Petra

Petra is the 2,000-year-old capital of the Nabataeans, a city of tombs and temples carved into rose-red sandstone, reached on foot through a 1.2-kilometre gorge, the Siq. The ticket price depends on whether you sleep in Jordan: 50 JOD for one day if you stay overnight, 90 JOD if you only come for the day, so if you are flying in and staying at least two nights, buy the Jordan Pass (from 70 JOD) before you land, because it also covers your 40 JOD visa fee.

About Petra

What to see

1. The Siq

   A winding gorge more than a kilometre long and in places only 3–4 metres wide, the main way into Petra. Look for the Nabataean water channel cut into the left-hand wall and remains of ceramic pipes on the right. It is gently downhill on the way in, which means uphill at the end of a long day.

2. The Treasury (Al-Khazneh)

   The carved façade that greets you as the Siq opens out, about 1.9 km from the Visitor Centre and up to an hour's walk. In the first hour after opening you can have it almost to yourself. The official paid viewpoints opposite the Treasury cost 10 JOD (15 JOD for all viewpoints) on the PDTRA's viewpoint page, while its fees page lists 15 JOD, so check at the desk.

3. Street of Façades, Theatre and Royal Tombs

   Past the Treasury the valley widens: rows of tomb façades, a Nabataean theatre cut into the rock, and the Royal Tombs (the Urn, Silk, Corinthian and Palace tombs) on the cliff to the right. Climb up to the Urn Tomb terrace for the view back over the valley.

4. Colonnaded Street and Qasr al-Bint

   The paved Roman-era street leads to the Great Temple and Qasr al-Bint, Petra's main temple, where the 3.9 km Main Trail ends. Two restaurants and the start of the Monastery steps are here, so it is the natural lunch stop.

5. The Monastery (Ad Deir)

   Petra's largest monument, reached by about 800 rock-cut steps (1.6 km) from Qasr al-Bint; allow 1.5 hours up at a steady pace, and look out for the Lion Triclinium on the way. The official trail notes suggest late afternoon, when the façade catches the sun, but leave enough time to walk the 5.5 km back out before closing.

6. High Place of Sacrifice

   A Nabataean altar on top of Jebel al-Madhbah, reached by a stepped path of about 800 steps that starts near the Theatre. You can return the same way (about 1.5 hours with a guide) or go down the other side through Wadi Farasa past the Garden Temple to Qasr al-Bint, a quieter loop of about 3 hours.

7. Back trail from Little Petra

   A 7 km, 3–3.5 hour hike from Siq al-Barid (Little Petra) through Bedouin farmland to the Monastery, arriving from above with fewer people around. Walk on down through Petra and out through the Siq to finish.

8. Petra by Night

   The Siq lit by about 2,000 candles and a walk to the Treasury, now with projection mapping, music and narration. Sunday to Thursday, 20:30–22:30, 30 JOD according to the official operator (an older visitpetra.jo FAQ still says 17 JOD on three nights a week); you need a daytime ticket or Jordan Pass as well.

Petra tickets: which to buy and where

If you fly into Jordan and stay at least two nights, the Jordan Pass is the ticket to buy: it includes Petra (one, two or three consecutive days) and waives the 40 JOD tourist visa fee, as long as you buy it before arrival. Otherwise buy a Petra ticket at the Visitor Centre or on the PDTRA's online ticket site; the catch is the price for visitors who do not stay overnight in Jordan, 90 JOD instead of 50 JOD.

• One-day ticket (staying overnight in Jordan)

  50 JOD; under 12 free

  (€63)

  Official ticketsSkips some lines

  Includes

  Daytime entry to the archaeological park for one day, the short horse ride from the gate to the Siq, the shuttle from Al Turkmaniyah to the Nabataean Cultural Village. Passport check at the Visitor Centre

  Best for

  Visitors sleeping in Jordan who are not buying the Jordan Pass

  ---

  Official site (PDTRA) or Visitor Centre · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)

• Two-day and three-day tickets

  55 JOD (2 days); 60 JOD (3 days)

  (€69 · €76)

  Official ticketsSkips some lines

  Includes

  Daytime entry on consecutive days only. A 50 JOD ticket can also be extended at the Visitor Centre for 5 JOD

  Best for

  Anyone who wants the Monastery, the High Place or the back trail without rushing

  ---

  Official site (PDTRA) or Visitor Centre · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)

• One Day Visit (not staying overnight in Jordan)

  90 JOD

  (€115)

  Official ticketsSkips some lines

  Includes

  One day of daytime entry, for visitors who do not spend a night in Jordan, for example on a day trip across the border

  Best for

  Day-trippers only; spending one night in Jordan brings the price down to 50 JOD

  ---

  Official site (PDTRA) or Visitor Centre · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)

• Jordan Pass (Wanderer, Explorer, Expert)

  70 JOD (1 Petra day), 75 JOD (2 days), 80 JOD (3 days)

  (€88 · €95 · €100)

  Official ticketsSkips some lines

  Includes

  Petra on 1, 2 or 3 consecutive days plus over 40 other sites (Jerash, Wadi Rum, Amman Citadel, Karak and more); waives the 40 JOD single-entry visa fee if bought before arrival and you stay at least two nights. Scan it at the Petra Visitor Centre. Does not include Petra by Night

  Best for

  Almost every visitor flying into Jordan for three days or more

  ---

  Jordan Pass (Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities) · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)

• Petra by Night

  30 JOD; under 10 free

  (€38)

  Official ticketsDoes not skip lines

  Includes

  Candlelit walk through the Siq to the Treasury with a light and sound show, Sunday–Thursday 20:30–22:30. Requires a daytime ticket or Jordan Pass as well. Sold at the Visitor Centre on the day; online booking not yet launched. The price is the official operator's; an older FAQ on visitpetra.jo still gives 17 JOD and three nights a week, which the operator's current schedule replaces

  Best for

  Visitors staying in Wadi Musa on a Sunday to Thursday night

  ---

  Petra by Night (official operator), Visitor Centre · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)

• Day trip from Amman with guide and optional entry

  from €95.04

  ResellerSkips some lines

  Includes

  Hotel pick-up in central Amman, transport, a guided walk of about 2 hours in Petra, Little Petra; Petra entry only in the options that include it

  Best for

  Visitors based in Amman without a car who only have one day

  ---

  Headout · as of October 2026See this ticket → (opens in a new tab)

Guided tours of Petra

Petra has almost no signs explaining what you are looking at, so a licensed guide for the Main Trail (50 JOD, about 2.5 hours, booked at the Visitor Centre) adds a lot on your first morning; after that you can walk to the Monastery on your own. A guide is required on the less-used trails. Platform day trips from Amman make sense only if you have no car and one day; they give you just 2–2.5 hours with a guide in a site that deserves a full day.

• Private guide booked on the spot

  Licensed guide, Main Trail

  PDTRA, Petra Visitor Centre

  Booked at the Visitor Centre desk; guides speak Arabic, English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Russian, Dutch, Hebrew and Greek. The PDTRA's 2025 trail list also prices the back route to the Monastery (6–8 hours, 150 JOD) and the High Place via Wadi Farasa (3 hours, 60 JOD). The PDTRA lists each trail at a fixed price without saying whether it is per guide or per person, so confirm at the desk before paying, especially for a group. Entry ticket not included.

  50 JOD (Main Trail); 100 JOD Main Trail + High Place or + Monastery

  (€63 · €125)

  Duration: About 2.5 hours (Main Trail)

  as of October 2026

  See this tour → (opens in a new tab)

• Shared or private day trip with transport

  From Amman: Petra and Little Petra guided day trip

  Headout

  Pick-up in central Amman, driver-guide plus a local guide for about 2 hours inside Petra, then Little Petra. Petra entry only in the options that include it; bring a Jordan Pass otherwise. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before.

  from €95.04

  Duration: 12 hours

  as of October 2026

  See this tour → (opens in a new tab)

• Private day trip with transfers and entry

  Full day guided tour of Petra

  Musement

  Private transfer from Amman, the Dead Sea, Madaba, Aqaba or Wadi Rum, English-speaking guide and entry fees included; the operator refunds the entry fee (stated as 50 JOD) if you have a Jordan Pass. Bring your passport.

  from £291

  (€345)

  Duration: 8–12 hours

  as of October 2026

  See this tour → (opens in a new tab)

• Private guided walk

  Private guided tour to the Monastery

  The Jordanian Mappers (local operator, Wadi Musa)

  Siq, Treasury, Theatre, Royal Tombs view and the climb to the Monastery with a local guide, for 1–15 people; ends in the city centre so you can stay on. Admission, transport, food and tips not included.

  $170 (US)

  Duration: 4–5 hours

  as of October 2026

  See this tour → (opens in a new tab)

• Private multi-day guiding

  3 Days of Petra guided tour

  The Jordanian Mappers (local operator, Wadi Musa)

  Day 1 Main Trail and Royal Tombs; day 2 Little Petra and the back trail to the Monastery; day 3 High Place of Sacrifice and Wadi Farasa. Private guiding and transport for 1–7 people; admission not included (pair it with a 3-day Jordan Pass).

  $390 (US)

  Duration: 3 days

  as of October 2026

  See this tour → (opens in a new tab)

Petra deals and discounts

• Jordan Pass waives the visa fee

  Buy the pass before you arrive and stay at least two whole nights (3 days), and the 40 JOD single-entry tourist visa fee is waived. It does not cover multiple-entry visas, is not sold to holders of Arab nationalities, is valid 3 months from purchase and expires 1 month after its first scan.

  jordanpass.jo (opens in a new tab) · as of October 2026

• Extra days cost little

  The second and third consecutive days cost 5 JOD each (55 and 60 JOD, or 75 and 80 JOD for the Jordan Pass). If you bought a 50 JOD ticket and want more time, you can extend it for 5 JOD at the Visitor Centre.

  visitpetra.jo (opens in a new tab) · as of October 2026

• Children go free

  Daytime entry is free for children under 12, and Petra by Night is free for children under 10. Under-12s also enter Jordan Pass sites free with their parents.

  visitpetra.jo (opens in a new tab) · as of October 2026

• Sleep one night in Jordan

  The 90 JOD One Day Visit ticket is for visitors who do not stay overnight in Jordan; with one night in the country the same day costs 50 JOD.

  visitpetra.jo (opens in a new tab) · as of October 2026

• Wadi Araba border visa rule

  Enter Jordan at the Wadi Araba crossing near Aqaba, stay at least two nights and leave by the same border, and the visa fee is waived without a Jordan Pass.

  jordanpass.jo (opens in a new tab) · as of October 2026

• Free shuttles included in the ticket

  Your daytime ticket includes the shuttle from Al Turkmaniyah, at the far end of the main trail, to the Nabataean Cultural Village, so you do not have to walk back up through the Siq. The jeep from the Cultural Village to Little Petra and the back trail costs 5 JOD.

  visitpetra.jo (opens in a new tab) · as of October 2026

Best time to visit Petra

Tips and tricks

Gathered from travel forums, locals and the sight’s own advice, rewritten in our own words. What worked for others, not a guarantee.

1. Be in the Siq at opening time

   Recent reviewers describe the first hour after opening (6:30 in winter, 6:00 in summer) as almost empty, with only a handful of people at the Treasury. Sleep in Wadi Musa the night before; coming from Amman on the day means arriving when the crowds do.

   From TripAdvisor Petra reviews, 2026

2. Print your Jordan Pass

   The Jordan Pass team themselves say the QR code may not scan from a phone screen at passport control or at the sites, so carry a paper copy, along with your passport, which is checked at every site.

   From Jordan Pass FAQ, 2026

3. Scan the pass at the Visitor Centre first

   The Jordan Pass can only be scanned at the main Visitor Centre, not at other gates. If you plan to start on the back trail from Little Petra, go to the Visitor Centre first and take the shuttle from there.

   From Jordan Pass FAQ and visitpetra.jo fees notes, 2026

4. Do the Monastery from the back on day two

   The shuttle from the Visitor Centre goes to the Nabataean Cultural Village, where a 5 JOD jeep continues to Little Petra and on towards the Monastery trail. From Little Petra the 7 km hike reaches the Monastery from above with far fewer people; then walk downhill through the city and out through the Siq.

   From visitpetra.jo, 2026

5. Know the welfare concerns before riding a donkey

   In a 2018 investigation, the animal-rights group PETA filmed working animals at Petra being beaten and overloaded, with little water or shade. Later that year the PDTRA signed an agreement with PETA covering vet clinics, water stations and electric vehicles, and in January 2022 it replaced the horse-drawn carriages in the Siq with electric cars. In its January 2022 update PETA said hundreds of donkeys were still carrying visitors up and down the Monastery steps, and it calls for all animal rides to be banned. If you would rather not ride, the steps can be walked, golf carts run on the main trail, and the jeep to the back trail reaches the Monastery from above.

   From PETA UK, 2018 and January 2022 update

6. Skip the walk back up the Siq

   After the main trail, the shuttle from Al Turkmaniyah to the Nabataean Cultural Village is included in your ticket. Ask at the Visitor Centre the same morning how to get back from the Cultural Village, so you are not stuck after the long day.

   From visitpetra.jo, 2026

7. Buy two days even if you think one is enough

   The main trail alone is 3.9 km each way, and the Monastery adds 1.6 km and about 800 steps. Many visitors say they ran out of energy and keep the Monastery for a second day; the second day costs only 5 JOD more.

   From TripAdvisor Petra reviews, 2026

8. Carry small notes in dinars

   Horse handlers, donkey owners and stallholders expect cash and tips, and small notes make it easier to settle the exact amount. The Visitor Centre takes cash in dinars or Visa cards.

   From Travel blog accounts of Petra and visitpetra.jo, 2026

9. Eat by Qasr al-Bint, carry water

   The two restaurants by Qasr al-Bint at the end of the Main Trail are the natural lunch stop inside the site. Bring at least 1.5 litres of water per person, more in the warm months, plus a hat and sunscreen.

   From visitpetra.jo Main Trail page, 2026

10. No drones, no climbing on monuments

    Drones need special permission from the authority, monuments are off limits for climbing, and you must leave the park before sunset; staying overnight inside is not allowed.

    From visitpetra.jo FAQs and Tips, 2026

How to get to Petra

• From Amman: JETT buses leave from the Abdali station at 6:30 and return from Petra at 17:00 (book on jett.com.jo); public minibuses leave from Amman's South station. By car it is about 3 hours via the Desert Highway or 4 hours via the King's Highway, following the brown signs from 7th Circle.
• From Aqaba: public buses take about 2 hours from the public bus station; hotels arrange taxis. From the Wadi Araba border near Aqaba, arrange a taxi through your hotel.
• From Queen Alia Airport: a taxi goes direct to Petra, or take a taxi to Amman's South station for a minibus.
• In Wadi Musa: the Visitor Centre and main gate are at the bottom of the town's main tourist street; most hotels are within walking distance or a short taxi ride. Golf carts run inside the park (Visitor Centre to Treasury 15 JOD one way, 25 JOD return).

Scams and problems to watch for

• The 'free' horse ride that isn't

  The ride on horseback from the gate to the start of the Siq (under a kilometre) is included in your ticket, and handlers will remind you of that. At the end, they ask for a tip, sometimes pressingly, or offer a longer ride for a price. Settle the tip, or say no, before you get on; the short ride saves very little walking.

• Unlicensed guides at the gate

  Men offering to guide you around near the gate or at the Treasury may not be licensed. Licensed guides are booked at the Visitor Centre desk at the official prices (Main Trail 50 JOD); the official advice is to use only licensed guides and transport confirmed at the Visitor Centre.

• Fake 'ancient' coins and stones

  Children and stallholders offer 'Nabataean' coins and fragments. The authority asks visitors not to buy anything sold as an antiquity: authenticity cannot be checked and the trade harms the site.

• Donkey price that grows on the way

  Donkey and mule owners on the Monastery steps quote a low figure, then add a tip or charge again for the return. Agree the full price, one way or return, per person and in dinars before you mount, or walk the steps: there is no rush at the top.

• Look-alike ticket and Jordan Pass sites

  Sites that use 'Petra' or 'Jordan Pass' in their name resell entry with a mark-up or bundle it with a tour. Official tickets are only on petrapass.pdtra.gov.jo (via visitpetra.jo) and jordanpass.jo.

• Petra by Night 'tickets' sold elsewhere

  At the time of research the official operator sold Petra by Night only at the Visitor Centre, on the day, for 30 JOD. Anyone selling it for more online or through your hotel is reselling; check the night is Sunday to Thursday.

Accessibility

Combine it with

• Little Petra (Siq al-Barid)

  A small Nabataean caravan stop about 10 minutes' drive north, with its own mini Siq, rock-cut halls and a rare painted ceiling of vines. It is also the start of the back trail to the Monastery and sits next to the Neolithic village of Bayda.

• Wadi Musa town and the Petra Museum

  The Petra Museum, a 3-minute walk from the main gate, shows 280 objects in five halls and is open daily 8:30–19:30. In the evening, Petra Kitchen runs a cooking class with dinner for 35 JOD.

• Wadi Rum

  On Sightsale

  The red-sand desert valley south of Petra, included in the Jordan Pass. Most visitors combine the two with a jeep tour and a night in a Bedouin camp.

• The Dead Sea

  Further north (most day trips to Petra from the Dead Sea last 9–14 hours), so better as a separate stop on the way to or from Amman than as a day trip from Petra.

Questions people ask about visiting Petra