Petra: What to See, How Long to Spend, and Where Most Visitors Go Wrong

Petra is in southern Jordan, about 240 km south of Amman. The Nabataeans built it as the capital of their trading kingdom from roughly the 4th century BCE to the 1st century CE, carving hundreds of tombs, temples, and civic buildings directly into the rose-red sandstone mountains. Most visitors allow one day. This is enough to walk the Siq, reach the Treasury, and catch the horse carriage back out. It misses about 80 percent of the site.

How Much Time to Budget

A full day with an early start gets you to the Treasury before the first coach parties (before 8am), through the colonnaded street and Royal Tombs at mid-morning, and still leaves time for the climb to Ad Deir (the Monastery) in the afternoon. Two days makes the visit genuinely comprehensive. The Monastery, reached by 850 rock-cut steps from the main valley, is roughly the same scale as the Treasury but less photographed and more atmospheric – the carved facade is 45 metres high, set in a remote mountain basin. In the early morning or late afternoon, when coach parties have left, you can sit outside the cave-bar at the top and have it nearly to yourself.

The Siq

The Siq is the kilometre-long gorge that forms the main entrance, walls narrowing to 3 metres and rising 80 metres above. The first view of the Treasury facade through the crack at the end of the Siq is the moment every visitor has seen in photographs and that still surprises with its scale in person. Arrive early. The Treasury at 7am, before the horse carriages and tour groups, looks fundamentally different from the Treasury at 11am.

The High Place of Sacrifice

Most visitors reach the Treasury and the main colonnaded street and call it done. The High Place of Sacrifice, up a steep staircase on the Attuf Ridge above the main valley, takes you to a platform where the Nabataeans performed religious rites, with carved altars and drainage channels still visible. The views from the ridge over the whole Petra basin are the best on the site. The descent via the Wadi Farasa passes several carved tombs and a garden terrace before returning to the main valley. Allow 3 to 4 hours for the full loop.

Petra by Night

Three nights per week (Monday, Wednesday, Thursday), the Siq is lit by several hundred candles and visitors walk through to the Treasury where Bedouin musicians play. It is genuinely atmospheric and far more peaceful than the daytime version. Entry is separate from the main ticket, approximately 17 JD.

Staying

Wadi Musa is the town built around the site entrance. The Movenpick Resort Petra is the luxury option, directly at the entrance, meaning zero travel time in the morning – worth paying for. Al Qantarah restaurant near the entrance has reliably good mezza and grilled meats.

Practical Notes

Entry fees: approximately 50 JD for one day, 55 JD for two days, 60 JD for three days. The two-day option is significantly better value. The Jordan Pass, available online before travel, includes Petra entry plus the Jordanian visa fee for most nationalities.

Comfortable closed-toe shoes are necessary. Summer temperatures reach 38 degrees Celsius by midday. March to April and October to November are the best months for comfortable temperatures and manageable crowds.