Things to Do in Petra
Prices, opening hours, best times to visit and the stuff nobody tells you, everything you need for a first trip to Petra, Jordan, plus one pigeon's opinions on all of it.
Right, Petra. Carved straight into rose-red rock, entrance through a narrow canyon that makes the reveal genuinely dramatic, an ancient city built by a wealthy Arab trading civilisation that controlled key desert caravan routes, and famous enough today to have starred in its own Hollywood adventure sequence. This is the proper, no-nonsense guide to things to do in Petra: what things actually cost, when to go, what to skip, and which bits are worth the walk. Three main stops below, plus a quiz elsewhere on this site to see if you were paying attention.
The Nabataeans
Petra was carved directly into rose-coloured rock faces by the Nabataeans, an ancient trading civilisation, a wealthy Arab trading people who controlled key caravan routes through the desert, a genuinely significant, if less internationally famous, ancient civilisation, the Nabataeans grew wealthy controlling incense and spice trade routes through the region, and Petra served as their capital, a sophisticated city complete with an advanced water management system that allowed it to thrive in this harsh desert environment.
Understanding this history genuinely changes how you experience the site, this wasn't a temple built for show, it was a real, functioning capital city of a trading empire, worth appreciating this practical, economic foundation alongside the site's obvious visual spectacle.
The Siq
Petra's famous entrance passes through a narrow, winding gorge known as the Siq, a dramatic natural canyon that suddenly opens to reveal the iconic Treasury facade, one of the most dramatic entrances to any archaeological site anywhere, the walls rise up to 80 metres on either side, the walk itself takes roughly 30-40 minutes, and the sudden reveal of the Treasury at the end is genuinely one of the most memorable moments of arriving anywhere on this whole trip.
It's worth entering early morning, both for cooler temperatures and to see the Treasury with softer light and fewer crowds, the site is genuinely one of the most photographed in the world and gets busy as the day progresses.
Best time Early morning
Address The Siq, Petra
The Treasury & Petra's Wider Ruins
Petra's most photographed structure, the Treasury, gained international fame partly through its appearance in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, a famous adventure film sequence filmed right at the Siq's dramatic exit, genuinely one of the most recognisable film locations anywhere, worth knowing the Treasury itself was actually a royal tomb, not a treasury, despite the popular name.
Beyond the Treasury, Petra's wider site holds genuinely extensive additional ruins, a Roman-style theatre, the Monastery (Ad Deir, an even larger facade reached by a strenuous climb up hundreds of steps), and numerous other tombs and structures, worth allowing a full day at minimum to properly appreciate the site's real scale beyond just the famous first view.
Hours Daily, roughly 6am–6pm, shorter in winter
Address Petra Archaeological Park, Jordan
Best time to visit Petra
March through May and September through November give the most comfortable weather for the amount of walking this list involves, mild without summer's intense desert heat.
Summer brings genuinely serious heat, worth avoiding if possible or planning a very early start to beat both the temperature and the crowds if you do visit then.
Getting around Petra
Petra is genuinely a walking site, the Siq and the main archaeological area require covering considerable distance on foot. Horse and donkey rides are available for parts of the route, though walking remains the standard, recommended way to properly experience the site.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Petra worth visiting?
- Yes, unquestionably, genuinely one of the most spectacular archaeological sites anywhere in the world, the Siq's dramatic entrance and the Treasury's scale justify the trip on their own.
- How many days do you need in Petra?
- Two days gives a comfortable pace to see the Treasury, the Monastery, and the wider site properly without rushing.
- Is Petra expensive?
- Moderate, the entry fee is the main planned expense, food and local transport in the surrounding town remain reasonable.
- What is Petra famous for?
- Being carved directly into rose-coloured rock by the ancient Nabataean civilisation, the dramatic Siq canyon entrance, and the Treasury, made internationally famous partly through its appearance in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
That's everything I've got.
A note before you plan around this: prices, opening hours, booking requirements and admission details in this guide were correct at the time of writing, but venues change these often and sometimes without notice. Always check directly with the attraction or its official website before you travel or build a schedule around a specific time or price.
Before travelling to any destination featured on this site, please also check your government's latest travel advice, as safety situations, entry requirements and travel warnings can change.
