In short
- If you sleep in Wadi Musa, you do not need a tour — just a ticket or the Jordan Pass, and perhaps a 3-hour guide for the first morning.
- From Amman, a day trip means 6 hours of driving; a 2-day loop with a Wadi Rum night is far more relaxed.
- Check whether the Petra entrance fee is included — usually it is not, and the Jordan Pass covers it.
- Ratings below are GetYourGuide ratings as of November 2026.
Which Petra tour is right for you?
Four ways to do Petra with help, from the shortest to the most complete.
| Top pickGuided walk in Petra | Day trip from Amman | 2-day loop with Wadi Rum | Petra by Night trip | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total time | 3 h | ≈ 13–14 h | 2 days | Evening (+ optional day) |
| Time inside Petra | 3 h guided, then stay all day | ≈ 5–6 h | ≈ 5–7 h | ≈ 2 h (night) |
| Drivinglower is better | ○○○○○ | ●●●●● | ●●●●○ | ●●●●○ |
| Context and stories | ●●●●● | ●●●○○ | ●●●○○ | ●●○○○ |
| Flexibility | ●●●●● | ●●○○○ | ●●●○○ | ●●○○○ |
| Best for | Travellers sleeping in Wadi Musa | Short stays based in Amman | First-timers wanting the big three | Atmosphere lovers |
| See the guided walk | Check availability | Check availability | Check availability |
-
Guided walk in Petra
Top pick- Total time
- 3 h
- Time inside Petra
- 3 h guided, then stay all day
- Driving
- ○○○○○
- Context and stories
- ●●●●●
- Flexibility
- ●●●●●
- Best for
- Travellers sleeping in Wadi Musa
-
Day trip from Amman
- Total time
- ≈ 13–14 h
- Time inside Petra
- ≈ 5–6 h
- Driving
- ●●●●●
- Context and stories
- ●●●○○
- Flexibility
- ●●○○○
- Best for
- Short stays based in Amman
-
2-day loop with Wadi Rum
- Total time
- 2 days
- Time inside Petra
- ≈ 5–7 h
- Driving
- ●●●●○
- Context and stories
- ●●●○○
- Flexibility
- ●●●○○
- Best for
- First-timers wanting the big three
-
Petra by Night trip
- Total time
- Evening (+ optional day)
- Time inside Petra
- ≈ 2 h (night)
- Driving
- ●●●●○
- Context and stories
- ●●○○○
- Flexibility
- ●●○○○
- Best for
- Atmosphere lovers
Our editorial judgement, as of November 2026. Durations are approximate.
Book tours in PetraLive times, prices and free cancellation terms on GetYourGuide.
Check availabilityGuided tours inside Petra
A private guide for the first part of the visit turns a walk past facades into a story about Nabataean water engineering, trade and religion. The tour below includes hotel pickup in Wadi Musa; afterwards you keep exploring on your own with your ticket. Licensed guides can also be hired at the Visitor Centre.
Petra: 3-hour private guided tour with hotel pickup
A licensed guide for the main valley from your Wadi Musa hotel: the Siq, the Treasury and the Royal Tombs, with the stories behind them.
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Day trips to Petra from Amman and the Dead Sea
Day trips leave Amman around 6–7 AM, reach Petra around 10 AM and leave mid-afternoon. They are the right choice when you have just one free day. Private versions let you choose the start time and stay longer; budget versions are mostly transport.
Full-day tour to Petra from Amman
Return transport from Amman with time inside Petra for the Siq, the Treasury, the Street of Facades and the Royal Tombs. Entry ticket or Jordan Pass needed — check what is included.
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From Amman: full-day private tour to Petra
Private car and driver from Amman to Petra and back, so you set the pace inside the site.
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From Amman: private Petra day trip with guide
Private transport plus a guide inside Petra — useful if you have only one day and want context.
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From Amman: Petra day tour
Transport-focused Petra day trip from Amman; good value if you are comfortable exploring the site on your own once inside.
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Private day trip to Petra and Wadi Rum from Amman or the Dead Sea
A private car and driver for the long south run, with pickup from Amman or a Dead Sea resort. Good for families who want their own pace.
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From Amman: Petra and Dead Sea private day tour
Petra in the morning, then down to the Dead Sea for a sunset float before returning north — a long but popular private combination.
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From Amman: Petra and Dead Sea day trip
A group or private long day pairing Petra with a Dead Sea stop on the return.
Check availabilityBook via GetYourGuideTour listings are on GetYourGuide. Prices, times and cancellation terms are shown live on each listing and can change; JordanTravel.com may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Multi-day trips with Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea
The most popular way to see southern Jordan in a short time: Petra on day one, a night in a Wadi Rum camp, then the Dead Sea or back to Amman. See also our Wadi Rum tours.
Amman: Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea 2-day tour
The classic short loop from Amman: a guided day in Petra, a night in a Wadi Rum camp and a float in the Dead Sea on the way back. Rated 4.9/5 from about 1,570 reviews on GetYourGuide (as of November 2026).
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Amman: Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea 2-day tour
A second well-reviewed 2-day loop from Amman covering the big three, with a camp night in Wadi Rum. Compare inclusions with the tour above before you book.
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From Amman: Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea 3-day trip
A slower version of the classic loop with more time in Petra and a night in Wadi Rum before the Dead Sea.
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Amman tour: Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea 2 days with bubble camp
Two-day loop that books you into a domed 'bubble' tent in Wadi Rum for stargazing from bed.
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Petra by Night and transfers
Petra by Night takes place from Sunday to Thursday, 8:30–10:30 PM local time (official site petrabynight.jo, November 2026). If you are not driving, a private transfer from the airport or Aqaba to Wadi Musa is often simpler than buses.
Amman: Petra by Night tour with optional day visit
Transport to Petra timed for the candle-lit Petra by Night programme, with an optional daytime visit first.
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Airport transfer to and from Petra
Private transfer between Queen Alia Airport (or Aqaba) and your Wadi Musa hotel.
Check availabilityBook via GetYourGuideTour listings are on GetYourGuide. Prices, times and cancellation terms are shown live on each listing and can change; JordanTravel.com may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Hiring a guide at the Visitor Centre
Licensed Petra guides can be hired at the Visitor Centre for set routes such as the main trail to the Treasury and Royal Tombs, the Monastery or the High Place of Sacrifice; prices are posted by route. Guides are also available for longer hikes, including Little Petra to the Monastery and Jabal Haroun.
Day trip, overnight or guide on the spot?
The honest answer depends on how many nights you have in the south. If Petra is a single day squeezed into a short trip, a day tour from Amman or the Dead Sea is the least stressful option: someone else drives the roughly three hours each way on the Desert Highway, and you arrive at the gate around mid-morning. The trade-off is time — most day tours give you four to six hours inside a site where the Monastery alone is a two-hour round trip from the city centre.
If you can spare a night in Wadi Musa, you rarely need a tour at all. Hire a licensed guide at the Visitor Centre for the first two or three hours (the Siq, the Treasury and the Royal Tombs), then continue at your own pace. Book the 3-hour private guide with hotel pickup if you prefer to arrange it in advance.
Multi-day loops are the right call for travellers without a car who want Petra, a Wadi Rum camp night and the Dead Sea in two or three days: transport, a camp and usually a Petra guide are bundled, while the Petra entry is usually paid separately or covered by your Jordan Pass.
| Your situation | Best option | Why |
|---|---|---|
| One free day, based in Amman | Private day trip from Amman | Choose the start time; 6 AM departures reach the gate before the crowds |
| One free day, tight budget | Group day trip | Mostly transport; guide time is short |
| Two nights in Wadi Musa | Visitor Centre guide or 3-hour private guide | Expert context, then explore freely |
| No car, 2–3 days for the south | Petra + Wadi Rum multi-day tour | Solves the transport gaps |
| Evening in Wadi Musa | Petra by Night (own ticket) | Sunday–Thursday, 8:30–10:30 PM local time |
What a Petra day tour from Amman really looks like
- About 6–7 AM: pickup at your Amman or Dead Sea hotel.
- Around 9:30–10:30 AM: arrival at the Petra Visitor Centre after a coffee stop on the Desert Highway.
- Late morning: guided walk through the Siq to the Treasury, often continuing to the Street of Facades and the Theatre.
- Early afternoon: free time — enough for the Royal Tombs and the Colonnaded Street, or a fast climb to the Monastery if you are fit.
- About 3–4 PM: meet the driver at the gate; back in Amman in the evening.
Times are typical, not guaranteed; check each listing for the exact pickup time, what the guide covers and whether lunch is included. In winter, when Petra closes earlier, the time inside is shorter still.
Choosing a Petra tour well
- Check whether the Petra ticket is included. If you hold a Jordan Pass, choose a tour without the ticket.
- Ask how long the guide stays with you — some tours guide only to the Treasury.
- Private tours let you leave Amman at 5:30–6 AM; this buys an extra hour inside.
- Confirm the return time if you plan to see the Monastery.
- Wear proper shoes: even a short tour walks 8–12 km.
Ratings shown on tour cards are GetYourGuide ratings as of November 2026; we never quote prices, because they change with season and group size.
Frequently asked questions
Are Petra tickets included in tours?
Usually not. Check each listing; most tours expect you to bring a Jordan Pass or buy the ticket at the gate.
Is a private Petra day trip worth it?
For families or groups of three or more it often costs little more per person than a shared tour and gives you control over timing.
Can you do Petra and Wadi Rum in one day from Amman?
Some tours do, but it means around eight hours in a vehicle and only a few hours at each site. A two-day tour with a night in a Wadi Rum camp is far more rewarding.
Do I need a guide in Petra?
No — the main trail and the Monastery path are clearly signposted. A guide adds context for the first few hours; some back routes (for example the Monastery back trail from Little Petra) are guided only.
Sources and official information
Facts were checked against these official sources in November 2026. Opening hours, prices and timetables change, so confirm before you go.
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