EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE VISITING PETRA, JORDAN
After our recent trip to Jordan with Abraham Tours we have been bombarded with questions about our visit to Petra. What was the weather like? Is it safe to visit? How much are tickets?
For all those wanting to visit this incredible place we have gathered our most frequently asked questions and put together this blog post sharing everything you need to know before visiting Petra. If you have any other questions that we did not answer feel free to pop them in the comments section and we will answer them for you!
Read more: The Best Way To Explore Petra & Jordan
How To Get There
You can catch public transport from Amman and Aqaba, or you can hire a car and drive. Petra is a three-hour drive from Amman and just under two hours from Aqaba.
However, we highly recommend a group tour. That way you know you have a safe way of getting there and back, plus you will have a guide who can help take you through Petra and share Petra's incredible history with you. We travelled through Jordan and Petra for 3 days with Abraham Tours - would totally recommend it!
Where To Stay
During our time in Petra we stayed at an amazing budget-friendly accommodation which was essentially a Bedouin campsite. The cost of this place was included in the tour we did, but if you were to go on your own it will only cost you around 35 US a night.
If you are looking for more of a 5 star experience than we recommend Mövenpick Resort Petra located right at the entrance of Petra, but is much more pricier.
How Much Are Tickets
When we visited in August 2017, a one-day ticket to visit Petra costs 50 JD (around 70 USD). A two-day ticket costs 55 JD and a three-day ticket costs 60 JD. Children under 12 enter for free.
Also, remember to take your passport in order to purchase your ticket!
What Time Does Petra Open & Close
The Petra Visitor Centre is open every day from 6am to 6pm during the summer and 6am to 4pm in the winter. At the center there is a place to buy tickets, arrange a guide or pick up a map of the site.
There was no exact closing time, however instructions at the front gate say you need to leave the site by 7pm in summer and 5pm in winter.
Best Time Of Year To Go
Petra is a fairly hot, dry place in the summer with temperatures reaching 36 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the ideal time to visit would be spring (March-May) or autumn (September-November).
We also recommend getting to the site as early as possible. Our group arrived at 8am and avoided lots of the big tours. It can get extremely hot during the day so we recommend doing the bigger treks in the morning and late afternoon.
Is There Food & Drink Inside Petra
Yes. There are a couple of restaurants and cafes inside Petra. We suggest grabbing a map when getting your tickets which pin point all the food and drink areas. Our favourite spot was the Cave Bar next to The Monastery.
How Long Does It Take To Get To The Treasury
From the main entrance you will need to walk through the Siq, which is a dim, narrow gorge that winds its way to the Treasury. It is around 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) and took us around half an hour by foot.
How Long Does It Take To Get To The Monastery
The way to the Monastery is quite the hike. It took us around 1.5 hours from the basin area to reach the Monastery. Just a heads up, you will have to hike up 800 rock cut steps to get there (but once you make it the hike is SO worth it, and there is a cool cave bar serving iced drinks so just think about that as you make your way up!)
What Sites Are A Must
If you only have a day like we did (make sure you start your day super early) we recommend you see The Siq, The Treasury, The Monastery, (stop for lunch), than head to the High Place of Sacrifice and end at the Royal Tombs. It is ALOT, and our feet were very tired by the end of the day so if you have the chance try stay a couple of days.
How Safe Is Petra
With thousands of tourists visiting Petra without issues every day, we felt completely safe during our visit to Petra. As the Bedouin tribes that live in and around Petra are totally reliant upon tourism economically we feel there is a great deal of respect for tourists who do come and visit. We met many locals during our visit and all seemed friendly and never felt like we were bothered or pestered into buying things like many other countries we have visited.
Also, being a group tour made us feel that little extra secure. All tour groups in Jordan are accompanied at all times by members of the tourism police. This is generally in order to help with any bureaucratic issues that can arise during a tour but also provides an added sense of security for visitors to Petra.
Is There Wifi & Toilets In Petra
Yes & yes! We were surprised to find wife at many cafes we stopped at when a well deserved break from hiking was needed. We also found it easy to find toilets, just remember when you decide to hike up to The Monastery or to the Treasury view-point you wont find toilets along the way, so go before you hike.
We hope you found this post useful, and if you have any more questions please leave them in the comment section below :)