JORDAN
Jordan is a country bordering Israel on the east. The countries are separated by the Jordan river. We visited Jordan while touring Israel and our aim was to visit the main attractions of Jordan: Petra and Wadi Rum.
Petra
Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is an important historical landmark of the ancient times. The region has been inhabited as early as 7000 BC but more permanent settlements likely appeared around 4000 BC. Petra became Nabathean capital around 2000 BC. Nabatheans were nomadic Bedouins who lived in the area. Petra was strategically located on the main trading route between Arabia and Levant. Levant was a general area of present day Israel, Palestine, Syria and Jordan. Initially, the tribes probably just plundered caravans, but then permanent settlements grew into a trading hub and a rest stop. Nabatheans learned how to collect valuable water and carve stones. Nabathean Kingdom deteriorated during its Roman times, as trading routes shifted to the sea. After the Roman rule there were periods of temporary revival and neglect. Some churches were built during Byzantine rule and crusaders. After crusaders left the area, the city was lost to the western world till 19th century. It was rediscovered in 1812. Petra is considered to be one of the wonders of the world. The city was not built, but rather carved into the cliffs and walls of a gorge. As city was abandoned long time ago, it remained largely preserved. All treasures have been obviously looted from the graves, but the structures remained mostly intact. Another feature that adds surreal feeling is the intense red-orange color of the stone. The overall effect is that the memories will likely stay strong with you for the rest of your life. I do not think you would miss Petra if you visit Jordan, but if you are visiting Israel, extra 2-3 days will be very much worth it.
Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum also is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Its other name is the Moon Valley for its surreal feel. Many movies have been shot there, including Lawrence of Arabia, The Martian, Star Wars... It is a red desert valley with oddly shaped red mountains. No wonder it was used to film red planets, either Mars or imaginary others. There are also many activities available in Wadi Rum. We visited Wadi Rum valley on the way back to Aqaba, before crossing the border back into Israel.
In Petra
Petra is a large historical site and you need to cover quite a bit of distance. There is a long gorge that leads to Petra. It is about 2 km long. The path is protected from sun and is well paved, so it is not that hard to walk through the gorge. However, most sites in Petra are open and it is desert! Bring a lot of water. Some distances in Petra itself are long. It may take more than an hour to get to the Monastery. There are also many steps and uphill walks. You will need an entire day if you want to visit the Monastery. Without it, you may cover sites in a half-day. The Treasury and the Tombs are within short distance from the entrance gorge. You may opt to ride camels, horses or donkeys, although there is some controversy for using animals and their treatment there. We will just say they are available and will let you decide. We rode camels and horses. Camels seemed to be well taken care of, at least those we rode. The horses were acceptable for a working animal in that climate. No grazing animal can get fat in a desert. We ride horses all year round and know that even in temperate climate they get skinnier during summer. If you do opt to ride animals, please choose them for your size and watch for signs of obvious neglect.
In Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum is a desert valley. We had a tour in a 4x4 SUV with short hikes at few sites. For us it was a 2.5 hr tour to absorb the natural beauty, take pictures and film some footage video. There are few sites with ancient petroglyphs, so ask your guide to show you those. If you have more time you can enjoy camel rides and spend time at the semi-permanent camps. The camps appeared luxurious and authentic enough to have a memorable experience. We did not stay at a camp because of time constraints. I wish we could though. You can spend several days there. We were told that starry skies are unbelievable there. For those more physically inclined, Wadi Rum is a world known site for rock climbing. If you are an experienced climber you probably already know that. For a regular tourist, there are some easy routes. The views are unbelievable even if you just hike!
When to go
Both locations are in desert with seasonal changes in average temperatures. It is always dry though. The hottest months are June-August. It can get up to 40 degrees Centigrade and above 100 Fahrenheit. December-February are cooler but it can get cold at night. Night temperatures can drop significantly from the daytime peaks. March-May and September-October are the moderate periods. You can check for more information here.
There are two scenarios you may visit Petra and Wadi Rum, either touring Jordan or making a loop through Jordan when you visit Israel. Petra is about 2 hours by car from the Eilat-Aqaba border crossing. Depending on your objectives and itinerary, the route from Israel can be traveled from either north or south. We visited Israel and wanted to see both Petra and Wadi Rum. The trip to Jordan was organized by Desert Eco Tours and the itinerary was from Eilat, therefore our route was from the south. We drove from Jerusalem to Eilat where we met our Israeli guide, then we crossed the Eilat-Aqaba border while the guide communicated with his Jordanian colleague. The guide in Jordan met us on the other side of the border and arranged our transfer to Petra. After spending a day in Petra we visited Wadi Rum on the way back to Israel. We took the same road both ways but it can be done in a circle, crossing the border at two different points and visiting north Israel, Amman, Petra, Wadi Rum, Eilat, the Dead Sea and Jerusalem in one continuous loop. However, please be aware that an Israeli car cannot enter Jordan. We left our car at the border before crossing into Jordan, then picked it up on the way back. A word of advice about crossings, please check all information about visas and other limitations. There may or may not be visas on spot at some locations and there can be working hours restrictions. Check your current situation and plan ahead to avoid surprises.
We did not stay overnight in Eilat, just passed through it. One day was sufficient to drive from Jerusalem, meet our guide in Eilat, leave the rental car at the agency, then cross the border on foot and reach Wadi Musa by a Jordanian taxi. We could not take a car rented in Israel to Jordan. The trip was coordinated by Desert Eco Tours and it was smooth. We were left alone only for the 200 meters to physically walk across the border. Both Israeli and Jordanian guides worked seamlessly communicating on the phone. The Jordanian guide arranged a car for us and it took about 2 hours to reach Wadi Musa, town close to Petra. We stayed at the Movenpick Resort which exceeded our expectations. Our guide picked us up early in the morning and we spent half-day in Petra before heading to Wadi Rum. Thinking back, we should have spent entire day in Petra and stay another night at the resort. Then, explore Wadi Rum on the third day or even stay there in a camp for a couple of days. You can stay overnight at Wadi Rum in the camps. Some were actually quite luxurious. If you head to Israel after, you can leave early afternoon, cross the border and reach a resort at the Dead Sea before night.
Our itinerary
Day 1: Drive (rental car) from Jerusalem to Eilat, leave car at the Desert Eco Tours office, cross the Eilat-Aqaba border, drive to Petra (taxi arranged by tour operator, overnight stay in Petra
Day 2: Early morning start exploring Petra, either drive to Wadi Rum or overnight stay in Petra (recommended)
Day 3: Drive to Wadi Rum, explore, cross the border back to Israel, drive to the Dead Sea resort
