Petra: Jordan Travel Guide (4.8★)

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Why Petra stops you in your tracks

You walk through the Siq, a narrow sandstone canyon barely wide enough for two camels, walls rising 80 metres on either side. Then it splits open into a sliver of light, and there it is: Al Khazneh, the Treasury, 45 metres of carved pink rock glowing at the end of the passage.

It’s not a ruin you view from a distance. You walk into it, around it, past donkeys and Bedouin guides and the low murmur of hundreds of other visitors doing the same thing.

Petra was the capital of the Nabataeans over 2,000 years ago, a trading empire that carved tombs, temples, and an entire city into the cliffs. Nothing else on earth looks quite like it.

Getting there and getting in

Petra sits above the town of Wadi Musa, about a three-hour drive south of Amman. Most visitors base themselves in Wadi Musa the night before, since the site rewards an early start.

The main entrance is a short walk or taxi ride from most hotels. From there it’s roughly a 30-45 minute walk down through the Siq before the Treasury appears.

• Wear closed, grippy shoes — the path is uneven stone, not pavement
• Bring more water than you think you’ll need; shade is scarce
• A hat and sunscreen matter even in cooler months

What to see beyond the Treasury

Most first-timers assume the Treasury is the whole show. It’s actually just the entrance.

Beyond it, the valley opens into the old city: a Roman-style colonnaded street, royal tombs cut into the cliff face, and an amphitheater carved directly from rock. Give this stretch at least an hour.

The real payoff is the Monastery, Al Deir, reached by climbing roughly 800 rock-cut steps. It’s a steep, sweaty hour up, but the building at the top rivals the Treasury in scale and the views over the surrounding mountains are worth every step.

Plan for a full day if you want to see both the valley floor and the Monastery climb. Half a day only really covers the Treasury and the main street.

When to go

Petra draws over 45,000 reviews’ worth of visitors for good reason, and it shows at the Treasury by mid-morning when tour buses arrive from Amman and cruise groups from Aqaba. Arriving right at opening, or coming back in the last couple of hours before closing, gets you a noticeably quieter Siq and softer, warmer light on the sandstone.

Spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) bring the mildest temperatures. Summer midday heat in the exposed valley is intense enough to shorten your visit if you’re not prepared.

Winter evenings can be genuinely cold once the sun drops behind the cliffs, so pack a layer even if the day was warm.

How to visit like a local

Petra is heavily visited, so the smartest move is timing rather than avoidance. Go straight to the Treasury at opening before the coach groups descend, then walk further into the site while everyone else is still bottlenecked near the entrance.

Guides and horse or donkey rides are offered constantly along the path — these are optional, and prices should be agreed before you accept, since none are fixed or posted.

Cash in small denominations is useful for tips and small purchases from the Bedouin stalls inside the site; card payment is rare once you’re past the gate.

Multi-day passes exist and are worth it if you plan to see the Monastery and return for the “Petra by Night” candlelit walk to the Treasury, run on selected evenings.

The single biggest mistake visitors make is treating this as a two-hour stop. Petra covers several square kilometers — rushing it means missing the Monastery, the High Place of Sacrifice, and the royal tombs entirely.

Nearby to combine with your visit

Wadi Musa itself has simple restaurants and hotels for a pre-dawn start. If you have extra days, the Dana Biosphere Reserve and the Dead Sea both sit within a few hours’ drive, making Petra easy to combine with a wider southern Jordan itinerary.