Wadi Rum sits at the southern end of Jordan, close to Aqaba and within reasonable range of Petra. Most visitors stay one or two nights in a desert camp and build their wider itinerary around this position. Knowing the realistic travel times and transport options makes the planning considerably easier.
Aqaba and the Red Sea
Distance from Wadi Rum village: 60 km, approximately 50 to 60 minutes
Entry fee: None
Transport options:
- Shared taxi from Wadi Rum junction: JOD 8 to 12 per person
- Private taxi: JOD 40 to 55 one way (negotiate before you get in)
- With a rental car from Aqaba: drive yourself (paved Desert Highway throughout)
Aqaba is Jordan’s only Red Sea port and the closest beach to Wadi Rum. A half-day trip here works well on the same day you check out of your Wadi Rum camp - most camps have morning checkout around 09:00 to 10:00, which gives you the afternoon in Aqaba before catching an onward connection.
The Marine Peace Park stretches south from central Aqaba along the coast. Snorkelling is possible directly from the shore near the Japanese Garden and Cedar Pride wreck sites. Equipment rental runs approximately JOD 5 to 8 for mask, fins, and snorkel. Dive operators in town offer guided reef dives from around JOD 40 to 60 per person.
Aqaba city centre has a good concentration of fish restaurants along the waterfront. Royal Yacht Club Restaurant and Red Sea Restaurant both serve freshly grilled fish platters for around JOD 12 to 18 per person. The local speciality is sayadiyeh - spiced fish on rice with tahini sauce.
If you want to spend more time on the water, Aqaba snorkelling day tours typically cost JOD 25 to 40 per person including boat, guide, and equipment. Glass-bottom boat trips start around JOD 20 for a 90-minute reef viewing excursion.
Petra (Reverse Route)
Distance from Wadi Rum village: 100 km north, approximately 90 minutes
Entry fee: JOD 50 for a one-day ticket; free with Jordan Pass
Transport options:
- Shared minibus or tourist shuttle: JOD 15 to 20 per person (book through camp)
- Private taxi or driver: JOD 70 to 90 one way
- Combined jeep transfer + Petra + drop-off at Aqaba packages: JOD 80 to 120 per car
Doing Petra as a day trip from Wadi Rum is feasible but demanding. The round trip is 200 km of driving, and Petra itself requires at minimum 4 to 5 hours of walking. If you plan this route, leave camp no later than 06:30 to reach the Petra Visitor Centre by 08:00, walk the main circuit until around 14:00, and drive back to Wadi Rum by 16:00.
A more comfortable option is the one-way transfer: do Petra on the way up from Wadi Rum to Amman, checking in at a Wadi Musa hotel for the night rather than returning to the desert. This converts a day trip into a natural itinerary progression.
Several Wadi Rum camps offer departure packages that include a shared minibus north to Petra with drop-off at the Visitor Centre. These typically cost JOD 15 to 20 per person and run in the morning. Ask your camp to arrange this when you book - availability can be limited for solo travellers or couples, as the minibuses need a minimum of 4 to 6 passengers to run.
Little Petra (Siq al-Barid)
Distance from Wadi Rum village: 85 km north, approximately 1 hour 20 minutes
Entry fee: Free
Transport options:
- Private taxi from Wadi Rum: JOD 55 to 70 return including wait time
- Add-on to a Petra trip: 8 km detour north from Wadi Musa, 15 minutes extra
Little Petra is the Nabataean caravanserai 8 km north of the main Petra entrance. It is free to enter, smaller than Petra, and significantly less crowded. The canyon contains carved facades, a triclinium with the only surviving Nabataean fresco visible without special access, and excellent silence.
From Wadi Rum, Little Petra is not practical as a standalone day trip unless you have your own vehicle, because the return transfer would cost as much as a private taxi to Petra itself. The better approach is to combine it with a Petra visit: after exploring the main Petra site, drive 8 km north to Little Petra for a late afternoon visit before heading back south.
A private taxi driver covering Wadi Rum to Little Petra to Wadi Rum (with a 90-minute wait) will typically quote JOD 80 to 100. If you can pair with other travellers heading the same direction, the cost drops significantly.
Wadi Araba and the Israel Border Crossing
Distance from Wadi Rum to Yitzhak Rabin/Wadi Araba crossing: 55 km via Aqaba, approximately 1 hour
Crossing hours: 08:00 to 20:00 Sunday to Thursday, 08:00 to 15:00 Friday and Saturday (confirm current hours before travel)
If you are continuing to Eilat or onward into Israel, the Wadi Araba crossing just outside Aqaba is the most convenient exit point from this part of Jordan. The crossing is quieter than the Allenby Bridge near Amman. Israeli and Jordanian visas are handled on each side of the crossing; the Israeli side charges an exit fee (currently approximately USD 30). Shared taxis from central Aqaba to the crossing point cost JOD 5 to 8 per person.
Combining the South: A Practical Route
The most efficient itinerary for Jordan’s south runs: Petra (2 nights) to Wadi Rum (1 to 2 nights) to Aqaba (1 night). Each stage is a logical southward progression on the Desert Highway.
Transport at each stage:
- Petra to Wadi Rum: shared tourist shuttle JOD 15 to 20 per person, or private taxi JOD 60 to 80
- Wadi Rum to Aqaba: shared taxi from Wadi Rum junction JOD 8 to 12 per person
- Aqaba airport: taxis to King Hussein International Airport (AQJ) cost JOD 8 to 12 from central Aqaba
This routing avoids backtracking and covers all three of Jordan’s most visited landscapes in a sequence that makes geographic sense.