An extra Petra day or the Wadi Rum?
 

We have two days in the area, We can either spend two days at Petra, or on the second day we can take an option excursion to the Wadi Rum? What do you think?

MBW

I'm sure you'll get some better-informed answers but I'll just weigh in that our one day at Petra was enough for me. I could've spent longer that one day but I still think if I had another day I would opt for the Wadi Rum excursion for day two. Having said that, I've not been to Wadi Rum (yet!) so...not really a valid answer.

Thanks for your thoughts,
Did you get a chance to attend the evening events at Petra as well?

MBW

If you only have two days, I suggest you stay in Petra and not going to Wadi Rum. Petra is a huge site, and two days are barely enough for covering the main areas. Petra by Night is a wonderful experience. You will walk along the Siq under the stars, then enjoy a performance with tea service at the end. Little Petra is another option.

You can do Wadi Rum as a day trip from Petra, but it will be rush. If so, you need to hire a private taxi. I spent a night there and found it boring. It looked like the Nevada desert to me. Enjoy your trip.

Now you need a third opinion to break the tie! Haha. I'm sure there was much at Petra we didn't see in our one day visit -- including anything at night. We got there at maybe 9 or 10 a.m. and left in the afternoon - 4ish? So we felt we saw a lot but not everything.
I did talk to people there who had done the Siq by candlelight tour the night before (lined with luminaria) and their opinion of that was you couldn't really see anything and they felt it was tough walking on uneven ground without being able to see. (and they were young not older folks with walking issues in general). They said they wouldn't do it again. Their opinion, not mine since I didn't do it. FWIW.

Hello,

My husband is originally from Jordan and we've visited Jordan too many times to count. One day (from morning to evening) is enough for Petra! It's beautiful but can be done in a day.

I'm not sure when you will be going but Wadi Rum will be hot, hot, hot. I enjoy driving by it (on our way to Aqaba) but there's really not much to it.

Where are you going after Petra? If north, then I highly recommend seeing Jarash, beautifully in tact Roman ruins. If you'll be there in the summer, it will still be hot but they are so worth it. Another option is hamamat maeen (hot springs that King Harrod use to bathe in). There's only one hotel (nice one though) and you get the entire place virtually to yourself!

Go to Wadi Rum. One day at Petra was enough for us and we enjoyed the trip to Wadi Rum. I read somewhere about taking surgical masks for sand storms in Egypt and Jordan. We were VERY happy that we had them in Wadi Rum--also used them on first day in Cairo. I picked them up at a medical supply store before leaving home.

I would do a day and 1/2 to Petra since you haven't been there and then do afternnon/evening in Wadi Rum. My opinion in Wadi Rum is more beautiful after 3 pm

We were there in March, and had 1 1/2 days in that area. Our group of 9 all elected to spend one fairly long (9-5) day in Petra and then the following 1/2 day in Wadi Rum. We were all very happy with that decision. A "sister" group of 10 all elected to spend the 1/2 day back in Petra. But then, they were all so tired after Day 1, that only one couple returned. It's a long walk to get back into the main part of the site! I really liked Wadi Rum--I didn't find it similar to any of the desert areas I had been in previously. Petra was fantastic, but I felt that I had seen most of it in one day. The ideal would be, as mentioned above, to spend 1 1/2 days in Petra and 1/2 day in Wadi Rum.

kameo - Questions -

Did you leave extra early to get to Petra at 9AM, or did you stay 2 nights at Petra (?Wadi Musa)? Where did you stay and how was it?

I would second Kameo's recommendation. I just got back from 6-week trip to Iran, Syria, and Jordan and Wadi Rum was definitely one of the highlights especially if you can spend the night there. Whether you arrive in Petra the night before or early in the morning, get as early a start as you can (I was at the Visitor Center by 7am) and plan to spend the entire day in Petra. I really enjoyed the Petra by Night experience but they only do it on Mondays and Thursdays so not sure how this fits with your schedule. It was a long walk to do after spending the whole day there but well worth it to do it again at night by candelight, listening to traditional Arabic music played by flute and guitar in front of the Treasury. Magical.

Then leave the next morning and head to Wadi Rum, 1-1/2 hours from Petra/Wadi Musa. Assuming you have your own car, I would stay at the Beit Ali Desert Camp which is outside of the main vistor center area and not reachable by public transportation. I didn't stay there myself but met a couple who spent one night at the Sunset Camp, which is the place that the guides take everyone to who shows up at the Visitor Center without a pre-arranged tour. They hated it - very unclean - but were very happy after they moved to Beit Ali.

You'll spend the day cruising around the desert in a 4x4 jeep and will have the option to do a camel excursion as well. Sleeping under the stars in the desert is a must do. Then you can leave first thing the next morning to head to your next destination.

Thanks to everyone for all their suggestions!

MBW

I vote for Wadi Rum!

I'd appreciate any advice on how I can engage a local guide to explore Wadi Rum... I am considering leaving Petra around 2pm for sightseeing in Wadi Rum, stay overnight in Bait Ali camp and half a day sightseeing in Wadi Rum the next day before leaving for Dead Sea. Thanks!

Planning a trip to Petra but want to know (for someone who needs two knee replacements) how much walking is there? Thanks!

My husband and I (both seventysomething) made it with no problems. Just start out early when the sun is not too intense and go slowly. It's very doable. :)

dutyfree - there is quite a bit of walking on some uneven surfaces but not a lot of grade change (unless you go to the Monastery or climb up to see some of the Tombs).

There are ways to minimize the walking - if you look at this map you can see there is a walk in from the Visitor's Centre to the Treasury which I recall was over 1 km - you can take a caleche for that portion (bumpy though). Also you can take a donkey up to the Monastery (walk down - 800 steps I believe) and then take a camel from the restaurant area back to the Treasury (that was a lot of fun!)

Map

http://www.atlastours.net/jordan/petra_map.html

Our blog - scroll down for Petra

http://lizandrichardsa.typepad.com/l..._adv/d_jordan/

Hi
We recently spent 3 days in Petra probably 1 day too many. I'm in my mid 60's and the walking was allright as long as you wear good shoes. We took the Petra by Night tour and both of us found it very diifcult to walk, espcially the uneven stones [you don't have to be my age either]. The nighttime visit we felt was not worth the the walk or the performance. Petra itself is dazzling. There are good restaurants in Wadi Musa to eat instead of the hotels. We particularly enjoyed the Red Cave. It features bedouin cooking.

Elizabeth-your trip reports and pictures are wonderful!I already feel as though I am there. Did Ahmed get the tour people for you in Jordan too when you booked your Egypt tour?

Yes - Ahmed did Jordan as well...............