Private Dead Sea and Wadi Mujib Panoramic Day Trip from Aqaba

The Dead Sea, lowest point on land

The Dead Sea lies about 430 metres below sea level, the lowest exposed point on the surface of the earth. Its water is roughly ten times saltier than the ocean, so dense that you float effortlessly on your back, reading or lifting your feet in the air. No fish live here, but the water and the black mud along the shore are rich in minerals such as magnesium and potassium, which visitors spread on their skin before rinsing off in the sun.

Is the Dead Sea worth visiting on a day trip from Aqaba? For most travellers it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and the private format makes the long drive comfortable. Stay in the water for about 15 to 20 minutes at a time, keep it away from your eyes, and avoid shaving the day before, as the salt stings small cuts. The best time to visit the Dead Sea is from October to May, when the shore is warm rather than scorching.

Wadi Mujib, Jordan's grand canyon

Wadi Mujib is a dramatic gorge that cuts through the mountains east of the Dead Sea, carrying the Mujib river down from the highlands to the shore. The Mujib Biosphere Reserve, created to protect it, is often called the lowest nature reserve in the world, as its land drops from the plateau to well below sea level. Sandstone walls in red, ochre and cream rise steeply on both sides, and Nubian ibex still live on the cliffs.

On this tour you see Wadi Mujib from the road as a panoramic drive, with stops for photos where the views open up over the canyon and where the river meets the Dead Sea. Our driver chooses the best viewpoints for the light and the time of day. Entering the river trails of the reserve is a separate activity and is not part of this trip.

The Wadi Araba desert road

From Aqaba the road runs north through Wadi Araba, the long desert valley that links the Red Sea to the Dead Sea along the Great Rift Valley. On one side rise the rugged mountains of Jordan, on the other the open plain stretches toward the horizon, dotted with acacia trees, small farms and Bedouin tents.

The drive takes around three hours each way, which is exactly why a private Dead Sea tour from Aqaba makes sense: you travel in your own air-conditioned car, with bottled water, and stop whenever you want a break or a photo. The road gradually descends, and you notice the air growing warmer and heavier as you approach the sea below sea level.

Your day at a 5-star Dead Sea resort

Rather than a public beach, the day is spent at a 5-star resort on the Dead Sea shore, with entry included. You have access to the private beach with its freshwater showers, the resort's swimming pools and sun loungers, and changing facilities, so you can alternate between floating in the salty sea and swimming in fresh water.

A buffet lunch is served at the resort, with a wide choice of hot dishes, salads and desserts. In the afternoon there is time to relax by the pool or apply a second layer of mud before the drive back to Aqaba. Additional drinks are paid at the resort. Watching the sun lower over the hills across the water is a calm end to the day.