Family Days in Petra and Wadi Musa
Travel advisory, October 2026: Jordan is affected by the wider regional conflict involving Iran that began in 2026. At the time of writing, the US State Department rates the whole country Level 3, “Reconsider Travel”, and Level 4, “Do Not Travel”, for the borders with Syria and Iraq and a few named areas. The UK FCDO advises against travel only within 3 km of the Syrian border and gives no warning for Petra, Wadi Musa or Wadi Rum. Petra and Wadi Musa are open, but flights can be disrupted and conditions can change at short notice. Read the US State Department advisory and the UK FCDO advice before you book and again before you fly.
Petra suits families who pace themselves. Children under 12 enter free in daylight, and the main route is a gentle downhill walk. Prices are in Jordanian dinars (JD).
Getting to the Treasury
The walk from the Visitor Center is about 2 km: an 800 m approach and then the 1.2 km Siq. Allow 30 to 45 minutes on foot for adults, and longer with small children. If legs tire, the official electric club cars run to the Treasury for 15 JD one way or 25 JD both ways, daily from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm. Very young children ride free, and there is no advance booking. Save the energy for the return walk, which is slightly uphill.
Easy half days
Little Petra is about 8 km north and has no Petra ticket requirement. Its short, flat paths lead to the Painted Biclinium, a rock room with vine and bird paintings. Beidha, a Neolithic village with round houses, shares the car park. Both are free and quiet, and they make a good second morning.
Rest and indoor options
The Petra Museum sits next to the Visitor Center. It is air-conditioned and a useful midday break, so check its opening hours that day. Petra Kitchen, on Tourism Street inside the Petra Boutique Hotel, runs an evening cooking class for 35 JD per person. Classes begin at 6:30 pm from March to October and at 6:00 pm from November to February. Book ahead at petrakitchen.com , and ask whether children can join.
Wadi Musa has no public pool. The Mövenpick Resort Petra, beside the gate, and the Petra Marriott are reported to have outdoor pools.
Heat, floods and water
June to August is hot and shadeless, often 35 to 40 C or more. Spring and autumn are more comfortable for children, and winter nights are cold at about 1,000 m. Carry 2 to 3 litres of water per person in summer, and use bottled or filtered water as a precaution. The Siq is a drainage channel. Flash floods have forced evacuations, including in May 2025. Follow rangers at once, and never enter the Siq in or after heavy rain.
Start back well before the park closes. The UK FCDO reports that tourists have been locked in Petra overnight. Closing falls between 4:00 and 6:00 pm depending on the season, so check the day.
Animals and the Monastery
Horses, donkeys, mules and camels work in the park, and welfare groups have documented overloading and beating. Skip the rides, even for tired children, and use the club car instead. The Monastery needs 800 or more steps each way, so most families stop at the Treasury and the Street of Facades. Plan rest stops rather than pushing on.
Booking and next steps
Compare family-friendly tours at Viator in Wadi Musa . For planning the walk, read more: Petra walking routes and sightseeing in Wadi Musa .