Petra

Jordan

TRAVEL | OCTOBER 2025

To sum up Petra in a single word it would be “Magical”

Petra is found in Jordan in the Middle East bordering Syria, Saudi Arabia, The Red Sea, Israel, and Iraq. If this is not on your ‘bucket list’ it should be!

Think Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and you’ll think of Petra. It was used as the location spot for ‘Canyon of the Crescent Moon’, where the Holy Grail was hidden.

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Petra is tucked away in a remote valley in the heart of Southern Jordans Shara mountains wreathed in mystery. The highlights of the ancient city do not disappoint. The epic walk in, through the tall, echoing Siq canyon, precedes a jaw-dropping encounter with the Treasury, Petra’s iconic facade, its columns and exquisite detailing carved directly from the cliff face. Further on, past the huge theatre you reach the giant Royal Tombs, gazing out over the hidden valley that shelters Petra’s city centre.

Walk along the Colonnaded Street, then tackle the stepped climb to Petra’s largest monument, the Monastery, carved from a mountain summit. Budget some downtime to take in the extraordinary late-afternoon views from the Qasr al-Bint temple up the Colonnaded Street towards the fiery East Cliff.

 Some Basic Information

ℹ️  Travel:  Arriving into Petra can be done in many ways. Either fly into Amman airport or arrive via the Red Sea from neighbouring Israel or Egypt. More details are noted further in this blog.

​ ℹ️  Currency:  The Jordanian Dinar (JOD)

 Courtesy of Google.com

ℹ️  Credit Cards and Banks:  ATMs are common place in almost every major shopping mall and restaurant, with several ‘bureau de change’  around the city centre and at the airports/seaports. ​

ℹ️   Weather:  Winters in Jordan are generally short and cool. January is the coolest month, with temperatures of 5-10°C.  70% of the average rainfall in the country falls during this period. Amman can be especially cold in January and February and snow is not uncommon.​

Petra is always appearing on those top travel lists – the top ten places to see in your lifetime, the new seven wonders of the world etc, but unlike some places that top those lists, Jordan is actually fairly easy and not too expensive to visit. There’s accommodation ranging from tented camps to five-star resorts. There’s good public transport, it’s safe and the people are incredibly friendly. Although the first sentences that seem to be spoken is “cheap as chips”.  

So if you want to visit Petra what is the best way? While there are plenty of companies that offer organised trips to the site, it’s also an easy place to visit independently.

Here are some tips I picked up on my first visit to Petra – from the closest hotels to stay at, the best times to visit, and even the best places to stop for a drink after a long day of exploring.

Where Should I stay?

A whole town – Wadi Musa – has grown up around Petra to serve visitors to the site. There are hotels of all types and budgets here starting adjacent to the visitor’s centre and stretching up into the hills. Consider the Petra Guesthouse Hotel and Petra Agura Hotel located near the entrance to the visitor’s centre, and the Mövenpick Hotel across the street.

How Do I Get To Petra?

Petra is 78 miles from the nearest sea port of Aqaba where most day-trippers disembark from neighbouring Israel or Egypt.

By Foot – If you’re staying in Wadi Musa then Petra is either a short walk away or the hotels further out often run a free shuttle down to the visitors centre a couple of times a day.

By Taxi – there are plenty of taxis waiting outside the visitors centre, especially in the afternoons, and you will pay about JD3–5  (GB£3.20-5.50) within Wadi Musa.

Via Red Sea – Jordan isn’t exactly known for its efficient transportation system. However, the country operates an excellent tourist-friendly company called JETT. This company has a bus network across the whole country and runs regular services between the most popular destinations. 

They run one daily service from Aqaba to Petra that leaves at 8:00 am. The only return trip available departs from Petra at 5 pm. Each ticket costs 15 JD (GB£16). The buses are very comfortable with English-speaking guides and comfortable seats.

A taxi from Aqaba to Petra will set you back roughly 85JD (GB£90).

Arriving into Aqaba port by sea

How Much Are Tickets To Petra?

Petra is one of those places where the longer you stay the better value it is. There seems to be discounts if you decide to stay in town overnight. A one-day ticket costs JD50 (GB£54) per person, but a two-day ticket is only JD55 (GB£59) and a three-day ticket JD60 (GB£64). These are the prices that apply if you are staying in Jordan. If you’re on a day trip and not staying overnight then the admission fee is JD90 (GB£96).

You can buy tickets at the new visitors centre (you maybe charged a fee for using a card payment), cash is king. Tickets can be purchased through the Petra website. You can also pick up maps, guide books and hire a tour guide.

Visitors Centre

When Is The Best Time To Visit?

The best time to visit is in Spring and Autumn as the temperatures are not too high and the crowds are smaller. I visited early June and found it was just bearable without feeling exhausted from the heat.  

The ticket office is open between 0600-1800 during the summer and 0600-1600 through the winter. The quietest times are usually early morning and late afternoons.

Petra additionally opens it’s doors at night on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays for the Petra by night tour. Tickets cost JD17 (GB£18) and the tour starts at 8.30pm and finishes about 10.30pm. It’s extremely popular so I would recommend hanging back so you can walk down slowly and experience the Siq away from the scrum of visitors.

What Should I Wear?

You will find yourself walking over sandy and rocky ground so walking shoes are probably the best bet, or sturdy sandals if you don’t mind picking out the occasional stone. There is very little shade around the site, so a hat is a good idea too, and remember to apply plenty of sunscreen. 

How Much Walking Will There Be?

Petra stretches over a massive 60 square kilometre (23 mile) area and you will end up doing copious amounts walking. But if it gets too much there are a choice of camels, donkeys and horses to do the hard work for you.

A horse ride from the visitors centre to the entrance of the Siq is included in the ticket price. It is an easy 15-minute walk downhill though so you might want to save the horse ride until the way back up as that final slog up a sandy path after a whole days walking is a bit of a killer. 

What Else Should I Know?

Petra’s surprisingly well equipped with toilets with proper toilet blocks at the visitor’s centre, near the Theatre and by the museum. There are also portaloo’s by the start of the Siq and at a couple of cafes.

There are stalls selling souvenirs all over Petra (with some pushy sellers)

Finally…

If you are in need of a drink after a long day of walking some of the nicest places to stop on leaving the visitors centre is the Arabian Styled Al Maqa’ad Bar located inside the Movenpick Hotel, or the Cave Bar by the Petra Guest House – a 2000 year old tomb which has been turned into a bar.