How much time do Petra and Wadi Rum really deserve?
Petra and Wadi Rum are not the places to save half a day so another pin fits on the map. Give both enough depth to feel distinct, then judge the remaining stops by whether they improve the route or merely complete a checklist.
Answer
Petra rewards a full day at minimum for most travellers because the experience is larger, hotter and more physical than a single photograph suggests. Wadi Rum earns an overnight when the point is the change in light, silence and scale rather than a quick vehicle loop. These are different payoffs: one is an archaeological landscape discovered on foot, the other a desert rhythm that needs evening and morning. Compressing both while protecting minor stops simply because the route guide lists them is a poor trade-off. Build around Petra's walking load and Wadi Rum's timing, then add Amman, the Dead Sea or smaller sites according to the remaining days. Jordan becomes a stronger trip when its best experiences receive depth rather than equal treatment.