How to Reach Petra
The nearest major airport is Queen Alia International in Amman, Jordan. Petra (Wadi Musa) is about 3 hours by road. The JETT bus runs daily, or hire a private taxi. Many visitors combine Petra with Wadi Rum desert and the Red Sea coast at Aqaba.
The Jordan Pass includes your visa fee and multi-day Petra entry — it saves significant money and is essential for most international visitors.
Top Things to See & Do
1. The Siq & The Treasury
The approach through the Siq — a narrow, winding canyon of towering rose-red cliffs — is one of the great dramatic journeys in travel. When it opens to reveal Al-Khazneh carved directly into the cliff face, the gasp is involuntary.
2. The Monastery (Ad Deir)
Even larger than the Treasury, the Monastery requires a climb of 800 rock-cut steps. The effort is absolutely worth it — and the views from the top across the surrounding mountains are staggering.
3. The Royal Tombs
High on the cliff face beyond the Colonnaded Street, the Royal Tombs are illuminated gloriously at sunset in shades of amber and rose that no camera adequately captures.
4. Petra by Night
Three evenings a week, the Siq is lit by hundreds of candles leading to the Treasury, where Bedouin music fills the night air. A genuinely magical experience unlike anything else.
5. Little Petra (Siq al-Barid)
A smaller, quieter version of Petra just 8km north — largely free of crowds and free to enter. The painted dining room ceiling with its Hellenistic frescoes is a hidden masterpiece.
What to Eat Near Petra
- Mansaf — Jordan's national dish, lamb slow-cooked in fermented dried yogurt over rice
- Falafel and hummus — extraordinary quality throughout Jordan
- Zarb — Bedouin underground barbecue, slow-cooked in a sand pit, a feast in itself
- Knafeh — warm cheese pastry soaked in rosewater syrup, the king of Middle Eastern desserts
Best Time to Visit
Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November) are ideal — comfortable temperatures for walking extensive distances. Summer is extremely hot; winter can be cold and occasionally snowy but eerily beautiful.
