The Ultimate Guide to Petra, Jordan
Petra is the reason why many travelers are headed to Jordan in the first place. Read our ultimate travel guide for first-time visitors, where we share tips on what to see and things to do in Petra, best hiking trails, where to stay, how to get around, how much tickets cost, when to visit, how much time you need, or what should you wear for your day in The Lost Nabatean City carved into the pink sandstone.
Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a top attraction in Jordan. There isn't probably a single visitor who wouldn't have Petra included in Jordan travel itinerary. We were no exception and couldn't wait to visit this ancient city.
Without any doubt, Petra is one of the most famous places in the world that attracts more than a million tourists each year. But first things first.
We got up early in the morning. It was pitch dark outside, and we could hear the call of the muezzin from a nearby mosque. Normally, we would just turn on to the other side of the bed and fell asleep again, but not today.
It was the day when we finally were about to see the main reason we've chosen Jordan as our travel destination, the ancient Nabatean city of Petra.
Like many travelers who had visited Petra before us, we could not imagine what was about to come.
We knew, that to get into the stone city, we will have to walk through siq, a narrow gorge which was used by caravans thousands of years ago, and then we will appear in front of the Treasury, one of the most photographed sites in Jordan. But we could not know that this moment will be so magical.
We also did not know that the next eleven hours we will be walking around Petra in awe, as nothing prepares you for the grandeur of structures carved into the rock, for the colors, and the vastness of the area.
The day before visiting Petra we traveled the iconic King's Highway.
On the way from Madaba, the city of mosaics to Wadi Musa, which is a home to Petra, we stopped along the way at several stunning places such as Mount Nebo, Karak Castle and Umm ar-Rasas.
As we were getting nearer to our dream destination, we started to wonder what will be the best way to explore Petra. Yes, you can read as many travel guides about
Petra as you want, same as us before the trip, but we bet that except for the excitement you will also find a bit unnerving the fact that you do not know exactly what to expect.
We wanted our day in Petra to be perfect. We even changed our whole Jordan itinerary as the weather for our original date for Petra looked unpromising as the cold front and rain were arriving in Jordan.
If you are a bit like us and want to ensure that everything will go smoothly, keep on reading.
In this travel guide, we will share with you the best things to see in Petra, including top attractions you cannot miss.
We will provide you with practical information on how to get to Petra, how much is the entrance fee, and what are the opening hours. We also share tips on how many days you need for visiting Petra, what is the best time to visit Petra, what should you wear, how to get around, and much more.
Let's dive into it, and visit with us one of the new wonders of the modern world.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF PETRA
The region around Petra was inhabited since 7000 BC as historians found evidence of neolithic villages in the area. But as many of you know, the site is closely connected with Nabateans, a nomadic tribe.
Nabateans arrived in the south of today's Jordan in 6th century BC, and are responsible for most of the monuments we can see even today carved in the stone. The Nabateans were rich traders, but their tribe also included engineers, who were able to design the city.
When we were walking around Petra, even after several hours we were not able to get a grasp how hard and time-consuming it must have been to carve the buildings in the stone, and how hard it must have been to build here functioning city with wells, hydraulic systems, or water channels.
In its heydey, more than 30 000 people lived in Petra.
Unfortunately, around 106 AD the original trade route changed, and Petra was all of the sudden bypassed. However, it was not the end of Petra, but it meant that Nabateans lost their power and resources.
This was the moment when the Romans arrived and took control of the city.
Fortunately, the city has not been destroyed (it would have been really hard if not impossible), they only built new structures in their image, so except for the Nabatean buildings and tombs, we can also admire here Roman baths or colonnaded street.
It was not people, but strong earthquakes who almost destroyed Petra.
Two earthquakes, one in 363 and the other one in 551 ruined a large portion of the city, people fled this place, and Petra slowly became to be forgotten.
Only local bedouins still had the knowledge of the ancient famous city, but they kept Petra whereabouts as a secret. The rest of the world learned about Petra in 1812 when the city was discovered by a Swiss explorer, who did not resist to share his discovery.
Since the 19th century, Petra is one of the popular places in the Middle East and a place that draws travelers from all around the world.
BEST THINGS TO SEE IN PETRA
There are so many things to see in Petra that it can be a bit overwhelming. The area is really large, and several trails will take you to various tombs, buildings, and viewpoints.
Before our visit, we were quite worried that we would miss some of the highlights, but in the end, we made a loop with a few detours, and think, that we could not plan it better.
Of course, we cannot say we saw everything. That was not possible in only one day, but we are confident to say that we explored the best places Petra has to offer.
If you are going to follow our steps, it is good to know that we spent in Petra all day and walked more than 30 kilometers.
THE WALK TO THE LOST CITY OF PETRA
We arrived at the entrance to Petra at 6 AM. There were only a few tourists, so we went to the counter, showed our Jordan Pass, received in exchange proper tickets, and then continued via a paved walkway to Petra.
The beginning of the walk is quite uneventful, but even here we started noticing caves and structures carved into the rocks.
Probably the most famous structure on the way to Petra is Obelisk Tomb.
For us, this was the place where we finally realized that we are about to see something special. In a fair world, Obelisk Tomb would be an absolute highlight, but here we just snapped a quick photo, and could not wait to see more.
SIQ
We continued for about 10 minutes until we reached the famous Siq.
Siq is the main entrance to Petra. It is an impressive pink-red narrow gorge which will take you to the Treasury. Siq is 1.2 kilometers long, but it seemed to us that we walked much longer.
It was probably because we were taking so many photos of the walls towering above us (at some points they were 180 meters high!).
We could easily imagine caravans arriving in Petra centuries ago. As we walked, our anticipation grew, because we expected to see the Treasury behind every corner.
TREASURY
And finally, we spotted it. Treasury alias Al-Khazneh is the most popular building in Petra. And yes, it is stunning.
The face of the temple is carved in the sandstone, and even though you cannot go inside, you will need some time to get enough of the view. Or you know what, we think it is not possible to get enough of this iconic site.
You can sit in front of the Treasury, later climb to the viewpoint on your right for a view from above, and yet you won't be willing to leave. But it is necessary because you have a long day ahead.
Once you are done with admiring the Treasury, you are ready to explore the rest of the Lost City.
Some of you might now think that you've seen the best place in Petra right in the beginning, and there is not much else to explore.
Well, you could not be more wrong.
STREET OF FACADES
We finally took our eyes off Treasury and could not wait what we will see behind the corner.
We joined the Street of Facades. At first, the street on our left side was lined with souvenir shops, which were that early in the morning closed, but later we spotted another temple carved in the rock on our left.
The first sun rays were touching the multicolored face of the temple, which was wonderful.
HIGH PLACE OF SACRIFICE TRAIL
Here you can follow the Street of Facades, but we decided to leave the attractions along this street for the end of our visit, so we turned left and started to climb to High Place of Sacrifice.
A signposted trail made of stone steps will take you to one of the highest points in Petra.
Even though it seems like a detour, you can actually make a loop and connect to the main trail later. This is what we did.
The hike to High Place of Sacrifice took us approximately 40 minutes. It leads uphill all the way, but in the end, you'll be rewarded by the mountainous scenery. Just before you reach this site, you will arrive on a small crossroads.
Here stand two seven meters high obelisks. The obelisks are worth noticing as they were created by carving away the mountain, so only these two monuments were left here. Pretty impressive.
At the junction, turn right off the main trail, you will arrive at High Place of Sacrifice viewpoint shortly. As the name suggests, this place high above the city was used to sacrifice animals. Enjoy the views, you can buy refreshments or souvenirs from a bedouin, then return to the junction and walk now to the left and follow the main trail.
Now we followed the trail which led us on the other side of the valley called Wadi Farasa, this time we walked downhill, accompanied by wonderful views.
The path is easy to follow, and even though it is rocky, we did not find it challenging. It was completely dry, but we can imagine the surface can be slippery after the rain though.
When we were approximately in the middle of our descend, we spotted a carving in a mountain. This carving is called Lion Fountain, and it is not hard to figure out why. The monument is four meters wide, and when you look at the lion's head (or at the remains of the head), you will see a natural spring, which, in case there was water, would be gushing through the head.
Therefore, it is believed, that the main purpose of this structure was a fountain.
You can’t miss it as there is another bedouin tent right next to it.
GARDEN TEMPLE
Then we continued still downhill until we reached Garden Temple.
Garden Temple, a structure a bit off the beaten path, was one of our favorite places in Petra. We sat in front of the temple, bought a tea with mint from a bedouin, and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere.
Then, we spotted a person climbing really high on the rocky slopes of Wadi Farana. It turned out to be a shepherd who was trying to catch a goat that got lost and now was scared to get down.
Well, we were really worried about this guy, but it seemed this is his everyday bread as he was climbing up very confidently.
Garden Temple might have been a part of the Nabatean water system, but the true purpose is still unknown.
TOMBS
Once we drank our tea and ate snacks, we followed the loop.
Now the path led us around other tombs carved in the pink sandstone. Here we could see that the tombs such as Tomb of the Soldier, Renaissance Tomb, or Broken Pediment Tomb were not that very well maintained, like other tombs on the main trail, but still, they were really impressive.
It is cool like the elements such as wind and water cause the sandstone to change the colors, therefore this complex of tombs is often referred to as Colored Triclinium.
PHARAUMN COLUMN
When we were getting closer to the junction, we could not miss a large free-standing column in the middle of the way.
Thousands of remnants reminding the rule of Nabateans and Romans are scattered across the grounds od Petra, and Pharaumn Column is the fine example.
Here you can also choose which trail you are going to take next.
TEMPLE OF DUSHARES
Then we walked for a while on a path which was quite uneventful, and we could only see several tombs on the left, but in distance. We knew we wanted to get back to the main trail, but if you have more time, you can follow some of the other trails which will take you to the real wilderness where not many people go.
Finally, we reached the Colonnaded Street.
We had Columbarium, a wonderful Nabatean landmark, on our left side, and Temple of Dushares alias Qasr Al-Bint on the right side.
At this point, we got to a junction, where we also found several restaurants. This is a place where many tourists take a lunch break before they start the climb to Monastery.
Even though the walk to Monastery is a side trip, which will take you two to three hours, it is one of Petra's highlights, and we recommend you to go there if you are still on time.
As the Monastery is truly breathtaking and one of the best places in Petra, everyone wants to see it, therefore the trail gets quite crowded.
LION TRICLINIUM
Not long after we started the climb to Monastery, we spotted an inconspicuous sign.
We followed it for less than five minutes and reached a place called Lion Triclinium. It is basically a small tomb decorated by lions carved into the sides of the doorway. It is quite impressive, and worth the short detour.
You will at least have time to mentally prepare for the climb to Monastery.
MONASTERY (AD-DEIR)
The day we were in Petra it was really hot, and we must admit that the climb to Monastery was quite challenging. It was around midday, and we started to feel a bit tired too.
You have to climb 800 stairs to get to Monastery. It took us approximately one hour one way, but in some guide books, we could read that you should allocate at least two to three hours only for the way up. It really depends on your level of fitness.
The trail itself is very scenic and offers wonderful views. As the path is very popular, it is lined with souvenir shops, you can even buy along the way refreshment (pomegranate juice), and you can even hire a donkey in case you feel tired, or simply if you want to feel like a bedouin.
Once we arrived at Monastery, we could not believe our eyes.
The Monastery is actually higher and wider than Treasury, and for us, it was one of the top things we could see in Petra. If you want, you can even walk from Monastery to Little Petra, but it is a real hike, you might need a guide, and then a ride from Little Petra back to Wadi Musa.
You will find the best photo spot of Monastery inside the rock above the restaurant if you don't mind to wait in the line to get the insta-famous photo. We didn't have the patience for this, so we opted for another short hike to the best viewpoints of Wadi Musa, this time without people.
VIEWPOINTS OF WADI MUSA
Once you'll take enough photos of Monastery, walk a bit further.
The path will take you to one of the best viewpoints in Jordan. There are several paths, each of them saying that it will lead you to the best viewpoint in the world, and it is only up to you which one will you choose. We decided to go to the farthest one.
Standing on the edge of the valley was absolutely unforgettable.
COLONNADED STREET
Now it was time to return back to the main trail. The hike from Monastery back to the Colonnaded Street is easy as you will walk all the way downhill.
Once you reach the main street, you still have quite many sights to see on both the right and left sides. The street is six meters wide, and during the Nabatean period, it was the principal shopping street of Petra. Later it was rebuilt by Romans, but its importance never ceased.
This was a place where we met the majority of travelers, bedouins, sellers, and camels, during the rest of the day we were pleasantly surprised how the crowds were scattered.
It is actually not that surprising as there are thousands of attractions in Petra, and about 800 of them with high significance.
Colonnaded Street is a place where you will find toilets, restaurants, and donkeys or camels to hire if you fancy a ride.
HADRIAN GATE
Then, we could not miss walking through the remaining pillars of Hadrian Gate.
Hadrian Gate, also known as Temenos Gate is quite impressive. It is obvious that the remains have been repaired, yet, it is quite easy to imagine right here how caravans were passing through, especially with that many camels around. Take a break, and just look around.
GREAT TEMPLE
Great Temple is the biggest free-standing site in Petra, and even though the site is really large, nowadays it is pretty hard to imagine its former grandeur.
The temple has a strategic location, so it suggests that it was one of the most important structures in the ancient city, although its main purpose is still not clear. Most likely Great Temple served as a religious place or as an administrative building.
Not much left was from the temple, but it is worth it to walk around, we must admit that we took a short nap in the Great Temple, since we knew we are on time and we waited for the softer afternoon light.
WINGED LION TEMPLE & BYZANTINE CHURCH
Then we decided to explore the left side of the street (left when returning to Treasury).
We found there Winged Lion Temple, which is believed to be a religious complex with inscriptions, crypts, and annexes. This structure was found in 1973 and the excavations started one year after.
The beautiful Byzantine Church was heavily damaged by earthquakes, but the highlights of the church such as mosaics on the floor, can still be seen.
NYMPHAEUM
Same as in Jerash Ruins, Nymphaeum is an example of a Nabatean water fountain.
Even though this landmark is not that eye-catching, it is yet another example of how Nabatean engineers mastered their work and were able to stock with water the whole city with more than 30 000 inhabitants.
The gate, temples, and tombs are everywhere around, and as your day in Petra is coming to an end (although there are still plenty of things to see on our list), you should stop for a while, and appreciate the view.
TREASURY FROM ABOVE
Even though we were quite tired, we decided to do one more climb for the best views.
We did not turn right (yet), and instead, we took the trail which eventually took us to one of the most famous viewpoints in Petra. We climbed the stone stairs zig-zagging along the trail called Treasury from Above, which eventually took us to the same name viewpoint.
The trail leads steadily uphill, and from time to time you will get wonderful views of tombs or Nabatean Theatre down below. The only disadvantage is that once you climb to the top of the hill, you will descend a bit to get to the viewpoint, and then you will have to walk the same route back.
The return hike took us approximately an hour and a half, but it was really worth it since we could enjoy one of the most iconic sights of Petra.
TOMBS
It is time to finish our loop, but if you thought there are not many things left which would blow your mind, you were wrong.
On the way back, we could not miss yet other tombs. Palace Tomb, Corinthian Tomb, Silk Tomb, and Urn Tomb are some of the best attractions in Petra, and fine examples of why Petra should be on every traveler bucket list. You will actually see some tombs before you start your hike to the Treasury from Above viewpoint, as the trailhead is right next to the Palace Tomb.
These tombs are absolutely stunning, and admiring the facades from the outside is simply not enough, if you have enough time, you must climb to each tomb separately to see the work up close.
By the time we reached those tombs, the sun was getting lower and the soft light showed us why the city of Petra is often called Rose City.
THEATRE
Now we knew we have the last landmark to see along Street of Facades. It was the Theatre we already saw from above either from the path to High Place of Sacrifice or from the trail leading to Treasury from Above.
Even though many of you would might assume that the theatre was built by Romans, it had been actually built earlier by Nabateans.
The theatre seats 4000 people and is one of the largest in Jordan. It was very different from the one we saw in Jerash.
Then, it was really time to leave Petra. We could not resist snapping some more photos of Treasury, but the caretakers started to walk around telling us it is after closing time, so we had to return to Wadi Musa via Siq.
Again, we know it is not possible to see everything Petra has to offer, but this was our one-day itinerary.
Feel free to follow it.
DO YOU NEED A GUIDE IN PETRA?
We know that the first question most people ask is whether it is necessary to have a guide inside Petra or not.
And the answer is not that straightforward. We explored Petra on our own, and as we walked 35 kilometers that day because we wanted to see as much as possible, we had a feeling that a guide would be only slowing us down.
We had Jordan Lonely Planet book with us, which we found quite helpful, and also Petra is covered with mobile signal, so always when we found shade we could google things up.
For sure, if you want to know more about Petra, hiring a guide makes sense.
You will learn more details about the history and the most significant structures and inscriptions. We found the signage in Petra quite satisfactory for our needs and preferred to spend time in the stone city just together, but if you want to hire a guide, go for it.
It basically really depends only on your travel style and travel budget.
You can hire a guide in the Visitors Center by the entrance (the starting price is usually 50 JD for the Main Trail, if you want to go further, you will pay up to 100 JD).
As it is not that cheap, always make sure you are satisfied with the guide's level of English (or any other language), and specify what you are interested in, what you want to see, and how long you would like to spend in Petra.
Of course, you can arrive in Petra with your own guide, if you have someone who is showing you around Jordan, or you can hire one inside Petra as nearly anyone will be willing to make some money, but then be prepared that the quality can vary.
HOW TO REACH THE PETRA ENTRANCE
The entrance to Petra is on the northwest side of Wadi Musa, and you can get there either on foot or by car.
The main Tourism Street leads to the entrance, but you can get there by one of many side streets, which eventually merge with Tourism Street.
Almost every hotel in Wadi Musa will offer you a shuttle to Petra (not free), you can decide to drive (there is a free parking lot near the entrance), but to us, driving to Petra seemed to be too much hassle.
The best way is to find a hotel within ten to fifteen minutes walking distance to the entrance.
In the morning, you will go downhill, and it is true that later in the evening we had to climb the hill back to our hotel even though we were quite tired, but in case you would be really exhausted, you can always flag down a cab.
Taxi in Wadi Musa is a bit more expensive than in other destinations, drivers are not afraid to ask for 5 JD per ride (probably because of hilly terrain, but most likely because they are spoiled by tourists), so it is worth it to bargain.
Also, read this helpful post on driving in Jordan.
ENTRANCE FEE
The ticket to Petra is not somewhat cheap. It is actually quite expensive, especially when we compare it to fees we paid for attractions elsewhere in the country, on the other hand, Petra is the shining star and absolute highlight of Jordan, and the day we spent there was definitely worth the money.
The Lost City of Petra is large, therefore visitors can select a ticket which would suit them the best. Visitors who will stay at least one night in Jordan will pay 50 JD for one day in Petra, 55 JD for two days, or 60 JD for three days.
Visitors, who will arrive at Petra only on a one-day trip, let's say from Egypt or Israel, and do not spend a night in Jordan, will pay for a one-day ticket 90 JD. This clearly shows that the Jordanian government supports long-term visitors to the country.
And now this is the time when comes into play the Jordan Pass.
All the information we've mentioned above are valid for non-holders of the Jordan Pass. But if you are going to stay in Jordan at least three nights, and you are eligible to obtain visas on arrivals, we strongly recommend you to buy the Jordan Pass as you will save a lot of money.
First of all, your visa fee will be waved, and second of all, the entrance fee to Petra is included.
We've written a full post on Jordan Pass here. But in nutshell, you will pay 70 JD for the pass if you plan on visiting Petra in one day, 75 JD for two days in Petra, and 80 JD for three consecutive days in Petra.
Plus you do not need to wait in the line for tickets. That sounds like a good deal to us.
OPENING HOURS
Petra is opened every day in a year, but the opening hours vary depending on the time of the year. The site opens all-year-round at 6 AM, and in winter (November through April) closes at 4 PM, while in the summer (May till October) you can stay until 6 PM. This is what the official sources say.
We visited Petra at the beginning of March, and actually, we were leaving the site when it was getting dark. At 5:30 PM, we were still standing in front of the Treasury, and then we still had to walk through Siq, which with all the necessary photo stops, took us another 30 minutes.
The complex of Petra is large, so we think that the ticket office will not sell a ticket to anyone after 4 PM in winter, and the last visitors will eventually leave the site once it gets dark.
And of course, if you are spotted by a caretaker when it is getting late, he will ask you to leave.
HOW MANY DAYS YOU NEED FOR EXPLORING PETRA
Before you purchase tickets for Petra, you must decide for how many days you would like to explore the area. Of course, you can buy tickets day by day, but that is not financially beneficial.
So how many days do you need for exploring Petra? Is one day enough?
Well, it really depends on your level of fitness and your pace.
For us, one day was perfectly enough. But we spent in Petra all day, and we walked around a lot. For sure, had we had more days, we would have been able to hike more remote trails, but in only one day, we had a feeling we saw the best Petra had to offer.
Also, we think that the excitement of being in Petra the second or the third day a little bit wears off, but that is only our personal opinion.
If you decide to see Petra in two days, you can enjoy the place in a more leisure way, and you can also reach some more distant tombs. We can imagine this might be a great option for families with kids or for people who want to learn more about every single landmark, architecture, and history.
Three days then would be perfect for travelers on a loose schedule, and for hikers who would like to explore the off the beaten path on foot.
BEST TIME TO VISIT PETRA
You can visit Petra every day in a year, but it is good to know that Jordan has four distinct seasons. You can read more about the best time to visit Jordan, but we will share with you what we've learned here.
In general, the best time to visit Petra is either in spring between March and May, and then in autumn during September and October.
During this time days are quite long, so you will have enough daylight, therefore, enough time for sightseeing. Also, temperatures are quite pleasant during the day (we visited Jordan in March and it was hot in the afternoon), it is not that cold at night, and the chance of rain is quite low.
April and May have been lately the most popular months, so expect crowds.
Winter, between December and February, is the rainiest and coldest time in Petra. Especially nights can be really cold, and it can even snow! You can for sure luck out the weather, but we would check the weather forecast often, and maybe even change plans if the forecast looked unpromising (of course, if possible).
In winter there is a higher chance of flash floods, which can be dangerous, and the site can be sometimes closed, but usually only for a couple of hours.
Summer is a perfect time for visiting Petra, as you will have the highest chance to enjoy cloudless and rainless days, but it is way too hot. Temperatures in the summer often exceed 45 °C, and the hiking is quite challenging as there are not that many places where you can take a rest in a shade.
WHAT TO PACK FOR VISITING PETRA
What should you wear for visiting Petra? Well, first you must know in what season you are going to travel to Jordan. Are you arriving in the summer? Do not forget a hat.
Are you brave enough to wander around in the winter? Pack a fleece jacket, rain poncho, and down jacket (and always check the weather forecast, you might need it even in the rest of the year).
You should also pack comfortable shoes. You do not need hiking boots, regular sneakers are enough.
Bring a comfortable daypack, windbreaker, a water bottle, and a snack (we bought a big bunch of bananas) or energy bars.
In summer, always remember, that you are traveling in a Muslim country, and you should dress respectfully.
That means you will not make a mistake when wearing a t-shirt with sleeves and long travel pants. Long dresses are fine as well. We saw a few people wearing shorts, but do not think it is appropriate, even though Petra is a super-popular destination, and locals are used to the western-like style.
Before you go, make sure you have your camera fully charged (bring spare batteries and memory cards). Also, sunscreen is a must.
FOOD & DRINKS
As we do not like paying for food and drinks more only because we buy it in a tourist place, we bought enough water (5 liters for both of us) and some pastries day before in Wadi Musa, and all day in Petra we did not have to worry about it.
But we know that many travelers do not like carrying food and water all day on their backs, so no worries. You will not be hungry or thirsty in Petra.
There are many stalls selling snacks and refreshments along the trail (coffee or tea usually costs 1 JD), and you will even find here a proper restaurant called the Basin, which serves buffet lunch.
This restaurant is at the beginning of the trail to Monastery. Prices are higher than in Wadi Musa, but that's not anything unexpected.
HOW TO GET AROUND PETRA
We think the best way how to get around Petra is on foot. But you can also hire a donkey or try how is it like riding a camel. This is the way bedouins get around.
The most popular trail where tourists hire a donkey is on the way to Monastery because the climb is quite hard, especially under the scorching sun.
The price starts at 10 JD. We like to believe that bedouins treat their animals well as their livelihood depends on it.
SAFETY
Petra is a very safe destination, one of the safest in Jordan. Remember that this place lives from tourism, and everyone is aware of that. People living in the area know that the reputation of Petra as a safe destination is very important.
Of course, as usual, do not flash out your valuables and use your common sense. We would say that not people, but nature itself can be dangerous here.
Remember, you are in a desert, so you should not underestimate dehydration. Also, we visited Petra on a dry day, but we can imagine that after the rain rocks can be slippery, so watch out.
Solo (female) travelers should feel completely safe in Petra as well.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
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LITTLE PETRA
You've probably heard about Little Petra. As the name suggests, Little Petra is also an ancient Nabatean city, but on a much smaller scale than Petra. Although Little Petra can be accessed from Monastery on foot via a backcountry trail, it is much more common to get to this archeological site by car.
The entrance fee is free of charge.
We actually visited Little Petra early in the morning the next day before driving to Wadi Rum.
The drive from Wadi Musa to Little Petra features several wonderful viewpoints, and it is worth it to drive at least a few kilometers along this road, even if you do not intend to visit Little Petra at all.
We think Little Petra is worth your time, you will need around an hour to see the best things.
PETRA BY NIGHT
Petra by Night is a performance that happens three times a week, all-year-round, on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.
The show usually starts around 8:30 PM and lasts two hours, but ask for the exact times when purchasing the tickets. The number of tickets is unlimited, and you can buy it in the ticket office on the day of your visit.
The ticket for Petra by Night costs 17 JD, and it is not included in any ticket (not in the Jordan Pass, and also not in the regular ticket).
You can also buy your ticket in advance, but it is much more expensive than on spot.
Although Petra by Night is quite popular, we would not revolve your entire trip around it.
To be honest, we were in Petra on Monday, and even though we considered attending the show, in the end, we decided not to. We could see some photos of Petra lit by the candles, and even though we believe many people find it magical, we are probably not the target audience.
Petra by Night includes the walk through Siq enlightened by the candles (we could actually see that as we were returning late to Wadi Musa), and then you will be sitting in front of the Treasury, drinking tea, and watching bedouins sing, dance, and tell stories.
For sure, the Treasury surrounded by hundreds of candles, must look stunning.
But in general, we are not fans of staged performances (we absolutely loved the short singing and dancing performance of bedouins in our camp in Wadi Rum though) and we did not want to spoil our memories from the Lost City.
If you like these activities and want to visit Petra by Night, go for it. You can let us know (and other readers) in the comment section if you liked it!
WHERE TO STAY IN WADI MUSA
Wadi Musa is a small city built on the slopes around Petra, and as tourism is the main source of income here, it grows wider every year.
Wadi Musa is also a place with great tourist infrastructure, and there is, for sure, no shortage of restaurants or hotels. So where should you stay in Wadi Musa?
We recommend you to find a hotel which is within walking distance to the Petra entrance, and also close to local restaurants and eateries. Of course, you can stay a bit further and drive to Petra parking lot in the morning, but given the terrain, driving in Wadi Musa is a bit of nightmare, and we see no reason to stay away of the city, unless, of course, everything else is booked out.
To make sure your trip will go as smoothly as possible, we've handpicked the best hotels in Petra for every budget category. All with a convenient location for visiting Petra.
Budget | Cabin Rooftop Hostel - Because of the popularity of Petra, it is not that easy to find here a cheap lodging. Cabin Rooftop Hostel is one of the best options you have. You can enjoy here friendly atmosphere, helpful staff, or a shared kitchen.
Mid-range | Town Season Hotel - This well-rated hotel has beautiful decor, the staff is friendly and the location is also very convenient. This is for sure one of the best pics for visiting Petra the next day.
Luxury | Mövenpick Resort Petra - There is probably not a more famous hotel in Wadi Musa than this resort. This hotel stands right in front of the Petra Visitors Center, and you can hardly be any closer. If you can splurge a bit, this is the place to stay.
HOW TO GET TO WADI MUSA
There are many options for how you can get to Wadi Musa, a getaway to Petra.
For getting around Jordan, we recommend you to rent a car as all the sightseeing will be much easier since public transport in the country is not that great.
We arrived in Wadi Musa from Madaba via King's Highway, and without a car, we would not be able to see as many sights as we did.
On the other hand, Petra is Jordan's top attraction, and it is one of those places where you can get by bus.
A private company JETT runs one bus between Amman and Petra daily (6:30 AM from Amman and 16:00 from Petra), the ticket costs 11 JD. Another option on how to get to Wadi Musa is with a private driver, or you can book a tour.
You can enjoy Petra on a day tour from Amman, but as this Wonder of the World is so famous, you can take a tour to Petra from other places within the country, or even from Israel.
For example from Eilat, Aqaba, Jerusalem, or even Tel Aviv.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
