Is visiting Petra and Wadi Rum on one day too ambitious?

[Deano68]

We will be in Aqaba on a cruise for the day on 5 Nov from 8am-7pm and are considering either a visit to Petra or Petra and Wadi Rum on the one day. I have found a couple of tour operators that offer the tours, but is it too ambitious and would be too rushed to do both in one day, or is this achievable and worth doing? And if so which one? Thanks 

[John Bull]

6 hours ago, Deano68 said:

We will be in Aqaba on a cruise for the day on 5 Nov from 8am-7pm and are considering either a visit to Petra or Petra and Wadi Rum on the one day. I have found a couple of tour operators that offer the tours, but is it too ambitious and would be too rushed to do both in one day, or is this achievable and worth doing? And if so which one? Thanks 

 

 

Wadi Rum is only 20 minutes e/w off the route to Petra, and the total driving time is about 4hrs 30 mins.

Common sense dictates that Wadi Rum should be the last stop - it's an hour from the ship.

 

Assume a minimum of 30 minutes between disembarkation and heading out of the port. (Any reference on ship's literature or website to anything earlier than 7am at the latest will be ship's arrival time, not disembarkation time).

And back at Aqaba a minimum of an hour before scheduled sailing - that's wiggle room of about 30 minutes for a delay.

Allow a minimum of an hour, preferably 90 minutes, for a tolerably-worthwhile jeep ride at Wadi Rum, just a camel ride at the visitor centre would be no different to a camel ride on any flat patch of desert. Wadi Rum needs a jeep ride into the hills.

At Petra, the walk down the siq from the parking area near the visitor centre takes 30 minutes, allow 45 minutes to walk back up. But there are little two-passenger buggies.

By my maths, total so far something under 9 hours

That leaves two hours in the valley at Petra which should belenty.

Bear in mind that a foul-up can screw-up the visit to Wadi Rum ( "I'm sorry, I though you said back at the bus at 3pm", "I'm sorry, she's gone to find a bathroom, I'm sure she'll be only a minute or two" etc)

 

Both Petra and Wadi Rum are very worthwhile, but Petra much more so than Wadi Rum.

If the ship offered Petra plus Wadi Rum it's one of the rare occasions when we'd bite the bullet & take the ship's offering because of the time and distance

Do allow wiggle room on a independent tour, and be prepared to accept disappointment (foreshortening of time at Wadi Rum or missing it entirely)

The operator's principal concern will be to get you back to the ship in time - t's a long swim to the next port. 

 

JB 🙂
 

Edited March 13, 2023 by John Bull

[terry&mike]

We visited both Petra and Wadi Rum in January 2022, but on separate days. We spent quite a few hours covering Petra, and when we were done were exhausted. The day was hot and sunny, and it's very dry there, plus there is a ton of walking if you want to see the main sites, which you definately do. We are big walkers in our everyday life, walking 5-6 miles per day - at Petra we walked 12 miles! All we felt up for was a return to the hotel for a shower and dinner. The next day we went to Wadi Rum, along with another site, and were able to walk to the top of a large sand hill, ride through the desert, and enjoy the experience. They are both wonderful, but Petra is the better option, and I think trying to do both in one day will short Petra. 

[TVNews]

Some people who visit Petra don't get much further than the iconic "Treasury" building, but there is so much more to see at the site. For example, the monastery is even more impressive... but requires a much longer walk (or camel ride) followed by a lot of steps (you can opt for a donkey to take you up and down). Once you reach the top you are rewarded with a massive building carved into the rock as well as incredible vistas from the mountaintop. Well worth the extra time and effort IMHO but there's no way you could do Petra justice if you tried combine it with a visit to Wadi Rum.

 

[hmorrow]

We did it in a one day  tour, and it was fine for us. As someone else posted, we didn't go mch past the Treasury buidling at Petra....We were in Wadi Rum for the sunset....

[TLCOhio]

On 5/29/2023 at 1:22 PM, hmorrow said:

We did it in a one day  tour, and it was fine for us. As someone else posted, we didn't go mch past the Treasury buidling at Petra....We were in Wadi Rum for the sunset....

 

Agree!!  It can be done in one day for BOTH!  We did in late 2018.  Need proof and evidence that it is worth it?  See below. 

 

We started early that morning from our ship and had a private tour.  It also helped that after doing Jordan, we had four sea days sailing down the Red Sea and going to Oman.   Plenty of time to rest up from a long day.

 

When there, they had an electric golf cart option as one person in our group had significant back challenges.  Nicer ride down than on one of those vehicles compared to the rough-riding carts pulled by a horse/mule.  Those drivers go FAST down that rough pathway.  They are in a hurry to pick up another group and make more money, quicker.

 

When at Wadi Rum, we saw some of the railroad tracks used to shoot the Lawrence of Arabia movie.  Also, we missed just a week earlier in 2018 when the were using this site to shoot newer version of Star Wars.  Amazing setting in some many different ways.   

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

From late 2018, see “Holy Lands, Egypt, Jordan, Oman, Dubai, Greece, etc.”, with many visuals, details and ideas for the historic and scenic Middle East. Now at 21,833 views.  Connect at:

www.boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607054-livenautica-greece-holy-lands-egypt-dubai-terrypix’s/

 

Here are just a few samples for what is there at Petra with the Treasury and certain of there nearby carvings in the rocks, etc.:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see these visuals larger/better!)

 

 

 

Here is the view looking back as you are walking (or riding) down through this narrow passage on the way to the Treasury.:

 

From amazing Wadi Rum, here are three examples, including for being there as the sun was setting and having fun on the rocks.:

 

 

[Middleager]

When we were in Jordan late last year (not cruise stop), we did Petra over 2 days, and Wadi Rum 1 day.  The first day at Petra we walked from the main entrance, to the Treasury, Amphitheater, Colonnaded street, Grand Temple, Byzantine Church, some of the Royal Tombs..

Second day went went from Little Petra for the back entrance, to Monastery, to other Royal tombs.  There were lots to see, and each day was >30k steps.  We didn't see all, but at least it was worth the expensive ticket.

 

For Wadi Rum, there should be a jeep tour for at least 3 hours.  Watch the sunset.  Best to stay one night in a Bedouin tent, watch the stars.  Next morning a camel ride to watch sunrise.

 

To do both in 1 day (and thinking the Treasury is all of Petra) is like going to the front of the Great Pyramid, take some pics, then think you've visited the Giza pyramid complex.  But at least you can say you've visited the pyramids.

[YoPhilly]

I understand your wanting to see both sites when you call at Aqaba, but you'd miss so much.  I spent time in Jordan last September.  In one day at Petra, I walked over 7 miles...and didn't even hike up to the monastery...saw everything down past the Treasury.  It's hot and very exhausting.  If you try to rush it in only a few hours, you'll miss so much.

As for Wadi Rum, I spent 2 days there, with an overnight in a tented camp.  Magical doesn't even begin to describe it.  An hour in Wadi Rum is not worth the time or effort to get there, especially if it's not a ship's excursion.

My suggestion is to spend the day at Petra...enjoy every moment!

[Wayfairers]

We did Petra one day and Wadi Rum the next on an overnight stop in Aqaba several years ago.  Even with having a one day tour to Petra, only 4 of us in the group made it to the Monastery and back and we were walking fast.  Both Petra and Wadi Rum are interesting and worth seeing.  

 

Whether you will be happy with doing both in one day really depends upon how you want to travel.  If you think this may be your only visit to the area, and you are ok with just a taste of both places, then I would visit both in one day knowing that you seen them, but not fully experienced them.  Yeah, the day will be more rushed than if you just visit one, but then you’ve seen both and know which one you want to spend more time at should you ever return.

 

If you want to see more detail, do some hiking, really experience one or the other expecting to return in the future to see the other one, then I would visit one this time and the other on your next visit.  I would recommend Petra over Wadi Rum because it truly is something to see - and this is coming from someone that avoids museums and can only enjoy a limited number of ruins in one day.  I was mesmerized by the buildings built into the rocks, the ruins and with everything being red.  I love being in nature and typically pick a hike or scenic drive or boat ride or something along that line and Wadi Rum was very nice.  We enjoyed seeing the desert and the rocks and even some climbing/hiking - however, be aware, you are riding in the back of a truck on benches and it is very, very dusty.

[Ride-The-Waves]

One thing to remember - the heat can be terrific.  Petra in the early AM is best.  We had several people leave the ship to overnight ar Petra just to avoid the heat,  Wadi Rum is fascinating and not to be missed.

[Queen of DaNile]

We did both with a private guide and probably spent too much time at Petra but I was hell bent on seeing both. We were literally the last guests back on our ship. If I had to choose again, I would spend all the time at Petra. If we ever have a cruise itinerary again that stops in Aqaba (doubtful at this point), I would spend the day at Wadi Rum because I feel we missed so much.

[pinotlover]

Your tour is in November which equals short days. Doing both this time of year could mean you arrive Wadi Run after dark and just drive around in the dark. Check sunset and your specific tour schedule.

[dmc511]

On 5/29/2023 at 10:22 AM, hmorrow said:

We did it in a one day  tour, and it was fine for us. As someone else posted, we didn't go mch past the Treasury buidling at Petra....We were in Wadi Rum for the sunset....

 

I would greatly appreciate if you could offer the tour guide that provided this service for you.  I would love to book this tour.