Explore Petra & Wadi Rum — Self-Launched Independent Adventure

Start early from your Amman base in Jabal Amman or Downtown. Hop a local minibus from the Tabarbour bus station to Jerash (about 1 hour, ~1.5 JOD / £1.70), or grab a shared taxi if you're a group. Spend 2–3 hours walking the colonnaded streets of Jerash — Hadrian's Arch, the Oval Plaza, the Hippodrome and the Temple of Artemis — with the Jordan Pass already covering entry. From the Jerash bus station take a shared taxi south-east to Ajloun (~4 JOD / £4.50 split between travellers) to climb the 12th-century Ajloun Castle and take in the Jordan Valley views, then return to Amman by minibus or shared taxi. Evening back in Amman: cheap falafel and hummus on Rainbow Street, then bed early for the long day tomorrow.

🚌Local minibus Tabarbour–Jerash (~1.5 JOD), shared taxi Jerash–Ajloun–Amman (~4–6 JOD split)

🛏Budget guesthouse / hostel dorm in Downtown or Jabal Amman (e.g. books through Hostelworld or Booking.com) — approx £16–20

• →Self-guided walk of Jerash Roman ruins (Jordan Pass)
• →Ajloun Castle visit + viewpoint
• →Rainbow Street food crawl, Amman

Take an early JETT bus or minibus from Amman's Abdali station to Madaba (~1 JOD / £1.15). Quick stop at St George's Church for the famous mosaic map, then a shared taxi or minibus 15 minutes to Mt Nebo to see the Promised Land viewpoint and Moses' memorial. Continue downhill by shared taxi (~5–8 JOD split) to a public Dead Sea beach such as Amman Beach — float, mud up, rinse off; bring your own towel and don't get the water in your eyes. In the afternoon, catch the JETT bus from Amman's Abdali station to Wadi Rum Visitor Centre (~10 JOD / £11, departs early afternoon, so plan the Dead Sea stop tightly or take a morning bus and do the Dead Sea on Day 4 instead). At the Visitor Centre your pre-booked Bedouin camp will pick you up. Your camp arranges the sunset 4x4 tour into the desert — book direct with the camp for ~35–45 JOD per vehicle shared, stopping at Lawrence's Spring, Khazali Canyon, the sand dunes and the Mushroom Rock. Back to camp for a zarb (underground-baked) dinner and tea by the fire under the stars.

🚌Minibus Amman–Madaba (~1 JOD), shared taxi Madaba–Mt Nebo–Dead Sea (~5–8 JOD split), JETT bus Amman–Wadi Rum (~10 JOD), camp 4x4 pickup

🛏Bedouin desert camp in Wadi Rum — shared tent incl. dinner and breakfast, approx £22–28

• →Madaba mosaic map of St George's Church
• →Mt Nebo viewpoint
• →Dead Sea float at public beach
• →Sunset 4x4 desert tour (book direct with camp)
• →Bedouin camp dinner and stargazing

Wake for sunrise over the desert — most camps include a short jeep run to a viewpoint or you can just climb the rocks behind camp. After breakfast, take a shared minibus or taxi from Wadi Rum Visitor Centre to Wadi Musa (~7–10 JOD per person in a shared vehicle, ~1h45m); the JETT service sometimes runs but shared taxis are the reliable option. Check into your guesthouse in Wadi Musa, then head into Petra with the Jordan Pass in the afternoon — enter through the Siq, the 1.2km gorge of 80m sandstone walls, and emerge at the Treasury. If you want a local Bedouin guide, book one at the Visitor Centre or through your guesthouse (~50 JOD for a half-day split between 2–4 people, or 25 JOD for a shorter guided walk). Climb to the Monastery via the 800 steps, and consider the Petra by Night candlelit walk on Monday/Wednesday/Thursday evenings (30 JOD, booked at the Visitor Centre or your guesthouse). Turkish bath in Wadi Musa (~30–45 JOD) is a great post-hike fix.

🚌Shared minibus/taxi Wadi Rum–Wadi Musa (~7–10 JOD)

🛏Family-run guesthouse in Wadi Musa — approx £16–20

• →Sunrise in the desert
• →Petra entry via the Siq to the Treasury
• →Hike to the Monastery (Ad Deir)
• →Optional: Petra by Night candlelit walk (30 JOD)

Get into Petra at opening time (6am in summer) — you'll have the Siq and the Treasury almost to yourself before the tour buses arrive, and the light on the Treasury facade is best early. If you skipped it yesterday, hike to the High Place of Sacrifice for panoramic views, or return to the Monastery. Late morning, check out and take the JETT bus from Wadi Musa to Amman (~10–12 JOD, around 3.5 hours, departs late morning — book a day ahead at the JETT office or online), or a shared taxi if the bus is full. Arrive Amman in the afternoon for a last wander through the Citadel and Roman Theatre (both included on the Jordan Pass) and a final knafeh at Habiba sweets before your onward flight or hotel.

🚌JETT bus Wadi Musa–Amman (~10–12 JOD, ~3.5h)

🛏None included — overnight in Amman if needed (~£16–20 extra) or onward flight

• →Early morning Petra entry (Jordan Pass)
• →Optional High Place of Sacrifice hike
• →Amman Citadel and Roman Theatre
• →Knafeh at Habiba, Downtown Amman

Not an official tour day, but worth budgeting for: the commercial itinerary lands you back in Amman on Day 4, and a self-launched version benefits from a buffer in case the Wadi Musa–Amman bus is full or you want a slower Petra day. Use it for the Jordan Museum, a hammam, or the airport bus (Sariyah Express, ~3.5 JOD) to Queen Alia. Note: the operator price includes 3 nights' accommodation and the trip itself is 4 days — this extra day is optional and not included in the headline cost.

🚌Sariyah Express airport bus (~3.5 JOD)

🛏Optional Amman budget guesthouse (~£16–20)

• →Optional: Jordan Museum
• →Airport transfer by Sariyah Express bus (~3.5 JOD)