Petra Itinerary

1. 6:30aThrough the Siq at opening

   Be first through the gates and walk the 1.2 km canyon as the light slants down the towering walls — the carved water channels, the votive niches, and the hush before the crowds.

   
2. ~7:30aThe Treasury (Al-Khazneh)

   The moment the Siq opens onto the great rose-pink facade — Petra's masterpiece, glowing in the morning sun. Arrive early enough and you may have it nearly to yourself.

   
3. ~9:00aStreet of Facades & the Theatre

   Down the widening valley past the royal tombs carved into the cliff and the Roman-era theatre cut from solid rock.

   
4. ~11:00aClimb to the High Place of Sacrifice

   The stairway up to the clifftop altar for the aerial view down over the whole carved city — about an hour up, and worth every step.

   
5. ~1:00pLunch in the valley

   A simple buffet of mezze — hummus, baba ganoush, fresh khubz, and grilled chicken — at the in-site restaurant, or a Bedouin tea and bread at a cliffside stall.

   
6. 8:00pA Bedouin feast & 'Petra by Night'Anchor table

   Dinner on a hotel terrace — a Jordanian mansaf (lamb on saffron rice with jameed yoghurt sauce), the national dish — timed for Petra by Night, when the Siq and Treasury are lit by 1,500 candles. The marquee experience; book the candlelit night (runs select evenings).

Petra is all about the dawn start — first through the Siq means the Treasury without the crush and the canyon in the best light. Wear real walking shoes; this is a big day on your feet over uneven rock.

Day 1 in photos

1. ~7:30aThe 800 steps to the Monastery (Ad-Deir)

   Start early before the heat — the rock-cut stairway climbs past Bedouin stalls to Petra's largest monument, even grander than the Treasury and far less crowded at the top.

   
2. ~9:30aThe Monastery & the viewpoints

   Mint tea at the cliff-edge cafe facing Ad-Deir, then on to the 'End of the World' lookouts over the Wadi Araba valley toward Israel.

   
3. ~12:00pValley lunch

   Back down for a mezze lunch and a long drink of water — the climb earns it.

   
4. ~1:30pThe Colonnaded Street & Great Temple

   The Roman-era heart of the city — the paved main street, the temples, and the Byzantine church with its mosaic floors.

   
5. ~3:30pThe Royal Tombs at golden hour

   The grand tier of facades — the Urn, Silk, Corinthian, and Palace Tombs — glowing copper and rose as the late sun rakes across the sandstone.

   
6. ~7:30pDinner in Wadi Musa

   Up in the gateway town — a maqluba (the upside-down rice-and-meat pot) or grilled meats and Jordanian wine to close the day.

   

The Monastery's 800 steps are the second great climb — do it early while it's cool. The Royal Tombs are at their most beautiful in the last hour of light, so save them for the late afternoon.

Day 2 in photos

1. ~8:00aLittle Petra (Siq al-Barid)

   The miniature Nabataean canyon just north — carved dwellings and a rare painted ceiling, almost empty, a quiet counterpoint to the main site.

   
2. ~10:00aDrive to Wadi Rum

   South into the desert of Lawrence of Arabia — the Valley of the Moon, where vast sandstone massifs rise from the red sand.

   
3. ~11:30aA 4x4 jeep safari

   A Bedouin-driven jeep across the dunes — rock bridges, Lawrence's spring, ancient petroglyphs, and the towering canyons of the protected wilderness.

   
4. ~1:30pBedouin zarb lunch

   Lunch at a desert camp — zarb, meat and vegetables slow-cooked in a sand oven beneath the desert floor, with flatbread and sweet tea.

5. 5:00pSunset over the dunes

   Climb a red dune for the sun going down over the Martian landscape — the silence and the colour are the whole point of Rum.

   
6. ~8:00pCamp dinner under the stars

   A Bedouin dinner and the clearest night sky you'll ever see from a luxury bubble-tent or camp — the Milky Way edge to edge.

Little Petra is a quick, rewarding stop on the way south. Wadi Rum is best as an overnight (the long-trip option) — the sunset, the stars, and the dawn over the dunes are unforgettable; a day visit catches only the jeep tour.

Day 3 in photos