Jordan is home to Petra, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Even though I initially came to Jordan for diving, a country with such a rich cultural heritage and stunning desert landscape deserves to be explored above water as well, even if just for a day.
Therefore, we embarked on a day trip from Aqaba to Petra followed by a jeep tour through Wadi Rum. Usually, I prefer to venture out on my own but this time we were invited to a fully organized tour, hence we couldn’t really do our own thing. However, the day trip was absolutely amazing and one of our highlights of Jordan.
Petra and Wadi Rum are located at an elevation of 800 – 1350 meters and should be visited before planned dives or after an appropriate surface interval.We headed to Petra and Wadi Rum right at the beginning of our stay, allowing us to explore the best dive spots in Jordan on the following days without worries.
01 – Petra
The rock city of Petra, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, is located in the southwestern part of Jordan, halfway between the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea.
Thanks to its higher elevation, the temperature is somewhat more pleasant than in Aqaba. At certain higher viewpoints, a cool breeze can even blow in the height of summer which is a welcome relief from the stagnant heat in Aqaba.
Petra was built by the Nabateans around 2000 years ago as the capital of their empire in the Wadi Musa, the Valley of Moses, and was once one of the most significant trading metropolises.
This unique cultural monument has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985 and was named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World in 2007. It is no surprise that Petra is the most famous and most visited attraction in Jordan.
I primarily knew Petra from the “Indiana Jones” film series and social media – there’s that one photo that everyone who has been there shared on social media. And this was my idea of Petra.
When we received a “city map” with our tickets at the visitor center I slowly realized that Petra is much more than just one building. Petra is a vast area with over 800 structures, connected by kilometers of roads and paths. At its peak, Petra housed between 30,000 and 40,000 people.
Some of the most important monuments are well-preserved and can today be visited on the circular trail.
Petra’s structures
THE SIQ
From the visitor center, we start our journey towards Petra. After a roughly 1 km walk, we reache the Siq, the “shaft.” This approximately 1.5 km long gorge is, along with a narrow mountain path in the northwest, the only access to the city and is barely 2 meters wide at its narrowest point.
We walk through the gorge, surrounded by 70-meter-high rock walls that color the entire gorge with their orange and red hues. Along the walls of the gorge, aqueducts ran, supplying water to the city.
At the end of the gorge, behind the towering rock walls, a very special sight awaits us: the Treasury of Petra.
THE TREASURY (AL-KHAZNEH)
This is one of the most famous buildings in the world. The treasury’s impressive façade is entirely carved from stone and is nearly 40 meters high and 25 meters wide. Located at the top of the façade is an urn in which Bedouins believed the pharaoh’s treasure was hidden. However, the Treasury was not a secret hiding place for the pharaoh’s treasures but one of numerous rock tombs.
Unfortunately, you cannot enter the Treasury. And for those who want to explore this building in peace, it’s best to start the day trip to Petra early in the morning, before large crowds make their way through the Siq to the Treasury.
In front of the Treasury, you’ll often be approached by Bedouins offering to take you to a great viewpoint for 5 JOD (approximately 6.40€), just a few minutes walk away – this is where the famous Instagram photo is taken. However, we always politely declined.
Additionally, camels are waiting in front of the Treasury on which you can pose for a few JOD to get your perfect vacation photograph. Surprisingly, there are many children here who help tourists onto the camels, and then, like little social media pros, produce the most fantastic photos and videos with all sorts of effects at a rapid pace. We only watch this hustle from a distance.
THE STREET OF FACADES
We follow the path to the right of the Treasury and walk along a widening gorge. On the left side, large rock facades carved from the cliffs resemble a row of houses – hence the name Street of Facades.
THE ROMAN THEATER
At the end of the Street of Facades, we encounter the theater, which, like other structures, was directly carved from the rock. More than 6,000 people could be accommodated in its 45 rows.
THE Royal TOMBS
Across from the theater at the end of the Street of Facades, you find the Royal Tombs carved into the rock. In total, there are 13 mausoleums, and due to their size and decoration, it is assumed that they were royal tombs.
It’s roughly a 4 km walk from the visitor center to the Royal Tombs. Since we had booked a day trip from Aqaba to Petra and Wadi Rum and had only half a day in Petra, we unfortunately didn’t have enough time to explore the rest of the city. However, I can proudly say we covered 8 km in Petra on this half-day – quite the hike!
Getting from Aqaba to Petra
It takes roughly 2 hours for the 125 km journey from Aqaba to Petra.
JETT Bus
The most budget-friendly and best option if you want to venture out on your own. JETT offers busses with aircon, comfortable seats, and English-speaking guides.
- Departure: daily at 8:00 AM from the JETT office in Aqaba
- Return: daily at 5:00 PM from Petra
- Price: 15 JOD (approximately 19€) one-way, online you can get a good deal on return tickets for 18 JOD (approximately 24€).
Taxi
Unfortunately, this is the only option that gives you flexibility with your schedule.
- Price: around 75 – 100 JOD (95 – 130€) for the ride from Aqaba to Petra
- It is best to order the taxi via your hotel
- If you plan to return by taxi as well, tell the driver when you want to be picked up again
Organized Tour
The easiest and most tourist-friendly option, especially if you don’t want to deal with how to get there. Day trips start from around 124€ and also include entrance fees to Petra.
Opening hours and entrance fees
OPENING HOURS
- summer months (May to October): daily from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- winter months (November to April): daily from 6:00 AM to 4:00 PM
If you want to avoid the crowds, it’s best to arrive in Petra early in the morning.
ENTRANCE FEES
Single-day tickets for Petra are not exactly cheap. If you want to explore the entire city, plan to spend at least 2 days.
- 1-Day Ticket for Petra: 50 JOD (approximately 64€)
- 2-Day Ticket for Petra: 55 JOD (approximately 70€)
- 3-Day Ticket for Petra: 60 JOD (approximately 77€)
For the purchase of multi-day tickets, you should have your passport with you, as these tickets get personalized at the ticket counter. All tickets can be purchased on-site at the visitor center or online through the official website.
Tips for Petra
Here are some tips to make the most of your visit to Petra:
- If you prefer to be away from the crowds, arrive in Petra early in the morning, preferably before 8:00 AM.
- Petra is a desert city, so it’s very sunny and hot. Sunscreen, something to cover your head, and plenty of water are a must!
- Good footwear or hiking boots are essential since you will cover several kilometers here.
- If you want to learn more about the history and culture of Petra consider hiring a guide.
02 – Wadi Rum
On our way back from Petra to Aqaba, we stoped at the unique Wadi Rum.
Wadi Rum is Jordan’s largest desert valley and has been part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2011. The valley is home to several hundred Bedouins, most of whom now largely rely on tourism in Wadi Rum.
Thanks to the unique landscape with its massive rock formations rising from red dunes, Wadi Rum is also known as the “Valley of the Moon”. Hollywood has discovered this extraordinary backdrop, named the movie “The Martian” after the location, and filmed here.
Jeep tour
We arrived at the edge of the valley in the late afternoon and explored the spectacular landscape during a jeep tour through Wadi Rum.
A Bedouin who lives in the valley was our driver and guide. He made stops at fantastic viewpoints to tell us more about the valley and the Bedouin culture. While riding in the Jeep through the desert, passing by various rock formations, you increasingly realize that this landscape has been shaped by wind and weather over millennia and is largely untouched – sooo impressive!
My absolute highlight of the jeep tour through Wadi Rum was the sunset in the valley. We stopped in the middle of the desert to watch the sunset and let ourselves be enchanted by the display of colors. The dunes and rocks were bathed in the most intense shades of red and orange. As the sun sank lower, the colors around us became even more vibrant. It felt somewhat unreal at times – as if walking through a photo book.
After the sunset, we continued to a Bedouin camp where we had a traditional dinner that had been slow-cooked in a pit all day. Various meats, root vegetables, potatoes, cardamom rice, and flatbread – absolutely delicious! This was at the same time our last stop of the jeep tour through Wadi Rum.
Before leaving we hiked up a nearby rock formation to admire the starry sky. In the middle of the desert, with no other sources of light in sight, the night sky looks even more fascinating.
Around 10:00 PM, we left Wadi Rum and made our way back to Aqaba.
Getting from Aqaba to Wadi Rum
The journey from Aqaba to Wadi Rum takes roughly one hour.
JETT Bus
Again, the Jett bus is the most budget-friendly and best option if you want to venture out on your own.
- Departure: daily at 8:00 AM from the JETT office in Aqaba
- Return: daily at 6:30 PM from Petra
- Price:15 JOD (approximately 19€) one-way, online you can get a good deal on return tickets for 18 JOD (approximately 24€).
Taxi
If you want more flexibility with your schedule you need to travel by taxi
- Price: around 20 JOD (around 27€) for the ride from Aqaba to Wadi Rum
- It is best to order the taxi via your hotel
- If you plan to return by taxi as well, tell the driver when you want to be picked up again
Entrance fees and tour prices
The entrance fee to Wadi Rum is 5 JOD (approximately 7€). Wadi Rum is a vast desert valley where you can easily get lost without a guide, which can be dangerous given the extreme temperatures. Therefore, it’s advisable not to venture out on your own but instead book a guide or a jeep tour.
Most jeep tours start from the visitor center in Wadi Rum, and various tour options are available. It’s best to book your tour in advance online.
- Half-day tours start at around 40€.
- Full-day tours start at approximately 60€.
- Full-day tours with overnight stays in Wadi Rum are available from about 92€.
Tips for Wadi Rum
Here are some tips to make the most of your visit to Wadi Rum:
- The temperature in the valley can vary quite a bit throughout the day, so it’s a good idea to wear multiple layers that you can easily take off or put on.
- Be sure to bring a camera – it’s worth it!
- There’s hardly a place more desert-like than Wadi Rum, so sunscreen, something to cover your head, and plenty of water are essential!
- The Bedouins in the valley are very friendly and appreciate visitors who show interest in their culture and the landscape.
03 – Discovering Jordan: In a nutshell
Petra is impressive, not only the well-known structures but the entire city. The long gorge you must pass through to reach the city, the steep rock walls in various shades of red, and above all, the monuments carved into the rock. I had no idea how immense Petra is. To see the entire city, we unfortunately didn’t have enough time; even a full day is likely still quite ambitious.
Wadi Rum is enchanting – in its very own way. The weather-sculpted rocks amidst the endless dunes give you a sense of freedom. And the red and orange colors of the desert, especially at sunset, are enchanting! I must admit, Wadi Rum was my Jordan highlight. I don’t know why, but I fell in love with this little piece of desert. More than with the stunning underwater world – as a diver, this never happens… But yes, on my next visit to Jordan, a jeep tour through Wadi Rum at sunset is again at the very top of my list.
