The Petra Archaeological Park covers a vast area that contains many archaeological relics and a unique natural landscape. It will take you a full day to see the main sites inside Petra and longer to explore other attractions and areas off the beaten track.
Visitors to Petra can choose from a number of trails to follow, two of which are guided while the rest require an experienced local guide to escort visitors. The trails are as follows:
SELF-GUIDED TRAILS
Visitors can explore the self-guided trails on their own and detailed trail maps are available at the Petra Visitor Center.
The Main Trail
Start: Visitor Center
End: Qasr El Bint
Duration: 2 ½ – 3 hours (4km)
Grade: Easy
This trail begins by taking you past some fascinating monuments carved out of the rock such as Djinn block tombs, the obelisk tomb and an ancient dam. These lead you into the Siq, a natural narrow gorge that is over a kilometer long. It serves as the main entrance into Petra and is certainly the most dramatic way in. The Siq meanders gently towards the ancient city and opens onto a spectacular view of the Treasury (Al Khazna), an intricate façade that first greets the visitor. The trail then takes you past a street of facades, the theatre, a colonnaded street and ends at Qasr El Bint where you can have your lunch in one of the two restaurants nearby and see the museums located there.
The Royal Tombs Trail
Start: After the theatre
End: Al Khubtha High Place
Duration: 2 ½ – 3 hours
Grade: Easy
This trail is an easy hike and begins when you turn right off the main trail when reaching the restrooms beyond the theater. Follow the staircase up to the Urn Tomb, Silk Tomb, Corinthian Tomb and Palace Tomb, after which you can walk down to the Nymphaeum, the Byzantine church and the winged lion temple and finally reach the museum.
GUIDED TRAILS
Do not attempt any of these trails without a licensed guide. You can hire a guide at the Petra Visitor center.
Umm Al Biyara Trail
Start: Nymphaeum
End: Um Al Biyara
Duration: 3 – 4 hours
Grade: Hard
This trail begins 150m before the Nymphaeum and turns left past the Great Temple and Pharaoh’s Column after which you climb up the staircase of Umm Al Biyara and eventually reach the summit of Umm Al-Biyara.
Ad Deir Trail
Start: Museum
End: Ad Deir
Duration: 2 ½ - 3 hours (4km)
Grade: Hard
This trail begins from the museum inside Petra, which is located next to the Basin restaurant. It leads you northwards up ancient steps and after a short walk you reach the lion triclinium, which is set in a small side wadi on the left. Continue past this up the carved stairway to reach a hermitage with chambers excavated in the rock and decorated with many carved crosses. You then move on upwards to reach Ad Deir, which lies a short way beyond and offers a fantastic view over the area.
High Place Trail
Start: Siq exit
End: Qasr al-Bint Temple
Duration: 3-3½ hours
Grade: Hard
As its name suggests, the High Place sits high above the main area of Petra and getting there involves a steep climb, but the views you will have are certainly rewarding. The trail begins shortly after the exit from the outer Siq where you will climb up ancient Nabataean steps. At the top you can stop to take in the magnificent panorama before turning right to descend to Wadi Farasa to see the Lion Fountain, Garden Triclinium, Roman Soldier Tomb, Renaissance Tomb and Az Zantur excavation.
Al Madras Trail
Start: Obelisk Tomb
End: Al Madras (oil press)
Duration: 30 mins to 1 hour
Grade: Medium
This is a short trail that offers a beautiful hike just outside the siq. The trail takes you west after passing the Obelisk Tomb and before reaching the dam; it crosses an ancient bridge which the Nabataeans built to cross the wadi. It follows an ancient staircase leading to the top of Al Madras where you will find an oil press, cistern, and several sacred relics, including a high place and a meeting hall for the Nabataean holy society. Ancient roads were also opened here to link agricultural units or holy places around the area. During rainy days this trail is closed to avoid crossing the wadi, which is subject to sudden flooding in front of the Obelisk Tomb.
Al-Khubtha Trail
Start: Palace Tomb
End: Treasury viewpoint
Duration: 3 – 3½ hours
Grade: Hard
One of the main Nabataean suburbs of Petra was located on Al Khubtha Mountain, which forms a natural barrier on the eastern ridge of the Petra Basin. A newly restored stairway leads up to the site, providing easy access to the top of the mountain. A niche on the way is dedicated by Wahballah to the goddess al-Uzza and to the Lord of the Temple.
