Do you have Petra in your bucket list, here are the details of all the important things to know before visiting this ancient city.
Best month to visit Petra: We went in January since we clubbed our visit with our trip to the US. It was a bit chilly and hence I would recommend it if you can plan anytime during Mid March to Early-June it will be the best. The days will be warm but not too hot and nights are cozy.
Must Buy: Jordan Pass @ 75 JD. It gives access to 40 attractions in Jordan. It also covers for your Visa fees (40JD) if you purchase the Jordan Pass before arrival to Jordan and stay a minimum of three nights (4 days). It also gives you 2 consecutive days entry to Petra ( this is a steal if you compare with the 50 JD entrance pass to Petra for just 1 day)
Stay: All hotels are in Wadi Musa, I would recommend staying near the visitor center if you don’t have your own car as it makes it really comforting after the long walk. Few recommendations depending on your budget you can pick & choose:
- Crowne Plaza Resort Petra
- Petra Moon
- Movenpick Resort
- Hotel La Maison
- Cabin Hostel
Time of the day to visit:
The Treasury: I would highly recommend to start early in the morning and be the first one to enter. The doors open at 6 am and it gets really crowded by 8 am itself. Click a few pictures and climb on the top for the classic Petra pics while sitting on the traditional carpets. I would recommend the view point on the right top from the place you enter to the Treasury, you can only reach there with the help of a Bedouin guide and they will charge you around 10 JD (Jordanian Dinar). After this I would recommend heading on to the Monastery if you have the capacity to walk that long.
The Monastery: Treasury to Monastery is around 1.6 miles and you’ll be going through all the other spots so would need enough time on hand. Mind you, the Treasury is just a glimpse of the wonderful landscape & architectural treasure that Petra offers.
Other options: Petra by night: This is where they lit 1500 candles in front of the Treasury, we skipped it but if you want to see this you need to buy a different pass for this as it is not a part of the Jordan Pass and take note that it only happens 3 days per week: Mon, Wed & Thu.
How to reach: We drove from Amman to Petra which took 3 hrs, you can also drive from Aqaba (2 hours drive). Amman & Aqaba are the two international airports and depending on where you land you can plan. There are also Public buses leaving from both these places if you are traveling solo or don’t want to rent a car.