How much does Petra by Night cost?

JOD 17 per person as of 2026. This is separate from the standard Petra entrance ticket. If you are visiting Petra during the day on the same day, your day ticket does not cover the night event. You must purchase a separate Petra by Night ticket.

Is Petra by Night worth it?

The short answer is yes, for most visitors — but with caveats. The candlelit Treasury is genuinely atmospheric and the walk through the darkened Siq is something the daytime visit cannot replicate. The trade-off is that the 'show' at the Treasury (live music, brief narrative) is fairly short and basic. Manage expectations: it is primarily an atmosphere experience, not a performance event. The photography — particularly long-exposure shots of candles leading to the lit Treasury — is excellent.

Can you take photos at Petra by Night?

Yes. Photography is permitted and the low-light conditions produce some of the most iconic Petra images available. A tripod is strongly recommended — the candlelight alone is insufficient for smartphone auto-mode at acceptable shutter speeds. ISO 800–3200 and shutter speeds of 2–8 seconds produce clean results. The photographic window is during the seated event at the Treasury, when the candles are densely arranged and the subject is static.

How do I get from Petra by Night back to Wadi Musa?

The exit walk back through the Siq takes about 30–40 minutes. It is the same path you came in on. The lighting is the candle lamps placed along the Siq — they remain lit for the return walk. Taxis wait at the Visitor Centre entrance on Touristic Street; the fare back to Wadi Musa town hotels is approximately JOD 5–7. Walking from the Visitor Centre into Wadi Musa is possible but the road is unlit in sections.

Is Petra by Night physically demanding?

No. The Siq Trail to the Treasury is 1.2 km of relatively flat, paved path. The entire experience — walking in, the event, walking out — is under 3 hours total. No hiking footwear is required, though closed shoes are recommended over sandals on the uneven stone sections.

Petra by Night Guide | The Jordan Guide

Petra by Night takes place three times a week — Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday — and covers the same 1.2km walk through the Siq that defines every daytime visit. The difference is everything else: the canyon walls are lit by 1,500 candles, the narrow passage amplifies sound differently, and the Treasury emerges at the end of the walk illuminated by candlelight rather than sun. It is a different experience from the day visit, not a lesser version of it.

The event runs year-round on its scheduled nights and covers roughly two hours from the Visitor Centre entrance to exit, including approximately 40 minutes seated at the Treasury.

The Schedule and How It Works

Gates open at 8:30pm. The walk begins from the main Visitor Centre entrance on Touristic Street in Wadi Musa — the same starting point as the daytime site. Candle lamps are placed along the Siq from the entrance to the Treasury at roughly two-metre intervals, creating a lit path through the canyon.

At the Treasury, visitors sit on cushions arranged in front of the façade. A brief musical performance follows, typically using traditional Jordanian instruments (oud, flute, tabla). A narrator reads sections from Bedouin poetry in Arabic and English. The seated portion lasts approximately 40 minutes.

The return walk uses the same Siq path. Candles remain lit. Most visitors are back at the Visitor Centre by approximately 10:30–11pm.

Scheduled nights: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

The event runs even in light rain (the Siq walls provide substantial shelter). In heavy rain or strong wind that extinguishes the candles, it is occasionally cancelled — check with the Visitor Centre on the day if there is significant weather.

How to Book Tickets

Option 1: In person at the Visitor Centre. Tickets can be purchased on the day from the Petra Visitor Centre on Touristic Street in Wadi Musa. The ticket office for Petra by Night opens in the afternoon on event days. Cost: JOD 17 per person as of 2026.

This is the most straightforward option. The event rarely sells out for independent travellers walking up — but during peak months (March–April and October–November) and Jordanian national holidays, it is worth arriving at the Visitor Centre by 6–7pm to secure tickets before capacity is reached.

Option 2: Through a tour operator (Petra day tour combos). Many Petra day tours from Amman — particularly multi-day Petra and Wadi Rum packages — include Petra by Night in the itinerary, either as a standalone ticket or bundled into the package price. If you have booked such a tour, your guide will handle the ticket.

Option 3: Online via GetYourGuide or Viator. Several operators list guided Petra by Night experiences that include tickets, return transfers from Wadi Musa hotels, and a guide for the walk. These cost approximately JOD 30–50 depending on the operator and what is included. The advantage is confirmed capacity and no logistics. The disadvantage is price premium over the walk-in ticket. You can browse Petra by Night packages and Petra day tours to compare current options.

Option 4: Via Tiqets. Tiqets lists Petra by Night tickets and combination experiences that can be pre-booked before travel. Useful if you want to confirm a specific Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday date before arriving in Wadi Musa.

Note on Jordan Pass: The Jordan Pass (the tourist package that covers the Petra entrance fee and Jordan visa) does not cover Petra by Night. The night event requires a separate ticket regardless of what pass or multi-day entry you hold.

What to Bring

Warm layers. The Siq is a canyon with limited heat retention. Evenings in Petra — particularly outside the summer months — drop significantly from daytime temperatures. In October through April, temperatures at 9pm can be 10–15°C cooler than the afternoon. A mid-layer fleece or light jacket is essential for the 40 minutes of seated time at the Treasury.

Closed shoes. The Siq path is paved but uneven in sections. The candlelight illumination is sufficient for navigation but not ideal for spotting surface irregularities. Closed shoes with grip (trainers, walking shoes) are recommended over sandals, flip-flops, or dress shoes on the stone surface.

A tripod for photography. The candlelight conditions require either a tripod or very high ISO for usable photography. A lightweight travel tripod fits in a daypack and makes an enormous difference to the quality of Treasury shots. See the photography section below.

Water. The walk is not demanding but the evening air in the Siq is dry. A 500ml bottle is sufficient for most visitors.

A charged phone. Primarily for torch functionality during the walk out, though the candles are sufficient for navigation. Also for the obvious reason of photography.

Photography Tips

The candlelit Treasury is the most photographed scene in Jordan that cannot be replicated in daylight. Getting a clean long-exposure shot requires:

Tripod setup. Place the tripod in the walkway ahead of or behind the main sitting area — the closer to the axis of the Siq, the better the symmetry in the frame. Early arrivals secure the centre positions; later arrivals work from the sides.

Settings. Base ISO 400–800, aperture f/4–f/8 (for depth of field through the foreground candles), shutter speed 4–15 seconds. Bracket exposures to capture different levels of candle flare. At ISO 1600–3200 you can hand-hold at 1/15–1/30sec but noise and blur reduce quality.

Composition options:

Tight frame, Treasury only, candles in foreground leading into the façade
Wide frame, both Siq walls visible, Treasury central, long line of candles receding into the frame
Long exposure star trails (ISO 400, 60–120sec, remote shutter) above the Treasury during clear nights

Timing. The best candlelight density is during the 40 minutes of the seated programme — before the candles start burning lower and spreading. After the performance ends and people begin exiting, the scene becomes messier.

Smartphone alternative. Night mode on modern iPhones and Android phones (Pixel, Samsung S-series) handles the candlelight adequately for social media quality images. Sit in the front row of the seated area, brace against your knees, and use Night mode for 3–6 second exposures. Results are good enough for most purposes but will not print at large size.

Multi-Day Packages That Include Petra by Night

Several Amman-based operators include Petra by Night in their Jordan circuit packages. These typically run 3–5 days and combine Petra (including the night event), Wadi Rum overnight camp, and either the Dead Sea or Aqaba.

Jordan Tracks: Amman-based operator offering a classic 5-day Jordan tour that includes Petra by Night, Wadi Rum jeep safari, and overnight Bedouin camp. GYG rating 4.9/5. Approximately JOD 300–450 per person depending on group size and accommodation tier.

Desert Eco Tours: Specialises in small-group Jordan circuits (maximum 8 people) including Petra by Night tickets in their 3-day Petra and Wadi Rum package. Price approximately JOD 200–280 per person, excluding flights.

MyJo Tours: A local Wadi Musa-based operator offering 1-day and 2-day Petra packages that can be extended to include the night event on Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday. Flexible on dates and group size.

Note: verify current availability and pricing with operators directly — peak season (March–April, October–November) books ahead.

Combining Petra by Night with a Day Visit

Most visitors do Petra by Night on the same day they visit Petra, returning to Wadi Musa in the afternoon to rest before the evening event. This is the most efficient use of your time in Wadi Musa.

If you are on a 1-day Petra visit: time your day tour to finish at the Treasury (coming via the Siq) or the Monastery Trail by 4pm, return to your hotel, eat, and return to the Visitor Centre by 8pm for the night event. This is a long day — 14+ hours of activity — but feasible if you are fit and the itinerary matters to you.

If you are on a 2-day Petra visit: use one day for the main Petra circuit (Siq, Treasury, Colonnaded Street, Royal Tombs) and the second for the Monastery Trail (Al-Deir) or the Back Trail circuit. Schedule Petra by Night on whichever night falls on Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday.

The 7-day Jordan itinerary includes a Petra by Night night in the schedule with specific logistics for those building a full country circuit.

Getting to and from the Event

The Petra Visitor Centre is 15–20 minutes’ walk from Wadi Musa central hotels. Taxis are widely available from Wadi Musa — a standard fare to the Visitor Centre entrance is approximately JOD 3–5 from town centre hotels.

The return journey (after 10:30pm) is by taxi. Several taxis queue at the Visitor Centre exit at the end of the event specifically for this. Agree the fare before getting in — JOD 5–7 to Wadi Musa hotels is standard.

If you are staying at hotels on Touristic Street itself (the street the Visitor Centre is on, which functions as the main Wadi Musa hotel strip), walking is practical — the Visitor Centre is less than 1km from the northern end of the strip.

Petra by Night: How to Book and What to Expect

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