Petra & Wadi Rum Trek
8 Days Starting and ending in Amman
Visiting: Jordan
Tour operator:
Tour code:
TXR
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
4 - 14
Age range:
16-99
Special diets catered:
Please inform Exodus of specific dietary requirements
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Tour Overview
Some of the most spectacular desert scenery in the world is found in the south of Jordan at Wadi Rum, a place of dramatic beauty which provides an ideal environment for trekking. Millennia of erosion have formed wonderful mountains (known as jebels) that rise out of the desert sands, creating exciting terrain that we explore from the valley bottom to the jebel tops. Throughout the trip we will be accompanied by local Bedouin and we shall be camping as they do, under the stars. Our trip will finish with a day visit to the ancient rock city of Petra, a must for any visitor to Jordan.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1 : Start Amman
Welcome to Amman, the capital of Jordan, where our adventure begins. There are free transfers to the hotel from Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) for all customers today. Please note, transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.
Accommodation: Larsa Hotel (or similar)
Day 2 : Drive To Wadi Rum
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
After breakfast, there is an opportunity to exchange money and purchase snacks for the upcoming desert trek. We then transfer by bus to Wadi Rum (four to five hours). We visit the Wadi Rum visitor centre and take in the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, a spectacular rock formation with seven fluted turrets. It is a short transfer to the start of our introductory walk where we walk to Um Al Bdoun, a private campsite run by local Bedouin people. In the evening, we enjoy a traditional zarb dinner, for which a cooking pot is dug into the sand and left for most of the day to slow cook meats and vegetables.
Accommodation: Permanent Bedouin camp
Day 3 : Traverse Siq El Barrah
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
From our campsite, we trek through Siq el Barrah, a magnificent desert canyon with immense rock walls. We continue through open desert and there is a tangible sense of wilderness as we pass sandstone mountains and rocky outcrops. We set up camp beneath the shade of two rocky mountains, Rakaa and Mharrak.
Accommodation: Wild camping
Day 4 : Trek To Jebel Burdah
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We begin with an optional excursion to Jebel Burdah, which includes sections of scrambling and the use of ropes, particularly for those who choose to ascend to the top of Burdah Bridge — an impressive rock formation spanning two cliffs. Guests have the flexibility to remain at the campsite instead of participating in this trek. Please note, the final section of the hike, to the top of Burdah Bridge, is also optional; hikers can choose to wait at the base of the bridge. Panoramic views can be enjoyed throughout the trek.
Later in the afternoon, we continue our journey to our next campsite situated atop dunes near Jebel Umm Fruth in the southeast corner of the Wadi Rum desert.
Accommodation: Wild camping
Day 5 : On To Wadi Khashkhasheh
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today, we head to Umm Fruth Rock Bridge, just a short walk from our campsite. Umm Fruth requires some easy-level scrambling. The ascent is steep and short and the sandstone is firm with good underfoot grip. We continue our trek to the ruins of Lawrence House, where TE Lawrence – also known as Lawrence of Arabia – is said to have slept. In the afternoon, we traverse across remote red-sand dunes with spectacular views throughout. There is an opportunity to see historic rock inscriptions before we set up camp tonight in the crook of a desert mountain.
Accommodation: Wild camping
Day 6 : Leave The Desert For Little Petra
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Our last morning in the desert starts with a walk or optional camel trek through Wadi Umm Al Ishrim. We transfer towards Petra around lunchtime. In the afternoon, we will visit Little Petra, a smaller but still impressive version of the main Petra site. We spend tonight in a fixed camp (with shared showers and toilets) near Little Petra.
Accommodation: Ammarin Bedouin Camp
Day 7 : Walk The Back Trail To Petra; Then Drive To Amman
Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning, we set off early to explore the ancient city of Petra, a Unesco World Heritage site known for its astonishing scale.
We take the lesser-known Back Trail to Petra, cutting through a rocky landscape overlooking Wadi Araba. In contrast to the typical tourist track, we arrive first at the Monastery, giving us the chance to see it at a quieter time. From here, we proceed through the vast site, exiting via the Treasury and the Siq.
In the centre of Petra, we pass the houses and tombs of the more affluent citizens and a Roman amphitheatre, preserved in remarkable condition. Beyond the city centre is El Deir, the Monastery. Its superb facade is carved into the rock and topped by a huge urn.
We’ll spend about six hours in total walking through Petra.
After our visit, we transfer back to Amman.
Accommodation: Larsa Hotel (or similar)
Day 8 : End Amman
Meals Included: Breakfast
Tour ends in Amman after breakfast. Speak to your sales representative if you’d like to stay in Amman a little longer to explore and rest after an extraordinary week in the desert.
What's Included
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Meals
7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners.
* All breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
* All accommodation
* All transport and listed activities
* Tour leader throughout
* Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)
* Arrival & departure transfers
What's Not Included
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Visas or vaccinations
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Travel insurance
Food
Whilst trekking all meals are included. The 3 nights spent in hotels is on a
bed and breakfast basis. You will be required to buy 2 lunches on days 2 and
7 and dinners on day 1 (depending on flight arrival time), 6 and 7. Allow
about US$90 or 64JOD to cover these meals. We usually eat in restaurants
where traditional food is served to allow maximum flexibility of choice, and,
for those who wish, to try a 'mezze' style meal. If you are vegetarian,
please note that main meals are limited in choice, however, mezze is almost
always available in restaurants and is a good choice for vegetarians, usually
costing approximately 15JOD or US$21 pp. Unlimited drinking water is provided
free of charge whilst on the trek in Wadi Rum.
Accommodation
On this adventurous walking trip in Jordan, we spend two nights in a hotel in Amman, one night in a Bedouin camp near Little Petra, one night at a private permanent camp in Wadi Rum and three nights wild camping.
Amman: Larsa Hotel (nights 1 and 7)
Our first and final accommodation is usually the Larsa Hotel, around a 30-minute drive from Queen Alia International Airport. Locally rated as a three-star, it has some welcome amenities, including an outdoor swimming pool, sauna and hot tub. There’s also a restaurant, where we eat breakfast, plus a bar.
Wadi Rum: Private Bedouin camp (night 2)
Used exclusively by our groups, this permanent Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum is a highlight for many travellers. We sleep in simple, traditional tents sheltered by rugged stone cliffs and enjoy the warm hospitality of our Bedouin hosts. The tents are equipped with basic beds, sheets and blankets and the site has plumbed toilets and basins, and simple shower facilities with (limited) hot water. In the evening, they serve us a zarb dinner, cooked underground in the traditional manner, while the rest of the night is typically spent around the campfire, chatting and sharing an unforgettable experience.
Wild camping (nights 3-5)
For our three nights camping in the wild, we sleep in simple dome tents. There are no toilets or wash facilities – this is the wild after all – but we do provide mattresses to sleep on (about 4in/10cm thick). To make things a little easier, our camping equipment is transported to the sites for us, meaning we don’t have to carry it.
Near Little Petra: Ammarin Bedouin Camp (night 6)
Our last camping night is spent at Ammarin Bedouin Camp near Little Petra, which sits at the foot of a protective rock wall. It is not exclusive to Exodus, so there are likely to be other guests in addition to our group, but the site does have shared shower and toilet facilities – a luxury after our last three nights in the wild! The site is run by members of the local Bedouin Ammarin people, a community traditionally comprised of camel and goat herders.
Check out our Q&As
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Yes.Arrival & departure transfers
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Are vaccinations required for this tour?
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid.
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Minimum 16 year age people can go on this tour.
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Do you require a visa for this holiday?
Visas are required by most nationalities, including British, and can be obtained at the border or Amman airport
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes.
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What is the maximum group size?
14
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What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?
If you wish to make any changes to your booking, particularly if you need to alter any flights booked through us, please let us know as soon as possible. There is a booking or flight amendment fee of £40 per change and flight amendments often incur extra airline costs depending on the changes to be made and if the ticket has been issued or not.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Exodus has been trading since 1974
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
Your final joining instructions and flight details, if booked with us, will then be sent out 2 to 3 weeks before departure. If you would like a hard copy posted, or if you require these any earlier, please contact the customer operations team. We advise that if you are booking connecting travel before receiving these, please ensure you leave plenty of time.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Travellers are welcome to opt to share a room with a tour member of the same gender for no additional charge. If you'd like your own room, we can request a single supplement so that you will have your own room throughout.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
You are welcome to meet the group after the tour has departed however there is no reduction in rate for joining a tour after the departure date.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Exodus Adventure Travels allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform exodus adventure travels, 43 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Exodus Adventure Travels requires a minimum deposit of 25% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 90 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of exodus adventure travels charges.
Up to 70 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.