Jordan Short Break: Amman, Petra & Wadi Rum
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Experience Overview
Visit Petra, the rose-hued fortress carved into the rock by the Nabataean people, on this Short Break adventure. Once the capital of a trading empire that dominated the deserts of modern Jordan, Petra showcases the achievements of this ancient Arab society. Explore the rock-cut architecture, float in the Dead Sea and find treasures in Amman’s colourful souqs. Venture into the iconic red sands of Wadi Rum by 4WD and spend the night at a desert camp. This short trip is the ideal way to start off or round up a voyage to the Middle East.
Highlights
- Spend a day walking around Petra, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, with your local guide – you’ll be blown away by the iconic Treasury facade.
- Take in the cinematic sights and landscapes of Wadi Rum on your 4WD ride to your desert camp, then settle in among sand dunes and rock bridges in this lunar-like landscape.
- Float effortlessly in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea – the lowest point on Earth.
- Explore Amman’s old and new layers, from the artsy neighbourhood of Duwwar Al-Hawooz and the mural-lined Daraj Al Kalha staircase to Habiba’s Alley, where you might grab a knafeh (one of Amman’s famous local desserts).
- Practice your bargaining skills at Amman’s bustling souqs, perhaps picking up Dead Sea mineral-rich mud masks, handpainted ceramics and traditional Middle Eastern spices.
Trip Details
Product Code: 39966
Tour Type:
Accommodation: Moderate
Transport: Minibus
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Budget
Tour Operator:
Intrepid Travel
Supplier Code: EEAV-O
Starts: Amman, Jordan
Finishes: Petra, Jordan
Duration: 3 days
Departures: Not Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Light
Includes
Meals: Breakfasts (2), Lunch (1),Accommodation: Hotel
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $910 ($303 /day)
Itinerary
Ahlan o Sahlan! Welcome to Jordan. Your adventure starts at 8.30 am this morning with a welcome meeting. Then, head straight to the Dead Sea – this is the lowest point on Earth (420 m/1378 ft below sea level) and the water is seven times saltier than the ocean. This means you’re extremely buoyant when swimming and will float on the water rather than in it. The mud here is said to have healing properties, and many visitors like to cover themselves from head to toe! After, stop at a private beach with a gentle slope to less salty water – you’ll want to have your swimwear with you today! After lunch, drive to the mountains of Petra, where you’ll spend the night.
Included Activities:
- Mt Nebo - Site visit
- Dead Sea - visit and swim
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
Today, you’ll explore Petra – a site that remained unknown to the Western world until 1812 when it was discovered by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. According to Arab tradition, Petra is where Moses struck a rock with his staff and water came forth. Learn all about this Wonder of the World from your local guide as you wander the ancient city. Walk through the narrow Siq to the iconic Treasury and admire this iconic view, continue along the Roman road, passing several impressive tombs and the city’s amphitheatre. If you’re feeling energetic, you can climb the 800 steps to the Monastery. After, you’ll depart Petra and travel by 4WD into the rugged, Mars-like landscape of Wadi Rum. You’ll pass through unique desert scenery, including natural rock bridges, towering sand dunes and scattered rocky peaks. There are traces of ancient civilisations in the many carved inscriptions throughout the area, from pictographs to Thamudic, Nabataean and Arabic texts. As the sun sets, arrive at your desert camp for the night.
Included Activities:
- Petra - Guided tour
Optional Activities:
- Petra - Petra By Night (30 JOD)
Accommodation:
- Hotel (Number of Nights: 1)
Wake up early for a spectacular sunrise in this otherworldly setting – as the light comes up, the cliffs shift colour and the desert awakens slowly. You’ll depart camp today, making your way to the main entrance of Wadi Rum. It sits opposite the Seven Pillars of Wisdom – the mountain named after Lawrence of Arabia’s book. The visitors centre here is a great spot to buy some jewellery and handicrafts, mostly made by a women’s co-operative aimed at supporting local industries. Continue your journey to Amman, the White City. When you arrive, grab some lunch at Ezwitti, one of The Intrepid Foundation partners. By dining here, you are helping pay it forward and providing food and opportunity to local community members. Then, join your leader for a city tour to Duwwar Al-Hawooz (also known as Paris Square), The Duke’s Diwan (formerly the Haifa Hotel and Amman’s first post office), and the Al Hussaini Mosque. You’ll also have the chance to practice your bargaining skills at the White City’s bustling souqs. Tonight, you’ll be dropped off in downtown Amman, where your trip comes to an end.
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Tour Operator
Intrepid Travel
Intrepid Travel is a global adventure travel company, dedicated to providing sustainable, experience-rich travel opportunities. They’ve been the leader in ethical, small-group travel since 1989 - taking people around the world for more than 30 years. They’re the world’s largest travel B Corporation - dedicated to being the best travel company for the world. In 2002, they established The Intrepid Foundation so their travellers could make a lasting impact on the communities they had visited. Although Intrepid Travel absorbs all administrative costs of The Intrepid Foundation, they are separate legal entities, allowing The Intrepid Foundation to grow independently. Intrepid Travel is made up of a collection of tour operator brands and 28 destination management companies all united by one vision: To change the way we all see the world.
In Business Since 1989
Reviews
Kevin - Traveled, December 2025
Great short break to a fascinating destination Petra with a great company Intrepid.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/15/2025
Douglas - Traveled, December 2025
A great trip if you want some freedom to explore on your own. Our driver and guide gave a great overview then we were able to enjoy at our own pace.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/17/2025
Lucy - Traveled, December 2025
A huge thanks to our driver Adil for an incredible journey to Madaba, the Dead Sea, and Petra. We appreciated all that he shared with us about Jordan along the way and his careful driving. Thanks also to Deir for a super informative tour of Petra's key sites -- we had a fabulous time exploring this bucket list destination.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/14/2025
Sue - Traveled, October 2025
Petra independent short break was a great introduction to Jordanian history and life. The people are generous, friendly and helpful. Our driver Bush was informative and attentive to our needs and our guide Khalid around Petra historical sight was brilliant, so much information, so much fun and such a great promoter of his country and town.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/15/2025
Nicole - Traveled, June 2023
A quick itinerary that never felt rushed, it was a great first introduction to Jordan. I can't recommend my guide Raed enough, helping me with translations when there were last-minute changes on my end and being so understanding.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 06/14/2023
Emma - Traveled, December 2022
Wow! We had the most incredible three days in Jordan, we fit in so much into this short time, even adding in Wadi Rum on the last day as we were happy to start early! Our guide Mahmood absolutely made our trip, he was so knowledgeable, great company and really went out of his way to ensure we had a perfect experience. Highly recommend this whistle stop tour for anyone who wants to experience Jordan but is limited on time.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/14/2022
Samantha - Traveled, November 2022
This was the 7th (I think??) trip with Intrepid that I have done - and was very different to any others I have done. The biggest difference was this didn't have a group or a tour leader. Luckily I don't mind a bit of solo travel, but if you're not happy spending time alone, avoid this tour. Also I had to spend approx 5 hours before the tour started trying to get confirmation as to where the tour would start (which seeing as it turned out to be only me on the tour - seems a bit laborious!).. I was also charged extra for being picked up at my hotel (again, seeing as I was the only one on the tour seems a bit much) The trip itself was good, and I got to see the things I wanted in a short amount of time. Day 1 I was picked up from my hotel by Ihab (he was fab!), who then drove me in his car to Petra (stopping for lunch at the dead sea). He then dropped me at my hotel. Next day I was met by someone else at the hotel for my tour of Petra (approx 2hrs), he was also great & he gave me advice on how to spend the rest of my day in Petra. I then had to spend some time calling Ihab & the Intrepid office (with no luck) to try and find out how I was getting back to Amman the following day. When I got hold of Ihab he told me he had just been informed that he would be driving me back. Day 3 Ihab picked me up and drove me back to Amman On reflection, for the cost of this tour and the amount of time I spent speaking to people before the trip, I would recommend just booking the different elements yourself. You'd probably get a better standard of accommodation and it would be cheaper overall
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/14/2022
