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What day to visit Petra?

The site closes around sunset and the quietest times to visit Petra are usually in the early mornings and late afternoons. Petra is also open on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday nights when the Siq and Treasury are illuminated by candles for Petra by Night.



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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.

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Spring months of March-May and autumn months of September-November is undoubtedly the best time to visit Petra. These months are cooler, comparatively, and also the best one for touring out and exploring some of the iconic sites in and around Jordan.

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Visiting Petra, Jordan during the day is a wonderful experience in itself however at night the experience is quite different and surreal. 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.

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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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If you plan on coming to Petra for only a day, you're missing out on most of the experience. One day in Petra is not enough. In fact, you could spend a whole week in Petra and still find new things to do! Petra is a relic of the past, a living city that transports you hundreds of years back in time.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Start very early and go back in late The best times to visit Petra is at sunrise and sunset. These are the times that are not only the coolest in temperature, but are also the quietest in terms of visitor numbers.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Spring and autumn are the most popular times to visit Wadi Rum, so expect to see many tourists at the popular sites. In March and November the nights can still be pretty cold with a minimum temperature of 5 °C (41 °F), but in the other months night temperatures rise up to 13 °C (55 °F).

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If your time is limited, I recommend taking a one-day tour from Amman. It's a long day — 12 hours — but this gives you six full hours to explore Petra on your own. You can also choose to combine this with a Petra by Night experience or pair your visit to Petra with the picturesque Wadi Rum.

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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.

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While you are not allowed to stay overnight unaccompanied in Petra, you can book a traditional Bedouin cave stay. Most hosts offer the full traditional experience, including dinner cooked over an open fire, the option of sleeping under the stars, as well as transportation back to the park entrance in the morning.

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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.

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Petra can be explored in one day from Amman so don't opt for longer day itineraries if you're limited to budget and time. There're innumerable accommodation options available in Wadi Mousa (the most important city of Petra). A few hotels can also be found in between Wadi Mousa and the close by village of Taybeh.

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