5 Days in Jordan: The Petra Gateway Loop
Five days is where the loop actually opens up: Amman for a half day, the Dead Sea on the way south, two full days at Petra, and a Wadi Rum night to close it. Roughly 500km of driving total, still without Jerash, which needs a sixth day. See the 6-day version if you can spare it.
Book these before you go:
- Jordan Pass on jordanpass.jo , bought online before landing, worth it on a trip this length
- An Amman hotel on Booking.com for Day 1
- A Wadi Rum camp booked by name, not lowest price
- A Wadi Musa hotel for the two Petra nights
Day 1: Amman
Land at Queen Alia International and give the capital a real half day instead of racing through it. The Citadel (Jabal al-Qal’a) runs about 3 JD and looks out over the Roman Theatre below, about 2 JD, still hosting performances; both are covered by the Jordan Pass and pair well as one visit. Go early, the Citadel hilltop has no shade. Overnight in Amman.
Day 2: The Dead Sea, then south to Wadi Musa
Amman to the Dead Sea is the short leg, under an hour for about 60km. There is no free, fully maintained public beach on the Jordan side, so budget a day pass, 20 to 25 JD at a standard resort, for a shower and a safe entry point rather than the unshaded informal access points. Keep salt out of your eyes, skip shaving that morning, and do not float on open cuts. From there, continue toward Wadi Musa; figure on a long driving afternoon regardless of which highway you choose, so aim to arrive by early evening.
Day 3: The Treasury side of Petra
Be at the gate at opening. The Siq runs just over a kilometer, walls up to 200 meters, ending at the Treasury, Al-Khazneh, a Nabataean royal tomb facade, not a treasury with rooms behind it. Spend the day on the Street of Facades, the Royal Tombs, and lunch at the Basin Restaurant. Check at the Visitor Center whether Petra by Night is running; it is a separate ticket and never a nightly fixture.
Day 4: The Monastery and Little Petra
Start early for the Monastery, more than 800 rock-cut steps, close to an hour up, and reach Ad-Deir before the afternoon crowd; it is larger than the Treasury and the better payoff for the climb. Spend the afternoon at Little Petra, Siq al-Barid, a free twenty-minute drive north. Decline any animal ride offered along either route; camels cannot manage the Monastery stairs regardless of the pitch.
Day 5: Wadi Rum, then home via Aqaba or Amman
Transfer about 110km, 1.5 to 2 hours, to Wadi Rum for a jeep tour through red dunes and rock arches. Many travelers fly out of Aqaba’s King Hussein airport from here, about an hour further, rather than driving 4 to 5 hours back to Amman; weigh that against your actual flight options before deciding.
The route at a glance
| Day | Focus | Distance / Drive Time |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Amman: Citadel, Roman Theatre | Arrival day |
| Day 2 | Dead Sea, then transfer to Wadi Musa | Amman-Dead Sea under 1 hour (60km); Dead Sea-Wadi Musa a longer half-day drive |
| Day 3 | Petra: Treasury, Street of Facades, Royal Tombs | Based in Wadi Musa |
| Day 4 | Petra: Monastery, Little Petra | Based in Wadi Musa |
| Day 5 | Wadi Rum, depart via Aqaba or Amman | About 110km, 1.5 to 2 hours from Petra |
Should the Dead Sea come before or after Petra?
Before works better on this route. Coming from Amman, the Dead Sea is a short detour on the way south, while Petra to the Dead Sea and back north again adds hours you do not get back. Doing it on Day 2 also means you are not nursing salt-irritated skin or eyes on a big walking day at Petra afterward.
Is 5 days enough for the whole Jordan Pass value?
Close to it. You will use Petra, and the Citadel and Roman Theatre in Amman, all Jordan Pass inclusions, and the visa waiver alone covers a meaningful chunk of the pass cost on a trip this length. Wadi Rum’s separate 5 JD protected-area fee is also covered; the 4x4 vehicle fee is not, Pass or no Pass. Check the current tier breakdown on jordanpass.jo before you buy.
Packing and timing
Bring a swimsuit and sandals for the Dead Sea, real walking shoes for the Monastery steps, and more water than feels necessary for both Petra days. Spring and autumn give the mildest days for a schedule that covers this much ground; in summer, treat the early gate times on Days 3 and 4 as fixed, not optional. Confirm current entrance fees for each stop on the official Jordan tourism board site .