Are you backpacking Jordan and wondering how to get from Amman to Wadi Rum, Jordan’s famed desert? If you are, then you are in the right place! This post will give you everything you need to know about travelling from Amman to Wadi Rum, what your options are, how much it costs and what to do once you get there.
How to Get From Amman to Wadi Rum
Amman to Wadi Rum By Car
There are only a few options to get from Amman to Wadi Rum, which makes it easy and difficult. The easiest way, is to rent a car and drive yourself the 4 hour journey from Amman to Wadi Rum. But what makes this difficult for some travellers is the cost. On a shoestring budget, it is going to cost about JD30 per day for the rental car, plus fuel.
Get more info on renting a car in Jordan.
Amman to Wadi Rum by Bus
There is no direct JETT bus that will take you to Wadi Rum Village or Al Disseh Village and both are off the main highway at the turnoff to the Wadi Rum visitor’s centre. This is one of the limitations of public transport in Jordan. It is not set up to cater to tourists at all.
Amman to Wadi Rum by Taxi
If you hire a taxi or private vehicle to take you from Amman to Wadi Rum, expect to pay about JD110 per vehicle.
Amman to Wadi Rum Tour
You can book a private transfer or a tour to Wadi Rum from Amman. Most of these tours will also have Petra included and are designed for those who have really limited time but want to see Petra and Wadi Rum.
Check out the following:
Viator Tours offers this one or this one (make sure you read what is included here as it looks like you need to pay for Petra entrance ticket and Wadi Rum Jeep tour)
Get Your Guide Tours offers this one (this tour includes the Wadi Rum Jeep Tour but does not include JD5 entrance fee to the site and does not include the JD50 entrance fee to Petra)
Read more information about booking tours in Jordan
Overwhelmed with Planning a trip to Jordan?
Want to skip all of the planning and access my detailed Jordan Itinerary and Guide? I have been to Jordan several times and after being asked again and again for suggestions, not only did I build this website but I created an interactive PDF guide to help you plan the best trip to Jordan! It includes an interactive map, multiple itineraries for up to 10 days and as little as three days and plenty of practical information about renting a car and driving in Jordan. Get the guide by clicking the button below.
More information on Wadi Rum
Wondering what is this Best Time to Visit Wadi Rum or what to expect weatherwise?
How about the Best Bedouin Camps in Jordan’s Desert.
All of these posts will help you plan your visit to Jordan’s desert!
5 Things to Bring with You to Jordan
I have always been a guide book person and physically having that book in your hand as you plan your day, in addition to blogs like this one, can help immensely. Pick up a Lonely Planet Guide to Jordan (or the kindle version) before your trip to Jordan.
Whether you want to keep the sun off your head or want to show a little modesty, a scarf goes a long way in Jordan any time of the year. You can bring one with you or pick up one when you arrive, but don’t leave your hotel in the morning without it! It can serve as a hat to keep the sun off your head and neck in the summer and can add some warmth in winder and can offer modesty to cover shoulders for women.
A Grayl Water Bottle is something I recommend for every traveller, not just those going to the Middle East. Some people say the water is safe to drink from the tap, others say it is not; it is not something I am going to chance. And Jordan has a HUGE garbage problem. The streets, the forests and even the desert are littered with plastic bottles.
If you consider drinking at least 1-2 big water bottles a day while you are there, think of how much plastic that creates when every visitor and the population’s 9 million people do the same. With a Grayl, you can filter any tap water (or actually any water source) and have clean drinking water in seconds. Since most people travel with water bottles already, consider one like this with a filter so that you are not just pouring from big water bottles to small. It might sound expensive, but when you compare it to spending a few dollars per day on water while you travel (and do not forget how expensive the water is inside airports), you will pay for this very quickly.
An inexpensive Universal Travel Adapter is another must for Jordan. You will find an assortment of 220V plugs, from European 2 pin, another style of 2 pin and UK Plugs. While European 2 pin is most common, it is best to carry one of these adapters with you. With a handy USB input, you do not need to bring your plugs from home.
Kleenex or Wipes are another thing to put on your list. Jordan’s public washrooms (and even restraint or hotel lobby washrooms can often be unstocked. Unless you are good with a bidet sprayer, bring yourself some kleenex or wipes just in case! You will find that most washrooms in tourist sites and rest stops have an attendant that will give you toilet paper and paper towel for a small tip. Usually half a dinar is fine.
In Jordan, the plumbing is not set up to handle toilet paper. Every bathroom (even hotels) you should use the garbage can beside the toilet for your toilet paper and any sanitary products.
Motion Sickness Pills might be needed if you are prone to motion sickness and plan on traveling by bus or in the back of the car. There are many windy, hilly and bumpy roads in Jordan. Sea Bands might work for you if you are prone to motion sickness.
Travel Insurance for Jordan
There are a few other things to think about when it comes to travel. The first thing is travel insurance. Whether it is an emergency room visit for something as simple as strep throat, or an emergency appendix surgery, or an unfortunate moped incident things do go wrong when people travel everyday.
I highly suggest travel insurance and a good policy. I personally never travel without it, and I even checked into my policy about care for my children if I am ever in an accident or hospitalized. There are just too many things to think about.
You can find out more information and buy your travel insurance here.
More Jordan Travel Resources
In order to help make your visit to Jordan as memorable as possible, I have created a number of resources from planning guides to local eats.
If you have just begun the planning, check out 101 Things to do in Jordan to give you some inspiration on the places you want to make sure you have time to see.
Rental Cars are very popular in Jordan, get a quote on renting a car before you arrive.
If you are working on a self-drive itinerary or plan to see the country independently, there is a guide on getting around in Jordan. For more posts on how to get from A to B you can check out Aqaba to Wadi Rum Aqaba to Petra, Amman to Petra , Aqaba to the Dead Sea or Amman to the Dead Sea