Petra and Wadi Rum in just two days. It’s a packed cross-border tour from Eilat that lines up a guided taste of Petra with a sunset jeep in Wadi Rum. I really like the included transfers and fees, because you’re not hunting down tickets or entry costs mid-trip. The main thing to consider is the long border day—customs can add up to an hour and the schedule moves quickly.

Day 1 starts with pickup from Eilat and a crossing at Arava Border, then a stop in Aqaba for a city-market break and lunch time. You check in at a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, get free time, and then head out on a jeep tour at sunset. Dinner is a buffet, and you’ll overnight in a double tent with shared bathroom facilities (with an optional chalet upgrade that adds an ensuite bathroom).

Day 2 is all about Petra: you’re taken in the morning via a “desert way” route, then you get a guided highlights tour followed by free time inside the site. You return toward the border in the evening and head back to Israel with the guide’s help. One caution I’d flag from past experience: there’s been at least one complaint about a guide leaning heavily into politics or religion instead of sticking close to site history.

Key Things I’d Focus On Before You Go

• Arava Border timing can slow you down: customs and border control may take up to an hour, so build in patience.
• Aqaba is more than a drive-by: you get a city tour plus free time in the market for lunch options.
• Sunset jeep tour in Wadi Rum reserve: it’s the signature moment on the Wadi Rum side of the trip.
• Bedouin camp basics are real: standard lodging is a double tent with shared bathrooms, not a hotel.
• Petra mornings are planned with a guide: guided highlights start at 09:30, then you have free time until around 12:00.
• Small-ish group size helps: this runs with a maximum of 25 travelers and uses an air-conditioned vehicle.

Petra + Wadi Rum From Eilat: Why This Two-Day Format Is Worth It

This tour is built for people who want two “Jordan headline” experiences without making a whole separate vacation out of it. From Eilat, you get round-trip transfers and you’re not responsible for assembling the pieces yourself. That matters, especially because the trip includes a border crossing and multiple transport segments.

I like that it’s structured around the moments most people actually want: a guided run through Petra’s highlights and a jeep tour at sunset in Wadi Rum. The value angle is also clear: entry fees, dinner, and breakfast are included, which keeps the budget more predictable than a patchwork of separate bookings.

The trade-off is pace. This is a fast-moving, cross-border schedule, so if you prefer lingering and late starts, you may feel squeezed.

The Arava Border Reality Check (And How It Affects Your Day)

Your day starts early. You’re picked up from hotels in Eilat and then transferred to Arava Border, where border control and customs can take up to an hour. That timing uncertainty is the single biggest factor that can change how you feel on the ground, because it affects your momentum for the rest of the day.

The good part: you’re not doing the crossing alone. Your guide is there to assist on the Israeli side as well as during the process. Also, the tour ends on the Israeli side, which removes one more logistical headache.

One important rule: if you’re an Israeli passport holder (or have dual citizenship including an Israeli passport), you must use your Israeli passport at every border crossing. This is the kind of detail that can derail your trip if you ignore it.

Aqaba Stop: A Market Break That Can Be the Best Part of the Midday

After the morning crossing, you reach Aqaba around 09:15. Then you get a city tour with free time to explore the market and have lunch. This is a smart inclusion because it breaks up the long travel stretches with something tangible you can do right away—browse, snack, and reset.

If you’re the type who gets impatient sitting in a vehicle too long, that Aqaba window is where you’ll feel the tour doing you a favor. It’s also practical: lunch time is built into the schedule rather than left as a guessing game.

Downside: it’s still limited free time. If you want a deep dive into Aqaba, this isn’t that kind of stop. But for a meal and a quick look at the market scene, it’s a solid balance point.

Wadi Rum Night: Bedouin Camp, Dinner, and the Sunset Jeep Tour

The timing in Wadi Rum is designed around atmosphere. After arriving and checking in at the Bedouin camp, you get some free time, then the highlight goes out in the late day: a sunset jeep tour of the Wadi Rum Protected Area.

That sunset timing matters. It’s the moment the day’s travel starts to feel like a journey rather than just logistics. And because it’s a jeep tour (included), you’re not figuring out vehicles or local operators on your own.

Dinner is included as a buffet. That helps you avoid the classic problem of spending the best part of your first night hunting for food after a long day. It also makes the overnight feel like part of the tour, not an add-on you manage separately.

Lodging is the one part where you should calibrate expectations. Standard accommodation is in a double tent with shared bathroom facilities. There is an option to upgrade to a chalet with an ensuite bathroom, but the default setup is simple.

If you’re traveling with comfort expectations, you may feel a difference between a real hotel night and this camp format. If you’re okay with that trade-off, Wadi Rum is exactly the kind of place where simple lodging can feel like part of the story.

Petra Morning With a Guide: Getting Oriented Fast (Then Going Your Own Way)

Day 2 is Petra-focused. After breakfast, you transfer to Petra using a scenic route described as a mountain-side drive, arriving at the UNESCO Heritage site known for the ancient Nabatean city. The tour begins at 09:30 with a guided walk covering the highlights.

This guided portion is one of the best ways to make a limited-time Petra visit feel worthwhile. Without a guide, it’s easy to get lost in the scale of the place. With the guide, you get a structured introduction to what to prioritize—then you’re released to explore.

At 12:00 you get free time in Petra until it’s time to head back to the border. That free window is where you can choose your own pace: slow down if something grabs you, or move faster if you’re sticking to the main landmarks.

One consideration: because the schedule has you back to the border in the evening (around 19:00 arrival), you don’t have the luxury of a full-day Petra experience. This tour is best for people who want the big highlights and prefer leaving time for the Wadi Rum side to feel complete, too.

Comfort, Timing, and the Vehicle: Air-Conditioned Help With a Long Day

You travel in an air-conditioned vehicle. That’s not a small detail when you’re stacking multiple legs across two days. It also makes the early starts more tolerable, especially on hot days.

Still, this tour is long. You’ll be on the move across borders and between stops, and the day is built around set activities and time windows. If you’re the kind of traveler who wants breaks on demand, you may feel the schedule more than you’d like.

The best way to think about it: this tour trades “freedom” for “coverage.” You come away having seen both Petra and Wadi Rum with less planning effort, but you won’t linger like you might on a do-it-yourself trip.

Dinner, Breakfast, and Entry Fees: Where the $339 Price Actually Lands

At $339 per person, this isn’t a budget day trip—but it’s also not trying to nickel-and-dime you. Entry fees for Petra and Wadi Rum are included. So are dinner and breakfast, plus the guided elements and the sunset jeep tour.

For many people, that combination is the real selling point. Cross-border travel is expensive in time and stress even when the vehicle ride feels straightforward. Here, you’re paying for someone else to handle the sequencing: pickups, border assistance, the Wadi Rum camp stay, and the guided Petra highlights.

Where the price can feel harder to justify is if you’re picky about lodging comfort. The default tent setup with shared bathrooms may not match what you imagine when you hear the word camp. The chalet upgrade with an ensuite bathroom could change the value equation for you, depending on your preferences.

If you’re comparing options, don’t just look at the sticker price. Compare what’s already folded in: entry fees, dinner, breakfast, and the included activities.

Weather and Cancellation: Why Planning Flexibility Still Matters

The experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund. For Wadi Rum in particular, weather can affect how the timing feels on the ground, since your signature activity is tied to a sunset jeep tour.

It also helps to book with enough flexibility in your overall trip plan. This is booked on average about 47 days in advance, which suggests it’s popular—so if your travel dates are tight, you may have fewer reroute options later.

Small Warning: Guide Style Can Change the Feel of the Day

One complaint that stands out is about a guide being overly biased politically or religiously, spending a lot of time on ideology and not enough on the history of the places visited. That’s the kind of issue that can turn a once-in-a-lifetime visit into an awkward mismatch.

I can’t fix someone else’s personality, and I can’t predict how your guide will behave. But you can protect yourself by being clear on your own expectations. If you come primarily for history and architecture explanations, keep that in mind when you assess whether this structured tour style fits you.

Who Should Book This Tour From Eilat (And Who Might Want Alternatives)

This tour fits you best if:

• You want two major Jordan sites in one short window.
• You prefer having transfers and key entries handled instead of building a plan from scratch.
• You’re comfortable with a simple Bedouin camp night (double tent, shared bathrooms).
• You like a mix of guided time plus some free time to wander at your own pace.

This tour may feel frustrating if:

• You dislike tight schedules and border-delay risk.
• You want a full-day, slow, deep exploration of Petra.
• You have strong comfort needs for overnight lodging and don’t want to pay for the chalet upgrade.

Should You Book This Petra and Wadi Rum Tour From Eilat?

If you want maximum “big sights” per day with minimal planning friction, I think it’s a reasonable choice. The included entry fees, dinner, breakfast, Petra guide coverage, and the Wadi Rum sunset jeep tour all point to a trip that tries to solve the usual problems of cross-border travel.

I’d be more careful if you’re sensitive to lodging standards or if you strongly prefer history-and-architecture narration over anything else. Since the schedule depends on border timing and good weather, you’ll also want to accept that a few hours can change on the day.

My bottom line: book it if you’re okay with a fast pace and basic camp lodging, and you’ll treat Aqaba and Petra’s free window as your chance to slow down a bit. Skip or look elsewhere if you want a relaxed, unhurried experience or a hotel-style night in the desert.

FAQ

What’s included in the tour price?

The tour includes entry fees to Petra and Wadi Rum, a buffet dinner and breakfast, and the guided and jeep-tour components described in the plan.

Is pickup from Eilat included?

Yes, pickup is offered, with transfers arranged from hotels in Eilat.

How long is the tour?

It’s listed as a 2-day tour, with the overall schedule spanning both days and returning to Eilat after Petra.

Where is the border crossing involved?

You transfer to Arava Border, and the tour includes time for border control and customs. The tour ends on the Israeli side of the border.

Do I need an Israeli passport at the border?

If you’re an Israeli passport holder (or dual passport holder including an Israeli passport), you must use your Israeli passport at every border crossing.

What happens in Wadi Rum?

You check in at a Bedouin camp, get some free time, and then enjoy a sunset jeep tour in the Wadi Rum reserve. Dinner is included that night.

Where do you sleep in Wadi Rum?

Standard accommodation is a double tent with shared bathroom facilities. A chalet upgrade with an ensuite bathroom is available.

What’s included at Petra?

You get a guided tour of Petra highlights starting at 09:30, followed by free time in the site until around 12:00.

Is the group size limited?

Yes, this tour/activity has a maximum of 25 travelers.

What if the weather is poor?

The experience requires good weather. If canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.