Day 1
Arrive Aqaba | Red Sea Snorkeling | Cedar Way Coral Reserve | Seafood Dinner
Arrive at King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba. Afternoon snorkeling directly off the shore at the Cedar Way coral reef, one of the most accessible and healthy coral reserves in the Red Sea with vibrant hard and soft coral and abundant reef fish within metres of the beach. Aqaba is the meeting point of four countries visible from the water: Jordan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Evening dinner at a seafood restaurant on the Aqaba corniche for fresh fish and mezze. Overnight Aqaba.
💡 Tip: Aqaba's coral reefs are easily reached from the public beach with just a mask and fins. The coral begins in very shallow water and the visibility is exceptional. No boat is needed for excellent snorkeling.
Day 2
Aqaba | South Beach Snorkeling | Drive to Wadi Rum | Sunset Jeep Safari
Morning snorkeling at the South Beach marine reserve, south of Aqaba along the Saudi border, for the best and most undisturbed coral in the area. Drive 60 kilometres north to Wadi Rum, the Valley of the Moon. Afternoon 4x4 jeep safari through the extraordinary red desert landscape of sandstone mountains, narrow canyons, natural arches, and towering dunes. Arrive at the desert camp for sunset drinks among the dunes. Overnight Wadi Rum Bedouin camp.
💡 Tip: The Wadi Rum desert changes colour dramatically through the day from gold at dawn to deep red and purple at sunset. The most photogenic time is the 30 minutes before and after the sun crosses the horizon.
Day 3
Wadi Rum Sunrise | Camel Trek | Rock Inscriptions | Drive to Petra
Wake before dawn for the Wadi Rum sunrise, watching the desert shift from deep purple to orange gold as the first light crosses the rock faces. Camel trek through the dunes in the cool morning air. Visit ancient Nabataean and Thamudic rock inscriptions carved into the sandstone faces thousands of years ago. Drive two hours north to Petra and arrive in the late afternoon for the optional Petra by Night candlelit Siq walk. Overnight Petra.
💡 Tip: Petra by Night runs Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings only. The walk through the candlelit Siq to the Treasury glowing in lantern light is completely different from the daytime experience.
Day 4
Petra Full Day | The Siq | Treasury | Monastery | High Place of Sacrifice
Full day in Petra, the most extraordinary archaeological site in the Middle East. Walk the 1.2-kilometre Siq gorge with its 80-metre sandstone walls to the sudden reveal of the Treasury facade. Continue through the Street of Facades, the Royal Tombs, and the Colonnaded Street with its Byzantine church. Climb 800 steps to the Monastery, Ad Deir, even larger than the Treasury with views across the Jordanian desert. Hike the High Place of Sacrifice trail for the best panoramic view of the entire site. Overnight Petra.
💡 Tip: The Petra entrance fee is included in the Jordan Pass. Start walking the Siq at 6 AM when it opens and you have the Treasury almost entirely to yourself for 30 minutes before the day tours arrive.
Day 5
Petra Morning | Little Petra | Drive to Amman | Departure
Morning visit to Little Petra, Siq al-Barid, three kilometres north of the main site and completely free to enter, with its own carved facades, painted dining room, and narrow canyon that most visitors miss entirely. Drive three hours north to Amman for your international departure. End of tour.
💡 Tip: Little Petra is free, takes 45 minutes to explore, and has beautifully preserved Nabataean paintings on the ceiling of one triclinium that are rarely mentioned in guidebooks. Do not miss it.
