Wadi Rum?
Unlike the Jordan and Egypt trip, the Israel and Jordan trip does not go to Wadi Rum. I am wondering whether it is worth adding an extra day after the Israel and Jordan tour to go see Wadi Rum. (I've been to the Liwa Desert in the UAE. I don't know whether it would be a case of "seen one desert, seen 'em all.) I realize that it would involve back-tracking from Amman back down south. Any thoughts?
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Depends what you're hoping to see or what adventure you're looking for at Wadi Rum. From the Wadi Rum pictures online it appears a lot of the scenery is similar to what you'll see at Petra (minus the carvings). So unless there are specific things you want to see or do at Wadi Rum it might be a lot of effort for not that much payback, but each person should make their own assessment.
I suggest you go to viator.com and look at tours in Wadi Rum. I think the itineraries will give you an idea of what there is to see and do there (and the photos will give you a feel for the landscape). They do have overnight tours (channel your inner Bedouin in a tent) and the star viewing is supposed to be spectacular).
While interesting, unless you are into movie locations, 4 wheeling, or desert hiking and rock climbing, I don't think there is enough things to experience in Wadi Rum that justify the long ride there from Amman as an after-Israel & Jordan tour excursion. According to Google Maps it is a 4 hour drive from Amman on the Desert Hwy to Wadi Rum which is at the southern end of the country. I believe Wadi Rum has mostly "Bedouin experience" tented lodging (Glamping), but I don't know what else. Tauck does not overnight in Wadi Rum and will just be making a stop on the Jordan & Egypt; Petra to Pyramids during the leg from Petra to Aqaba, but I think they stop there for just two related reasons.
First and foremost, it is sort-of along the way (minor deviation from Petra-Aqaba Desert Hwy). Tauck appears to have chosen what I consider the best tour routing- clockwise- driving from Amman to Petra then after a stop in Wadi Rum to Aqaba to fly on a charter to Aswan, Egypt. The tour then travels north on the Nile to Luxor before you fly to Cairo at the end- continuous clockwise travel, no backtracking. The other option which requires back-tracking twice, is to travel counter-clockwise- after Petra (or Wadi Rum), return to Amman, Jordan, fly to Cairo, see Giza and Saqqara, fly to Luxor and head south on the Nile to Aswan, before eventually flying all the way back to Cairo and home.
I believe Tauck spends time in Wadi Rum as both a minor attraction to see the red desert and cliffs, locations for many movie scenes from Lawrence of Arabia to Star Wars, give you another of multiple opportunities to ride a camel, and provide a lunch stop on the way to the Aqaba for an afternoon charter flight to Aswan- no back-tracking.
Thanks to Sam, Ken, and Alan for your comments. Based on them (and checking out the Viator tours), I think I'll stick to plan A and fly home after the tour ends in Amman. I rode (loosely speaking) a camel when I did Egypt during the years that Tauck had suspended its tours there. One of my all-time favorites was visiting the tombs in the Valley of the Kings. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, Alan.