PETRA · Jordan
Light falling between the sandstone walls of the Siq

Before you go

Plan a visit

Everything that decides whether Petra is a rushed photograph or a whole unhurried day in the canyons.

Essentials — tickets, hours & passes

Entry
50 JOD one day · 55 JOD two days · 60 JOD three daysOfficial Petra site — visitpetra.jo →
Hours
06:00 – 18:00 summer · 06:00 – 16:00 winter
Petra by Night
Monday, Wednesday, Thursday · 20:30 from the gate · 17 JOD extraCheck the current night schedule →
Jordan Pass
Bundles Petra entry with the tourist visa waiver — buy online before you fly (70–80 JOD)Buy the Jordan Pass — jordanpass.jo →
Tourism board
Country-wide planning, opening notices and licensed guide listingsVisit Jordan →

Carts, horses & rides

Fares are set by the Petra authority but almost always negotiated in practice. Treat these as what you should expect to pay, confirm the price out loud before you start, and carry small notes.

A saddled horse waiting on the track between Petra's gate and the Siq
Horse, gate → Siq entrance

Only the short stretch to the Siq. Handlers expect a tip of 3–5 JOD.

Included in your ticket
A horse-drawn carriage moving through the Siq at Petra
Horse-drawn carriage, gate → Treasury

≈ 25–30 JOD one way. Carts move fast in the Siq — walkers should keep right.

≈ 40 JOD return, per carriage (2 people)
An electric golf-cart shuttle carrying visitors through the Siq
Golf-cart shuttle, visitor centre → Treasury

The step-free option; buy at the kiosk beside the gate, not from touts.

≈ 20 JOD one way · 30 JOD return, per person
Donkeys with woven saddle blankets waiting at the foot of a carved rock stairway
Donkey, Treasury → Monastery or Al-Khubtha steps

Steep stone stair. Welfare varies — refuse thin or sore animals.

≈ 20–25 JOD one way
Camels resting on the sand in front of Petra's carved facades
Camel, Treasury ↔ Colonnaded Street

Agree the exact route and price before you sit down.

≈ 10–20 JOD, short photo ride

When to go

Spring wildflowers below the red sandstone cliffs near Petra

March – May

Wildflowers in the wadis, 20–28 °C, the best all-round window. Book beds early.

June – August

35 °C+ and hard shade only in the Siq. Enter at opening, leave by noon.

September – November

Warm stone, low light, thinner crowds after mid-October. Excellent for photography.

December – February

Cold mornings near freezing and occasional flash-flood closures — pack layers.

Getting there

Desert highway winding through Jordanian mountains toward Petra

From Amman

3 hr via the Desert Highway, 4.5 hr via the King's Highway with stops at Karak and Dana.

From Aqaba

2 hr north; easy to combine with a night in Wadi Rum on the way.

Staying

Wadi Musa sits at the gate — a five-minute walk to the visitor centre.

Wear closed shoes with grip: the last stretch to the Monastery is uneven rock stair. Horses, donkeys and carts are offered throughout the site — welfare standards vary, and the walk itself is the better experience.

Where to stay

Wadi Musa hotels lit up on the hillside above Petra at dusk

Wadi Musa is the town at the gate, and where you sleep decides how easily you make the 06:00 opening. Every name below links straight to its Booking.com page.

At the gate

  • Mövenpick Resort Petra

    Upper mid-range

    ≈ 2 min to the visitor centre

    The only full resort directly opposite the gate. Best choice if you want to be through the Siq at 06:00.

    View on Booking.com →

  • Petra Guest House Hotel

    Mid-range

    ≈ 1 min to the visitor centre

    Closest beds to the entrance, with the Cave Bar next door in a Nabataean rock tomb.

    View on Booking.com →

  • Petra Moon Hotel

    Mid-range

    ≈ 5 min to the visitor centre

    On Visitor Center Street; reliable early breakfasts and shuttles to Wadi Rum.

    View on Booking.com →

Hilltop & views

  • Mövenpick Nabatean Castle Hotel

    Upper mid-range

    10 min by shuttle

    Quiet hillside sister property with a pool and long views over the wadi.

    View on Booking.com →

  • Petra Marriott Hotel

    Upper mid-range

    10–15 min by car

    Cliff-edge position on the Taybeh road — the best sunset terrace in town.

    View on Booking.com →

  • The Old Village Resort

    Upper mid-range

    10 min by car

    Restored stone village houses with a spa; very quiet, needs a taxi for dawn entry.

    View on Booking.com →

  • Hayat Zaman Hotel & Resort

    Mid-range

    15 min by car

    Vaulted stone rooms on the Taybeh ridge, strong for couples and slow evenings.

    View on Booking.com →

Town & budget

  • Edom Hotel

    Budget

    15 min downhill walk

    Long-running town hotel on the main street, near the bus stop and restaurants.

    View on Booking.com →

  • Rocky Mountain Hotel

    Budget

    20 min downhill walk

    Backpacker favourite in upper Wadi Musa — terrace views, free lifts to the gate.

    View on Booking.com →

  • La Maison Hotel

    Budget–mid

    10 min walk

    Simple, clean and central; good value if you plan long days on the trails.

    View on Booking.com →

Desert & Little Petra

  • Seven Wonders Bedouin Camp

    Budget–mid

    20 min by car to the main gate

    Beside Little Petra, at the top of the Back Door trail. Stargazing and Bedouin dinners.

    View on Booking.com →

  • Petra Bubble Luxotel

    Mid-range

    25 min by car

    Transparent domes near Little Petra — a night sky room rather than a Petra base.

    View on Booking.com →

Prices and availability shift hard between March–May and midsummer — check dates on Booking.com before committing to an itinerary.

Official sources

Prices and hours change. Confirm anything on this page against the Jordanian government bodies that manage Petra before you travel.

Common questions

How much does it cost to enter Petra?
Entry is 50 JOD for one day, 55 JOD for two consecutive days and 60 JOD for three. Petra by Night is a separate 17 JOD ticket. The Jordan Pass (70–80 JOD) bundles Petra entry with the tourist visa waiver.
What are Petra's opening hours?
The gate opens at 06:00 and closes at 18:00 in summer and 16:00 in winter. Petra by Night runs Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, starting 20:30 from the visitor centre.
How much are the horses, carriages and golf carts in Petra?
The short horse ride from the gate to the Siq is included in your ticket (tip 3–5 JOD). A horse-drawn carriage to the Treasury runs about 40 JOD return per carriage, the golf-cart shuttle about 20 JOD one way per person, a donkey up the Monastery stair 20–25 JOD, and a short camel ride 10–20 JOD.
When is the best time of year to visit Petra?
March to May is the best all-round window at 20–28 °C. September to November has warm stone and thinner crowds. Midsummer exceeds 35 °C with little shade, and December to February brings near-freezing mornings plus occasional flash-flood closures.
How do you get to Petra from Amman?
About 3 hours via the Desert Highway, or 4.5 hours on the King's Highway with stops at Karak and Dana. Aqaba is 2 hours south, easy to combine with Wadi Rum.
Where should you stay to visit Petra?
Wadi Musa is the town at the gate; hotels closest to the visitor centre are a five-minute walk and make the 06:00 opening easiest.