Ma'an Governorate, southern Jordan · Jordan
A Nabataean capital carved into rose-coloured cliffs, reached through a mile-long canyon that ends at a temple facade in a slot of light.
Photo: Faraheed · CC BY-SA 3.0
Petra was the capital of the Nabataeans, an Arab people who grew rich two thousand years ago by controlling the caravan routes that carried frankincense, myrrh and spices between southern Arabia and the Mediterranean. They carved their tombs and temples into the sandstone of a hidden valley, and built a city of water channels, cisterns and dams that made a desert basin habitable for tens of thousands of people.
After the Romans annexed the kingdom in 106 AD, the city declined, and after earthquakes and shifts in trade routes it faded from the wider world. The Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, disguised as a Muslim scholar, reached it in 1812 and brought it to Western attention. Bedouin families lived among the ruins until the 1980s, and Petra was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
What you see is only part of the story. The site covers about 260 square kilometres, and most visitors follow a single line through it: the Siq, the Treasury, the Street of Facades, the theatre and the Royal Tombs. The Monastery, the High Place of Sacrifice and the back-country trails are where a second day pays off.
Why visit
Petra is one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the world and, unusually, the approach is as good as the destination.
The Siq is a canyon over a kilometre long, narrow enough in places that you can touch both walls, and it opens onto the Treasury with the timing of a stage set. Nobody has designed a better entrance.
Beyond the Treasury are hundreds of tombs, a Roman-style colonnaded street, a theatre, temples and the remains of houses. It takes a day to see and rewards two.
Around 800 rock-cut steps lead up to a facade about 47 metres wide, larger than the Treasury and often almost empty. It is the best hour of most people's visit.
The sandstone glows pink, orange and deep red with the angle of the sun, and the tombs of the Street of Facades are at their best in the late afternoon.
Little Petra, the desert of Wadi Rum and the reserve of Dana are all within a couple of hours, so the trip can grow around it.
Main attractions
The main route takes a full day on foot. The Monastery and the High Place of Sacrifice each add a half-day if you want to do them properly.
The 1.2 km canyon that forms the main entrance to the city, with walls up to 80 m high and traces of the Nabataean water channels and carved votive niches along the way. It ends at the Treasury.
Tip Walk it slowly and look at the walls, not the person in front. The light is soft at opening and the crowds thin by about 15:00.
The famous facade, about 39 m high, carved in the 1st century AD, probably as a royal tomb or a mausoleum. The name comes from a Bedouin legend that pirates hid treasure in the urn at the top. The interior is a plain, unadorned chamber.
Tip The best light is in the morning when the sun reaches the facade. Take the photo at opening and again in the afternoon when the crowds have gone.
A row of tombs cut into the cliff face beyond the Treasury, leading to the Theatre and the huge Royal Tombs — the Urn Tomb, the Silk Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb and the Palace Tomb — high up on the eastern cliff.
Tip The Royal Tombs are best photographed in the afternoon, when the sun is on the rock.
The Roman-era main street, lined by the remains of markets, temples and a nymphaeum, leads to Qasr al-Bint, one of the few free-standing Nabataean buildings still upright. The Petra Archaeological Museum is close by.
Tip The restaurant at the end of the street is expensive; bring water and snacks and stop for a rest in the shade here.
A monumental facade about 47 m wide and 48 m high, carved at the top of an 800-step climb from the Colonnaded Street. It was probably a temple, and the name Monastery is a later Christian label.
Tip Allow at least 45 minutes each way and start early. The best light is in the afternoon.
A ceremonial platform on the summit of Jabal al-Madhbah, reached by a stepped path from near the theatre. The view over the valley is one of the best in Petra, and the path down the far side passes several lesser monuments.
Tip Take the path up from the theatre and come down the back way through Wadi Farasa to the Colonnaded Street. It is quieter and takes about two hours.
A smaller Nabataean settlement about 9 km north of Wadi Musa, in a narrow canyon of carved rooms and painted ceilings. It is free to enter, uncrowded, and it makes a good half-day trip.
Tip Combine it with a sunset walk, or hike the trail from Little Petra to the Monastery for a very different way in.
Things to do
Petra is best done on foot and in stages. These are the choices that most improve a visit.
The site opens around 06:00 in summer and slightly later in winter. The Siq is cool, quiet and lit softly, and you will have the Treasury to yourself for a short time before the tour groups.
Tip Check opening hours locally the day before, as they change with the season.
Start with the hardest part of the day while it is cool, and reach the Monastery before the afternoon crowds. The way down is easier and you reach the Treasury with time to spare.
Tip Carry at least two litres of water; there are cafés along the way but prices are high.
On certain evenings the Siq is lined with candles and the Treasury is lit by lanterns, with Bedouin music and tea. It is a popular experience, though crowded, and it is a good way to see the Treasury without the heat.
Tip It runs only on selected evenings and needs a separate ticket. Check the current schedule and book at the visitor centre.
The trail between Little Petra and the Monastery, a 2–3 hour scramble, gives a very different view of the site. The Wadi Farasa trail from the High Place of Sacrifice is a gentler alternative.
Tip Hire a local guide for the Little Petra route; the path is not always obvious.
Several places in Wadi Musa run evening classes in Jordanian cooking, a good way to spend the night after a long day on foot.
Tip Book ahead in peak seasons.
Camps near Petra and Little Petra offer a simple dinner, music and star-filled night, a quieter counterpoint to the tourist town.
Tip Compare packages and confirm what is included.
Local food
The food in Wadi Musa is Jordanian and simple — grilled meat, salads, hummus and bread — and it is at its best in small, family-run places rather than at the site.
Lamb in a sauce of dried fermented yoghurt, served over rice, and the national dish of Jordan. It is rich and filling and traditionally shared.
Where to try it Traditional restaurants in Wadi Musa and family-run places on the King's Highway.
Meat and vegetables cooked underground in a sealed pit oven, a Bedouin technique now offered at many camps and restaurants near Petra.
Where to try it Desert camps around Petra, or ask your hotel for a zarb dinner.
An upside-down dish of rice, vegetables and meat, turned out onto a platter. It is common as a home-cooked family meal and appears on many restaurant menus.
Where to try it Home-style restaurants in Wadi Musa; ask what is cooked that day.
The staple breakfast and snack: falafel in bread, hummus with olive oil, and fuul, stewed fava beans. Cheap, quick and good.
Where to try it Small stalls along the main street of Wadi Musa, particularly at breakfast.
Hot, sweet cheese pastry soaked in syrup. It is a treat to have after a long day on your feet.
Where to try it Sweet shops on the main street of Wadi Musa.
Sweet, sage-scented tea served by vendors along the site's paths and in every camp. Accept the offer, and drink it slowly.
Where to try it Tea stalls inside Petra, and everywhere in Wadi Musa.
Accommodation
Wadi Musa, the town at the gate, is the base for almost everyone. It stretches along the road down to the site, so choose by distance from the entrance rather than by the hotel's name.
Transport
Petra is about 230 km south of Amman and 120 km north of Aqaba. Most visitors arrive by road.
Wadi Musa is a linear town and the archaeological site is best seen on foot.
When to go
Petra sits at about 900 m, so it is cooler than the coast but still a desert. Spring and autumn are comfortable, summer is hot and shadeless, and winter can be cold, wet and briefly dangerous in the Siq.
Warm, clear days of 18–27°C and wildflowers in the valleys. The busiest time, so start early and book ahead.
Often 33–38°C with little shade. It is possible if you go at dawn and leave by late morning, but the climb to the Monastery becomes hard work.
Warm days that cool through October. Fewer visitors than spring and an excellent time to walk.
Cold and occasionally snowy, with far fewer visitors. Heavy rain can cause flash floods in the Siq, and the site sometimes closes for safety.
Worth planning around: Midday in summer, and any day of heavy rain in winter. Flash floods in the Siq are a serious danger and the authorities close it when they are forecast.
Itinerary
The main route and the Monastery on the first day, the High Place of Sacrifice and Little Petra on the second. Assumes a Wadi Musa base.
The classic route, done early.
The quieter side of Petra.
Travel tips
Petra is a long day on foot and a few small decisions make a large difference.
FAQ
Two is ideal: one for the Siq, Treasury and Monastery, and one for the High Place of Sacrifice and Little Petra. One day is enough to see the highlights but is long, hot and tiring.
Entry is included in the Jordan Pass, which is the best option for most visitors staying at least three nights in Jordan. Otherwise there is a separate entry fee, which is lower for overnight visitors and much higher for day-trippers. Prices change, so check the official price list.
About 4 km each way from the Treasury, ending in around 800 rock-cut steps. Allow two to three hours for the round trip from the Colonnaded Street, or longer if you stop often.
The first hour after opening, when it is cool and quiet, for the Siq and the Treasury. Afternoon light is best for the Street of Facades and the Royal Tombs, and late afternoon for the Monastery.
It is possible if you go at dawn and leave by late morning, and take water and sun protection. The climb to the Monastery is hard work in the heat, and spring or autumn is a much better choice.
Yes, but it makes for a long day, with three to four hours of driving each way from Amman. Staying the night in Wadi Musa gives you a dawn start and a second day, and is well worth it.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Petra, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Aqaba Governorate, southern Jordan, Jordan
A protected desert of sandstone and granite that looks like another planet, explored by jeep, camel or on foot, and slept in under the stars.
Don't miss A night in a Bedouin camp, with a zarb dinner from the sand oven and a sky with almost no light pollution.
Explore Destination — Wadi RumTafilah Governorate, southern Jordan, Jordan
A protected reserve of mountains, canyons and desert with an Ottoman-era village, a range of wildlife and Jordan's best walking.
Don't miss The Dana–Feynan trail, a one-way descent of about 16 km through changing landscapes to an eco-lodge lit only by candles and solar power.
Explore Destination — Dana Biosphere ReserveKerak and Ma'an governorates, southern Jordan, Jordan
Two of the best-preserved medieval castles in the Middle East, built by the Crusaders in the 12th century and fought over by Saladin and the Mamluks.
Don't miss Kerak's underground galleries and corridors, a vaulted labyrinth that you can explore with a torch.
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