Classic Petra & Wadi Rum — Self-Launched from Aqaba
4 days · Jordan (Aqaba, Wadi Rum & Petra)
Jordan Horizons Tours charges £590
No-markup version: ~£330 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A 4-day, 3-night self-launched version of Jordan Horizons Tours' "Classic Petra & Wadi Rum" loop, starting and ending at Aqaba's King Hussein International Airport. You'll cover the same ground — a 4x4 day in Wadi Rum with a Bedouin camp overnight, then the Siq, the Treasury and the main trail of Petra — but booked yourself: public/shared minibus transport up the Desert Highway, a budget desert camp in Wadi Rum, a local Bedouin driver-guide for the 4x4 tour, and a licensed Petra guide joined on the spot (or a self-guided walk with the Jordan Pass). Costs are approximate backpacker rates in GBP, assuming a solo traveller sharing where sensible.
Day-by-day
Arrive Aqaba — airport to city, Red Sea evening
Aqaba
Land at King Hussein International Airport (AQJ), 10 minutes from downtown Aqaba. If you're staying 3+ nights in Jordan, buy the Jordan Pass online before arrival — the Jordan Wanderer pass (~£55, includes your visa fee waived and one day at Petra). Otherwise most nationalities get a free visa on arrival at Aqaba. Pick up a local SIM from the airport or an Orange/Zain shop in town (~£6-8 for a tourist data bundle). Take a taxi or the airport shuttle into the city (fixed-rate taxi ~£6-8, 15 mins). Check into a budget hotel or hostel near the waterfront, then spend the afternoon swimming or snorkelling off the public beach, wandering the old town and Aqaba Fort, and eating cheap falafel and grilled fish at a local restaurant on Ar-Razi Street. Book your onward transport for tomorrow morning from the minibus stand in town or via your hostel.
🚌Airport taxi to town ~£7; walk everywhere else
🛏Budget hotel/hostel in downtown Aqaba (e.g. hostel dorm or simple private room) — ~£20
- →Aqaba waterfront swim / snorkel
- →Aqaba Fort & old town walk
- →Buy Jordan Pass online and local SIM
Aqaba to Wadi Rum — 4x4 tour, sunset & stargazing
Wadi Rum
Take a shared minibus or service taxi from Aqaba to Wadi Rum Visitor Centre (~1.5 hrs, ~£8-12 per person; book the night before via your hostel or the minibus office). Pay the Wadi Rum entrance fee at the gate unless your Jordan Pass covers it. Your camp will collect you from the visitor centre or Rum Village in a 4x4. Afternoon 4x4 tour with a local Bedouin driver (~£30-40 per person shared, roughly 4 hours) covering the classic circuit: the Nabatean Temple and Lawrence Spring near Rum Village, the red sand dunes, Khazali Canyon with its rock inscriptions, Little Bridge, Um Frouth Rock Bridge, Lawrence's House and the Burdah Rock Bridge. Optional camel ride from Rum Village to Lawrence Spring (~£15-20/hr) — arrange direct with the camp. Stop for the famous desert sunset at a viewpoint, then a traditional zarb dinner (meat/veg cooked underground) at camp, followed by stargazing and tea around the fire.
🚌Shared minibus/service taxi Aqaba → Wadi Rum ~£10; 4x4 tour included in camp package
🛏Budget Bedouin desert camp, standard tent (e.g. Beyond Wadi Rum–style camp) — ~£25 including dinner & breakfast
- →4x4 tour: Nabatean Temple, Lawrence Spring, Khazali Canyon, Little Bridge, Um Frouth Bridge, Lawrence's House, Burdah Arch
- →Sand dunes walk
- →Sunset viewpoint
- →Bedouin camp dinner & stargazing
- →Optional camel ride (~£18)
Wadi Rum to Petra — the Siq, the Treasury & main trail
Petra / Wadi Musa
Sunrise over the desert from camp, then breakfast. Take the morning minibus from Wadi Rum to Wadi Musa/Petra (~2 hrs, ~£10-14 per person — the JETT/minibus services run via the Desert Highway; your camp can arrange a seat). Drop bags at a budget hotel or hostel in Wadi Musa (5-10 min walk from the Petra visitor centre). Enter Petra in the early afternoon on your Jordan Pass or a day ticket (1-day ticket ~£40 / 50 JD; the Jordan Pass covers it). Either join a licensed local guide at the entrance for the main trail (~£30-40 for a shared group, negotiable, bookable through the visitor centre or GetYourGuide in advance) or walk it yourself with the free map/app — the route is clear. Highlights: the Obelisk Tomb, the Siq, the Treasury, the Street of Facades, the Theatre and the Royal Tombs. Stay for sunset colours on the Treasury, then walk back out (or take the optional golf-cart shuttle). Optional extra: Petra by Night (Mon/Wed/Thu, ~£14) if your dates line up. Evening: cheap mezze and mansaf at a local restaurant in Wadi Musa.
🚌Minibus Wadi Rum → Wadi Musa ~£12; walk to Petra entrance
🛏Budget hotel/hostel in Wadi Musa — ~£22
- →Petra main trail with licensed guide (or self-guided)
- →The Siq & the Treasury
- →Street of Facades, Theatre, Royal Tombs
- →Optional Petra by Night (~£14)
- →Optional second-day Petra entry (5 JD ~£5)
Optional Petra sunrise return, then back to Aqaba
Petra → Aqaba
If you want the classic empty-Treasury shot, use a second-day Petra entry (5 JD ~£5) and get in at opening (6am in summer, 6:30am winter) — the walk to the Treasury takes about 45 minutes. Alternatively sleep in, do a short hike to the viewpoint above Wadi Musa, or visit the Petra Museum (free). Late morning, take the minibus or shared taxi back to Aqaba (~2 hrs, ~£10-14). Leave enough buffer before your flight — the airport is 15 minutes from town, but allow 3 hours total. Stop at the Aqaba Heritage Museum or grab a final cheap lunch before heading to King Hussein International Airport (AQJ).
🚌Minibus/shared taxi Wadi Musa → Aqaba ~£12; taxi to AQJ airport ~£7
🛏None — departure day
- →Optional Petra second-day entry at sunrise (~£5)
- →Petra Museum (free)
- →Final Aqaba lunch
Self-launched vs. Jordan Horizons Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Jordan Horizons Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£330 | £590 |
| Duration | 4 days | 4 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £260 per person (44%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Jordan Horizons Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£330
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Classic Petra & Wadi Rum — Self-Launched from Aqaba cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £330 per person for 4 days in Jordan (Aqaba, Wadi Rum & Petra). This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Jordan Horizons Tours?+
Yes — Jordan Horizons Tours charges around £590 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £330 — a saving of roughly £260 (44%) per person.
How long is the Jordan (Aqaba, Wadi Rum & Petra) trip?+
This itinerary runs 4 days, covering 4 day-by-day stops through Jordan (Aqaba, Wadi Rum & Petra).
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, hiking trip through Jordan (Aqaba, Wadi Rum & Petra), self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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