5 Day Tour: Amman Petra Jerash Mount Nebo Karak Castle Wadi Rum Red & Dead Sea

REVIEW · AMMAN

5 Day Tour: Amman Petra Jerash Mount Nebo Karak Castle Wadi Rum Red & Dead Sea

  • 5.023 reviews
  • From $799.00
Book on Viator →

Operated by Jordan Private Tours and Travel · Bookable on Viator

Traveller rating 5.0 (23)Price from$799.00Operated byJordan Private Tours and TravelBook viaViator

Jordan in five days hits hard. This tour strings together Roman Amman, world-famous Petra, and an overnight Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, all with private, air-conditioned transport. It’s the kind of itinerary that keeps your days full without turning them into a chaotic scramble.

I also like the way the route is paced: you get a proper introduction to the country’s top sites first, then you’re set up for the big finale of Petra and the desert. The main thing to watch is that entry fees aren’t included (including Petra admissions), so you’ll want to budget for tickets on top of the tour price and consider a Jordan Pass if you’re eligible.

Key highlights you’ll feel right away

5 Day Tour: Amman Petra Jerash Mount Nebo Karak Castle Wadi Rum Red & Dead Sea - Key highlights you’ll feel right away

  • Private, air-conditioned vehicle for every long hop between cities and sites
  • Amman + Petra hotels included (with breakfast), so you’re not hunting lodging during a tight schedule
  • One night in a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, with dinner and breakfast
  • 2-hour Rum Valley jeep safari included, plus a sunset stop plan
  • English-speaking driver/guide riding with you for the key driving days
  • Very full itinerary, best for travelers who like seeing a lot in limited time

Price and what you actually get for $799

5 Day Tour: Amman Petra Jerash Mount Nebo Karak Castle Wadi Rum Red & Dead Sea - Price and what you actually get for $799
At $799 per person for roughly five days, this tour is aimed at travelers who want Jordan’s headline stops with minimal stress. The value comes from the big-ticket parts that cost time and energy on your own: private transportation, hotel nights, and the desert night in Wadi Rum.

Here’s the practical breakdown of what’s covered:

  • Two nights in Amman hotels + one night in Petra hotel, with breakfast included
  • One night in a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, with dinner and breakfast included
  • A 2-hour jeep safari in Rum Valley (with bottled water)
  • An English-speaking driver/guide in a modern private A/C vehicle
  • Pickup offered, plus mobile tickets

What isn’t covered is where your budget can swing:

  • Entry fees to sites and local guides
  • Meals beyond what’s specifically included
  • Travel insurance

One smart move is to plan your ticket strategy before you go. This tour strongly recommends buying a Jordan Pass ahead of arrival, which can include visa fees and entry to many sites. If you’re planning to hit a lot of attractions anyway (and this itinerary does), that can turn tickets from a surprise expense into something you’ve already priced in.

Also note: the tour mentions group discounts and that it’s private for your group. If you’re traveling with friends, the per-person cost may feel more manageable than solo travel.

You can also read our reviews of more tours and experiences in Amman.

How the tour works: private comfort, but expect walking

This is a private tour, so you won’t be squeezed into a large group bus. You’ll ride in an air-conditioned vehicle, and your driver/guide handles the pacing, pickups, and transfers. The schedule starts early most days (often around 8:00am), which is good for beating heat and crowds—especially in Petra.

That said, “private” doesn’t mean “effort-free.” Ancient sites mean stairs, uneven ground, and plenty of standing around for viewpoints. The tour notes moderate physical fitness. If you know you struggle with long walking days, consider planning shorter detours or slowing your pace in Petra.

Day 1 in Amman: Roman Theater, Citadel, and museum breaks

5 Day Tour: Amman Petra Jerash Mount Nebo Karak Castle Wadi Rum Red & Dead Sea - Day 1 in Amman: Roman Theater, Citadel, and museum breaks
You start in Amman at 8:00am and spend about 8 hours covering the city’s major landmarks. The route is built for getting your bearings fast: the Roman Theater, the Citadel, the Automobile Museum, and the downtown area.

What I like about this first day is the mix. You’re not just doing ruins; you’re also getting a feel for modern Amman life and the city’s layered identity. Starting here helps the rest of your trip make more sense—Jordan isn’t only ancient stones; it’s also lived-in cities and modern museums.

A small consideration: the itinerary marks the admissions for this stop as free, but it’s still smart to carry some cash for any on-site add-ons or things you might decide to enter later.

Day 2: Umm Qais for big views, then Jerash for full-on ruins

5 Day Tour: Amman Petra Jerash Mount Nebo Karak Castle Wadi Rum Red & Dead Sea - Day 2: Umm Qais for big views, then Jerash for full-on ruins
Day 2 is a classic Jordan pairing: Umm Qais followed by Jerash.

  • Umm Qais runs roughly 10:00–11:30 after a morning pickup
  • Lunch is built in around 11:30–12:30
  • Jerash then takes 14:00–17:00, with the drive back to Amman after

Why this works: Umm Qais feels like the “breathing room” between Amman and Jerash. You’ll be seeing ruins, but with a different mood than Jerash’s dense, dramatic city layout. Then Jerash brings the scale—big streets, big columns, and the kind of Roman grandeur that makes you want to stop every few minutes and look up.

In terms of energy, this is a long day (about 8 hours). If you’re prone to getting wiped out after museum-type mornings, plan to eat well at lunch and keep water handy.

Day 3: Mount Nebo, Kings Way, Karak Castle, then Little Petra before your Petra hotel

5 Day Tour: Amman Petra Jerash Mount Nebo Karak Castle Wadi Rum Red & Dead Sea - Day 3: Mount Nebo, Kings Way, Karak Castle, then Little Petra before your Petra hotel
This is the travel day that also loads you with meaning.

The day starts with 8:00am pickup and moves toward:

  • Madaba and Mount Nebo (aiming to be around 10:00am)
  • Then on toward Al-Karak Castle, passing through Wadi Al-Mujib via Kings Way
  • You arrive at Karak Castle around 12:00pm
  • Then you head for Petra with a stop at Little Petra
  • Little Petra visits happen around 3:00pm
  • You check into your Petra hotel (Wadi Mousa area) around 5:00pm

What to expect here:

  • Mount Nebo is a strong early “sense-of-place” moment on a Jordan trip. It helps connect geography to history without turning it into a lecture marathon.
  • Kings Way + Wadi Al-Mujib is the kind of drive that makes the route feel like part of the experience, not just the commute.
  • Karak Castle gives you a fortress perspective—less “pretty ruins” and more strategic, defensive architecture.
  • Little Petra is a great warm-up. It’s not the main act, but it helps you understand what Petra terrain feels like before you tackle the big site the next day.

The potential drawback: Petra is close enough that you can still feel the excitement, but you’re arriving and moving around during daylight. If you’re the type who wants one full relaxed evening after traveling, this itinerary is slightly more active than that.

Day 4: Petra in the morning, then Wadi Rum sunset and a Bedouin Zarb dinner

5 Day Tour: Amman Petra Jerash Mount Nebo Karak Castle Wadi Rum Red & Dead Sea - Day 4: Petra in the morning, then Wadi Rum sunset and a Bedouin Zarb dinner
Day 4 is a two-part day: Petra first, then Wadi Rum.

You start with pickup around 7:00am. The schedule indicates Petra tour time that’s self-guided. Then you shift to Wadi Rum in the late afternoon:

  • Move toward Wadi Rum around 16:00 (or 14:00 during winter time due to shorter daylight)
  • Arrive around 18:00 and head toward the Bedouin campsite inside Rum Valley (about 12 km from Rum Village)
  • Sunset activity at about 18:30
  • Dinner around 19:30: Bedouin Zarb (chicken, grilled vegetables, and salads)
  • Sleep around 23:00

This day is where you decide what kind of Petra experience you want. Self-guided time can be great if you love wandering at your own speed, taking photos, and making your own route. But if you prefer a guided explanation of what you’re seeing, you’ll want to plan for that using what’s included and what isn’t.

Once you roll into Wadi Rum, the vibe changes fast. The sunset plan is a real value add. It’s not just “arrive and hope.” You’re set up for the classic desert light show and then fed with dinner cooked in a traditional-style setup.

If you’re hoping for extra comfort: camps are part of the magic, but the room style is described as a bed/tent for up to three travelers. If you’re traveling solo, check the single supplement option in advance.

Day 5: Wadi Rum jeep safari, Dead Sea float, and back to Amman

5 Day Tour: Amman Petra Jerash Mount Nebo Karak Castle Wadi Rum Red & Dead Sea - Day 5: Wadi Rum jeep safari, Dead Sea float, and back to Amman
Your final day starts with breakfast at the camp around 7:00am, then:

  • 8:00am morning Jeep tour in Wadi (visiting amazing places in Wadi)
  • Around 10:00am you head toward the Gulf of Aqaba area
  • Around 14:00 you reach the Dead Sea for beach time and floating
  • By 18:00 you’re leaving back toward Amman
  • Around 19:00 you’re dropped at your hotel

One very practical note: Aqaba is skipped during winter time (from November to end of March) because daylight is short.

Why I like ending with the Dead Sea: it’s a reset day. After Petra and desert walking, you get a slower activity—floating and resting—before the long ride back. Just remember the Dead Sea is salty, so bring what you need for rinsing afterward and protect your eyes.

Drivers and guides: the difference between smooth and stressful

5 Day Tour: Amman Petra Jerash Mount Nebo Karak Castle Wadi Rum Red & Dead Sea - Drivers and guides: the difference between smooth and stressful
This kind of itinerary lives or dies with the person behind the wheel. The feedback you can rely on here is that the better drivers keep the trip calm: punctual pickups, clean rides, and small care details.

In real-world terms, drivers and guides like Hani (aka Dad), Zakaria, Ahmad, and Gide are described as punctual, friendly, and attentive—showing up with a clean car and helping with needs during the day. That matters because your time is tight and the distances between sites are real.

If you’re choosing this tour, don’t just look for the itinerary. Choose the day’s flow:

  • Ask how they handle early starts
  • Make sure you’re clear on what’s self-guided vs guided
  • Bring your own water plan for long walks, even though the jeep tour includes bottled water

What to bring (so you don’t hate Petra)

Because the itinerary includes Petra plus multiple viewpoints and desert time, packing smart helps a lot:

  • Comfortable walking shoes with grip
  • Sun protection (hat, sunscreen)
  • Sunglasses
  • A light layer for early mornings and desert evenings
  • A basic tote for water and snacks
  • For Dead Sea time, plan for rinsing afterward

Also, check whether you’ll have time for cash or card payments for entry fees and any local guides you add on. Since admissions aren’t included, you’ll want a plan rather than guessing on the day.

Best fit: who should book this 5-day circuit

This tour is a strong match if you:

  • Want a high-impact highlights trip without arranging everything yourself
  • Like private transfers and early starts
  • Are excited about the combination of Petra + Wadi Rum, not just one or the other
  • Can handle a moderate amount of walking and uneven ground

It may not be ideal if you:

  • Want every site entry and guide explanation fully included
  • Get stressed by self-guided segments
  • Want a slower, more relaxed trip with fewer daily transitions

Should you book it?

I’d book this tour if your priority is seeing Jordan’s biggest names—Amman, Jerash, Karak Castle, Petra, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea—inside a tight five-day window. The private A/C vehicle, hotel breakfasts, and the Wadi Rum camp night are the bones of the value, and the schedule is built to keep you moving efficiently.

Skip or reconsider if you hate planning around site tickets and prefer fully guided experiences at every stop. Since entry fees aren’t included, your total cost will depend on how you handle Petra admissions and whether you add local guides.

If you’re organized with tickets (Jordan Pass is recommended) and you’re comfortable with walking, this is an efficient, very doable way to get a real Jordan overview.

FAQ

What time does the tour start?

The tour starts at 8:00am, with pickup and morning departures on most days.

How long is the tour?

It runs for about 5 days.

Is this tour private?

Yes. It’s a private tour/activity, and only your group participates.

What’s included in the price?

The price includes a private air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver/guide, hotel stays in Amman and Petra with breakfast, a Bedouin camp night in Wadi Rum with dinner and breakfast, and a 2-hour jeep safari at Rum Valley with bottled water.

Are entrance fees included?

No. Entry fees to sites and local tour guides are not included, and Petra admissions are specifically noted as not included.

Is Aqaba part of the itinerary?

Aqaba is skipped during winter time due to short daylight, from November to end of March.

What is the cancellation window?

You can cancel up to 6 days in advance for a full refund, cancel 2–6 days before for a 50% refund, and cancellations less than 2 days before aren’t refunded.

Not for you? Here's more nearby things to do in Amman we have reviewed

Scroll to Top

Find Your Rum Tour

Distillery tours and tastings, island by island and country by country.