The Yitzhak Rabin crossing between Eilat and Jordan's Aqaba is one of the easiest border crossings in the region, and it puts Wadi Rum within reach as a day trip. The desert valley, with its extraordinary sandstone towers and Bedouin camps, is about an hour's drive from Aqaba — you can be in the landscape of Lawrence of Arabia within two hours of leaving your hotel in Eilat.
Most visitors join a half-day jeep tour from the visitor centre at the valley entrance. The standard circuit hits the main rock formations — the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, Lawrence's Spring, and the Burdah Rock Bridge — and typically includes a stop at a Bedouin camp for tea. Arrange your Jordanian visa in advance if possible; visa-on-arrival is available at the crossing but can be slow. The crossing itself is straightforward: most nationalities pay the Jordan entry fee and walk over. Taxis to Aqaba and onward to Wadi Rum are immediately available on the Jordanian side.