Amman, Petra & Wadi Rum 3-Day Itinerary

How this 3-day Amman, Petra & Wadi Rum plan works

Petra express

Each day below is grouped geographically so you spend your time in Amman, Petra & Wadi Rum rather than in transit. Rental car or private driver is the classic Jordan setup — the Desert Highway links Amman → Petra → Wadi Rum in 3–4 hours per leg. JETT intercity buses run Amman ↔ Petra and Amman ↔ Aqaba. Careem operates in Amman; in Petra and Wadi Rum, rely on hotel transfers.

Day by day

• Day 1

  Day 1 — Arrive AMM, transfer to Wadi Musa (3h) via Desert Highway.

• Day 2

  Day 2 — Full-day Petra (Treasury, Street of Facades, Royal Tombs, Monastery hike).

• Day 3

  Day 3 — Wadi Rum 4x4 half-day + return to Amman via Kings Highway.

Where to base yourself

• Amman — Downtown & Rainbow Street

  Roman Theatre, Citadel, souks and Jabal Amman cafés.

• Amman — Abdoun & Sweifieh

  Embassy district with Four Seasons, W Amman, malls and dining.

• Petra / Wadi Musa

  Gateway town to Petra — Mövenpick, Marriott Petra and boutique cave-style stays.

• Wadi Rum

  Bedouin camps — bubble domes and Martian-landscape 4x4 tours.

Best time to run this itinerary

March–May and September–November are peak with 18–28°C days and cool desert nights. December–February is cold (near freezing in Petra at night); June–August is hot (35°C+) but manageable for early-morning Petra visits and Aqaba beach breaks.

Before you go

• Buy the Jordan Pass online before arrival — it bundles the visa fee with Petra and 40+ sites.

• Petra requires 3–5 km of walking on uneven ground; bring sturdy shoes, a hat and plenty of water.

• Wadi Rum camps are remote — pack for cold nights (5–10°C in winter) and no phone reception in some sites.