Petra and Wadi Rum holidays

Petra and Wadi Rum aren’t the kinds of places that you pop to for an afternoon. There’s a lot to see in their respective areas and you’ll need at least two days to explore Petra. Entered by the town of Wadi Musa, the archaeological site is truly massive and warrants a full day of exploration, or more. For day two, there is Little Petra nearby, a former trading suburb of Petra. Due to the popularity of its big sister, Little Petra is often overlooked by casual tourists. The soot preserved paintings and fragile frescoes are found about 9km north of Wadi Musa. After a day in the dust, return to Wadi Musa for a hammam.

Similarly, Wadi Rum deserves at least an overnight visit – this way you can explore the landscape by jeep safari in the day, then enjoy the atmospheric splendour of the desert by night. Staying overnight means you will receive some Bedouin hospitality at a traditional camp and ensure the Bedouin community benefit from your stay. Wadi Rum is around 110km south of Petra, within easy reach by car – but some of our tours take them both on by a combination of cycling and transfers.

Petra itself is so large that your step count will be high even if you’re not on a walking holiday, but it also makes a fantastic centrepiece on one of our walking trips. You can walk in both Petra and Wadi Rum on our holidays, and in the landscapes between them too. Ruined villages, weathered sandstone and possible sightings of Ibex, but few other travellers, make trekking trails around Petra as unique as the city itself.

Walking through Wadi Rum you can take on the challenge of scaling a sand dune or stick to wandering between the fascinating rock formations. The best time to trek is as the sun sets or rises – so you can see the contours and crags in their best light. Our walking holidays stick to the trails – erosion is a big issue in these sandstone landscapes – and rely on local guides to give you the best introduction to the areas you’ll see.

Cycling is an amazing way to get closer to the landscapes surrounding Petra. You can choose between a variety of distances. Cycle rides to Little Petra, across Wadi Rum and through traditional Bedouin territories can all be undertaken on either tarmac or well tramped surfaces with rest stops for tea, fruit or coffee always presenting welcome refreshment.

On our cycling holidays you won’t cycle in the Petra complex itself, but after a day exploring the site you can hop on your bike and cycle from Petra to nearby Little Petra nearby, and then head to Wadi Rum. Once in Wadi Rum you can explore by road and dirt road, then swap your bikes for exploration by 4x4 and camel – which are better suited to tackling the sandy landscapes.

When the sun sets, Petra and Wadi Rum have new delights. First up, though, enjoy sunset itself – see Petra catch the evening light from the road out of Wadi Musa. When darkness falls, you can enter the complex and see Petra lit up by thousands of candles on a special night-time tour.

In Wadi Rum, no matchbox is needed – the sky is already lit with stars – the very dry desert air makes for fantastic stargazing conditions, and as you sit around the fire at a Bedouin camp, you can share stories with your eyes turned upwards, watching for shooting stars.