Is Petra Worth Visiting? A Must-Read Before You Go!
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Is Petra worth visiting? I’ve rounded up all the must-need information you need before visiting Petra, Jordan, so you can make up your own mind on whether or not it is worth visiting!
If you’re visiting Jordan for the first time, you’ll know that the ancient city of Petra is one of the most popular places to visit, and is a bucket-list Wonder of the World. An ancient city inhabited by the Nabateans over 2000 years ago, just walking around Petra was one of our favourite days of our Jordan trip.
But, what is actually involved in a day trip to Petra? What should you expect from a visit to Petra? Whilst you may see pretty photos online, it’s also important to know what to expect when visiting Petra in Jordan. In this blog post, I explain everything you need to know about this beautiful part of Jordan, so your visit is as successful as possible!
Other Jordan posts:
- What to Wear in Jordan (That Isn’t Ugly)
- Driving in Jordan: The Ultimate Car Hire Guide
- Jordan 7 Day Itinerary: The Perfect Week Trip (Guide)
- Tipping in Jordan: Everything You Need To Know
Is Petra worth visiting? A Summary
So, is Petra worth visiting? Yes, Petra is absolutely worth visiting. Even if you are not a big history fan, walking along the dusty roads of Petra is an amazing experience. Not only is it a Wonder of the World, but it’s also an ancient city that was used by civilisations over 2000 years ago.
Seeing the rock structures, buildings and abandoned parts of the city is fascinating, and not something to be missed when visiting Jordan. Incredibly, only 15% of Petra has been explored by researchers and archaeologists. The site of Petra stretches over 263 square kilometres, which is roughly the same size as 50,000 football fields!
Located in the town of Wadi Musa, Petra (also known as ‘Rose City’ due to its colours) was named one of the Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. With incredible, giant-sized stone buildings, and the remains of its own water system that was created over 2000 years ago, Petra is named after the Greek word meaning ‘stone’.
Tourists travel from all over the world to see Petra with their own eyes and have been featured in Hollywood movies such as Indiana Jones and Disney’s Aladdin. Visiting Petra whilst travelling to Jordan is a must-do, and is undoubtedly worth it.
Where to stay in Petra
Looking for the best places to stay in Petra? There are plenty of hotels and hostels in Wadi Musa, the town adjacent to Petra, and here are some of the best.
🌎 For backpackers in Petra, stay at either the Petra Boxtel Hostel or the Nomads. Both are perfect for meeting new friends and other backpackers to explore Petra with.
➡View all other Petra hostels here.
🐪 For couples in Petra, check out either the Petra Sky Hotel or La Maison. Both are near the Petra entrance and close to restaurants and bars in Wadi Musa.
➡View all other Petra hotels here.
🛌 Want to know more about staying near Petra? Check out my complete where to stay near Petra guide here.
Quick facts about Petra
🚗 Petra is around 150 miles south of Amman, and roughly a 2.5-hour drive. If you’re visiting Jordan for the first time, I recommend hiring a car to get around. Unsure about driving in Jordan? Check out my detailed post about driving in Jordan here.
🐪 Petra is located in the town of Wadi Musa. If you’re staying near Petra overnight, you will book accommodation within Wadi Musa.
😮 Petra is over 263km2 and most of the site is still yet to be discovered. If you’re planning a day trip to Petra, you can easily walk over 20km.
⏰ The best time to visit Petra is either early morning (6am-8am) or late afternoon (3pm-6pm). These are the quietest times in Petra, and the best way to avoid the crowds.
🪨 The walk to the famous and most photographed Treasury is 35 minutes from the entrance. The Monastery, another well-known building, takes at least 2 hours to reach from the entrance.
💸 As you enter Petra, you will be offered horse rides and guidance to high photo-taking viewpoints by locals and Bedouin people. These locals expect to be paid in tips. Not sure how to tip in Jordan? Check out my detailed post on tipping in Jordan here.
What to expect when visiting Petra
When visiting Petra for the first time, you will want to see and do everything. Remember to bear in mind that Petra is huge, and if you even want to scratch the surface, you may want to budget for at least two days.
However, if you are only interested in seeing the main buildings like the Treasury, one day in Petra is enough. We arrived early (around 8am), and left when it closed at 6pm. During the day, we spent hours walking from site to site, taking photos, admiring the camels and learning more about the ancient city.
As you arrive at Petra, you will need to buy your tickets. This is where you will need to show your Jordan Pass for a discounted rate. There are small shops, toilets and food venues at the entrance to Petra, but there are also small shops inside the site, so don’t worry too much.
When you first enter the site, you’ll be asked if you want to ride a horse tot he Treasury. This horse ride is included in your ticket price, but a tip is also expected. (Note, we do not encourage any kind of animal tourism. We walked around Petra at all times). If you walk to the Treasury, it should take around 30 minutes.
If you have small children or difficulties walking, you can ride in a golf buggy to the Treasury, which costs £15 ($20) one way, or £25 ($30) return. This is pretty pricy for a budget backpacker, so I recommend wearing good hiking shoes and walking it yourself!
From there, you’ll spend your day finding out more history about Petra, taking photos, walking through the narrow passageways of the Siq, and admiring rock canals that reach over 80m in height.
Even at the busiest points of the day, from lunchtime until around 2pm, you can find quiet moments of silence in Petra. The sheer size of the site means even with thousands of tourists, you can find a space to yourself at some point. In front of the Treasury, however, is near impossible!
Petra opening times
Petra is open daily from 6 am-6 pm. If you’re visiting during winter, it can close at 4 pm, so just be sure to check at the entrance when arriving.
How to get to Petra from Amman
🚗 By car: if you decide to drive to Petra from Amman, it will take 2.5 hours. It’s an easy journey along the highway, and through the mountainsides, until you reach Wadi Musa.
➡ Need to hire a car in Jordan? We rented our car in Jordan from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world! 🚗 LOOK AT CAR HIRE PRICES IN JORDAN NOW!
🚌 By bus: You can reach Petra by bus using JETT services. Buses leave at 6.30 am daily and take around 4 hours. The bus stop is on the 7th Circle in Amman and costs around £28 return. ➡ BOOK BUS TICKETS NOW!
🚕 By taxi/private driver: Alternatively, you can reach Petra by taxi or private driver. ➡ BOOK A PRIVATE DRIVER HERE!
🌎 By tour from Amman: If you don’t feel like any of the above options, you can do a tour. This tour is great if you just want to visit Petra from Amman! ➡ BOOK YOUR TOUR NOW!
Is Petra at night worth it?
Petra at night is a different experience to Petra during the day. It is a different ticket and price, and you will need to buy entry separately. Petra at night is on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, and starts at 8.30 pm. It costs £18 ($20) per person.
During the Petra at night experience, you will walk to the Treasury in silence with a few hundred other people. The path is lit only by candles and lanterns, and it’s a peaceful, surreal experience. When arriving at the treasury, you will watch a short performance by some Bedouin locals, and be told a short history of Petra.
So, is Petra at night worth it? Yes, if you are in the area. No, if you need to change your travel plans to make it. Whilst it’s a beautiful experience, it is overcrowded. There is no limit to people entering the site during Petra at night, and it gets so busy that you can barely see what is happening. However, if you are in the area already, it’s a cool experience. I’m glad we did it, but we wouldn’t do it again.
The walk to the Treasury: Petra’s most photographed building
As you’re walking through the Siq towards the Treasury, you will be approached by many Bedouin locals offering to take you to the best photo viewpoints. If you do want to reach some of these viewpoints, you will need to hire a guide.
The viewpoints are incredibly high, and you will need to climb and scramble to reach them. The Instagram photos may look pretty, but it was a tough climb to get there!
But the locals (both adults and children) are knowledgeable about the Petra rock climbing routes and offer to take you to the viewpoint for a tip – roughly £8/$10 per climb. If you’ve got a good head for heights, it’s worth it!
When you arrive at the Treasury, you’ll find camels, market stalls, a bustle of tourists and locals and just a vibrant atmosphere. It’s hard to get a photo without anyone in the shot, but the view with your own eyes is worth it.
Beyond Petra’s Treasury
Some people do reach the Treasury and then decide to not head much further. But if you would like to see more of the ancient city, keep walking. We continued and were able to see more impressive architecture and buildings, and find out more Petra history; beyond the Treasury.
⚠️ NOTE: We never advise engaging in any kind of animal tourism; in Petra or anywhere in the world. If you’re feeling tired, jump on a golf buggy ticket or have a rest. The donkeys looked dehydrated, exhausted and unhappy. If you can, try not to engage in any animal tourism (including camel rides).
How much does entry to Petra cost?
When visiting Jordan, it is recommended to buy a Jordan Pass. This pass allows entry to all of the major sites at a heavily discounted rate, and act as a visa for entering the country. Jordan Passes can be pre-bought online before your trip.
A Jordan Pass costs around £90 ($100) per person, which includes your entrance fee to Petra. There are different Jordan Passes depending on how many days you want to spend in Petra. Petra by night is not covered by the Jordan Pass, and is an additional fee.
If you decide not to buy a Jordan Pass, a one-day entry to Petra costs £50 ($55) per person, and a two-day entry pass costs £55 ($60).
What to wear in Petra
Jordan is a predominantly Muslim country, and clothing is conservative. Before visiting Jordan, I saw a lot of posts saying you could ‘wear whatever you wanted’ in Petra. Posts that said because it’s a tourist, busy area, you can drop the dress code and wear any clothes you want.
After visiting Petra, I disagree with this. No one is going to fine you for dressing inappropriately, but it’s about showing respect for being in another culture.
I did see some other backpackers and tourists wearing tight gym leggings and crop tops with a lot of skin on show. Technically, this is allowed. But it did look a bit uncomfortable and disrespectful considering pretty much everyone else in Petra was wearing modest clothing.
Clothing styles are more lenient in Petra, but I still stuck with my golden rule and wore a flowy dress which covered my shoulders and legs. That way, I didn’t feel like I had any extra eyes on me (being blonde and my boyfriend 6”5ft we had enough already!) for my clothing choices.
As a general rule of thumb, wear the following in Petra:
- Women: shoulders, knees and the majority of your chest covered. Nothing too tight or revealing. Loose-fitting dresses and skirts are perfect.
- Men: shorts, t-shirts, loose trousers, jeans… any clothes you may normally wear, apart from vests.
Not sure what to wear in Jordan? Check out my full guide on clothing in Jordan here.
Parking at Petra
As you can imagine, parking at Petra is chaotic and busy. There is a large car park, but this will be full by lunchtime. If you can, walk from your hotel. If not, jump in a taxi to reach the Petra entrance.
However, if you do get a space, parking at Petra is free and safe. If you’re not sure whether or not to drive in Jordan, check out my guide here.
Food and drink in Petra
There are many food and drink huts in Petra which sell snacks and water. You can even buy Western and American food at the entrance, or dine on some more local food within the Petra site itself. There are locals selling water every few minutes in Petra.
Visiting Petra during Ramadan
Visiting Petra during Ramadan? Don’t worry, we visited Petra during Ramadan, and it wasn’t too different from any other time of year. Food and drink are still available, and everything is open as normal.
Is Petra worth it? FAQs
1) How much walking will I have to do in Petra?
This all depends on how much you want to walk. The main building – the Treasury – is either a 30-minute walk from Petra’s entrance or five-minute golf buggy ride.
If you want to visit sites a little further from the entrance – such as the Monastery – it’s at least 2 hours of walking from the visitor centre. Some of the other buildings are high in the mountains, so if you want to explore and walk around them, you will need to hike to some higher levels.
2) How many days do you need in Petra?
This really depends on how much of Petra you want to explore. For us, one day was enough. We spent 8 am – 6 pm walking around Petra, and saw all of the buildings we wanted to see. However, if you would like to cover more ground and hike to buildings further from the entrance, you may want to buy a 2-day ticket.
3) Should you hire a guide for walking around Petra?
If you enjoy learning about the history of a place, it’s worth hiring a guide. The guides speak good English and enjoy teaching tourists about Petra and its history. Guides cost roughly £50 ($55) and can be hired from the main entrance.
If you’re on a tight budget, there is a Petra app you can download for extra information.
4) How long is the walk in Petra?
The walk from the entrance to the Treasury is 2km. It takes around 30-35 minutes to complete due to the number of tourists, terrain and photo opportunities. If you don’t want to walk to the Treasury, there are golf buggies to take you from the entrance to the Treasury. These can be booked at the main Petra entrance.
5) When is the best time to visit Petra?
☀️ If you visit Petra during the summer months (June to August), expect high temperatures and stifling, hot weather. Days in Jordan in the summer are exceptionally sunny and dry.
🌸 🍁 Autumn and spring are the best times to visit Petra. Spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November) have cooler temperatures and evenings.
6) What tours should I do in Jordan?
Looking to book a tour in Jordan? Tours are one of the best ways to see the hidden gems of the country you are visiting. If you’re travelling during peak season, I highly recommend pre-booking your tours to ensure you don’t miss out!
When travelling, we use this company to book our tours. Tours include skip-the-line tickets to the world’s most iconic attractions, walking tours by top local experts, immersive food and beverage tours, cooking and craft classes, bucket list experiences, and niche offerings you won’t find anywhere else!
Some of the best tours in Jordan include:
- Scuba diving in the Red Sea ➡ BOOK NOW!
- Private Petra tour with transfers ➡ BOOK NOW!
- Day trip to the Dead Sea from Amman ➡ BOOK NOW!
➡ Check out more tours for your trip here!
7) Do I need a SIM card to travel around Jordan?
Yes, it’s worth downloading an eSIM on your phone to ensure you can use it for directions and avoid roaming charges as soon as you arrive.
ESIMs are easy to download and ready to use within a few minutes of purchasing, so there’s no longer a need to hunt down free Wifi! ➡ You can check out the prices and packages for eSIMs here!
8) Do I need a car to travel around Jordan?
Driving in Jordan is safe and straightforward. Some of the main attractions are a distance away from each other, so to maximise your time in the country, you may want to hire a car.
If you’re looking to hire a car in Jordan, we rent our cars from this company. They’re reliable, cheap and have car rentals all over the world! ➡ You can check out the prices for car hire in Jordan now!
Is Petra worth visiting? In a Nutshell
So, there you have it! Hopefully, I have answered the question ‘is Petra worth visiting?’ for you! When you’re planning a trip to Jordan, make sure you let me know over on Instagram or in the comments below!
If you haven’t seen my blog before, I write posts aimed at first-time backpackers on a budget. I’m currently travelling around the world with my boyfriend (read more here!), creating guides and itineraries for you to follow in our footsteps!
Keep an eye out for more Jordan content, all written from a personal and realistic point of view. You can sign up for my newsletter and juicy travel updates here!
As always, thanks for reading and supporting the blog!
Happy travelling 🙂
Jennie x
Visiting Jordan? Check out my other posts below:
- Is The Jordan Pass Worth It? A Must-Read Before Purchasing!
- Tipping in Jordan: Everything You Need To Know
- Driving in Jordan: The Ultimate Car Hire Guide
- Jordan 7 Day Itinerary: A Perfect Trip to the Middle East
MEET THE AUTHOR!
Hi! I'm Jennie! As a part-time travel blogger based in London, I'm using my 10+ years of travel expertise to encourage & inspire you to step out of your comfort zone through sustainable, mindful and purposeful travel.
If I'm not writing, I'm either reading, drinking coffee or taking a wild swim (all at the same time if I'm feeling impressive).
