The lost city of Petra is emerging as one of the most popular places to visit in the Middle East. Petra is an incredible ancient city carved into the rocks in southern Jordan, and the ruins can be explored by walking on foot or riding a camel.

It’s a bucket list item for sure, and we are thrilled to help you plan this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

What Is Petra? What Is The History?

Petra is a lost archaeological city in Jordan where ancient buildings were carved into the rock walls as early as 400 BC.

The most iconic thing at Petra is the Treasury (pictured above), which is known in Arabic as Al-Khazneh. This view is famous because of all the cool photos that appear on Instagram.

But what most people don’t realize is that the Treasury is just one of the buildings. Petra was an actual city, and at one time, it’s thought that almost 20,000 people lived at this hidden city in the rock!

Petra was abandoned in the early centuries AD and became unknown to the world until it was rediscovered by a Swiss explorer in 1812:
 

I was without protection in the midst of a desert where no traveller had ever before been seen…
An excavated mausoleum came in view, the situation and beauty of which are calculated to make an extraordinary impression upon the traveller, after having traversed for nearly half an hour such a gloomy and almost subterraneous passage as I have described. In comparing the testimonies of the authors cited in Reland’s Palastina, it appears very probable that the ruins are those of the ancient Petra.

~Explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt

 
Amazing.. right? No wonder the monuments of Petra have been featured in Indiana Jones and other adventure movies. I mean, just look at it!

Tours To Petra

It’s time you visited one of the seven wonders of the world. We can arrange a tour of Petra for you, with pickup and drop-off at the Amman airport included. Aside from Petra, we can arrange tours that include Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, and more.

Where Is Petra?

Petra is located in southern Jordan, about 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of the capital city of Amman. It’s carved into the rocky walls of a desert canyon just outside the nearest town of Wadi Musa.
 

How To Get To Petra

There is no airport at Petra, so international flights to Jordan will generally go to Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) in Amman city. The drive from Amman to Petra takes about 3-4 hours, and the journey can be made by car (more convenient) or bus (more affordable). It’s also possible to visit Petra overland from Israel. We can arrange tours for you from Tel Aviv.

Map of Petra

Here’s a rough map of the area. You’ll get a copy of this same map when you reach the visitor’s center at Petra.

Map of the Petra area. Courtesy of the Jordanian Tourism official website.

The main path is pretty easy to follow, and you’ll most likely be in the company of other tourists, especially after the sun comes up. The main trail distance (from the visitor’s center to the museum) is 4 kilometers (2.5 miles). There are restrooms and a couple of small restaurants on the main path inside Petra. You can also purchase souvenirs along the way.
 

Dress Code

There’s no strict dress code at Petra, since it’s not a temple or mosque. With that said, Jordanian culture is relatively conservative, so wearing modest clothing in public is a good idea. That would mean wearing something that covers your knees and shoulders. Similar to what I have on in the photos above.

You’ll see lots of camels walking around inside Petra

Distances & Walking Times

Here are some rough estimates for distance and walking times by foot.

They can change of course, depending on your fitness level and how many photo stops you make along the way.

• Visitor’s Center to Siq: 1 km (15 minutes)
• Siq to Treasury: 1 km (15 minutes)
• Treasury To Monastery Trail: 2 km (30 minutes)
• Monastery Trail: 1.5 km (30 minutes)
• Main Trail (Visitor’s Center to Monastery Trail): 4 kilometers
• Visitor’s Center to Monastery: 5.5 kilometers

You can reference the Petra map earlier in this travel blog to see where to find each of these places.

Once inside Petra, you can get around the ruins by riding a camel or walking on foot.

Camel & Donkey Rides

If fitness is an issue, you can pay to ride a horse, carriage, camel, or donkey for different segments of the Petra trail. Donkeys are a popular way to get around there. On my second day in Petra, I decided to ride a donkey back to my hotel because it started raining during the hike.

You can also get a photo taken sitting on a camel in front of the Treasury of Petra.

• The Bab al-Siq

This is an open road in the desert, stretching from the visitor’s center until the Siq (entrance to Petra). The name is Arabic for gateway to the Siq.

On the roadside you’ll pass some of the first carved monuments of the day, with some cool rock houses that look like they belong to Fred and Barney in the Flintstones.

There are some Bedouin guys standing around here giving “free” horse rides to the Petra entrance, but the catch is that they will expect (and demand) a big tip afterwards. Just tell them no thanks and keep walking.

• The Siq

The Siq is the ancient entrance to the city of Petra.

This is a long, narrow pathway (basically like a Utah slot canyon) that leads you to the hidden city. The steep walls on either side of this path are really impressive, and right away they make you feel tiny.

You can ride a horse-drawn carriage through the Siq for a fee if you get tired. Keep in mind that the path is not completely flat, but it’s not steep or exhausting either.

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