am. At around 8 a.m. breakfast will be under way and by 8.30 we should be back on the trail to our next camp. You will have plenty of time to get up and pack your trek bag which will be transported safely to the next camp on car. Please make sure you fill you water bottles for the trek ahead. After breakfast, you can pick your packed lunch prior to setting off. Usually, our route will involve a mix of walking through rugged terrain and scrambling over loose rocks. Be prepared for some uphill climbing every day. We will pick a beautiful spot with some shade or a meadow for Lunch. Usually we walk for around 5-6 hours every day. On arrival at camp, we can relax in our mess tent and take tea or coffee. Dinner is ready at around 7 p.m. in the mess tent. This is a great time of day for reliving the events of the trip so far and for general socializing. After dark, the temperature starts to fall and everyone will soon be tucked up in their sleeping bags.

ITINERARY FOR THE TREK

DAY 1

MEET AT THE GROUP HOTEL IN MADABA.

Meet at the group hotel in Madaba. A single group transfer from Amman Airport to the group hotel in Madaba or Amman is provided. This transfer is normally in the late evening and a representative of our local agent will accompany the group on the 30 minute journey to the hotel.



  Accommodation
Hotel in Madaba/Amman
  Meals
No meals included

DAY 2

TRANSFER TO WADI RUM. FIRST DAY OF TREK.

After breakfast, we set off by minibus for the morning's drive southwards to Wadi Rum. The Desert Highway runs alongside the railway line which was famously blown up by Lawrence of Arabia during the Great War. We will meet our Bedouin hosts at the new Visitor Centre in Wadi Rum and transfer our baggage from the bus to our 4-wheel-drive vehicles, before walking into the village to a house where our lunch has been prepared.  This is a great place and has the only running water that you are likely to see during your time in Jordan, as well as fig trees, gardens and grinning Bedouin kids and their goats. This is the spring where Lawrence of Arabia bathed when in Wadi Rum.

The great expanse of desert on our left side is called Ghor al Ajram and was the place where all the tents were set up for Abu Tayi's 'party' in the film Lawrence of Arabia. After 2 hours or so, this route takes us down to the desert sand at Abu Aina. Spring water has been channeled into troughs here and the camels that roam around the desert during the day come to drink here before returning to the village or to the desert for the night. Here, we meet our transport for the half-hour drive to our camping place at the mouth of Wadi Um Ishrin. At the entrance of this valley a large dune has built up and our camp is hidden behind this. This is also a good opportunity to select the place where you would like to sleep, under the stars or in your tent as you prefer. You can find plenty of private spots if you wish, or you can remain near to the campfire. An important part of this Jordan trekking holiday is to get to know something about the extraordinary people who are the Bedouin of Wadi Rum. 



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
2 hrs walking(4 kms)

DAY 3

VISIT BURDAH BRIDGE

Breakfast will usually be under way by 7 a.m. and this consists of bread, sometimes heated on the fire, a choice of jams, cheese and halva, as well as eggs, either served as an omlette or hard boiled.  Anybody who wishes can pocket a snack for later. In this area, we are likely to see griffon vultures soaring from the high cliffs as the sun rises in the sky and the thermals created by the rock walls become active. After breakfast, we will board our vehicles for the short drive to Jebel Burdah, which leads through Khor Al Ajram, a wide valley with magnificent cliffs and high sand dunes. On the way to Jebel Burdah, we pass a particularly fine and very old rock inscription which shows a camel caravan. This morning's objective is the Burdah Bridge, a well-known landmark which is reached by way of relatively easy scrambling across open rock slabs. Our guide will show us the best route through a maze of blind alleys and dead ends. There are some steeper sections and you will need to use your hands at times. A jumble of rocks leads to a small plateau, through a valley and then over a steep slab. From here, we turn a corner into a hidden gulley that provides us with a wonderful view of the bridge above. Obligatory photo stop. We then climb a short, steeper wall and here the guide will use a climbing rope to safeguard our passage. Above, we will cross the dramatic Burdah Bridge - another fantastic photo opportunity. There are magnificent views from here, extending over the whole area of Wadi Rum.

Back on the desert floor after a 3-hour round-trip, we meet our vehicles and have lunch in the shade. Fruit juice and tea/coffee will be waiting for us. Lunch is usually a lighter meal than supper, very often heavier on vegetables than meat. After a siesta, we set out to walk for a couple of hours through desert canyons to our next overnight camp. This takes us past some impressively eroded cliffs and by way of a second rock arch that forms a part of Jebel Um Frith. At camp, jugs of water will be available for those who want to find a quiet corner and wash off the desert dust.



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
5-6 hrs walking(12-13 kms)

DAY 4

CLIMB JEBEL KHASCH.

The day starts with a half-hour transfer southwards to Jebel Khasch. Here, we start out hiking through an interesting rocky valley with some sparse vegetation, before negotiating easy rocky slabs as our route twists and turns to the plateau area beneath the highest rocky piles of this massif. We will choose a prominent summit as our high point (1700m / 5575ft) and enjoy views which extend on all sides across the desert landscape. Descending towards the west through another rocky valley, we will effectively made a traverse of Jebel Khasch which takes around 4 hours. There are some great rock colours, blues and purples, as we finally reach a sandy wadi and meet up with our vehicles for lunch. After lunch, we descend an impressive wadi, where we may see Sinai or roseate finches (the national bird of Jordan). This walk also takes us through an ancient Bedouin cemetery and into an area of red rocks and red sand. There is a choice of camping places in this area which each afford good sunset views.



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
5-6 hrs walking(12-13 kms)

DAY 5

ASCEND JEBEL um ADAAMI. ENJOY DESERT VIEWS TO SAUDI ARABIA.

There are even better views today, as we set off to tackle Jebel Um Adaami, the highest mountain in Jordan, which lies on the border with Saudi Arabia. This is quite a difficult drive for our 4-wheel-drive transport, but an enjoyable one for the passengers. Arriving at the start of the day's walk, we can see a Nabatean dam on the left as we head up into a sandy valley. Still in use by the Bedouin, a long line of stones (now set in cement) directs as much water as possible into the shaded reservoir under the cliff. At the end of the valley we climb up a gulley onto the mountain and this is the only difficulty in the ascent. Here, we are right on the border and can see far into the Saudi mountains. Make sure you have plenty of film with you! The Bedouin guide might even brew a cup of herb tea on the summit, using materials gathered on the ascent. After this 3-hour round-trip, we will drive back to our camping place of the previous evening for lunch. The afternoon's programme is a 2-hour walk across the desert, through an area where we are likely to see Bedouin camps and grazing goats and camels.

On this evening, we may choose to spend the night in a Bedouin tent, close to Um Sabata. Anybody who wishes can sleep outside on the soft sand, otherwise we spread our mattresses inside the tent which is twenty or thirty metres long. One option tonight is to have a traditional Bedouin dish of chicken or lamb, cooked in an underground oven. These ovens are often improvised in the desert, dug out and lined with a metal drum, before a fire is lit inside and the oven heated for a couple of hours. The meat and vegetables are placed on the embers and sand heaped high over the oven. A couple more hours and the dish is ready. The cooks will start this dish before we arrive, but you can see the finished product being brought out. 



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
4-5 hrs walking(11-12 kms)

DAY 6

PETRA THROUGH THE BACK DOOR.

After breakfast this morning we leave Wadi Rum and head to Beidha. The walk from here to Petra will take between 2 and 3 hours, with the initial walk across open farmland. The route then follows a well-defined mountain track with fantastic views across to the Araba Desert, some 100 km / 60 miles away. The views are impressive and with the exception of one short (2 metre) section a head for heights is not necessary. The walk into Petra is magnificent and the initial glimpse of the top of the Monastery, as it comes into view through the mountains, has a similar effect of the first glimpse of the Treasury from the Siq. We will then trek down from the monastery and exit Petra by the secondary Siq before re-entering the site through the main Siq so you get to see the most famous view of Petra as though you are entering for the first time. After exploring several of the main sites of this huge city we follow a track past the Roman Theatre area and Pharaoh's Column, then descend into Wadi Ras Suleiman and on towards the Snake Monument, before curving back above it to a plateau near the Djinn Block where we'll find our camp already set up for us. It's a truly unique experience to spend a night camping within Petra.



  Accommodation
Camping
  Meals
BLD
  Time
4-5 hrs walking(11-12 kms)

DAY 7

CLIMB THE BIBLICAL JEBEL HAROUN.

This morning we start our trek to the top of Jebel Haroun (1270m), also known as Mount Aaron. Our route takes us on zig-zagging paths and between rugged cliffs to reach the small, white-painted mosque and shrine at the summit. It's a hike of approximately 7 kms, with 370m of ascent and will take us close to 3 hours to reach the top. The views here are legendary and we spend some time, admiring the shrine, reputedly, the burial site of Moses's brother, Aaron - with its Hebraic inscriptions. We retrace our step down Petra and have another chance to do some exploration, before we walk out through the Siq and check into our hotel in Wadi Musa. 



  Accommodation
Hotel in Wadi Musa
  Meals
BLD
  Time
6-7 hrs walking(17-18 kms)

DAY 8

DEPARTURE DAY

After an early breakfast we transfer by private vehicle (3hrs) to Amman International Airport. UFO Land Only package services end on arrival at the airport. However if you would like to extend your visit in Jordan to visit the Red Sea, the Dead Sea or Jerash, please contact our team of adventure travel consultants.

To get more info about our Wadi Rum To Petra trek drop a mail at [email protected]



  Meals
B

Why trekkers love us?

UFO is certainly the organizer to go for treks with if you want personalized and customized service. We did the Goecha La trek in Sikkim with UFO and the guides, food and equipment was spot on and the trek leader had specialist knowledge of the area. The days were planned way better than other groups we spoke with. Despite the high-end service, UFO prices are extremely competitive. Just go for it!

Tilak Swarup

The team was very helpful and considerate through out the 5 days that i spent with them in Nagaland. Their itinerary was perfect. It covered everything from trekking , camping to attending the Hornbill Festival and trying different kinds of food. It was amazing and I will definitely be traveling with them again!

Jasmine Singh

I am a mom of three under 5 and a baker. So fitness took a back seat for me for a long time with everything else taking priority.When i signed up with UFO for the Rumtse to Tsokar trek, Ladakh, i was anxious and apprehensive. But as a first time trekker I could not ask for more. UFO team took care of all matters and gave us personal attention throughout the trip!Thank you team UFO for an experience that is going to stay with me for a long long time !

Sumedha Singh

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Frequently asked questions

Is it safe to visit Jordan?

Jordan is one of the safest countries on the world! The first thing you will notice when you arrive to Jordan is that the people are very warm and welcoming to tourists. You will be pleasantly surprised by the sense of security you will find in Jordan- it is one of the safest places to travel in the world. Jordan maintains good relations with ALL of its neighbours and is truly an oasis of peace in this region. The country is fairly liberal, westernized, and friendly local population.

How should i dress?

When planning your clothing needs (particularly women), remember that you will be travelling in a Muslim country, albeit not a very conservative one. Too much body should not be displayed. Women and men can wear shorts, though it’s preferable for women to avoid wearing them while walking in Amman’s city center. By following above guidelines, you will feel more relaxed. Make sure you bring with you comfortable walking shoes, a hat and sun block. The weather is usually warm in summer, but winters can be very cold, evenings are cool year round, so bring adequate warm clothing with you. If you were sleeping in the desert then you would need a warm sweater and Jacket even in summer.

Who will accompany our group?

All our tour leaders are Jordanian locals who have extensive knowledge of the local communities and terrain of the areas you will be visiting. We also make sure that they are properly trained in any specialized activities they may administer i.e. hiking, cycling etc. Your tour leader will also be in a position to provide information on the places you visit, recommend things to do and where to eat.

How easy is it to fly to Jordan?

Jordan’s capital Amman is served by Queen Alia International Airport which operates daily flights, from and to, all the major cities of Europe, North America, Asia and the Middle East. If your city does not have direct flights to Amman it should be relatively easy to organize your flight plan through your local travel agent.

When is the best time to visit Jordan?

Jordan is blessed with moderate temperatures and all four seasons all year round. We don’t offer packages during the few months of winter when it can get quite cold and wet but the rest of the year we are open for business.

What about the interacting with Jordanians from local communities in the areas I visit during our holiday?

Fostering cultural interaction and exchanges between our foreign guests and local Jordanians is something we make every effort to encourage, knowing that it enhances the holiday experience for our guests as well as expose Jordanians to different cultures and viewpoints from around the world.

What if we are a group of people (3 or more) and would like to customize our own trip itinerary?

We’ll be more than happy to assist you and design your trip with you step by step and give you a good offer. All you have to do is send your request to our reservation team [email protected] and keep in mind that the bigger your group is the more likely we can customize a trip specifically for you and the more reasonable the price will be for everybody.

How difficult is the Wadi Rum to Petra trek?

This is not a long or sustained trekking holiday. It is a series of day-hikes in an unusual mountain area. We will walk for around 4 to 5 hours on each of the 4 days that we spend at Wadi Rum. This will involve walking on desert trails and soft sand, as well as scrambling on the jebels themselves. When climbing on the jebels we will usually be following routes which have been used for generations by Bedouin hunters and shepherds. The Bedouin guide will carry a climbing rope, which may be used on exposed sections to reassure group members who are not confident scramblers. The altitudes attained during this holiday will not cause problems. At the time of year that we will be visiting Jordan (winter) it will not be extremely hot during the day. However, we will encounter day-time temperatures as high as 30 degrees centigrade and sun protection and adequate hydration are important considerations.