Jordan ☀️ 28°C · Now Mar-May + Oct-Nov mild · 1 of New 7 Wonders of World

Petra

Q: How much per day?

Budget $79, mid $175, luxury $445+. Petra entry $90 alone (or Jordan Pass $99 covers + visa + 40 sites).

Q: How many days?

4 days minimum. Day 1: Petra Lower City + Treasury + sunrise. Day 2: Monastery hike + Petra by Night. Day 3: Wadi Rum desert + Bedouin glamping. Day 4: Return Amman + departure.

Q: Visa?

Jordan Pass JD 70 ($99) MANDATORY — covers visa + Petra entry + Wadi Rum + 40 sites. Buy online before arrival. Without Jordan Pass: visa $56 + Petra $90 = more expensive.

Q: English?

Universal in tourism. Bedouin guides speak basic English. Arabic polite to learn 'shukran' (thank you) + 'salam' (peace).

Q: Famous food?

Mansaf (Jordan's national dish — lamb in fermented yogurt + rice JD 15-30), Maqluba ('upside-down' rice + meat + vegetables JD 12-25), Knafeh (sweet cheese pastry JD 5-10 — try Habibah in Amman). Petra Kitchen (cooking class + Jordanian fine dining JD 30-60), The Basin Restaurant (only restaurant inside Petra JD 30-60). Drink: Petra Beer (local lager) + mint tea.

Q: Petra in 1 day enough?

NO — 1 day = Lower City only (Treasury + Royal Tombs). 2 days minimum to include Monastery (800-step hike). Petra by Night Mon/Wed/Thu adds magical experience. Day trippers from Amman miss Monastery + miss best Petra sights.

Q: Wadi Rum essential?

Yes for full Jordan experience. 2h south of Petra + Mars-like desert + Lawrence of Arabia + Star Wars Rogue One filming + Bedouin glamping. 1-night overnight at Sun City Camp ($200-300) or Bedouin tents ($50-100). Sunrise camel ride mandatory.

Jordan

#Ancient Ruins #Desert #7 Wonders of the World

Petra at a glance

As of 2026

As of 2026, Petra travel is best in Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov, from about $79/day (budget, ex-flights), with a 3-day itinerary. Top sight: The Treasury (Al-Khazneh).

Daily budget

$79+

Budget tier · excl. flights

Direct flights

From major hubs

AMM (Amman) + 3h drive south

Visa

Visa-free 90 days

For most Western passports

Exchange

USD

Local currency

Best time

Mar, Apr, May, Oct, Nov

Currently Jun

Climate

Arid

Now ☀️ 28°C

Local time

01:24

EET (UTC+2/+3)

Language

Arabic; English universal in tourism

Why visit Petra?

Petra is Jordan's most famous archaeological site — 2,000+ year-old Nabataean ancient city carved into rose-colored sandstone cliffs in southern Jordan (3h drive south of Amman). Founded around 312 BCE as the Nabataean capital + abandoned 7th century AD + rediscovered by Swiss explorer Johann Burckhardt 1812. UNESCO World Heritage 1985 + 1 of New 7 Wonders of the World 2007 + featured in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (Treasury scene).

Famous for The Treasury (Al-Khazneh) (45m carved facade + Petra's iconic image + entrance through The Siq narrow gorge), The Monastery (Ad Deir) (similar to Treasury but BIGGER + 47m + 800 steps to reach + most photographed Petra angle from above), The Siq (1.2km narrow sandstone gorge approach + 80-200m walls + most dramatic entrance), Petra by Night (Mon/Wed/Thu candlelit walk through Siq + traditional Bedouin music + Treasury illuminated), and Royal Tombs (4 carved Nabataean tombs facing Treasury). Day trip from Amman OR 2-day Petra immersion (essential for Monastery hike).

Jordan Pass (JD 70 — $99) is mandatory — covers visa fee + Petra entry + Wadi Rum + Madaba + Jerash + 35 more Jordan sites. Buy online before arrival. Without Jordan Pass: visa $56 + Petra entry $90 = more expensive.

Petra timing strategy — Petra opens 6:00am. Enter at sunrise for best lighting + cooler temperatures + smaller crowds. Spend full first day on Lower City (Treasury + Royal Tombs + High Place of Sacrifice). Spend Day 2 on Monastery hike (800 steps each way) + Wadi Rum desert excursion.

Wadi Rum (2h south of Petra) is essential pairing — 'Valley of the Moon' Mars-like desert + Lawrence of Arabia film setting (1962 movie) + Star Wars Rogue One + Martian (2015) filmed here. Bedouin glamping + jeep tours + sunrise camel rides + bubble glamping + sand boarding. 1-night stay essential at Sun City Camp or similar.

Iconic Jordanian food: Mansaf (lamb cooked in fermented dried yogurt + rice + bread — Jordan's national dish + Bedouin cultural staple JD 15-30), Maqluba ('upside-down' dish — rice + meat + vegetables flipped over JD 12-25), Falafel (chickpea balls JD 2-5), Hummus (chickpea dip JD 5-10), Mutabbal (eggplant dip JD 5-10), Knafeh (sweet cheese pastry + sugar syrup JD 5-10 — best at Habibah in Amman), Mezze (Lebanese-style appetizers JD 30-60). Drink: Mint tea (Bedouin classic JD 1-3), Arabic coffee (qahwa) with cardamom JD 1-3, Pomegranate juice JD 2-5, Petra Beer (local lager JD 5-8).

Best Petra restaurants: Petra Kitchen (cooking class option + Jordanian fine dining JD 30-60), The Basin Restaurant (only restaurant inside Petra + buffet JD 30-60), Petra Marriott Hotel restaurants (Lebanese mezze + lamb mansaf JD 25-50), Mövenpick Petra restaurants (international + Jordanian fine dining JD 30-70).

Petra by Night (Mon/Wed/Thu only) — 1,500 candles light The Siq + Treasury + traditional Bedouin music + 2h experience JD 17. Magical but limited capacity — buy ticket day of at Visitor Center.

Bottom line: Petra is canonical Middle Eastern wonder + 1 of New 7 Wonders of World + Indiana Jones bucket-list + Wadi Rum desert pairing. 2 days minimum at Petra + 1 day Wadi Rum + 1 day Amman base = 4-day Jordan trip.

Things to do in Petra

Highlights

The Treasury (Al-Khazneh)

Petra's iconic 45m carved facade — a Nabataean royal tomb from the 1st century BCE. The magical reveal happens at the end of the Siq gorge.

Jordan Pass JD 70 ($99) — covers visa + Petra + 40 sites Petra opens 6:00 1 hour at Treasury (after 1.2km Siq walk)

Tip: Enter at sunrise (6:00 opening) for best lighting + cool temperatures + no crowds. The Siq walk is 1.2km and takes 30-45 minutes. The Treasury seen first through the narrow Siq opening is the most-photographed Petra moment.

The Monastery (Ad Deir) — 800 steps

Bigger than the Treasury (47m vs 45m) — a 1st-century Nabataean temple carved high above Petra. Most travelers skip it because of the 800-step climb.

Included with Petra ticket 8:00-17:00 daily (best mornings 10:00 sunlit) 2-3 hours round trip from Lower City

Tip: 800 steps each way — strenuous but manageable in 45 minutes. Hire a donkey to the base of the final stairs (JD 10) but climb the last section yourself. Bedouin tea cafe at the top with the canonical viewpoint.

The Siq (1.2km sandstone gorge)

The dramatic entrance corridor to Petra — 1.2km of natural sandstone walls 80-200m high, ending at the Treasury reveal.

Included with Petra ticket From 6:00 sunrise 30-45 min walk

Tip: Walk slowly — Nabataean water channels carved into the walls, the still-visible camel caravan reliefs (rear legs only) at the entrance, and the small votive niches. Avoid horse-drawn carts (overpriced JD 25 + jarring ride). Walk it both directions on Day 1.

Petra by Night (Mon/Wed/Thu only)

Candlelit walk through the Siq to the Treasury — 1,500 candles light the gorge + Bedouin music + storytelling at the Treasury.

JD 17 ($24) 20:30-22:00 (Mon, Wed, Thu only) 1.5 hours

Tip: Buy tickets same-day at the Petra Visitor Center. No flash photography but tripods allowed. Arrive 20:00 to walk slowly and get a front-row seat at the Treasury performance. The walk back is silent — magical.

Iconic Tombs & Royal Sites

Royal Tombs (Urn, Silk, Corinthian, Palace)

Four monumental Nabataean tombs carved into the cliff face opposite the Treasury — the Urn Tomb (later converted to a Byzantine church), Silk Tomb (named for its colorful sandstone striations), Corinthian Tomb, and Palace Tomb.

Included with Petra ticket Daylight hours 1.5-2 hours

Tip: Climb the stairs to the Urn Tomb terrace for the canonical viewpoint over the Treasury and Lower City. The Silk Tomb's swirling sandstone colors are most vivid 10:00-12:00 when sunlit.

Street of Facades

Row of 40+ Nabataean tombs lining the path from the Treasury into the Lower City — graduated in size and ornament from modest crypts to royal mausoleums.

Included with Petra ticket Daylight hours 30 minutes walk-through

Tip: Walk the full row — the smaller tombs at the start show plainer Nabataean carving; the larger ones at the end approach Royal Tomb scale. Most travelers blast past these — slow down and look up at the carvings on each facade.

Great Temple (Lower City center)

Largest freestanding building at Petra — a 1st-century BCE Nabataean ceremonial complex with a colonnaded courtyard and a central theatron. Excavated by Brown University since 1993.

Included with Petra ticket Daylight hours 30-45 minutes

Tip: Climb to the upper terraces for views back over the Royal Tombs across the valley. The central temple platform shows clearly visible Nabataean column drums and Corinthian capitals.

Qasr al-Bint (Lower City)

Petra's main Nabataean temple — Qasr al-Bint Faraoun ('Pharaoh's Daughter's Castle') stands 23m high at the end of the Colonnaded Street. Still partially intact 2,000+ years later.

Included with Petra ticket Daylight hours 30 minutes

Tip: The end-of-the-trail landmark before the Monastery climb. Drink mint tea at the nearby Basin Restaurant terrace before tackling the 800 Monastery steps.

Hiking Trails & Viewpoints

High Place of Sacrifice

850-step climb to the Nabataean ritual altar at the mountaintop. The canonical alternative to the Monastery hike — less crowded, similar views from a different angle.

Included with Petra ticket Daylight hours 3-4 hours round trip

Tip: Start the climb at the Street of Facades. Descend via the back trail past the Garden Triclinium, Lion Triclinium, and Soldier's Tomb (rarely-visited Nabataean tomb cluster) — the descent is the highlight.

Al-Khubtha Trail (Treasury from above)

The 'Treasury from above' viewpoint — a 30-min climb up stairs cut behind the Royal Tombs gets you to the cliff edge looking straight down on the Treasury.

Included with Petra ticket Best 10:00-12:00 (sun lights Treasury below) 1.5-2 hours round trip

Tip: Most-photographed Petra angle. Some sections are unfenced — keep small children well back from edges. Bedouin guides at the trailhead offer paid 'better viewpoint' detours (JD 5-10) — usually worth it for a quieter spot.

Monastery Viewpoint (Sacrifice Place above Ad Deir)

10-minute extra climb past the Monastery to the ridge above — looks down on the 47m Monastery from the rear, with Wadi Araba Valley stretching to Israel beyond.

Included with Monastery climb Best afternoon (Monastery sunlit) 20-30 min extra after Monastery

Tip: Most travelers stop at the Monastery and miss this. Two Bedouin tea shacks at the viewpoint sell mint tea + flatbread — the canonical Petra meal.

Sunset Point + Lion Triclinium

Bedouin-recommended sunset viewpoint on the cliff above the High Place of Sacrifice trail. Looks west over the Wadi Araba Valley as the sandstone turns deep red.

Included with Petra ticket 16:30-17:30 sunset 1 hour

Tip: Petra technically closes at 18:00 but the rangers tolerate sunset stragglers. Bring a headlamp for the descent back through the Siq in twilight. Don't attempt without water — afternoon heat punishing in summer.

Wadi Rum & Day Trips

Wadi Rum Desert (Valley of the Moon)

Mars-like protected desert 2 hours south of Petra — Lawrence of Arabia's WWI base, Star Wars Rogue One + The Rise of Skywalker filming location, The Martian (2015) Mars scenes filmed here.

Day jeep tour from JD 50 ($70); 1-night camp from $80; bubble glamping $200-400 Desert 24/7; camps check-in 15:00 1-night overnight essential

Tip: Stay in a Bedouin camp 1 night minimum — Sun City Camp + Memories Aicha Luxury Camp + Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel are the canonical picks. Sunrise camel ride mandatory. Jeep tour covers Lawrence's Spring, Khaz'ali Canyon petroglyphs, Um Fruth Rock Bridge.

Little Petra (Siq al-Barid)

Smaller Nabataean trading outpost 10km north of main Petra — 'Little Siq' gorge, painted Nabataean dining room ceilings, fewer crowds.

Free entry (covered by Jordan Pass) Daylight hours 1 hour

Tip: Easy half-day from main Petra. Bedouin family runs the small visitor area + sells mint tea + flatbread. The painted Nabataean ceiling in the Biclinium is the only surviving Nabataean wall painting in Petra.

Aaron's Tomb (Jabal Haroun)

The reputed burial place of Aaron (Moses's brother) — a small white-domed 14th-century shrine on top of Jabal Haroun mountain (1,350m). Sacred to Muslims + Christians + Jews.

Free; donkey hire JD 25-40 Daylight hours Full day from Petra (5-6 hours each way)

Tip: Demanding hike — most travelers take donkeys to the base + climb the last hour. Bedouin guide essential (JD 30-50). Combine with the Snake Monument and the Garden Tomb on the descent. Skip in summer (June-Aug).

Bedouin Glamping at Sun City Camp

Wadi Rum's most-photographed camp — Martian-style geodesic dome 'bubble' tents with floor-to-ceiling Mars views. 2-night minimum for canonical experience.

$200-400 per night (full board) Check-in 15:00, sunrise camel ride 6:00 1-2 nights

Tip: Bubble tents have private bathrooms but no Wi-Fi (Bedouin Wi-Fi only at the main tent). Sunset on the deck with Bedouin mint tea is the canonical photo. Sand boarding + jeep tour included.

Travel cost

Per person, per day (excludes flights)

Hostel + local food + public transport

$79

Per person / day (excl. flights)

🏠Hotel

44%$35

🍽️Food

23%$18

🚇Transit

13%$10

🎫Activities

20%$16

📅 Total cost by trip duration (incl. flights)

3 days

$340

5 days

$540

7 days

$720

Flight estimate: $600-1,200 from US/EU; $700-1,500 from Asia (AMM via DOH or DXB) (round-trip estimate)

💡Petra is mid-tier Middle East — pricier than Cairo by 67% but cheaper than Abu Dhabi by 30%. Stay at Mövenpick Petra (closest to entrance) OR Petra Marriott (Wadi Musa). Jordan Pass JD 70 ($99) covers visa + Petra + 40 sites. Tip 10% at restaurants + JD 5-10 to Bedouin guides. Sales tax 16% included.

Monthly weather

Currently in Petra: ☀️ 28°C

🔥

Petra now (Jun)

High 30°C / Low 18°C· Hot

Jan 🌥️

High 12°C / Low 3°C

Cool

12°

Jan

Feb 🌥️

High 14°C / Low 4°C

Cool

14°

Feb

Mar ⛅

High 18°C / Low 7°C

Mild

★ Best time to visit

18°

MarBest

Apr 🌤️

High 22°C / Low 11°C

Pleasant

★ Best time to visit

22°

AprBest

May ☀️

High 27°C / Low 14°C

Pleasant

★ Best time to visit

27°

MayBest

Jun 🔥

High 30°C / Low 18°C

Hot

30°

JunNOW

Jul 🔥

High 32°C / Low 19°C

Very Hot

32°

Jul

Aug 🔥

High 32°C / Low 19°C

Very Hot

32°

Aug

Sep 🔥

High 30°C / Low 18°C

Hot

30°

Sep

Oct ☀️

High 26°C / Low 14°C

Pleasant

★ Best time to visit

26°

OctBest

Nov ⛅

High 19°C / Low 9°C

Mild

★ Best time to visit

19°

NovBest

Dec 🌥️

High 14°C / Low 5°C

Cool

14°

Dec

Jan

🌥️

12°

3°

Cool

Feb

🌥️

14°

4°

Cool

Mar

⛅

18°

7°

Mild

★Best

Apr

🌤️

22°

11°

Pleasant

★Best

May

☀️

27°

14°

Pleasant

★Best

Jun

🔥

30°

18°

Hot

NOW

Jul

🔥

32°

19°

Very Hot

Aug

🔥

32°

19°

Very Hot

Sep

🔥

30°

18°

Hot

Oct

☀️

26°

14°

Pleasant

★Best

Nov

⛅

19°

9°

Mild

★Best

Dec

🌥️

14°

5°

Cool

This MonthBest TimeOther

Practical information

Getting there

Amman AMM Airport to Petra: 3h drive south. Self-drive car rental $40/day. JETT bus $15 / 4h. Private transfer $80.

Getting around

Walking inside Petra. Donkey/camel hire JD 10-30 inside Petra. Day tours include transport for outside Petra excursions.

Money & payments

JOD only. USD widely accepted at hotels at slight markup.

Language

Arabic; English universal in tourism + Bedouin guides speak basic English.

Cultural tips

Tipping: 10% at sit-down + JD 5-10 to Bedouin guides + JD 1-3 for porters. Sales tax 16% included. Modest dress at temples + cover shoulders/knees. Bedouin culture: invite to tea = always accept (cultural respect).

Money & payment

Currency

JOD + USD widely accepted.

Card acceptance

Hotels + restaurants; cash for Bedouin tea + souvenirs.

Tipping

10% at sit-down + JD 5-10 to Bedouin guides.

ATM

Arab Bank + Cairo Amman Bank widely available.

Recommended itinerary

Petra 3-day route