Eilat to Petra and Wadi Rum
Replies: 4 - Last Post: Dec 15, 2012 8:21 AM Last Post By: almondy23
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Hi Everyone - My partner and I are traveling to Eilat in April as a jumping-off point to Mt. Sinai in Egypt and then Petra & Wadi Rum in Jordan. I'd like to take 4 days for Petra & Wadi Rum - two days for each location. I figured we'd try to do an overnight bedoin camp in both places, with a hotel near Petra in-between. We'd like to divide our time in Petra (day 1 and day 2) between a guilded tour and then some wandering on our own. We'd definitely like to scope out the whole place as much as possible. In Wadi Rum, we'd like to combine a jeep tour with some moderate hiking/climbing (with the campout in between.) I have looked into some tour companies, but am not sure of quality and cost. We're traveling on a budget, but we want to engage some decent services. Is there anyone who does all of what we're looking for for four days, or should we make plans for Petra and Wadi Rum separately? We alse need advice on how to get to Petra and then to Wadi Rum and back to the border near Eilat. I'm thinking it will have to be taxis? Any advice is greatly appreciated! Thanks!!
Rick
Rick
1
Given that you want to watch your budget perhaps you should rethink your plan just a bit.There is no reason to engage the services of any type of tour company to do what you want to do. It's easy to do independantly and less expensive as well.
My suggestion is to visit Wadi Musa (Petra) first. Once there you can get the help of your hotel to arrange a shared taxi to Wadi Musa and put you with other travellers in a Bedouin camp. I stayed at the Cleopetra and had a good experience with them. Many of the hotels in Wadi Musa will do the same thing though.
When I arrived at the Cleopetra I told them I wanted to spend a night in a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum and they put me in a group with six or so other people. They arranged a shared taxi and took care of the whole thing at a very reasonable cost. I was pleased with everything they did.
After my day and night in Wadi Rum (following two in Wadi Musa) I took a mini-bus back to Aqaba and a taxi to the border. The whole experience was easy and affordable.
Good luck.
2
That's really helpful, thanks! Since I'm a bit of a planning freak, I'm wondering if there is any chance we'd get to Wadi Musa and find out there are no openings for a Bedoin camp... We'd prefer to stay at a camp the first actual overnight near Petra... would a hotel arrange that for us when we're not staying at the hotel till the next night? Also... I've got my eye on another hotel in Wadi Musa, but I REALLY like the idea of booking the sort of Wadi Rum trip you mentioned - sounds perfect. Would I have to stay at the Cleopetra to do that, do you think? Again, my need to over-plan is probably showing. I just don't want to travel all the way to Jordan and have surprises keep me from what I'm heading there to see...3
There's no chance that every Bedouin camp will be completely full in April. There is a chance that you might not be able to find other tourists to be grouped together with in a specific camp at the specific time you wish to go. Having some flexibility always helps.I can't answer your questions about what hotels in Wadi Musa will or will not do, that's up to them and I have no experience other than with the Cleopetra.
Whatever you wish to do I'm relatively sure you'll be able to do it. It might cost a bit more or require you to shift your plans a degree one way or the other, but that is a tourist area and they are used to catering to the needs of tourists. Planning is both fun and helpful, but don't pen yourself into a tight knot that requires perfection. Get a good plan overview and then go with the flow just a bit.
Have a great trip.
4
If all fails and your hotel/travel agent doesn't have the numbers for a Wadi Rum tour, simply take the bus and hook up with other travelers on the bus, you will always find someone. Price should be no more than 35-40jod for tour, 3 meals, night in the camp and transport back to Wadi Rum tow.But....that price only comes from booking once there! Or for walk-ins, so for the best price, just wait til you get there, they will almost certainly have space, hell the camp i was just at had at least 30 beds, and there were 5 other camps in the vicinity.
