02 Days with 01 overnight Petra and Wadi Rum Tour from Eilat Border

Petra is the headline, but the overnight in Wadi Rum is what gives this trip its character. You cross from Eilat into Jordan, ride through the Valley of the Moon in an open Jeep, watch the desert light change, then sleep at a Bedouin camp before visiting Petra with a local guide. I like the assisted border crossing and the private vehicle, since both remove much of the guesswork from a short cross-border trip. The main drawback is the pace: two countries, two major sights, and a border crossing make for long, active days.

I also like that the price includes the parts that can quickly add up, including Petra admission, transfers, meals, the camp, and guides. The optional camel ride, Petra carriage, and early balloon ride let you add a little more if you want it, but you should budget for tips and Jordan’s possible departure tax.

Key points to know before booking

• Sleep in Wadi Rum, not just pass through it: The overnight camp gives you a desert evening and a full Petra visit the next day.
• Border help is included: Meet-and-assist service starts at the Eilat border, a useful feature for a first visit to Jordan.
• Private transport keeps the trip flexible: Transfers use a private car with an English-speaking driver and assistant driver.
• Petra includes a guided core visit: An English-speaking guide leads you for about three hours, with a 700-meter horse ride from the main gate.
• The $587 price covers a lot: Transport, admission, food, accommodation, Jeep tour, and guides are included as specified.
• Extras require cash planning: Tips, a possible 10 JD departure tax, camel rides, the Petra carriage, and the balloon ride cost extra.

Why this Eilat to Jordan trip works

A quick Petra visit from Eilat can be awkward to arrange on your own. You need to cross an international border, organize transport in Jordan, reach two widely known sights, and keep track of meals and overnight accommodation. This tour bundles those moving parts into a private two-day trip, with the option of a third day depending on the schedule.

The route has a good basic shape. You leave Eilat, receive help at the border, continue by private car, spend several hours in Wadi Rum, and stay overnight at a Bedouin camp. Petra follows, with a guided visit and lunch before the return journey.

That structure matters. A day trip to Petra alone can feel rushed, especially when border formalities are part of the day. Here, Wadi Rum adds another major Jordanian sight rather than simply serving as a roadside stop. You get the red sandstone of Petra and the broad desert setting of the Valley of the Moon.

Jordan Horizons Tours is the provider. Andrea and Mohammed are named company contacts, and clear communication is especially useful for a trip that depends on border timing and availability. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability, so do not treat the tour as instantly confirmed until you receive that notice.

Crossing from Eilat into Jordan

The meeting point is in Eilat, in Israel’s Southern District. Meet-and-assist service is included at the Eilat border, which is one of the strongest practical reasons to choose this arrangement.

An assisted crossing does not make the border disappear. You still need to follow the required procedures, carry your travel documents, and allow time for officials on both sides. What it does is give you help at a moment when the signs, queues, and handoff between transport arrangements may feel unclear.

The trip uses a new car for transfers, with an English-speaking driver and an assistant driver. Since this is a private activity for your group, you are not joining a large bus filled with people on different schedules. That can make the long transfer days easier, though private travel does not mean the route is short.

Mineral water is provided on board. That is a small but useful inclusion in a hot, dry region, especially when the day includes walking in Petra and several hours in a desert vehicle.

Four to five hours through Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum, often called the Valley of the Moon, is a large valley in southern Jordan, about 60 kilometers east of Aqaba. Sandstone and granite formations shape the area, and the tour explores it by Jeep for roughly four to five hours.

This is not a quick photo stop. Several hours in the Jeep give you time to see the desert setting from more than one angle and to appreciate the scale of the rock formations. The English-speaking guide is also the Jeep driver, so the experience combines transport and interpretation in one person.

You should expect a practical desert outing rather than a polished theme-park ride. The Jeep is the way to reach the open desert, and the setting itself supplies most of the drama. Bedouin tea and mineral water are included, along with what the tour describes as real Bedouin hospitality.

A box lunch is included during the Wadi Rum portion. Breakfast and dinner are also part of the package, though the exact meal details can depend on the camp and day’s schedule. The dinner is a BBQ meal at the Bedouin camp, which gives the overnight a clear local focus instead of feeling like a standard hotel stop.

Wadi Rum is where the tour earns its overnight format. You can see the desert in changing light, settle into camp, and begin the Petra day without having to return to Eilat between the two sights. If your main goal is only Petra, these hours in Wadi Rum add time and activity. If you want two very different Jordan experiences, they are a strong part of the value.

Sleeping at the Bedouin camp

The package includes one night at the tour’s Bedouin camp, with BBQ dinner and breakfast. The camp is not described as a hotel, so you should choose this trip expecting a simple desert stay rather than resort comforts.

That simplicity is part of the point. A night at camp gives you a closer connection to the setting than a regular city hotel would. You are already in Wadi Rum when the evening arrives, and you can start the next stage after breakfast.

The tour length is described as two to three days, approximately. The exact rhythm depends on border procedures, availability, and the operating schedule. Ask for the confirmed timing before you travel, particularly if you have flights, hotel reservations, or another fixed commitment in Eilat.

Entering Petra through the Siq and main gate

Petra is the larger time commitment on the second day, with about four hours at the site and a three-hour English-speaking guided visit. Admission is included.

The famous rose-red city was carved into the surrounding rock by the Nabataeans. The site includes tombs cut into mountainsides, temples, a theater, a colonnaded street, and churches connected with later Roman and Byzantine periods. Petra also records more than 10,000 years of human settlement and land use, so the interest is not limited to the best-known carved facade.

A guide helps you put those remains into order. Petra can be visually overwhelming, and it is easy to focus only on the dramatic stonework while missing how the city developed and changed. Three hours with an English-speaking guide provides a useful framework, even though it will not cover every corner of the archaeological area.

The tour includes a 700-meter horse ride from the main gate. This ride is not mandatory, and the handler expects a tip. You should decide at the gate whether you want to use it. If you prefer to walk, you can skip it. Do not confuse this included horse ride with the optional horse-drawn carriage or camel ride, which cost extra.

The four-hour Petra stop is long enough for a meaningful first visit, but Petra is a large site. You may find that you want more time for side paths, viewpoints, or a slower look at the carved tombs. This tour is best for a first introduction, not for someone determined to explore every major route.

Lunch, carriage rides, and optional animals

Lunch in Petra is included at Al Qantara Restaurant or a similar restaurant. Having lunch arranged keeps the day moving and means you do not need to stop and negotiate food plans while managing a guided visit.

A Petra carriage is available for $40 for a carriage with a maximum capacity of two people. You do not need to reserve it in advance, and you can ask your Petra guide at the gate. Since the carriage holds only two people, larger groups should not assume it is a single shared option for everyone.

Camel rides are also optional in Petra and Wadi Rum. The listed rate is 10 JD, or about $15, per camel per hour, and you can arrange one on arrival with your guide. These extras are not necessary to see the main sights, so I would treat them as personal choices rather than required parts of the tour.

A hot-air-balloon ride in Wadi Rum is another optional addition. It runs for one hour in the early morning, from 6:00 to 7:00 a.m., and costs 130 JD, or about $185, per person. Advance booking is required. This is a substantial extra cost, so compare it with your priorities before adding it to a $587 trip.

What the $587 price really covers

At $587 per person, this is not a budget border hop. It is a bundled private experience, and the value depends on how many included services you would otherwise have to arrange separately.

The package includes:

• Private car transfers with an English-speaking driver and assistant driver
• Meet-and-assist service at the Eilat border
• Petra entrance admission
• A three-hour English-speaking Petra guide
• A four to five-hour Wadi Rum Jeep tour
• One night at a Bedouin camp
• BBQ dinner and breakfast
• Box lunch in Wadi Rum
• Lunch in Petra
• Mineral water
• Bedouin tea
• The 700-meter horse ride from Petra’s main gate

That list explains the price better than the headline number alone. You are paying for transport across the border, private handling, accommodation, two guides, meals, and admission to a major archaeological site. If you value convenience and have limited time, the package can be reasonable.

You should still set aside money for tips to the driver, guides, and horse handler. Travel insurance and personal expenses are not included. A Jordan departure tax of 10 JD, about $15, may apply. The carriage, camel ride, and balloon ride are also outside the base price.

Who will like this trip most

I would recommend this tour to someone staying in Eilat who wants Petra but also wants a real taste of southern Jordan. It suits first-time visitors who prefer an organized border crossing and private transport over piecing together separate taxis, guides, and accommodation.

It is also a good fit for couples, families, and small private groups. Most people can participate, service animals are allowed, and the activity is private rather than shared with a larger group.

The tour is less suitable if you want a slow, specialist archaeological visit. Four hours at Petra gives you a solid introduction, but the overall trip is active and time-sensitive. Someone who dislikes desert camp accommodation, long transfers, or border procedures may prefer a longer Jordan stay with more nights in one place.

The optional balloon ride also changes the morning schedule. If you add it, you will need to be ready for the 6:00 to 7:00 a.m. flight and book it ahead. The camel rides and carriage can be decided after arrival, so they are easier to leave until you know how your energy and timing feel.

Booking, cancellation, and practical details

The tour uses a mobile ticket, and confirmation is issued within 48 hours, subject to availability. Because border travel depends on timing and documentation, keep your booking confirmation and tour contact details easy to reach.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the experience start time. Changes or cancellations made within 24 hours are not accepted for a refund. If the minimum number of people is not met and the operator cancels, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Bring extra money for tips and optional activities. It is also sensible to confirm the expected border meeting time, the exact camp arrangements, and whether the Jordan departure tax applies to your date.

Should you book this Petra and Wadi Rum tour?

Book it if you want Petra plus Wadi Rum in one organized trip and value help at the Eilat border. The private car, included meals, camp night, Jeep tour, Petra guide, and admission make the $587 cost easier to justify, particularly for a short stay.

Skip it if Petra is your only priority or if you want several unhurried days in Jordan. The schedule covers a lot in a short time, and the border crossing adds uncertainty to an already active trip.

For most first-time visitors based in Eilat, I like the balance. You see Petra, sleep in the desert, get a proper Wadi Rum Jeep outing, and avoid having to arrange each piece yourself. Just go in expecting long days, bring money for tips and tax, and treat the optional rides as extras rather than necessities.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts in Eilat, in Israel’s Southern District, with meet-and-assist service at the Eilat border.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately two to three days, with one overnight stay in Wadi Rum.

Is the tour private?

Yes. This is a private activity, so only your group participates.

Is transportation included?

Yes. Transfers are provided by a new car with an English-speaking driver and an assistant driver. Mineral water is also provided on board.

Is the Eilat border crossing assisted?

Yes. Meet-and-assist service at the Eilat border is included.

How long is the Wadi Rum Jeep tour?

The Jeep tour lasts about four to five hours and includes an English-speaking guide who is also the driver.

Where do you sleep?

You spend one night at a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum. BBQ dinner and breakfast are included.

How much time is spent at Petra?

The Petra stop lasts about four hours, including about three hours with an English-speaking guide.

Is the horse ride in Petra included?

A 700-meter horse ride from the main gate is included, but it is not mandatory. The horse handler expects a tip.

What is not included in the price?

Tips, travel insurance, personal expenses, a possible 10 JD Jordan departure tax, camel rides, the Petra carriage, and the Wadi Rum balloon ride are not included.