Can You See Petra in a Day? Absolutely!
Experience the Magic of Petra in Just One Day
f you’re wondering, “Can you see Petra in a day?”, the answer is yes—though it will be a whirlwind tour of this breathtaking ancient city. During my one-day visit to Petra, I managed to see some of its most stunning highlights. Here’s a look at what you can realistically experience in just a few hours and how to make the most of it.
Getting to Petra
My journey to Petra began bright and early in Jerusalem, with a pre-dawn pickup. After a smooth drive to the Yitzhak Rabin border crossing, I transitioned from Israel into Jordan. The bus ride toward Petra took me through vast desert landscapes and charming Jordanian villages. Though the journey was long, the anticipation built with each passing mile, and by mid-morning, I was standing at the gates of this ancient city, ready to explore.
Can You See Petra in a Day? Absolutely! A One Day Itinerary - Table of Contents
- Experience the Magic of Petra in One Day
- Getting to Petra
- How Much Does Petra Cost?
- A Map of the Trails Inside Petra
- Renting Horses and Golf Carts
- Visiting Petra – A One Day Guided Tour
- Animals at Petra
- Returning from Petra to Jerusalem
- Petra Tours and Packages from Israel
- Support Buzzin’ Around the World – Visit Our Affiliates
- Earning Points and Rewards
- Related Content
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How Much Does a Ticket Petra Cost?
We arrived at Petra around 1:00 PM, eager to start exploring after a very early wake-up at 3:00 AM. Before entering, our guide Kareem took care of purchasing the Petra tickets. Keep in mind, that Petra is one of the more expensive sites to visit, with the following ticket prices:
- One-Day Entrance Ticket: 90 Jordanian Dinars (around $127 USD)
- Discounted Entrance Ticket: 50 Jordanian Dinars (available to visitors spending at least one night in Jordan)
After securing our tickets to Petra, Kareem led us to the entrance, and we began our tour of the ancient city.
A Map of the Trails Inside Petra
With only around four hours to explore, we knew we couldn’t see all of Petra’s attractions. Kareem shared a map of the trails inside Petra, and we decided to focus on hiking the main trail. This route is about five miles roundtrip and typically takes around 3.5 hours. Before setting off, Kareem explained a few guidelines for visiting Petra. Below to the right, you’ll find tips and tricks that can help ensure you make the most of your time at Petra.
Renting Horses and Golf Carts at Petra (Not Actually Free)
The main trail at Petra is fairly easy to hike, with mostly flat terrain. For those who may have difficulty walking or prefer not to, Petra offers transportation options such as riding a horse or using a golf cart. While these services are marketed as “free” or “included” with the Petra entrance ticket, it’s important to note that a substantial tip is generally expected. Personally, I chose to walk and declined the horse ride or golf cart option to reach the Siq, the main entrance to Petra.
Visiting Petra - A One Day Guided Tour
Walking to the Siq
As we walked toward the Siq, a narrow gorge that serves as the official entrance to Petra, our guide Kareem pointed out several key places along the way. Outside the Siq, you’ll find various ancient ruins. Kareem explained that much of this sandstone architecture was likely used to defend Petra. While there’s no consensus on the exact purpose of each cave and structure, he suggested that since they are positioned outside the main entrance, they may have served as the first line of defense for Petra.
The Djinn Blocks at Petra
About halfway between the visitor’s center and the entrance to the Siq stand three massive stone blocks called the Djinn Blocks—also known as the God Blocks. Kareem explained that these ancient blocks have inspired various theories regarding their purpose. Some scholars believe that the Djinn Blocks were carved from sandstone to house protective spirits, which the Nabateans believed would guard Petra at night. According to Kareem, these blocks likely also served as tombs, as one block was found to contain two tombs inside.
The Obelisk Tomb and the Bab Al Siq Triclinium at Petra
Just past the Djinn Blocks, you’ll find the Obelisk Tomb and the Bab Al Siq Triclinium, both integral parts of the Nabataean Burial Complex. The Triclinium not only served as a burial site but also functioned as a dining hall for honoring the deceased. I wish we had received more detailed information about these fascinating structures, but our guide Kareem hurried us along as we were pressed for time and had not yet officially entered Petra.
The "Guide's Cave" at Petra
Our next stop was inside the “Guide’s Cave.” Kareem explained that this cave had been designated for guides to demonstrate the ease of carving into Petra’s sandstone. By simply using his hand, Kareem was able to carve the sandstone without much effort. The Nabataeans likely needed little more than their hands to carve the sandstone.
The Entrance to the Siq
The Entrance to the Siq – At this point, we finally reached the Siq, which is the main entrance to Petra. It took around thirty minutes from the visitor’s center to reach the entrance to the Siq. Although the Siq was created by erosion, the Nabataeans made many alterations to the steep walls of the narrow gorge.
The Water Channels at Petra
One of the issues that the Nabataeans constantly faced at Petra was a lack of fresh water. Kareem demonstrated how the Nabataeans used channels to gather and store water each time it rained.
Carved into the sides of the Siq, the water channels below trapped thousands of gallons of water every time it rained.
The Nabataeans even had a water filtration system. Kareem explained that every 100 meters, these square holes in the side of the Siq’s walls helped filter debris out of the water.
Changing Colors of the Siq
As we continued walking down through the Siq, Kareem explained that the walls of the Siq change colors based on the angle of the sun. It was difficult to get good photographs with all of the shadows, but the photos below show the difference in colors when the Siq is in the shade and sunlight.
In addition to the ever-changing colors of the Siq, I enjoyed looking for vegetation. Even in the harsh environment of Petra, an occasional tree could be found.
Modern Improvements to Petra
Not everything in Petra is thousands of years old. Throughout the years, Petra has undergone a series of improvements to keep tourists safe. Pictured below are modern wires to hold back rocks that could injure tourists. While these wires take away from the beauty of Petra, they are a necessity to ensure the safety of visitors.
Nabataean Makeup - A Demonstration Inside Petra
As we continued deeper into the Siq, Kareem stopped to demonstrate how the Nabataeans used the watered-down clay as a sort of makeup. In addition to being used to decorate their skin, the Petra clay also protected the Nabataean’s skin from the sun and acted as a moisturizer.
Elephants and Camel Carvings
As we continued our walk through Petra’s Siq, Kareem pointed out a few animals that were carved into the walls of the Siq. First, there were multiple elephants. The elephants took a little bit of imagination to see as over a thousand years of erosion had weathered away some of the elephant’s features.
Just past the elephant, Kareem showed us a spectacular relief of four camels. This relief has been damaged over the years, but it is supposed to show four camels with their cameleers. Two of the camels are supposed to be headed away from Petra, and two camels are supposed to be headed back through the Siq towards the Treasury.
The "Beautiful Woman" of the Siq at Petra - Tricked by Our Guide
Just before the Treasury Building, which is the most famous building at Petra, came into view, Kareem asked us if we wanted to see a “surprise.” He told us to go over to the far side of the wall of the Siq and look up towards the walls of the gorge.
Kareem asked us if we could see the “beautiful woman.” None of us could figure out what he was talking about. So, Kareem then instructed us to close our eyes and step back towards the middle of the path. Once we were in position, he told us to turn our heads, face forward, and open our eyes. When we did this, the Treasury came into view.
Kareem had distracted us by asking us to look for the “beautiful woman” so he could position us perfectly to see our first view of the Treasury. As we approached the Treasury, the narrow walls of the Siq opened up, creating a huge open area.
Treasury Building
The Treasury is the most famous building in Petra and is one of the most spectacular architectural structures I’ve visited. Built during the 1st century BC, it is believed that the Treasury originally served as a memorial for royalty or as a tomb.
Other archaeologists believe that the Treasury was built by members of the Egyptian Army that escaped the closing of the Red Sea and contained lost Egyptian treasures. In reality, the Treasury likely was either a temple or a place to store important documents.
The most spectacular part of the Treasury at Petra is the facade. Looking up at the facade, visitors can see architectural influence from the Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians. The biggest influence likely came from the city of Alexandria, which was one of the largest cities in the Mediterranean at the time.
Street of Facades
At this point, we had been in Petra for a few hours. Kareem explained that he would be staying near the Treasury and would answer any questions, as well as point us in the direction of additional attractions. We had about another hour to explore other parts of Petra. I chose to continue walking towards the Street of Facades and the Theater.
Throughout the Street of Facades, the Siq opens up, and the area between the walls is much wider. There are a variety of shops and places to purchase snacks. Near the end of the Street of Facades are public restrooms.
It is believed that most of the caves on the Street of Facades served as monumental Nabataean tombs. To me, the Street of Facades appeared to be something out of the movie Star Wars.
Theater at Petra
With less than thirty minutes remaining before I had to turn around and retrace my steps, I quickly walked through the Street of Facades towards the Theater. The final attraction that I saw at Petra was the Petra Theater.
This magnificent structure was built around the first century AD and seated an estimated 8,500 people.
Although the Petra Theater has Roman influence, it was constructed using the Nabataean technique of carving into the stone. This style is different than Roman theaters, which were built from stone.
The End of the Siq and My Visit to Petra
With limited time, I was only able to walk as far as the Petra Theater. One of the issues with a one-day tour of Petra from Jerusalem is that there is limited time. For tourists that want to see more of Petra, I highly recommend they take a two or three-day tour.
Animals Inside of Petra
My biggest concern during my visit to Petra was the treatment of the animals. The treatment of the donkeys especially worried me as they were being forced to carry people who were much larger than them. Typically, there are weight limits for animals. I weigh close to 300 pounds, and I was constantly being asked if I wanted to ride a donkey or horse. From what I have researched, typically, 250 pounds is the maximum weight for riding a horse.
If you visit Petra, please be careful when riding the animals. Be sure that the animal is being treated humanely and is not being overworked.
Returning from Petra to Jerusalem
It was around 4:30 pm by the time I walked back through the Siq to the visitor’s center. Kareem had instructed us to meet him at the Sandstone Restaurant. This restaurant was less than a five-minute walk from the visitor’s center.
We had thirty minutes to eat before it was time to return to Jerusalem. It took around two hours to reach the Jordan/Israel border, where we repeated the border crossing process.
After re-entering Israel, we got back on the shuttle to Jerusalem. It took another five-plus hours to reach Jerusalem, which included two stops for restrooms and snacks.
Petra Tours and Packages from Israel
For those interested in booking a tour, I have linked one, two and three day Petra tours from Jerusalem. Please note that I am an affiliate of Viator. If you purchase a tour using one of my links, I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no additional cost to you.
One Day Petra Tour from Jerusalem
 Day tour to Petra from Jerusalem - $299.00 A magical day tour in Petra. Choose any date and enjoy a beautiful tour to Petra with pro guides. |
Two Day Petra Tour from Jerusalem
 Petra and Wadi Rum 2 day tour from Jerusalem - $439.00 A magical two-day tour in Petra and Wadi Rum, with pro guides. Pickup/drop off from Jerusalem. |
Three Day Petra Tour from Jerusalem
 3-Day Petra and Wadi Rum Tour from Jerusalem - $588.00 This fully guided 3 day tour from Jerusalem will take you through Jordan’s extraordinary history and past some of its most beautiful natural wonders. Discover the ancient city of Jerash, enjoy a driving tour through the capital Amman, spend a whole day exploring the world wonder Petra and the impressive desert landscape of Wadi Rum! |
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