Experiencing Petra by Night is one of the most breathtaking ways to see the UNESCO World Heritage site. The magic of the “lost city” comes to life as some 1,500 candles are lit in front of the rock facade and are used to light up the park.
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The Petra by night light show occurs only thrice a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 8:30 pm until 10:30 pm each week. Hence it is advisable to alter your Jordan itinerary so that the day you visit Petra is one of these days in the week.
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.
There isn't a strict Petra dress code as such. It's the biggest tourist attraction in Jordan, so people pretty much wear what they like when they visit Petra, However, bear in mind that the site of Petra is huge, so be prepared to do a lot of walking.
Winters in Petra (December-February) can surprisingly cold perhaps, even during the day. The average temperature is around 10-15°C degrees, but this can go down to 5°C after sun down.
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.
Medium walk, steep with lots of stairs, but not too long (in my opinion, the Petra map says hard). Allow 2 hours return from the start of the Petra Monastery Trail, or 2.5 – 3 hours if you walk a bit slower or want to linger at the Monastery.
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. One day--or worse yet a morning or afternoon--is likely to bring some disappointment to those who have traveled a great distance.
The entrance into Petra is in the town Wadi Musa, a great place to stay overnight when visiting Petra. The walk from the entrance of Petra to the Treasury (the iconic facade that is the highlight on a visit to Petra), is 2km long, or just over one mile.
Petra is gorgeous, but it's teeming with tour groups. Wadi Rum was much less crowded than Petra, and I found it to be a truly peaceful escape. It was more expansive, and I had no problems getting photos of the landscape without people in them.
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.
In more touristy areas (excluding mosques) such as Mount Nebo, Wadi Rum, and Petra, I dressed a bit more liberally (see photos below) and felt entirely comfortable. Our tour guide assured us wearing shorts at these places is totally acceptable and common.
It is fine to travel in Jordan in jeans most of the time, and you can, of course, wear them in Petra as well, in case this is the piece you never leave your home without, but as the visit of Petra requires quite a lot of walking, we think hiking trousers are a much better choice.
While you could do the hiking in a pair of Converse, you'll be more comfortable in shoes with grip. If you're planning on tackling some of the more advanced routes, or even just the 850+ stairs to the Monastery, hiking boots would be ideal.