Petra

Tickets and tours: all the options

Tickets are sold at the visitor centre at the top of Wadi Musa and are valid for one, two or three days; the price per day falls sharply for the longer tickets. Visitors who do not spend a night in Jordan, mainly day-trippers from Eilat and Israel, pay a much higher one-day rate. The Jordan Pass, bought online before arrival, covers entry and the tourist visa and is good value for anyone staying three nights or more. Petra by Night, a candlelit walk to the Treasury with music, runs on some evenings with a separate ticket. Official guides can be hired at the visitor centre for fixed fees.

On GetYourGuide the commonest products are day trips with transport from Amman, Aqaba, the Dead Sea hotels and Eilat, sometimes adding Wadi Rum or Little Petra; most include a guide for the first part of the walk and leave free time. Two- and three-day tours add a night in Wadi Musa or a desert camp. Local options include private guided walks, the back trail from Little Petra to the Monastery, and longer hikes in the mountains. Check whether the expensive entry fee is included.

The sensible plan is to sleep in Wadi Musa, buy a two-day ticket, hire a guide for the first morning and climb to the Monastery in the afternoon.

A short history

The Nabataeans, Arab traders who controlled the incense routes, settled here by the 4th century BC and made Petra their capital, collecting rainwater in cisterns and channels to support perhaps 20,000 people. The great facades, including the Treasury, date from around the 1st century AD. Rome annexed the kingdom in AD 106 as the province of Arabia. Trade moved to the sea, an earthquake in 363 destroyed much of the city, and after a Byzantine phase with churches it was almost abandoned by the early Islamic period. The Swiss traveller Johann Ludwig Burckhardt reached it in 1812. UNESCO listed Petra in 1985, and excavations continue.

Getting there

Petra lies at the edge of the town of Wadi Musa, about 230 km south of Amman along the Desert Highway and 125 km north of Aqaba. A JETT bus leaves Amman early each morning and takes about three and a half hours, returning in the afternoon; minibuses from Amman's south bus station leave when full. From Aqaba, taxis take about two hours, and private drivers are easy to arrange. Queen Alia airport near Amman has the most flights; Aqaba has a smaller airport. By car the drive on the Desert Highway takes about three hours, or longer on the scenic King's Highway. The visitor centre and car park are at the bottom of the main street, within walking distance of most hotels.

Rules and what to bring

Do not climb on the facades or enter roped tombs, and do not buy fragments of stone or pottery. Drones need a permit. Horse rides along the first stretch are included in the ticket, though a tip is expected; animal welfare groups advise against riding donkeys up the Monastery steps. Bring a hat, sun cream, at least two litres of water per person, sturdy shoes and a light layer for chilly mornings. Toilets and cafes are at the visitor centre and in the city centre.

When to go

Coach groups from Amman and the cruise port of Aqaba reach the Treasury from about 9.30 am, and the Siq is busiest until early afternoon. Arrive at opening to walk the Siq almost alone and see the Treasury in soft light, then do the Monastery after 2 pm, when the climb is in shade and the facade glows. The site closes around sunset, earlier in winter.

March to May and October to November are the most comfortable months, with mild days and wild flowers in spring. In June to August the valley often passes 35 degrees, so start at dawn and rest at midday. December to February can be cold, wet and occasionally snowy, and flash floods sometimes close the Siq after heavy rain. Fridays bring local visitors. Petra by Night runs on several evenings a week. Allow a full day for the main route and the Monastery, and a second day for the High Place.