Jordan · Visitor guide
Choose how many days to explore Petra, then plan your walks, nights in Wadi Musa and journey from Amman or Aqaba.
Make two choices to shape your Petra visit: how many days to explore, then which gateway fits your wider Jordan trip. Days inside the site and nights in Wadi Musa are separate—a one-day visit can still include an overnight stay.
Strategic decision 1
The trails you want decide how many days you need: the Main Trail and Al Dayr fit into two days, while Al Madras and the one-way Back Trail are what a third day buys you.
Swipe the map sideways to see all four routes →
Four routes, one map
Solid line = walking route · dashed = needs a transfer to the trailhead
Main Trail
Al Madras · High Place
Al Dayr · Monastery
Back Trail
Wadi Musa is the town at the site entrance — Petra itself begins at the Siq. Schematic, not to scale; distances and grades follow the official trail directory; arrange transport for the one-way Back Trail.
Official visitor guidesOfficial trails ↗Ticket options ↗
Strategic decision 2
With your time at Petra decided, fit the approach into the rest of Jordan. Amman adds the capital and northern excursions; Aqaba pairs Petra with the Red Sea and Wadi Rum. You can arrive through one and continue towards the other.
City photosAmman — Mahmood Salam (CC BY 2.0)Aqaba — Adeeb Atwan (CC BY 3.0)
Official visitor guidesAmman ↗Aqaba ↗Wadi Rum ↗
Use your two strategic choices to arrange the details: walking routes, accommodation and tickets for your chosen visit length, then transport from your chosen gateway.
One day · protect your time inside Petra
Tactical decision 1 · Walking plan
Start with the Siq and Treasury, then follow the Main Trail towards the Royal Tombs and Qasr al-Bint as time and energy allow. Add a longer climb only after allowing for the walk back and your return transport.
Tactical decision 2 · Nights & tickets
A one-day site visit can still include a night in Wadi Musa before or after. Staying locally helps with an early entry or Petra by Night; ordinary day-trip returns leave before the evening experience.
Two days · divide the sights and longer walks
Tactical decision 1 · Walking plan
Use one day for the main route and another for the Monastery or a different longer trail. Choose routes to suit your fitness, and leave time for the return walk, breaks and weather.
Tactical decision 2 · Nights & tickets
Stay between your two site days and choose a ticket covering both visits. An additional night can make an early start or departure easier. If you want Petra by Night, check the evening date and book its separate ticket.
Three days or more · build a slower walking itinerary
Tactical decision 1 · Walking plan
Spread the main route, Monastery and further viewpoints across separate days. Use the official trail descriptions to compare distance and effort; longer stays do not make steep routes less demanding.
Tactical decision 2 · Nights & tickets
Use Wadi Musa as your base and leave room for rest and changing conditions. Standard official tickets cover one, two or three days; confirm the required entry arrangements if you plan to visit beyond three days.
The options below reflect the gateway you selected above. Match the transfer to your first and last days at Petra.
From my travels
A personal perspective on the visit, and the choices I’d make next time.
Petra as a day trip outside a longer Jordan itinerary, and a long day at that: 25,000-plus steps. I did not see all of Petra — nor even most of it.
I would not do the day trip again. Three days and two nights at Petra, at a moderate pace, is what the site actually needs — a single day leaves most of it unwalked.
The field guide
From the approach to Wadi Musa to the trails inside Petra, plan the journey in the order you’ll experience it.
01 · Arrival
Petra’s entrance is beside Wadi Musa in southern Jordan. Most visitors arrive from Amman or Aqaba; choose the route that fits your flight and how much time you want in the region.
Queen Alia Airport · AMM
From Amman, allow about three hours by the Desert Highway or four hours via the scenic King’s Highway. JETT’s listed Abdali departure leaves at 6:30 a.m. and returns from Petra at 5:00 p.m.; confirm the timetable before travel.
King Hussein Airport · AQJ
Aqaba is closer to Petra than Amman. The official visitor site lists an approximately two-hour public-bus journey; taxis and private transfers can also be arranged locally.
02 · A day visit
A day trip works from Amman or Aqaba, but the long transfer cuts into site time. A tour bundles the ride; going independently lets you choose your transport, with a tighter schedule to manage.
A driver or organized tour can take you from Amman to Petra and back in one day. Expect an early departure and a long return drive; focus on the Main Trail and leave the Monastery or other long hikes for another visit.
JETT lists a direct Amman–Petra service, while a rental car or private transfer gives you more control over departure and return time. Public minibuses are less suited to a same-day visit because their departure and return windows are limited.
03 · An overnight stay
Stay in Wadi Musa and give Petra at least two days. The site is too large for a relaxed visit to its main route and longer hikes in a single day.
Use one day for the Siq, Treasury, Royal Tombs, and the route toward Qasr al-Bint; reserve another for the Monastery or a longer viewpoint trail. Official tickets are available for one, two, or three days.
A night or two in Wadi Musa gives you more room to adjust your plan for heat, rain, or a slower pace. Petra’s visitor rules allow the site or parts of it to close or change hours in bad weather, so check conditions before setting out.
After dark · a reason to stay
Walk the candlelit Siq to the Treasury for an evening experience with storytelling and projections. It is separately ticketed, with selected evening dates rather than daytime admission.
Stay in Wadi Musa if you want to include it: normal day-trip returns leave too early. A specially arranged late return may work, but confirm it with your driver.
Check the official evening dates & tickets ↗Confirm the current schedule before booking your stay. A day ticket or Jordan Pass does not include this event.
Photos Treasury — Anark75 (CC BY-SA 3.0) Event — Mustafa Waad Saeed (CC BY-SA 4.0) Siq — Antoine Taveneaux (CC BY-SA 3.0)
04 · Walks & trails
Petra’s walks range from an easy main route to steep stair climbs and longer one-way hikes. Distances and durations below follow the official trail directory; the listed times are for walking without stops.
This is the classic entrance through the Siq, emerging at the Treasury and continuing past the Theater and Royal Tombs toward Qasr al-Bint. It is an easy 3.9 km one way, listed at about 1½ hours without stops.
From the Qasr al-Bint stairway, this 2 km one-way route climbs roughly 800 steps to ad-Dayr, Petra’s Monastery. The official grade is easy to moderate; allow extra time for the ascent, views, and rest stops.
Start at Siq al-Barid (Little Petra) and hike about 7 km one way to the Monastery via rugged terrain and a final stair climb. The official grade is moderate; arrange transport to Little Petra and plan for the one-way finish inside Petra.
The Al Madras route climbs from near the Obelisk Tomb to the High Place of Sacrifice, then descends through Wadi Farasa. It is listed as a moderate 4.8 km one-way hike, with wide views over Petra and Wadi Musa.
Photos: Siq — Vyacheslav Argenberg, CC BY 4.0; Monastery — flashpacker-travelguide.de (Flickr), CC BY-SA 2.0; Little Petra — Michael Gunther, CC BY-SA 4.0; High Place — Michael Gunther, CC BY-SA 3.0.