Private Petra Day Trip from Amman

Petra, the rose-red city of the Nabataeans

Petra was the capital of the Nabataeans, Arab traders who grew rich controlling the caravan routes that carried incense, spices and textiles between Arabia and the Mediterranean. From around the first century BC they carved tombs, temples and halls straight into the sandstone, and built dams and channels to store rare desert rain. Rome annexed the kingdom in AD 106, and a strong earthquake in 363 began the city's long decline.

Today Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Jordan's most visited monument. Is Petra worth visiting on a single day from Amman? Yes: the main valley holds the most famous monuments, and a full day lets you see the essentials with a guide and still have time to explore. Our private Petra tour gives you that day without a fixed group schedule.

The Siq and the Treasury (Al-Khazneh)

The way into Petra is the Siq, a winding gorge about 1.2 kilometres long whose walls rise as high as 80 metres. Look for the water channels cut along its sides, the remains of the original paving and the carved niches for Nabataean gods. The light changes at every bend, and the walk through it takes around 30 minutes at an easy pace.

At the end the gorge opens onto the Treasury, or Al-Khazneh, a facade about 40 metres high carved into the cliff in the first century AD, most likely as a royal tomb. Its columns, statues and crowning urn are remarkably sharp because the narrow valley protects them from wind. Your local guide explains its story and shows you the best angles for photographs.

Street of Facades, the Theatre and the Royal Tombs

Beyond the Treasury the valley widens into the Street of Facades, rows of tombs with stepped tops cut into the rock, and the large Theatre carved into the mountainside, later enlarged in the Roman period. The colours of the stone, from pink to ochre and violet, are at their richest here in the afternoon light.

Across the valley the Royal Tombs form one of Petra's grandest views: the Urn Tomb with its vaulted terrace, the striped Silk Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb and the multi-storey Palace Tomb. A short climb takes you inside the Urn Tomb's great hall. Your two hours with the guide usually end in this area, leaving you free to continue alone along the Colonnaded Street to the Great Temple and Qasr al-Bint.

The Monastery (Ad-Deir) and the high viewpoints

The Monastery, or Ad-Deir, is Petra's largest single facade, around 47 metres high, carved high above the valley and probably used for religious gatherings. Reaching it means a climb of about 45 minutes up rock-cut steps from the end of the Colonnaded Street, so it suits fit visitors with good shoes and enough free time.

The reward is a quiet plateau with views across the Arava valley and the mountains of southern Jordan. If you prefer a gentler afternoon, the viewpoints above the Royal Tombs or a coffee in the shade near the Treasury are good alternatives. Our driver waits for you at the visitor centre, so you decide how much of Petra to see before the drive back.

How to get to Petra from Amman

Petra lies beside the town of Wadi Musa, roughly 235 kilometres south of Amman. The fastest road is the Desert Highway, which takes about three hours by car; the scenic King's Highway is slower and better saved for a multi-day trip. Public buses are limited and leave early, which is why most travellers who ask how to get to Petra from Amman choose a private transfer for a day visit.

With this trip you leave from your hotel, any address in Amman or the airport, ride in your own air-conditioned vehicle with water and Wi-Fi, and stop for coffee or photographs whenever you like. You return to Amman the same evening, so there is no need to change hotels or carry luggage.

Petra opening hours and the best time to visit

Petra opening hours run from early morning, around 6 am, until about sunset, with earlier closing in winter. Arriving in the late morning still gives you several hours inside, and the low afternoon sun warms the colours of the Royal Tombs and the Monastery.

The best time to visit Petra is spring, from March to May, and autumn, from September to November, when days are warm and clear. Summer afternoons are hot and exposed, so pick an early pickup and carry water and a hat. Winter is quieter and can be cool or rainy, and in rare flash-flood conditions the Siq may close briefly for safety. Our team suggests the best start time for your date.