From Eilat: 2-Day Petra & Wadi Rum Tour with Camp Stay

Petra is the star here, but the overnight Bedouin camp gives this two-day trip its real shape. You move from carved Nabataean stone to wide desert, then trade a hotel room for a tent beneath a sky that can feel almost too large to measure. The next day brings a two-hour Jeep ride through Wadi Rum, with its red sand and cut-rock canyons.

I like that transportation, Petra admission, a three-hour guided visit, lunch, breakfast, and the camp stay are bundled together. I also like the simple route: Eilat, Petra, Wadi Rum, then back to Eilat, with no need to arrange Jordanian transport yourself.

The main caution is cost and timing. The advertised $372 price does not include the $140 Jordan border fee, so the known total reaches $512 per person before extra drinks or meals. Border delays and changes in the day’s schedule can also eat into your Petra time, so this is best for an organized adventure, not a tightly controlled sightseeing day.

Key points to know before booking

• Petra gets three guided hours: Expect the Treasury, temples, tombs, caves, and other Nabataean remains, with more than 800 recorded objects across the site.
• Wadi Rum is more than a quick photo stop: You spend the night in a Bedouin camp and take a Jeep ride through the desert.
• The real price is at least $512 per person: That includes the $372 tour price plus the stated $140 border fee, before drinks and other extras.
• The standard tent has shared facilities outside: Choose the upgraded four-star tent if you want a private shower and toilet.
• The border can shape the day: A reported delay and an unscheduled stop reduced Petra sightseeing time, so keep expectations flexible.
• This requires steady walking: The tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments, and open-toed shoes are not allowed.

From Eilat to Petra, then Wadi Rum

This tour packs two of Jordan’s big names into two days. That is its strength and its limitation. You get a quick look at Petra and Wadi Rum without planning cars, guides, tickets, and a camp on your own, but the schedule leaves little room for a slow morning or a second chance.

Pickup is listed for 8:30 AM from hotels in Eilat, with the stated pickup location at Retamim Street 133. Confirm the exact meeting point with the local partner before departure. You also need to provide passport details for everyone in your party.

The border crossing matters more than the simple itinerary suggests. You must carry your passport or ID card, and the Jordan border fee is $140 per person. That fee is not refundable after payment, even if weather or another cancellation prevents the tour from going ahead. Restricted nationalities may need to arrange visas through the relevant embassy, so check this well before your departure date.

One account of this trip describes a late pickup, a long wait at the border, an extra stop in Aqaba, and a delayed arrival at Petra. That does not prove every departure will run that way, but it is a useful warning. Build patience into the day, and do not schedule an important evening commitment back in Eilat.

Petra: the reason to take the trip

Petra was the capital of the Nabataeans, a trading people who carved buildings into the rose and ocher sandstone of southern Jordan. The site is not one monument. It is a broad archaeological area filled with tombs, temples, caves, mourning houses, and other remains.

The Treasury is the famous image, and seeing it in person is likely to be your first major Petra moment. Yet the Treasury is only one part of the visit. The tour description refers to more than 800 objects at Petra, which gives you a sense of the site’s scale. A three-hour guided visit can introduce the main story and key sights, but it cannot cover every corner.

The English-speaking guide is scheduled to lead you for three hours. That is valuable because Petra can look like a maze of stone without context. You will learn about Nabataean art, gods, buildings, and daily life rather than simply walking past carved facades.

At the same time, three hours is a short visit for a place this large. If transportation runs late, your time inside can shrink further. One reported schedule left only about two and a half hours for Petra, with the guide arranged close to arrival. Treat the three-hour figure as the planned tour time, not an absolute guarantee from the moment you enter.

Wear comfortable closed shoes. Petra involves walking over uneven ground, and the tour is specifically not suitable for people with mobility impairments. Bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, and water. The supplied advice also asks you to carry your own drinking water during the journey.

Lunch after the stone city

Lunch is included after your Petra visit. That saves you from having to find a meal while moving between sites, and it keeps the tour on its intended route toward Wadi Rum.

Do not expect the meal to turn this into a food-focused trip. The information provided does not specify a menu, restaurant, or drinks, and additional meals and beverages are not included. I would carry water and budget for anything you want beyond the included lunch and camp breakfast.

The timing of lunch also depends on how smoothly the Petra visit runs. If the morning loses time at the border or on the road, the stop may feel more like a necessary pause than a relaxed meal. That is normal for a two-day cross-border tour, but it is worth knowing before you compare this with a slower Petra visit based in Jordan.

The road to Wadi Rum

After Petra and lunch, the route continues to Wadi Rum. This shift is one of the pleasures of the trip. Petra gives you carved architecture and ancient settlement remains. Wadi Rum gives you open sand, tall rock formations, and a desert shaped by wind, heat, and sudden cold.

Wadi Rum can be punishing in summer and very cold in winter. The supplied advice specifically recommends warm clothing for winter tours, while sun protection matters in warmer months. Pack a change of clothes because your conditions can change sharply between the Petra walk, the Jeep ride, and the evening at camp.

The desert is not a soft, harmless backdrop. It demands attention from the Bedouin communities who live there, and your guide is meant to explain how people manage life in this demanding setting. That cultural element gives the camp stay more meaning than a basic overnight in a themed tent. You are not only stopping for scenery. You are learning about Bedouin life and the Nabataeans who once used this wider region.

The two-hour Wadi Rum Jeep ride

The Jeep tour is the active part of the Wadi Rum visit. You ride through the desert, stopping to see formations and other sights along the route. The advertised duration is two hours, although one account describes a ride closer to an hour and a half with two stops. As with Petra, timing may vary in practice.

I like this part of the trip because a vehicle lets you cover more of Wadi Rum than you could on foot in the available time. The desert’s appeal comes from changing scale: a narrow canyon can open into a broad field of sand, and a wall of rock can dominate the view before seeming to recede as you move on.

Bring sunglasses and a hat, and keep your phone or camera secure during the ride. The provided information does not promise camel riding, sandboarding, a long hike, or a particular set of stops, so do not book expecting those extras. The Jeep tour is the included desert activity.

Sleeping in an authentic Bedouin camp

The overnight camp is the part that makes this feel like more than a rushed sightseeing transfer. After the Petra visit and desert ride, you have a place to stop, eat breakfast the next morning, and experience Wadi Rum after the day visitors have gone.

The standard accommodation is a Bedouin tent, but the shower and toilet are outside the tent. That arrangement may suit you if you want the simplest version of the camp experience. If you prefer privacy and easier nighttime access, select the four-star tent upgrade, which includes a private shower and toilet inside the tent.

Single bookings receive single accommodation. A booking for three people receives three-person accommodation, according to the stated arrangements. If the room setup matters to you, confirm it before paying rather than assuming that everyone will share one large tent.

A particularly appealing detail from the available feedback is the description of a camp with a swimming pool, good food, and striking night skies. A pool is not listed as a guaranteed inclusion in the tour details, so I would not book on that promise. The camp stay and breakfast are included, while the exact facilities and meals should be confirmed with the operator.

Evening temperatures deserve attention. Desert nights can be cold, especially in winter, and warm clothing is specifically recommended. A change of clothes, closed shoes, sunscreen, and water belong in your small overnight bag rather than buried in your main luggage.

What the $372 price really buys

At first glance, $372 per person is a substantial price for two days. The package includes round-trip transportation from Eilat, one day of Petra admission, a three-hour English-speaking guide, lunch, transport to Wadi Rum, a Bedouin camp night, breakfast, and the Jeep ride.

Those inclusions have real value if you are starting in Eilat. You avoid arranging a separate driver, coordinating the border crossing on your own, finding a Petra guide, booking desert transport, and locating a camp. For a solo visitor, that convenience can be worth a good part of the cost. One positive account also described the experience as a safe option for a solo trip.

But calculate the total honestly. The stated Jordan border fee adds $140 per person, bringing the known cost to $512. You still need to pay for additional meals and drinks, and any activity not specifically listed. This is not a budget Jordan sampler.

Value also depends on how much Petra time you receive. If the schedule works well, the combination of a guided Petra visit and Wadi Rum camp is efficient. If delays cut Petra down to two and a half hours, the cost feels harder to justify, especially for someone whose main goal is a full day at Petra.

Timing, weather, and comfort

The tour lasts two days, but the first day begins early and includes an international border crossing. The amount of time spent on the road can vary, and the operator may combine you with another group after crossing. That can be efficient, but it may also mean less control over stops and departure times.

The experience can be cancelled in adverse weather. Because the border fee becomes non-refundable once paid, weather carries a real financial risk. Check conditions and cancellation terms carefully before committing, particularly during seasons when desert weather can change quickly.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before departure for a full refund, and you can reserve while paying later. That flexibility helps, but it does not remove the separate risk attached to border fees.

This tour is a poor fit if you need step-free access, have difficulty walking, dislike changing accommodation, or want long, unhurried visits. It is a better fit if you enjoy active days, can manage uncertainty, and want the major Petra and Wadi Rum highlights in one organized trip.

How to prepare for the border and desert

Keep your passport or ID card easy to reach. The local partner needs passport details for all participants, and you should confirm the pickup location before the morning of departure.

Pack light for the camp night, but do not leave out practical items:

• Closed, comfortable walking shoes
• Warm layers for winter nights
• A hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen
• A change of clothes
• Personal drinking water
• Any needed personal medication

Pets are not allowed, and open-toed shoes are not permitted. The only stated tour language is English, so an English-speaking guide is the expected arrangement.

Because extra meals and drinks are not included, carry money for those costs. The available information does not specify accepted payment methods, so confirm this with the local partner rather than relying on a card or a particular currency.

Should you book this Petra and Wadi Rum tour?

I would book it if I had only two days, was staying in Eilat, and wanted Jordan’s two biggest sights without building the trip myself. The combination is strong: Petra supplies the ancient stonework and Nabataean story, while Wadi Rum provides the desert ride and a night under Bedouin camp skies.

I would not book it if Petra is your sole priority. A longer Petra visit would give you more time to walk beyond the main route and would reduce the sting of a delayed border crossing. I would also compare the final $512-plus cost with a locally based Jordan tour before deciding.

Choose the private-bathroom tent upgrade if nighttime comfort matters. Confirm the pickup, border requirements, passport details, and expected schedule in advance. Go in prepared for delays, bring warm and sun-protective clothing, and view the trip as a fast, memorable introduction to Jordan rather than a leisurely study of either site.

FAQ

Where does the tour depart from?

Pickup is provided from all hotels in Eilat. The stated pickup location is Retamim Street 133, and you should confirm the exact meeting point with the local partner.

What time does pickup take place?

The scheduled pickup time is 8:30 AM.

How much is the Jordan border fee?

The border fee is $140 per person. It is not included in the $372 tour price and is non-refundable after payment.

Is Petra admission included?

Yes. One day of entrance tickets to Petra is included.

How long is the guided Petra visit?

The planned guided tour at Petra lasts three hours and is conducted in English.

Is lunch included?

Lunch in Petra is included. Additional meals and drinks are not included.

What accommodation is provided in Wadi Rum?

The tour includes an overnight stay in a Bedouin tent and breakfast at the camp. The standard tent has its shower and toilet outside.

Can I get a private bathroom at the camp?

Yes. You can upgrade to a four-star tent with a private shower and toilet.

Is the tour suitable for people with mobility impairments?

No. The tour is not suitable for people with mobility impairments. Comfortable closed shoes are required, and open-toed shoes are not allowed.