Explore with me the ancient city of Petra in Jordan!

I stayed in the Petra area for two weeks, since I was working during the week, and had purchased the Jordan Pass for 3 days in Petra. I wanted to make sure I had plenty of time to explore Petra and use the three days, and also to visit Wadi Rum from my time in Petra.

Did you know that Petra dates back to 300 B.C.? Besides being one of the seven wonders of the world, it’s also a UNESCO World Heritage site and was an important crossroads between Arabia, Egypt, and Syria-Phoenicia.

My first time in Petra

I took the bus to Petra from Amman, and that worked out well. Make sure to book your ticket in advance, because it fills up fast. Things are more expensive around Petra, which is to be expected, and there are a lot of people trying to sell you donkey/camel rides there. There are lots of vendors and a few bathrooms.

I wasn’t sure how safe it would be to explore Petra alone, but it turns out it’s quite safe. Just be wary of all the vendors, special trails that you have to pay to hike on, and bedouin men offering to show you Petra by night (google Petra love scams). I didn’t have any issues at all and was able to enjoy my time.

Top things to do in the desert

I recommend going extremely early since it gets packed with tour buses by around 10 am. I arrived around 7 am every morning when it opened. There are many scams inside Petra, including locals who set up tents to block the views from the “best viewpoints” and charge a fee to enter, along with others. But there are also locals who live in the caves way in the back of Petra and are just going about their normal lives.

Petra is HUGE!

What I didn’t know about Petra before arriving, besides the massive size, is that you enter by a dirt road, walking for a while, to enter a narrow canyon. After about 30 minutes of walking total (after the visitor center entrance) you reach the Treasury, also known as Al-Khazneh. This is also accessible by golf cart or mule ride. From there it’s another 30 minutes or so to the Royal Tombs, and then another 30-45 minutes to the restaurant at the end of the “main path” where you can then start hiking to the Monastery or other trails.

My 3-day itinerary in Petra

Really enjoyed the ability to take three days to explore this site. I still didn’t see it all, but I enjoyed what I did see. At the entrance to Petra, they might ask to see your passport and stamp your ticket. There you can find a map that lists the various trails. Some of the trails are marked, and others aren’t very obvious. It’s very hot with very little shade in Petra, so be sure to bring lots of water and snacks.

Day 1: Lots of walking around!

Spent about 10 hours hiking, all around the main trail, the Treasury (the spot everyone thinks of as Petra), all the way up to the overlook over the Treasury, and the 800 stairs up to the Monastery and beyond. Almost got run over (literally) by a mule coming down the mountain.

I was so exhausted I came back to the hotel and slept for 13 hours. So cool.

Day 2: Exploring new sites

Since my body was completely exhausted from the 10 hours of hiking the day before I decided to take it “easier” and only hiked for 5 hours, which was still plenty to explore new sites within Petra.

Day 3: Last day of hiking

Another 5 hour hiking day. Took advantage of being there at 6:30 am before the large tour groups arrived later in the morning to visit some of the main sites I hadn’t explored too much previously. This meant fewer crowds and also taking advantage of the early morning shade within the Canyon that disappears by mid-morning. You aren’t allowed to go inside the Treasury (the main site you see in photos which is most easily accessed) or the Monastery (at the end of the 800 stairs) but you are allowed to go inside churches and temples and the Royal Tombs.

Solo female travel to Petra, Jordan

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