Petra & Madaba: 2-Day Self-Launched Trip from Jerusalem
2 days · Jordan
Abraham Tlalim Tours charges £390
No-markup version: ~£205 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Abraham Tlalim Tours' Petra and Madaba 2-day group tour, crossing from Jerusalem into Jordan via the King Hussein/Allenby Bridge and spending a night at a Bedouin camp in Wadi Musa. Book your own Jordan Pass, private or shared taxi across the border, a Bedouin camp bed, and either a licensed Petra guide or a self-paced audio walking tour from GetYourGuide. You'll see the Siq, the Treasury, the Royal Tombs, the Roman Cardo and (if you have the legs) the 850-step climb to the Monastery — at roughly half the group-tour price. Costs are approximate backpacker/budget rates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Jerusalem → Allenby Bridge → Madaba → Wadi Musa & Petra by afternoon
Jerusalem → Madaba → Wadi Musa
Start early. Take the shared sherut (shared taxi) or Egged bus 444 from Jerusalem to the King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge crossing — leave around 06:00-07:00. Note the crossing is for tourists entering Jordan; you'll pay the Israeli exit fee (~£25) plus a Jordanian visa fee on arrival unless your Jordan Pass waives it (the Jordan Pass waives the JD40 visa if you buy it before arrival and stay 3+ nights — for a 1-night stay you'll usually pay the visa, so check current rules). Once through, take a shared taxi from the Jordanian side to Madaba (~30-40 min, ~£8-12 shared), where you can drop bags at a guesthouse and walk to St George's Church to see the famous 6th-century Madaba mosaic map of the Holy Land (~£2 entry), plus a quick look at the Archaeological Park. Have a cheap falafel/shawarma lunch (~£4). Mid-afternoon, take a JETT bus (Amman–Aqaba route stopping at Wadi Musa, bookable online) or a shared/tourist minibus from Madaba/Amman down the Desert Highway to Wadi Musa (~3.5 hrs, ~£10-14). Check into a Bedouin camp — shared twin tent with bedding, shared hot-water bathrooms — and have a traditional Arab-style dinner at the camp (~included in most camp rates, ~£8-12 extra if not). Finish with Bedouin tea and stargazing; camps often run a free campfire and tea session.
🚌Shared sherut/bus Jerusalem → Allenby Bridge (~£8), Israeli exit fee ~£25, shared taxi to Madaba ~£10, JETT bus Madaba/Amman → Wadi Musa ~£12
🛏Bedouin camp near Petra (shared twin tent, e.g. Seven Wonders Bedouin Camp / Rocky Mountain Camp style), ~£18-25 pp
- →Cross King Hussein (Allenby) Bridge on foot
- →St George's Church Madaba mosaic map (~£2)
- →Madaba Archaeological Park
- →Traditional Arab-style dinner at Bedouin camp
- →Bedouin tea & stargazing
Petra at sunrise — Siq, Treasury, Royal Tombs, Monastery — back to Jerusalem
Wadi Musa → Petra → Jerusalem
Eat breakfast at camp and be at the Petra Visitor Centre for opening (06:00 in summer, 06:30 winter) to beat the crowds and heat. Your Jordan Pass (bought online in advance, ~£60-70 for the 1-day Petra option — it also covers entry to Madaba sites) covers admission and the visa. Walk the Siq to the Treasury (Al-Khazneh) on your own, then either join a licensed local guide at the gate (~£25-35 shared, arrange the day before) or download a self-guided audio walk from GetYourGuide/Voicemap (~£5-8) for the Treasury, Amphitheatre and Royal Tombs. Note the Treasury is a facade only — don't pay touts claiming otherwise. Grab a packed lunch box from a Wadi Musa restaurant (~£4). In the afternoon, tackle the 850-step climb to the Monastery (Ad Deir) if you're fit — allow 1.5-2 hrs return — or take a donkey/mule (~£10-15, negotiate hard and agree the price first). Also see the Roman Cardo and the Royal Tombs. Leave Petra by ~14:00: take a taxi/van to the border (~£30-40 shared, or ~£10 pp in a shared minibus from Wadi Musa) to reach the King Hussein Bridge before it closes for the day (passenger crossing hours are limited — confirm on the day). Cross back, pay the Israeli re-entry arrangements if applicable, then take a sherut/bus back to Jerusalem. Note: many travellers instead overnight in Amman and cross the next morning — that's a calmer option if the border timing looks tight.
🚌Petra Visitor Centre on foot; shared taxi/minibus Wadi Musa → Allenby Bridge ~£10-15; sherut Bridge → Jerusalem ~£8-12; Jordanian exit fee ~£8
🛏Not included (return night in Jerusalem or Amman)
- →Sunrise entry to Petra with Jordan Pass
- →The Siq & Treasury (Al-Khazneh)
- →Petra Amphitheatre & Royal Tombs
- →Roman Cardo
- →Climb to the Monastery (Ad Deir) — 850 steps
- →Optional licensed guide or self-guided audio tour
Self-launched vs. Abraham Tlalim Tours
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Abraham Tlalim Tours | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£205 | £390 |
| Duration | 2 days | 2 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £185 per person (47%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Abraham Tlalim Tours-style trips? Check them out here.~£205
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does Petra & Madaba: 2-Day Self-Launched Trip from Jerusalem cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £205 per person for 2 days in Jordan. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Abraham Tlalim Tours?+
Yes — Abraham Tlalim Tours charges around £390 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £205 — a saving of roughly £185 (47%) per person.
How long is the Jordan trip?+
This itinerary runs 2 days, covering 2 day-by-day stops through Jordan.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, culture, budget trip through Jordan, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
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