When in Jordan, Petra is an unmissable sight, as it is one of the 7 Wonders Of The World. Are you planning on spending a day in Petra soon?

I’ve recently come back from a trip to Jordan and while I was there, I thought it’d be a great idea to create a guide for a day in Petra! I’ll share with you some of the tips and tricks I learned that’ll help you get the most out of your day in Petra!

Planning before going

Before heading to Petra, you want to make sure to plan your day in advance. First, you’ll need to buy your entry ticket. The best way to do this is to head to the Petra Visitors Center the day prior so that you won’t waste any valuable time the next morning waiting in line!

Here are the admission fees, they vary according to how many days you are planning on spending in Petra:

1-day entry to Petra – 50 JOD, 2-day entry to Petra – 55 JOD, 3-day entry to Petra – 60 JOD

You’ll also want to plan ahead and know which trails you’ll be walking on so you don’t get lost. Good news! You can do this with the map below which is also provided at the Petra Visitors Center.

What to wear

Many people told me that I should cover myself up whilst visiting Petra as it shows respect, especially as a woman. But according to my experience, the dress code is not as important as it seems. I saw a lot of tourists, including women, wearing sleeveless tops and shorts. So it’s up to you how you dress, just know you don’t have to feel pressured to dress in any particular way.

Comfortable shoes are essential! I recommend sneakers because you will be walking pretty much the whole day, going up and down the mountains. On my first day alone, I walked almost 10km! That is a lot of walking! Also make sure that your shoes are not brand new because they’ll be getting very sandy and dirty, don’t want to ruin your new pair of Nikes!

What to bring

I strongly suggest bringing water and snacks. These are most likely going to be your best friend during your trip to Petra. You’ll probably spend your whole day there with no access to food or water so make sure to bring some! I recommend bringing at least 1L of water or more because you can get very thirsty due to how dry it is there. There are places to buy water along the route but I wouldn’t bank on it.

Sun Protection: Sunglasses, a hat, and suncream. These three important things are a necessity due if you want to make your trip more bearable. You’ll most likely be spending the whole day in the scorching sun where it’s very easy to get sunburns which would ruin the rest of your stay in Petra.

A Day in Petra

You should wake up around 4 am – 5 am depending on where you are staying and how long you take to get ready.

You’ll want to arrive at the Petra Visitors Centre around 5:30 am or earlier. I arrived there around 5:45 am and the gates were already open, even though they officially open at 6 am. So if you want to be the first one in then be there half an hour earlier than the official opening time.

Yes, it might be an early start to your day but it is totally worth it since the place will not be overcrowded by all the tourist buses and groups.

The first thing you’ll have to do is walk from the main entrance at the Visitors Center to the entrance to The Siq, which takes about 10 mins.

Once you arrive at The Siq, which is a narrow canyon pathway, you’ll want to travel through it which brings you to the main attraction in Petra: The Treasury. The walk will take about 15-20 mins and when I was there, the longer I walked the more I felt as if at any turn I’d see the Treasury. But as I started to lose hope and think that this trail can’t possibly go on any longer, it suddenly appeared right in front of me.

First stop: The Treasury (Al-Khazneh)

Standing in front of it is definitely one of the best things I’ve ever experienced. After seeing so many photos of it on Instagram and other places, I was actually there, with the whole place to myself!

Use this time wisely and take lots of photos because before you know it more and more people are going to start trickling in, ruining any chance of that perfect shot you had planned in your head.

The best viewpoint of the Treasury

Now you’ll want to head to, in my opinion, the best viewpoint of the Treasury. It can be accessed from about 100 meters on the right-hand side facing the Treasury. There’ll be a path that you can hike up which is a bit steep but it’s worth it once you see the magnificent view from there.

I suggest taking a short break here and taking on the beauty of the Treasury while you eat some snacks and drink some water and get set for the rest of the day.

Second Stop: The Street of Facades and The Theatre

As you start your walk, you will start seeing a row of tombs in the wall which are known as The Street of Facades. You’re able to go and explore them if you want or stay back and enjoy them from afar, I recommend exploring them, which I did because it allows you to see the full scale of these magnificent structures.

A bit further down the path, you’ll find The Theatre which might remind you of Roman-style ruins. To my dismay, you are unable to enter it.

Third stop: The Royal Tombs

Composed of four facades, the Royal Tombs are located on a hill directly opposite the Theatre. You’re able to climb in it and visit the facades which takes about 30 mins to an hour whether you explore it all or not.

The Last Stop: The Monastery (Ad-Deir)

It will take you about 45 minutes to an hour and a half for you to walk from The Treasury to The Monastery. The trail starts off very flat but around 15 mins in, it gets quite steep and rocky, that’s why I recommend sneakers, but once you arrive at The Monastery, it’s all worth it.

Once you’ve arrived, you can take a break at the coffee shop adjacent to The Monastery and enjoy the view.

The best views

Petra By Night: Is it worth it?

You can only experience Petra By Night on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, so make sure to plan accordingly.

You can buy your tickets at the Visitors Centre in the afternoon on the same day (Petra By Night is not included in the day ticket). After the sight closes at 6 pm (winter), 4 pm (summer), head to the entrance of the Visitors Centre to buy them. The price is 17 JOD per person.

There are 2 sessions available: 7:00pm – 8:30pm and 8:30pm – 10:00pm.

Is it worth it? YES! You get to walk through The Siq which is lit with candles. During the show, someone plays the flute and recites poems as you enjoy the candles and sip tea in front of the Treasury which is beautifully lit up. You are only in Petra for a limited time so don’t miss this opportunity!

My Tip: Go to the end of the first session (around 8pm) so that you have the Siq lit up with candles all to yourself. Plus, you get about 5-10 mins to take photos of The Treasury with hardly anyone there before the second session starts and you can get seats at the front for the show! That’s what I did and I was able to get shots like the one below very easily.

The Don’ts of Petra

– Don’t be tempted to take horse, donkey, or camel rides. They trick you in thinking that the ride is included in the entrance ticket cost but it’s not!

– Don’t stroke or feed the stray dogs or cats that are around even if it seems tempting!

– Don’t underestimate the distances! Make sure to give yourself enough time to go back and forth before it closes!

– Don’t risk it for the selfie. To get the best views you have to climb some quite steep rocks. Be careful of the edge and don’t risk it for the gram.

Thank you for reading! I hope you learned something that you didn’t know before! If you know a friend that might benefit from my guide, share it with them below!