Petra to Wadi Rum

Hotel accommodation in Amman is booked on a B&B basis. You can order lunch and dinner at the hotel restaurant or find an alternative in the city. We recommend you bring a water filter or purification system with you so you can safely drink tap water and avoid excessive use of plastic bottles. Your hotel will have a varied menu with both local and international options.

In the desert, you will be accompanied by a cook who will prepare a breakfast of tea, coffee, flat breads, humus, yoghurt and eggs with plenty of fruit and fantastic local honey. Lunches are freshly prepared each day and will include tuna, rice, salads, humus and local breads or couscous. For dinner you can expect chicken, lamb meat balls, potatoes, rice, fresh vegetables and salads. We can cater for most dietary requirements on request. In the desert we carry all of our water with us and there are plenty of opportunities to refill your bottles throughout the day.

In Petra, breakfast is provided at your accommodation and you will be given a picnic lunch of traditional breads, pastries, fruit, vegetables, boiled eggs etc. to carry in your daypack.

On the first and last nights of this trip you will be staying in comfortable 3 star hotel accommodation in the capital city of Amman. Accommodation will be in twin or double en-suite rooms.

On all other nights we will be camping. In Petra we use a well equipped quiet campsite, ideally located near “little Petra”. You will stay in a fixed camp with twin beds in small but comfortable tents with shared bathroom facilities. Blankets are provided and there is a single electrical socket in each tent which is turned on at night fall. It is a good idea to bring along a multi USB charging hub to make the most of the single socket in your tent. In winter when there is a risk of snow, we may stay in a nearby hotel instead.

In the Wadi Rum Desert we will sleep in 3 man tents (2 people per tent unless you requested a single supplement). Mattresses, tents and eating utensils are all provided but you will need to bring your own sleeping bag. As we can only carry a limited amount of water in the desert, there is no water provided for washing on these two nights. We recommend bringing some wet wipes so you can wash inside your tent.

The hotels in Jordan all have western, flushing toilets. Whilst on the trek the toilet situation will be a little less luxurious. In the desert, you will need to find somewhere hidden and go wild! Please remember to bring toilet roll and a lighter to burn it after use.

All transportation costs including airport transfers are included. Please be aware that in Jordan, drivers are required to wear particular clothing by law, this means they may look different to drivers you may have on other Kandoo trips. For all our transfers, we will use comfortable private vehicles with seat belts. Your support vehicle in the desert is a 4x4 pickup with trailer for carrying gear.

Bag Weight: 15kg

During your trip your luggage will be transported by vehicle. Your main bag must be flexible (a duffle bag and not a rigid suitcase) and weigh a maximum of 15kg. Your luggage will be transported to your accommodation each afternoon and you will not be able to access it during the day. You should also bring a small day pack to carry water, snacks and anything else you may need whilst walking.

You will need to arrive in Amman on day 1 of the trip. Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) is located 30km south of the capital city. From London and Manchester, there are direct flights to Amman with British Airways and Royal Jordanian. The flight time is roughly 5 hours. Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa both offer indirect flights from Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh. For those traveling from the US, Qatar have convenient flights via Doha from New York, Boston and Atlanta. Turkish airlines offer flights via Istanbul from San Francisco and Los Angeles. British Airways have convenient flights departing from Seattle.

Once your flight has landed, as you enter the airport building, please look out for a Kandoo representative who will be holding ‘Kandoo Adventures’ sign. They will be waiting before passport control and will assist with your visa before guiding you through the airport collect your luggage and meet your driver.

If you are changing airlines or re-checking your luggage at an airport on route, please ensure you leave a minimum of 3 hours between flights. This will account for any delays on arrival, travel time across airports (this can take longer than you think) and time taken to re-check baggage.

Travelling Responsibly

Here at Kandoo, we like to support our guests to make their travel more sustainable. As of 2025, we are offsetting the carbon on all of our trips from arrival in destination to dropping you back off at the airport. As we don't include flight travel in our trips these aren't included in our offsetting calculations, so we are providing you with the calculator below for you to do this yourselves.

eC02 Flights Calculator

Your pre-trek briefing is held in the hotel reception in Amman at 8am on Day 2 of your trip. You will be expected to have had breakfast prior to the briefing.

This briefing is a great opportunity for you to ask any questions you may have before starting the trip and also a chance for the guide to check everyone has the correct equipment and is fully prepared. Please bring your insurance documents and passport to the briefing with you.

The currency in Jordan is the Jordanian Dinar (JOD). For the latest exchange rates please see www.xe.com

It is best to take cash in USD, GBP or EUR and exchange it locally. If you are exchanging money at the airport on arrival, do not use the first exchange desk you see (next to the luggage pickup) as the rate offered is very poor. Collect your luggage, clear customs and then use the exchange desk in the arrivals area next to the exit. Credit and Debit cards are widely accepted and there are ATMs in the larger towns and cities. Travelers cheques are best avoided as you will be charged a hefty commission for exchanging them.

The Jordanian Dinar is a strong currency and prices are comparable to European countries. Expect to pay between $20 - $30 for a meal out in a local restaurant in Amman. Souvenir shopping can be expensive depending on what you are buying. There is plenty of cheap souvenirs to take home for friends or family but if you are interested in locally made Palestinian pottery or jewelry, it may be best to carry a credit card for larger purchases.

You should budget for tips for your lead guide, Wadi Rum guides and drivers. The tip amount should be based on the service you feel you have received but JOD 150 (equivalent $200 / £160) will provide enough tips for your whole trip.

Recommended tip amounts:

Lead Guide: JOD 50 per person per trip

Wadi Rum Guides: JOD 25 per person per trip

Drivers: JOD 5-10 per person per journey

Drivers can be tipped after each journey, between 5 and 10 JOD depending on the length of the drive. Your Bedouin guides should be tipped at the end of your trek before you leave Wadi Rum. Your lead guide can be tipped after you return to Amman at the end of the tour. Tips are preferred in local currency.

Your passport should be valid for at least 6 months after your day of departure from Jordan.

A visa is required by European and US citizens and this can be purchased on arrival. Please check the latest requirements before departure.

No mandatory vaccinations are required.

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are fully and adequately insured for the duration of your trip. Please ensure that all activities, excursions and destinations in your itinerary are included in your travel insurance policy, in addition to your regular cover for cancellation and medical expenses. We ask that you keep a copy of your policy summary (containing policy number and the emergency contact number for your insurer) in your daypack at all times, so that we can access this information should we need to contact the insurer on your behalf.

Your guide carries a first aid kit at all times but we recommend you carry the following items: - Painkillers - Sunscreen for lips and skin - Moisturising cream (for sunburn) - Elastic bandage, regular bandages and Blister bandages - Sanitary products

Animal welfare:

In the desert the use of camels is very common. The strong and sturdy camels have spent their lives in the heat of the desert and can transport your gear from A to B with ease. Camels are a big source of income for the local people, as a result they are generally treated with great respect and consideration for their well being. However there are always exceptions and in some cases camels have experienced neglect and cruelty.

Kandoo Adventures are committed to ensuring that the camels we use on our treks receive only the very best treatment. There are two camels, Samhan and Alian, who take care of the vast majority of Kandoo travelers in Wadi Rum. Samhan is the larger of the two boys and very much the boss. Alian is a gentle soul and enjoys a cuddle once he has got to know you. Both camels are loved and cared for by Abdulrahman, one of your Bedouin guides.

3 man dome tent (per 2 people)

Mattress

Eating utensils

Depending upon the time of year you are travelling to the desert, the temperatures can be significantly different and equipment that may be essential for one month may not be necessary for another. Below we have outlined your main equipment list for the summer shoulder seasons of Sept - Nov and March - May, then included additional items that you may find useful in the cooler periods of December - February.

Main essentials:

Sun hat with wide brim

Sunglasses

Neck gaiter or scarf

Walking boots (with ankle support and sturdy soles)

Comfortable shoes (for the evenings)

Socks (quick drying and not too warm)

Short or long sleeved t-shirts

Trekking trousers or shorts

Fleece or soft shell jacket (for the evenings)

Waterproof and windproof hard shell jacket

Waterproof and windproof hard shell trousers

Swimming suit / shorts

Quick drying underwear

Pyjamas, travel towel

December to February only:

Lightweight gloves

Warm beanie style hat

Insulated jacket

Thermal base layers

Sleeping bag with a comfort rating of 0°C

Head torch and spare batteries

Water bottles or hydration pack (minimum 3 litres)

Water filter or purification tablets

Hand sanitiser

30-40 litre day pack

80 – 100 litre duffel bag, max weight 15kg

SPF 50 sunscreen (important)

Lip Balm (SPF rated)

Walking poles (optional)

Personal medication and small first aid kit

Plastic bags for dirty clothing and rubbish

Insect repellant

Ear plugs (optional)

Personal snacks and electrolytes