What to Do and Where to Stay

For hundreds of years, the 2,300-year-old city of Petra, Jordan was largely abandoned and uninhabited. Today, welcoming around a million visitors per year, it’s one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Middle East.

Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984, Petra is known for its iconic pink sandstone, its (at-the-time) advanced irrigation system, and elegant rock-cut tombs and temples. It was a major trading hub for the region up until the beginning of the 700s A.D., when a major earthquake destroyed much of the city. Deserted until 1812, it was rediscovered by Swiss explorer Johann Burckhardt, though nearly 80 percent of Petra still hasn’t been excavated or explored.

“Petra is a draw for people because it is such an important historical site [especially as] a major hub for trading along the Silk Road,” Jasmine Padda, a Kensington Tours destination expert, told Travel + Leisure. “Petra acted like the center of the world.”

The ancient city encompasses more than 64,000 acres and it’s impossible to see the entire site in just one day — travelers should definitely pack their best walking shoes.

“You can spend three entire days exploring every nook and crevice, and [it’s best] to do it with a guide,” Padda said, “A lot of travelers prioritize and focus on the Treasury, but many of the beautiful viewpoints that require hiking and trekking are overlooked.”

From must-see sites to the best places to hike, stay, and eat, here’s everything you should know before planning a trip to Petra.

How to Get into Petra

Entry tickets to Petra are required and prices vary depending on whether you’re taking a day trip or have a reservation with a local hotel. If you are just visiting for the day, tickets will be 90 Jordan Dinar (around $127) per person. For those staying in town, expect to pay:

• 50 JD (about $70) for a one-day entrance ticket
• 55 JD (about $78) for a two-day entrance ticket
• 60 JD (about $85) for a three-day entrance ticket

Children under 12 can visit Petra for free. Admission can be purchased in-person at the visitor center or in advance online.

If you’d like to attend Petra By Night (which takes place on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays beginning at 8:30 p.m), you will have to buy a ticket to the event (17 JD) in addition to daytime admission.

Best Hotels and Resorts

Mövenpick Resort Petra

This upscale property has one of the most desirable locations in the area and is just steps away from Petra’s entrance gate. There are 185 rooms, all of which have hardwood floors, a balcony, and a complimentary minibar. Mövenpick Resort Petra has two on-site restaurants, Al Saraya and Al Iwan. Head to Al Saraya for a sumptuous (and free) breakfast buffet and to Al Iwan for fine Jordanian and Mediterranean dining. For a quiet place to take in the views (perhaps with a drink), visit the rooftop terrace.

Petra Marriott Hotel

On a cliff overlooking the city, each of the 100 rooms at the Petra Marriott Hotel has incredible views of the mountains and valley below. Guests can expect amenities such as 24-hour room service, daily housekeeping (including a turndown service), free Wi-Fi, and an outdoor pool. There are three on-site restaurants at the Petra Marriott, but the Al Matal Tent stands out and offers a place where travelers can indulge in Jordanian dishes and listen to music under the stars.

Petra Guest House Hotel

This boutique property, which is tucked away into the cliffside near Petra’s entrance, has 41 guest rooms and 31 chalets — all are air-conditioned and overlook the surrounding mountains. However, the real draw of this hotel is the popular Cave Bar, a choice watering hole and hangout spot for travelers passing through the area.

Memories Aicha Luxury Camp

This luxury tented camp is two hours south of Petra but is well worth the drive. The property takes glamping to the next level with 55 elaborate tents, which have each been decorated with a colorful riot of patterned fabrics and extravagant chandeliers. For a truly awe-inspiring experience, book a Panoramic Luxury Suite — they’re outfitted with domed floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the desert landscape and are perfect for stargazing in the pitch-black evenings.

Best Restaurants

My Mom’s Recipe

Feast on traditional Jordanian dishes at My Mom’s Recipe, located in the heart of Petra. Expect menu items like grilled meat plates, lentil soup seasoned with a healthy dose of aromatic spices, maqluba (a rice dish served with chicken, eggplant, and cauliflower), as well as the unofficial national dish of Jordan, mansaf, a lamb and rice dish often served with yogurt and flatbread.

The Basin Restaurant

This full-service restaurant is situated near the end of the Main Trail at the base of the Monastery and has a daily lunch buffet packed with salads, pasta, and more. Travelers can choose to eat out on the terrace and enjoy the view or they can take their meal inside (in the air conditioning).

The Cave Bar

The Cave Bar is housed within an ancient Nabataean tomb and claims to be the oldest bar in the world. It’s festooned with details like doric columns and decorative stonework — there’s even an old funerary chamber. In the evening, the stone walls get a moody blue light treatment and guests can order beers, arak (a traditional, distilled anise liquor), or creative cocktails like the Al Wadi, a sweet mix of golden rum, triple sec, blue curaçao, and lemon juice. Though it typically closes around midnight, it’s not unusual for the Cave Bar to stay open until the wee hours of the morning on busy summer nights.

Al Matal Bedouin Tent

You can find this unique dining experience within a traditional black-and-white tent at the Petra Marriott. As they relax on low-slung, burgundy couches, diners can feast on platters of meze (think appetizers like olives, stuffed eggplant, and meatballs served with bulgur) as well as slow-cooked meats spiced with Jordanian herbs, all while listening to the sounds of traditional Bedouin music.

Best Things to Do

Hike in Petra

Petra covers over 100 square miles (that’s around 64,000 acres), and it would take several days to explore every walking path, lookout point, and hidden gem in the area. The most popular hike is the Main Trail, which is the easiest option and runs under 2.5 miles from the visitor center to Qasr el-Bint (Petra’s main temple). The Main Trail will take you past all of Petra’s most notable landmarks including the Siq, Treasury, and Theater. More adventurous travelers should consider the moderately difficult (there’s some elevation gain) Al Dayr Trail, which not only winds past monuments like the Lion Triclinium but also has stunning views of the area’s natural surroundings. The Al Madras Trail is another challenging option, which takes approximately three hours to complete; it was once an ancient pilgrimage route that took travelers to the High Place of Sacrifice.

Petra Kitchen

At this group cooking class, you can learn to cook a variety of traditional Jordanian dishes from fresh tabbouleh to decadent chicken and rice dishes like maqluba. Classes at Petra Kitchen are a communal experience, and everyone helps cook each meal — and also helps eat them at the end. Petra Kitchen makes it a point to use local ingredients, such as olive oil and herbs and donates any leftovers to community organizations. Don’t forget to ask for the recipes once the session is over, so you can recreate them at home.

Petra Balloon

One of the best ways to appreciate the full scale of Petra is from 980 feet above the ground in a tethered helium balloon. Step into the gondola and soar into the air for panoramic views of Rose City and all of its iconic landmarks. Petra Balloon is also the perfect activity for the whole family; this attraction is both stroller and wheelchair-accessible.

Best Time to Visit

To experience the best weather, Kensington Tours destination expert Jasmine Padda recommends that travelers book trips between either mid-September to mid-November or from March to April. Temperatures hover around 70 degrees Fahrenheit around this time of year, which is perfect for those looking to undertake Petra’s more challenging hikes. But, if your goal is to avoid the crowds, Padda recommends visiting from June through August. It will certainly be hot, but the city’s high altitude ensures it doesn’t get quite as toasty as other destinations in the Middle East. A wintertime trip will be cooler, of course, but there are frequent floods during this time of year and — believe it or not — even snow.

How to Get There

The easiest way to get to Petra is to fly into Queen Alia International Airport (AMM), 18 miles south of Amman, Jordan’s capital. Royal Jordanian, which is the national carrier of the country and also a part of Oneworld Alliance, flies direct to Amman from several major U.S. cities, including New York City, Detroit, and Chicago. From Amman, travelers can either hire a car or taxi (it’s about a three-hour drive) to Petra or purchase a JETT bus ticket.

How to Get Around

The most popular way to explore Petra is by simply walking, but there are many ways to get around. Travelers can hire a golf cart to take them from the visitor center to the Treasury — it costs 15 JD (about $21) for one-way passage and 25 JD ($35) for round-trip journeys. Mules, donkeys, and horses are also available to rent. Additionally, Petra has a free shuttle (tipping is encouraged) that can whisk riders from the end of the main trail back to the visitor center; a quick stop at a shopping area between the two points is involved. There are also plenty of restrooms scattered around Petra, as well as several souvenir shops.