Petra is the rose-red city half as old as time, carved by the Nabataeans into Jordanian sandstone more than two thousand years ago. This guide covers Petra Jordan tickets and the practical details, because the site is vast, roughly 60 square kilometers, and a single rushed day sells it short. Many visitors combine it with the Dead Sea for a contrasting final stop.
What to See Inside Petra
The experience begins in the Siq, a 1.2 km narrow gorge whose walls pinch to a few meters before opening dramatically onto Al-Khazneh, the Treasury. Beyond lie the Royal Tombs, the Roman-style theatre cut from rock, and the sprawling Great Temple. The Monastery, Ad-Deir, sits at the top of 800 rock-cut steps and rewards the climb with a facade even larger than the Treasury’s. Allow a full day for the lower sites and a second for the high places.
Petra Jordan Tickets and Hours
| Ticket | Price (approx) | Valid | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-day entry | 50 JD (foreigner) | 1 day | Quick visits |
| 2-day entry | 55 JD | 2 days | Most travelers |
| 3-day entry | 60 JD | 3 days | Photographers |
Jordan Pass holders, bought before arrival, often get Petra entry included with the visa, a real saving. The site generally opens around 6 a.m. in summer and 6:30 a.m. in winter, closing near sunset. The Petra by Night candlelit walk is a separate ticket and a different, atmospheric mood.
The Treasury Hike and Best Time
The classic frame of the Treasury from above, the viewpoint hike, leaves from behind the Royal Tombs and climbs 20 to 30 minutes. Go early for soft light and fewer sellers. Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) bring bearable heat; summer afternoons regularly top 35°C, so carry water and a hat. The stones radiate heat, and shade is scarce past the Siq.
Where to Stay Near Petra
Wadi Musa, the town at the gate, holds everything from hostels to five-star cave-style resorts. Staying walking distance from the visitor center lets you enter at opening. For a different landscape, the Dead Sea resorts sit a few hours north and make a soothing finale after desert walking. Travelers extending the trip often add Taj Mahal, Jaipur (Amber Fort), Kerala Backwaters, Goa, Angkor Wat, Mount Fuji, and Kyoto Temples (Fushimi Inari) across a longer Asia and Middle East ticket.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many days do I need at Petra?
Two days lets you see the lower city and climb to the Monastery without rushing. One day covers the highlights only.
Is the Jordan Pass worth it?
For most visitors yes, because it bundles the visa and Petra entry and pays off if you also visit other sites.
Can I ride a donkey or camel?
Yes, but agree the price firmly before mounting. Many animals are overworked, so consider walking.
When is the best time to visit Petra?
Spring and autumn. Winter is cold but clear; summer is brutally hot by midday.
Where do I check Jordan entry rules?
Use the official Jordan immigration and embassy websites for current visa requirements before travel.
History and the Nabataean Genius
Petra was the capital of the Nabataeans, Arab traders who controlled the incense and spice routes between Arabia and the Mediterranean from around the 4th century BC. They were master hydraulic engineers, carving channels, cisterns, and dams into the sandstone to harvest flash floods in a desert that gets under 200 mm of rain a year. The city was absorbed by the Roman Empire in 106 AD and later faded after trade routes shifted and earthquakes struck. Rediscovered by the West in 1812 through the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, it joined the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1985 and was named a New Seven Wonder in 2007.
The Siq, Little Petra, and Wadi Rum
The Siq itself is a geological marvel, a fault line narrowed by millennia of water into walls up to 180 meters high, lined with carved niches and the remains of an aqueduct. Beyond the Treasury, the route to the Monastery climbs past tomb facades and Bedouin tea stalls. Little Petra, a smaller carved outpost fifteen minutes north, is free and nearly crowd-free, ideal for a sunset wander. The Dead Sea sits a few hours north for a buoyant float, and Wadi Rum’s red desert makes a natural overnight between the two, with jeep camps under the stars.
Guides, Light, and the Practical Stuff
Licensed guides at the visitor center explain the carving techniques and the difference between Nabataean and Roman work, worth the fee for context. The light is harsh by noon and magical in the first two hours after opening; the Petra by Night walk, lit by thousands of candles, is theatrical but offers little actual sightseeing. Wear real hiking shoes, not sandals, for the Monastery steps. For a different kind of monument, Taj Mahal and Jaipur (Amber Fort) in India, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Kerala Backwaters, Goa, Mount Fuji, and Kyoto Temples (Fushimi Inari) all extend a longer Asia and Middle East itinerary with their own definitions of scale.
Beyond the Treasury
The Treasury is only the opening act. Past it, the Street of Facades lines the main colonnaded path with tomb fronts, and the Roman Theatre, carved for 3,000 spectators, shows how thoroughly the Nabataeans absorbed Greek and Roman form. The Royal Tombs, a row of monumental facades including the Urn, Silk, and Corinthian, are the most photographed after the Treasury, and you can step inside several. The Great Temple complex hints at a civic heart, not just a necropolis. A newer visitor center, opened this past decade, streamlines ticketing and houses a modest museum of finds, so arrive there first rather than negotiating the old gate.
Film, Neighbours, and the Practical Stuff
Petra’s recognizable silhouette earned it a role in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” which still draws a stream of visitors expecting the canyon run. The Neolithic village of Beidha, a short drive north, predates the city by millennia and shows the region’s deep human roots. For a calm overnight, Wadi Rum’s protected desert, with its sandstone towers and Bedouin camps, sits two hours toward the Dead Sea, and the two combine naturally into a southern Jordan loop. If you extend the ticket into Asia, Taj Mahal and Jaipur (Amber Fort) in India, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Kerala Backwaters, Goa, Mount Fuji, and Kyoto Temples (Fushimi Inari) each add their own monument-and-city rhythm to the same long trip.
The Visitor Center, Night Walk, and Photos
Start at the modern visitor center west of the gate, where tickets, maps, and a small museum set the stage and spare you the old roadside confusion. The Petra by Night experience, held on select evenings, lines the Siq and Treasury with thousands of candles and Bedouin music; it is atmospheric rather than informative, so treat it as a mood piece, not a sightseeing pass. For the classic Treasury frame from above, the viewpoint trail behind the Royal Tombs climbs twenty to thirty minutes and is best at first light before the glare. The newer accessible route and horse-drawn carriages help travelers with limited mobility cover the long, flat approach to the Siq. After Jordan, Taj Mahal and Jaipur (Amber Fort) in India, Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Kerala Backwaters, Goa, Mount Fuji, and Kyoto Temples (Fushimi Inari) each extend a longer Asia and Middle East itinerary with their own sense of scale.
Petra rewards the unhurried. Buy the right ticket, enter at first light, and let the sandstone reveal itself one facade at a time. More monument guides sit in our Travel Attractions archive.