Petra by Night

Petra by Night is a recurring evening experience at Jordan’s most iconic archaeological site, running every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday throughout the year. The event takes visitors through the Siq — the narrow 1.2-kilometre rock gorge that forms the main entrance to the ancient city — and into the Treasury plaza, with the entire route lit by approximately 1,500 candles placed along the path and arranged around the Treasury facade.

What happens

Gates open at 8:30 pm, and the walk from the main Petra visitor centre through the Siq to the Treasury takes around 20 to 25 minutes at a relaxed pace. Once assembled in the Treasury plaza, visitors sit on the ground in front of the carved facade for a short programme of traditional Jordanian music and Bedouin storytelling, performed against the candlelit backdrop of one of the most recognisable carved facades in the world. The entire event runs until around 10:30 pm.

The experience is atmospheric rather than informative — there is minimal commentary about Petra’s history during the event itself. What it offers is access to the Treasury at a time of day that daylight visitors never see, under candlelight rather than harsh afternoon sun, with the Siq rocks glowing in the warm light. Photographs taken here are among the most striking available at any site in Jordan.

Tickets and booking

Tickets for Petra by Night are sold at the main Petra visitor centre (visitpetra.jo) and through authorised tour operators. The price as of recent editions has been approximately JOD 17 per person for visitors who already hold a standard Petra entry ticket, or JOD 27 for those purchasing access solely for the evening event. Confirm current pricing at the visitor centre or via the official Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA) website, as pricing is reviewed periodically.

The event can fill up on popular dates, particularly during the spring and autumn shoulder seasons. Advance booking is recommended for visits in March through May and September through November.

Practical tips

Wear comfortable walking shoes — the Siq path is uneven in places and cobbled in others. Bring a light layer even in summer, as the canyon retains cool air at night. Photography without flash is permitted and produces better results than flash in candlelit conditions. Arrive at the gate 10 to 15 minutes before 8:30 pm to avoid crowding at the entrance. Petra by Night works well as an addition to a full daytime visit to the site; our Petra city guide covers the main daytime highlights and how to structure a visit.

To get more from your time at Petra, book a guided daytime tour of Petra through GetYourGuide — guided access to the Treasury, Monastery, and High Place of Sacrifice sets up the Petra by Night experience with far more context than going in cold.

The Treasury in candlelight

The Treasury - Al-Khazneh in Arabic - was carved into the rose-red sandstone cliff face in the first century CE, most likely as the royal tomb of a Nabataean king. During the day the facade is striking but subject to the harsh and variable Jordanian sun; at night, with only the lower columns and pediment lit by candles and the upper carved tier disappearing into darkness, the proportions read very differently. The figures carved into the niches - now heavily eroded but originally depicting deities drawn from Nabataean, Greek, and Egyptian religious traditions - cast longer shadows in the candlelight. The overall effect is closer to how the monument would have appeared to ancient travellers arriving by torchlight after crossing the desert.

The Treasury plaza is large enough to seat a few hundred visitors comfortably on the ground. The programme is timed to let your eyes fully adjust to the candlelight before the music begins - if you sit in the front third of the plaza, the Treasury facade fills the entire upper portion of your field of view without any surrounding context to diminish it. Bringing a small folded blanket or cushion for the ground is practical for the 45 to 60 minutes of sitting time.

Combining with a full Petra day

Petra by Night works best as the second half of a full day at the site rather than as a standalone visit. Arriving at Petra at opening time (6:00 am in summer, 8:00 am in winter), covering the main colonnaded street, the Treasury up close, and either the Monastery trail or the High Place of Sacrifice route, then returning to Wadi Musa to rest and eat before the 8:30 pm start, makes for a long but complete day. Going in at night without the daytime context means walking the Siq past rock formations and carved facades you cannot see - which is a different, more austere experience, but one that benefits from prior orientation.

Our guide to visiting Petra for the first time covers entry fees, what to prioritise, and how to manage a full-day visit efficiently. Browse hotels in Wadi Musa for accommodation within walking distance of both the daytime entrance and the Petra by Night visitor centre.