Petra Tours: Day Trips, Multi-Day Packages, and Hiking Options

Petra is large enough that how you structure your visit matters as much as being there. The Archaeological Park covers more than 264 square kilometres, and even the core historic zone — the area most visitors explore — has enough walking to fill multiple days. A well-planned tour, whether day trip from Amman or multi-day circuit, prevents the most common mistake: rushing Petra in three hours and leaving with the feeling that something important was missed.

Day Tours from Amman

A Petra day tour from Amman is approximately a 3-hour drive each way (260km via the Desert Highway). The round trip leaves roughly 5–6 hours inside the site — enough for the Siq, Treasury, and Colonnaded Street, but nothing more. This is the minimum viable Petra visit, not the recommended one.

Who should do it: Visitors with only one day in Jordan, those on a tight schedule passing through, or anyone who wants to assess the site before returning independently on a second trip.

Who should not: Anyone who wants to hike the Monastery Trail, the Back Trail, or the high viewpoints above the city centre. These require more time than a day tour allows.

Typical day tour pricing from Amman:

• Budget private car + entry ticket: JOD 60–80 per person (2 people sharing a private driver), excluding entry
• Small group day tour (6–12 people, minibus): JOD 45–65 per person including entry and guide
• Private guided tour with qualified Petra guide: JOD 90–130 per person including transport and licensed guide

Key operators running Petra day tours from Amman:

Jordan Day Tours: Amman-based, runs daily departures to Petra. Small group format (max 12). Pickup from Amman hotels from 6:30am, return approximately 9pm. GYG listed, rating 4.7/5. Current pricing approximately JOD 50–65 per person.

Petra Experts (Wadi Musa): Local Wadi Musa operator offering day guide services at the site for groups who arrange their own transport. Full-day (8 hours inside Petra) with a licensed Jordanian guide: approximately JOD 70–90 for the guide fee plus entry tickets.

Mazaj Travel: A mid-range Amman agency with private Petra day tours. Offers sedan or SUV options, flexible departure times. Approximately JOD 80–120 for a private transfer and guide for 2 people.

Petra + Wadi Rum Combo Tours

The Petra–Wadi Rum combination is the most popular 2-day tour in Jordan, and for good reason: the two sites are 120km apart, the drive between them passes through the desert steppe and then into the red sand dunes of Rum, and the contrast between carved Nabataean sandstone city and open desert is striking.

The standard 2-day structure:

• Day 1: Depart Amman, arrive Wadi Musa by noon. Petra afternoon and evening (optionally Petra by Night on Mon/Wed/Thu). Overnight Wadi Musa.
• Day 2: Early Petra entry (6:30am, before tour groups arrive). Drive south to Wadi Rum for a jeep safari and/or overnight Bedouin camp. Return to Amman on Day 3.

3-day variations add the Monastery Trail (Al-Deir) on Day 2 before driving to Wadi Rum, or include a Wadi Rum overnight camp on the final night before a Aqaba or Amman departure.

Named operators for Petra + Wadi Rum combos:

Jordan Tracks: One of the most reviewed Jordan circuit operators. Offers a 3-day Petra + Wadi Rum package including accommodation in Wadi Musa, jeep safari, and Bedouin camp overnight. Approximately JOD 280–380 per person (double occupancy). GYG rating 4.9/5.

Touring Jordan: Amman-based agency specialising in small group circuits. Petra + Wadi Rum 2-night package approximately JOD 220–300 per person excluding flights. Can extend to Dead Sea add-on.

My Jordan Tour: Well-reviewed Amman operator. Private 3-day Petra + Wadi Rum + Dead Sea circuit for 2 people from approximately JOD 450–600 (total cost, not per person, for a private tour). Includes all transport, entries, and accommodation.

Desert Eco Tours: Smaller operator with emphasis on slow travel and small groups (max 6). 4-day circuit including Petra, Little Petra, Wadi Rum overnight, and Dead Sea. Approximately JOD 380–440 per person.

The Main Petra Hiking Routes

The Siq and Treasury (Essential — All Visitors)

The 1.2km walk through the Siq — the slot canyon leading to the Treasury — is not optional. It is the defining approach. The canyon walls rise to 80 metres in sections, the path is wide enough for three people side-by-side, and the Treasury appears at the end through a final narrow gap between cliff faces.

Duration: 2 hours return at walking pace. Budget more if stopping for photography.

Included in all tours as the default Petra route.

The Royal Tombs and Colonnaded Street (Essential — Full-Day Visitors)

Beyond the Treasury, the Outer Siq opens into the ancient city centre: the Colonnaded Street, the Great Temple, Qasr al-Bint, and the Royal Tombs carved into the cliff face east of the street. This section adds 2–3 hours to the basic Siq-Treasury circuit.

Included in all full-day tours.

The Monastery Trail (Al-Deir)

The Monastery (Ad-Deir) is Petra’s second major monument — a carved façade similar in scale to the Treasury but reached by climbing 800 rock-cut steps from the city centre. The ascent takes 45–60 minutes each way.

What makes it worth the climb: The Monastery is visited by far fewer people than the Treasury (the steps deter many). The monument itself is large — the doorway stands 8m high — and the ridgeline above offers the widest views in the Archaeological Park. The walk up passes a series of smaller carved tombs, water cisterns, and a Bedouin tea house approximately halfway.

Duration: 4–5 hours return from the Visitor Centre including time at the top.

Best time: Morning, before midday heat makes the stepped ascent uncomfortable. Early entry (7am) means reaching the Monastery before 9am and having it largely to yourself.

Included in: 2-day Petra tours (typically Day 2 dedicated to the Monastery), all multi-day circuit packages, dedicated Petra hiking day tours.

The High Place of Sacrifice (Zibb Atuf)

A mountain trail climbing from the end of the Colonnaded Street to a sacrificial altar and ridgeline with views over the Petra basin to the west and the Wadi Farasa valley to the south. The descent via Wadi Farasa passes the Garden Temple, the Lion Fountain, and a series of smaller carved tomb facades.

Duration: 3–4 hours for the complete circuit.

Recommended: For visitors with a full day in Petra who want a hiking option above the city centre. Less dramatic than the Monastery in terms of monument scale, but the panoramic views from the High Place ridge are among the best in the park.

The Back Trail (Petra to Little Petra)

The Petra Back Trail connects the main Archaeological Park to Little Petra (Siq al-Barid, a smaller Nabataean site 8km north) via a 10–12km mountain route. The trail is marked but requires navigational ability and a reasonable level of fitness — the distance, elevation change, and rocky terrain make it a committed half-day or full-day hike.

Direction: Most visitors do it from Little Petra south into main Petra (downhill finish), arriving at the Petra Visitor Centre after the walk.

Guided tours: Available from several Wadi Musa operators. A guide is strongly recommended for first-timers on this route — the trail branches in sections and unmarked paths lead to dead ends or exposed ridgelines. Approximately JOD 40–70 for a local guide for the day (guide fee only, excluding transport to Little Petra starting point and Petra entry).

Combined with Little Petra: Little Petra is free to enter and can be visited as the starting point for the Back Trail before being picked up at the main Visitor Centre. Most operators offer this as a combined day.

Choosing a Guide

Petra’s official guide system requires guides operating inside the Archaeological Park to hold a license from the Jordan Tourism Board. Licensed guides must have completed a formal training programme covering the Nabataean history, Roman period, and archaeological context of the site.

For a meaningful Petra experience, a licensed guide is worth hiring for at least the first 3–4 hours, particularly on the Siq and Treasury section where the carvings, water channels, and architectural details require explanation to appreciate fully.

Hiring guides at the Visitor Centre: A guide desk operates at the Visitor Centre where licensed guides can be hired directly. Half-day (3–4 hours) guide fee is approximately JOD 50–70; full-day approximately JOD 80–100. Prices are somewhat negotiable outside peak season.

Pre-arranged guides: Booking through a tour operator generally includes the guide fee in the package price. The advantage is knowing your guide in advance; the disadvantage is less flexibility once inside the site.

Note on horse rides: The horse ride from the Visitor Centre entrance to the Siq mouth (approximately 1km) is technically included in the entry ticket price, but in practice the handlers charge additional fees. The ride is not necessary — the walk takes 15 minutes and is more pleasant. If you want it, agree the price before mounting.

Entry Fees and Passes

Jordan Pass (jordanpass.jo): Covers the Petra entrance fee (1, 2, or 3 days) plus Jordan visa for nationals requiring one. From approximately JOD 70 as of 2026. The most cost-effective option for most visitors who plan to visit Petra for 2+ days.

Standard Petra entry ticket: Without Jordan Pass — approximately JOD 50 for 1 day, JOD 55 for 2 days, JOD 60 for 3 days, as of 2026. International visitors (non-Jordanian residents). Pre-booking through Tiqets or Klook is an option for securing entry and guided tours in advance, particularly useful in peak season (March–May, October–November) when visitor numbers are highest.

Early entry advantage: The Visitor Centre opens at 6am. Arriving at 6–7am puts you inside the Siq before tour groups from Amman arrive (typically 9–10am). The Treasury in early morning light is photographically exceptional and the absence of crowds makes the Siq walk significantly more atmospheric. To book a guided Petra day tour from Amman or a Petra–Wadi Rum combo, browse Petra tours and packages to compare operators and current prices. Booking close to your travel dates? Check last-minute tours in Jordan — availability updates twice daily.

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See also: Petra visitor guide · Things to Do in Petra · Petra by Night · Jordan Pass Guide