Day Trip to Petra Jordan: Everything You need to Know

For many travelers, visiting Petra, Jordan is high on their Bucketlist. However, there are often concerns of safety, border crossing, and reliable tour companies. This article will denounce your hesitations and prove why you MUST take at least a day trip to Petra. Read this post before planning your trip so you have all the facts squared away of what to do and see for a mystifying, once-in-a-lifetime experience.

WHAT IS PETRA?

The city of Petra, Jordan is one of the most famous archeological sites in the world dating back into the 1st century BC when it stood as the capital of the Nabataean Empire. The civilization continued to thrive until 363 AD when a large earthquake left much of the city in shambles. By the 7th century, it was nearly deserted by all.

It wasn’t until 1812 when a Swiss explorer named Johannes Burckhardt, dressed as a Muslim scholar, forced his Bedouin guide to take him to the lost city. Petra was finally “rediscovered” and tourism quickly picked up. In 1985, Petra officially became a World Heritage Site.

The fact that any of its opulent temples and burial sites have stood the test of time after all these centuries makes it one magnificent world wonder.

Petra is also known as the Rose-Red City because of the color of the stone that covers the valley, in which all homes and tombs are carved into.

IS PETRA SAFE TO VISIT?

The simple answer is, yes! There are no travel warnings in Jordan. When booking through a tour company, all groups are accompanied by a police officer. Once you get to Petra, you’ll have time to explore on your own. Even without the group, you’ll feel extremely safe as 90% of the visitors are tourists as well. Like any foreign country, you must be aware of your surroundings and try to avoid dressing too flashy. You will experience a bit of haggling, but with a simple “no thank you”, they will stop nothing you. Below you’ll find more information about what to wear and bring with you.

WHERE DO YOU LEAVE FROM FOR A DAY TRIP TO PETRA?

There are two main tour pick-up locations when visiting Petra: Tel Aviv or Eilat. We chose to spend a couple nights in Eilat exploring the Red Sea and leave from here for two main reasons.

1. Tour prices can be $200/person less.
2. The day excursion is much shorter with less drive time.

Whether leaving from Tel Aviv or Eilat, you should expect a very early start to your day. Tel Aviv tours may pick up from your hotel as early as 4am, and Eilat closer to 7am.

All the information provided below will be referencing our experiences leaving from Eilat. However, much of the tour company and day trip to Petra information translates no matter where you’re leaving from.

WHAT TOUR COMPANY DO YOU RECOMMEND?

There are a number of dependable tour companies that provide day trips to Petra. We weighed both price and rating into our search and decided to go with Desert Eco Tours. While no organized day trip to Petra is super budget-friendly, this company was definitely on the cheaper side. The tour group charges 25% of the $249 cost when you first book. Then, they collect the rest on the morning of your trip. This price includes your entrance to Petra, which is normally 50 JD ($70) for a 1-day pass. However, it does not cover your Jordan visa.

Desert Eco Tours also offers visitors the opportunity to stay a night in Jordan. This way you can have more time to explore Petra over the course of two days – all the ruins can’t be seen in a day trip to Petra, unfortunately. The price for this tour add-on includes your accommodations, dinner and breakfast. You have the option of sleeping at a hotel with air-conditioning or continuing your adventure with an overnight stay in a Bedouin camp.

If you book with Desert Eco Tours, make sure to request Mohammad as your tour guide. He’s not only knowledgeable, but kept us in stitches with his wit and humor. His passion for his homeland and showing off the exquisite ruins was infectious.

DO YOU NEED A VISA TO VISIT JORDAN?

YES! A single-entrance visa costs 40 JD ($56 USD). What you may not find online though, is that there is also a service fee of 50 JD ($69 USD). You can either bring $125 USD cash to pay to the border officers upon arrival, or Desert Eco Tours charges you $133 by credit card.

I have searched online to see if you can purchase a Jordanian visa ahead of time for less money. While there are several websites that sell them, they all seem to be more expensive.

WHAT IS THE BORDER CROSSING LIKE?

Remember passport, passport, passport – you can’t cross the border without it! You can expect long lines at the Jordan border crossings during the work week from Monday-Thursday, as thousands of Jordanians come across for work each day; some say the wait can be up to 2-hours. We choose Friday, which to our pleasant surprise, meant almost no lines since that Sabbath begins later that day. It also happened to be Ramadan when we visited.

I’m not going to lie, it was a bit of an eerie feeling as you cross through two checkpoints with high barbed wired fences – almost like being in a James Bond movie during a prisoner exchange.

DRIVE FROM THE BORDER TO PETRA

The drive takes about 2-hours to Petra, but your guide will constantly be pointing out towns and archaeological sites along the way to make the trip pass quickly. You’ll be in awe as you watch wild herds of camels roam around the desert and Bedouin tribes tending their flocks of goats. You might even be lucky enough to see some desert donkeys who have decided it’s better to break away on their own than be forced into hard labor by dwellers.

During your ride, you will pass the red desert of Wadi Rum where Lawrence of Arabia was filmed. Look over the town of Wadi Musa and see in the distance the shrine of the grave of Moses’ brother, Aaron.

WHAT TO SEE IN PETRA

Below are the top sites to visit for a day trip to Petra, as well as what to see if you extend your time.

OBELISK TOMB & BAB AS-SIQ TRICLINIUM

Almost immediately after entering through the visitor gates, you’ll be greeted by Petra’s majestic beauty. The Obelisk Tomb features Egyptian influence with its 4 pointed obelisks and is perched above the triclinium (dining room). This is one of several spaces that ancient dwellers used for annuals feasts to celebrate the dead.

SIQ CANYON

You’ll start your day trip to Petra with about a mile hike through the 660-ft high walled Siq Canyon before reaching Petra’s wonders of rock and light. The Nabateans carved this elaborate city out of sandstone rock during the 3rd century BC as a trade route for the caravans bringing spices, jewels, gold and slaves. One interesting thing to notice as you walk through Siq Canyon are the channels cut into the rocks that once held pipes to bring water to this dry desert community. What a remarkable feat of this ancient society!

TREASURY

As you emerge from the canyon, you’ll come face-to-face with the Treasury, a royal tomb, and by far, the most famous structure in Petra. Notice as you pass by on your return how the color of changes throughout the day.

STREET OF FACADES & THEATER

As you continue your journey along the Petra route, you’ll come across the Street of Facades. Here you’ll see numerous tombs and homes carved into the sandstone over 2000 years ago. At the end of these facades, you’ll reach the Roman Theater that was most likely used for religious ceremonies. 

HIGH PLACE OF SACRIFICE

There are several High Places of Sacrifice, which get their names from the animal sacrifices and religious ceremonies that took place upon these ridges to honor the gods. The Nabateans had a keen sense for engineering for the time, so they even managed to build a channel for blood to flow down the mountainside. From here, you’ll find the best views overlooking the valley and central path. You can also ascend by donkey for about JD 10 one way.

ROYAL TOMBS

If you’re only doing the day trip to Petra, your final stop will be the six Royal Tombs. Just past the theater, you’ll ascend up some rock-carved stairs to admire these spectacular tombs each dedicated to various kings of the empire. Inside the Urn Tomb, you’ll find a myriad of natural rock designs that change color with light.

If you plan on walking back to the entrance of Petra from the Royal Tombs, plan for about 1-hour as it’s slightly uphill.

   For those staying for more than one day, you’ll continue for lunch at a main restaurant in Petra before being turned loose to wander the ruins at your leisure. If you can tolerate the heat, continue heading down the path to explore the Colannaded Street, Great Temple, and Monastery. The exquisite Monastery is perched at the top of 800 stairs and is said to have served as an important church for those making a pilgrimage during the Byzantine Era.

HOW MUCH DO THE CARRIAGES COST?

If the sun and desert heat have sapped your energy from your day trip to Petra, you can choose to ride in a carriage pulled by a donkey for 20 JD roundtrip per two persons from the Treasury. It’s 40 JD for a trip to and from the museum. You can also choose to ride a horse for 5 JD part of the way. There’s also a caravan of camels ready to give you the thrill of a lifetime from 15-20 JD per two persons.

TRIP BACK TO ISRAEL

The air conditioned shuttle will be waiting at the entrance to Petra to take you to a traditional Jordanian lunch/dinner buffet at an all-you-can-eat restaurant with a stunning view over Wadi Musa. On your trip back, you deserve a little quiet time after your exciting, strenuous day of extraordinary memories. Grab a nap or enjoy your final gaze over this incredible arid terrain. After your border crossing back to civilization, you’ll be taken back to your hotel around 7pm.

After a quick shower or a dunk in the pool to get rid of the desert sand and sweat, you might enjoy a final drink on the boardwalk as you watch the sunset over the Red Sea at Mika Beach or any one of the other cute cafes lining the promenade.

WHAT SHOULD I WEAR?

Make sure to check the anticipated weather before leaving Israel as temperatures can be drastically different than Eilat. During the summer, you can expect high 90’s so packing light, breathable clothing is essential. During winters, temperatures during the day can be in the 50’s. It’s always important to dress modestly and respectfully. While you will see people wearing shorts and tank tops, I’d recommend the following: t-shirts and long-sleeves, harem pants, leggings, or knee-length dresses/shorts.

You MUST wear a good pair of hiking shoes as the paths are all dirt and cobblestones. While it is a relatively flat hike, you’ll be walking over a mile just to reach the infamous Treasury royal tomb.

You should also wear a hat and/or scarf for protection and modesty.

Attire is very similar to what I recommend for backpacking through beautiful Havasupai Falls.

WHAT ELSE SHOULD I BRING WITH ME?

Sunscreen is a MUST! There are shaded areas to escape the sun but most of the main trail is in direct sunlight.

INSIDER TIP: Don’t feel like you need to exchange money for Jordanian dinar. Bring some $1’s, $5’s and $10’s in US dollars as they want American currency at all the little souvenir and trinket shops. All around Petra, you’ll find little tents set up by Bedouins who are selling artisan crafts, clothing like hattahs (head scarves) and jewelry. Ask your tour guide where is the most honest place to buy souvenirs during your visit. 

Make sure to bring Kleenex because the minute you cross the border into Jordan, you probably won’t find any toilet paper in the bathrooms.

You’ll be given a large bottle of water from the tour company, and there are ample amounts of vendors along the Petra route for food, snacks and drinks.

TRAVELING TO PETRA ON YOUR OWN

If these tour prices are scaring you off, alternatively, you can travel to Petra on your own. Check your options for multi-day stays as some of your visa and park entrance fees will be reduced.

Petra is open from 6am – 6pm during the summer and 6am – 4pm during the winter. The recommendation is to arrive as early as possible to avoid the crowds and heat. You can purchase tickets, hire a guide, and inquire about any additional information at the Visitor Center, which is located at the main entrance.

There are many ways to get to Petra on your own depending on whether you are coming from Amman, Aqaba, or one of the borders. Your best option would be to fly into Aqaba and take the 2-hour public bus which leaves from the market in the town square. INSIDER TIP: If you fly into Aqaba, you will be granted a free one-month visa by the Aqaba Special Economic Zone. Traveling from Amman can take up to 6-hours if you’re traveling by bus. Get more information about transportation for a day trip to Petra (or longer) here.

Petra Tour guides are available for hire ranging from 50-100 JD depending on the distance and amount of people in your group. You should not pay more than 100 JD even if the guide is taking you all the way to the Monastery and back.

INSIDER TIP: If you stay at least one-night in Jordan and visit Petra on your first day, you can get a 40 JD refund when passing back over the border into Israel. You must show proof of accommodations and visit to Petra on day 1.

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Credits – Writing: Ricki Shaw Sherlin & Shanelle Sherlin. Photography: Steve Sherlin & Shanelle Sherlin