Jordan is home to one of the new seven wonders of the world – Petra. If you are planning a trip to Jordan, visiting Petra is a must! In this post, we’ll share everything you need to know about planning your next trip to Petra and the top five things to do (and tips on what not to do)! There are more things to do in Petra beyond just visiting the historical site.
To read our full 7-day itinerary of Jordan, read our previous blog here. You can also visit the Petra website and the official Visit Jordan website.
The city of Petra, the capital of the Nabataean Arabs, is one of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. It is located 240 km south of the capital Amman and 120 km north of the Red Sea town of Aqaba. Petra is undoubtedly Jordan’s most valuable treasure and greatest tourist attraction.
Petra, a World Heritage Site, is also known as the rose-red city. It gets this name from the wonderful colour of the rock from which many of the city’s structures were carved.
The Petra map, courtesy of the visit Petra website, is below:
Pro tips:
- Do get a Jordan Pass before you arrive in Jordan. With the Jordan pass, you have the option to select if you want to spend one day in Petra (Jordan Wanderer ~70JD/£78/$99), two days in Petra (Jordan Explorer ~75 JD/£84/$106) or three days in Petra (Jordan Expert ~ 80JD/£90/$113) (Prices correct as of February 2024)
- In our view, two days is a good time to spend in Petra. However, if you are short of time, you could arrive on the morning of Petra by night (Monday, Wednesday and Thursday), spend the day exploring the city, return back to the Al Khazneh for Petra by night and depart the next day
- If you are travelling to Petra with kids or elderly people, make sure you are prepared for a lot of walking. Even the Al Khazneh is a 2km walk from the entrance through the Siq. There are options to get a golf cart through the Siq but you will have to negotiate a price
- The hikes and trails in Petra require reasonable level of fitness. Do not attempt them unless you are sure you can walk long distances and climb lots of stairs
- An alternative option to get to Al Khazneh is using a donkey (!!). This is included in the price of your ticket but the guide expects a good tip! The donkey route is different to the golf cart and does not go via the Siq. Rather, it takes you around the ruins and back to the Al Khazneh which would take about 45 minutes. The Siq is the more picturesque route though!
1. Petra by Day
The best time to visit Petra would be early in the morning before all the tourist buses arrive. We recommend arriving there before sunrise. There is ample free parking. One thing I never realised was that Al Khazneh (The Treasury) is a 2km walk through The Siq from the entrance. The walk through The Siq is mesmerising early in the morning whilst it is still quiet and peaceful. It is also a good opportunity to get good photos! Hence, it is important to get there early so by the time the sun rises, you are already at the Al Khazneh.
If you fancy a bit of a walk/hike, I would definitely recommend going past the Al Khazneh through the ruins of the city to The Monastery. The hike to the Monastery (Ad-Deir Trail) is long and involves a lot of steps but it is SO worth it. Whilst everyone goes to the Al Khazneh, not many go all the way to The Monastery. It is about a 2.5-3 hour hike one-way. It is much more quieter at The Monastery than at The Treasury.
Along the way, you can enjoy some freshly brewed tea and even grab some local souvenirs.
2. Visit Wadi Musa town
After a morning in Petra, you can explore the town on Wadi Musa and eat local Jordanian food and have some tea! We got to watch how they make fresh bread in 400 degree celsius ovens and enjoy some Kunafeh!
3. Local Jordanian Food Experience
Before our Petra by Night show, we went for a local Jordanian cooking food experience at a Jordanian family’s house. We had an amazing time as our hosts were just so warm and welcoming. We got to know so much about Jordanian food culture and also saw how the locals live. If you search on Google, lots of options would come up where! We recommend calling/messaging them and agree on a time for the food experience. You can also message us and we can share more details of our experience.
4. Petra by Night
Following dinner, we did the 2km walk through The Siq again in the evening to explore Petra by night. It is really beautiful as you walk through the candlelit Siq and watch the Al Khazneh change colours alongside enjoying some local music! The locals also provide complimentary hot Arabic tea to the guests.
Pro tip: Petra by night runs only three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Make sure you plan your trip to visit Petra on one of these days to not miss it! The ticket is NOT included in the Jordan Pass so make sure you buy it in the morning! Ticket for Petra by Night costs 17JD (~£19/$20) per person (as of February 2024) and is cash only.
To set the expectations right, this is not a 21st century show with laser lights, banging music and the full shebang. It is very much old-school with local Jordanian music with candlelight pathways and a calm atmosphere. So as long as your expectations are right then you will enjoy the show.
5. Explore more trails in Petra
The next day, we headed again to do another hike amidst the rocks and tombs (Petra High Place of Sacrifice trail). It was one of the less touristy trails but definitely a great experience to go deep into the rocks of the city of Petra!
Pro tip: Make sure you stick to the tourist paths and trails at all times (we went a bit off trail and lets just say it was a memorable experience returning back!). There are lots of different trails you can explore if you have more time including the Al Khubta trail. A full list of trails can be found on the Petra visitor website
We should add that there is a lot of military police presence in the area and you will always feel safe We interacted with many of them and they spoke excellent English and were extremely welcoming and warm.
Are you planning a trip to Jordan?
Jordan has a number of hotel options to choose from in Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea. If you are planning a trip to Petra, Jordan, we can help you select the best hotels for your perfect stay. We can also help build your custom itinerary for the duration of your trip.
Contact us to start planning your perfect trip to Petra! Planning a trip to Jordan