Petra Day Trip from Aqaba

Petra, the rose-red city of the Nabataeans

Petra was the capital of the Nabataeans, Arab traders who controlled the incense and spice caravan routes and carved tombs, temples and houses into the soft sandstone of these mountains more than two thousand years ago. After the Romans took over the region in AD 106 the city lived on for centuries, until changing trade routes and earthquakes left it to the Bedouin. European travellers only rediscovered it in 1812.

Today Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Is Petra worth visiting on a day trip? Absolutely: a well-guided three hours shows you the key monuments and explains how they fit together, and you leave with a clear picture of the city rather than a blur of rocks and tombs.

The Siq and Al-Khazneh, the Treasury

Your guided visit begins at the Visitor Centre and follows the path into the Siq, a narrow gorge about 1.2 kilometres long whose walls tower above you. Along the sides you see the channels the Nabataeans carved to carry water into the city, and the remains of rock carvings that once greeted arriving caravans.

Then the gorge opens and Al-Khazneh, the Treasury, appears in front of you, its facade about forty metres high cut straight into the cliff. It was most likely built as a royal tomb in the first century AD, and the name comes from a legend of treasure hidden in the urn at the top. Your guide gives you time for photos and explains the meaning of its carved figures.

The Street of Facades, the theatre and the Royal Tombs

Beyond the Treasury the valley widens along the Street of Facades, a row of tombs cut into the rock, and reaches the theatre, carved into the mountainside by the Nabataeans and enlarged under the Romans. Across the valley stand the Royal Tombs, a line of grand facades that includes the Urn Tomb, later used as a church, and the Silk Tomb with its swirling bands of coloured stone.

The guided tour continues towards the Colonnaded Street, the paved Roman main street, and the great temple of Qasr al-Bint, depending on the group's pace and the time available. Lunch is served in Petra, and the remaining free time lets you return to a favourite spot, browse the Bedouin stalls or simply sit and take in the colours of the rock.

How to get to Petra from Aqaba

Petra lies about 125 kilometres north of Aqaba, roughly two hours by road along the Desert Highway, climbing from the Red Sea coast through wide valleys and mountains to the town of Wadi Musa. The coach does the driving, so you can rest on the way out and doze on the way back after a full day on your feet.

Cruise passengers can reach the pickup hotel easily by the shuttle from the pier, which makes this a practical shore excursion. The best time to visit Petra is from March to May and from September to November, when the days are mild; in summer the heat inside the valley is strong, so carry water, a hat and sunscreen, and pace yourself on the walk back.