The local people all agree--to properly and fully explore you need five days minimum. While there is certainly enough to occupy yourself for five or more days, two to three days is sufficient to visit all of the highlights in and around the park.
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Distance and Difficulty: The Petra Main Trail is 8km / 5 miles return from the Visitors Centre. Easy walk, largely flat. Allow 3 – 4 hours return, including time to see the sites along the way.
Little Petra is free to visit and takes about 1 hour to go round. Like the main Petra site the buildings are carved from the Sandstone, but mostly smaller, although impressive. So get the most enjoyment out of the site it is best seen before Petra.
How much walking will I have to do to visit Petra? The archaeological site of Petra is pretty massive; it covers 60 square kilometres with differences in terrain and elevation. To walk from the Visitor Centre all the way to the Monastery (the “end” of the site) will take roughly 2 hours at a reasonable pace.
In my opinion, spending 2 days in Petra will give you plenty of time to explore this beautiful ancient city and world wonder. By entering Petra through the Siq on day 1, while taking the back entrance on day 2, there is plenty of variation during your visit.
The trail for the Little Petra to Petra Walk starts at the left of the car park, behind the souvenir shops (it really isn't obvious!). From here the track goes out into the desert following jeep tracks, and you pass by Bedouin tents, goats, camels and the occasional stray dog that loved menacingly barking at us.
Do I Need A Guide Or A Tour? You can totally visit Petra by yourself—we did! If you're visiting several areas in Jordan, a tour guide and driver may simplify things, but it's certainly not a requirement. You can consider hiring a guide at the entrance to Petra, which I would have considered if we'd had more time.
Like I said, Petra itself is not as strict – I personally wore biker shorts (but I wouldn't have worn anything shorter though). You'll be mostly hiking, and even if you take the easiest trail, the main one, it's still better to wear something that is hiking-friendly.
The main sights can be experienced in one full day, but for those who like hiking and exploring off the beaten track, two to three days is ideal. If you want to plan and make the most of your time in the desert, I'm sharing all the details from our two-day adventure trip in Wadi Rum below.
Our Petra & Wadi Rum Day Trip gives travelers staying in Amman and the Dead Sea the opportunity to see the wondrous sites of Jordan all in one day. This adventure will take you to two of the world's most impressive and unforgettable sites.
Wadi Musa – translated to the Valley of Moses – is a town that is set within a valley that surrounds the ancient city of Petra. With a large number of hotels and plenty of local restaurants to match, in recent years Wadi Musa has seen a tourism boom with visitors choosing to use the town as a base to explore Petra.
Monday and Tuesday tend to be the quietest days as many people arrive in Amman on the weekend, then stay a few days in the north and then come to Petra. So usually Wednesday and Thursdays are the busiest weekdays.
Entry into the site of Petra is only permitted to visitors holding valid tickets. These are available at the Visitor Center and can be purchased on arrival. Prices differ for foreigners and locals and a range of ticket types are available depending on the length of stay and number of visits to be made into Petra.
Yes, Petra is definitely worth a trip! It's an incredible archaeological site with stunning architecture that's been carved out of the rocks. You'll be able to visit Petra in comfort with a tour and guide from Amman.
The one-day Petra tours from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem or Eilat return on the same day. 2-day tours can include an overnight stay in Eilat or Jordan and even a jeep safari in Wadi Rum.