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No vacation spot in Jordan is extra iconic than Petra, the traditional capital of the Nabataean Empire and one of many world’s most exceptional archaeological websites.


Well-known for its elaborate rock-cut tombs and monuments carved into the sandstone mountains, Petra is a time-worn metropolis that’s each fascinating and exquisite. It’s a spot the place you’ll be able to study in regards to the rise and fall of the Nabataean Kingdom, marvel on the ingenuity of an historical civilization, and admire a novel sort of structure.


Petra’s archaeological significance and cultural significance have made the town a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of many New 7 Wonders of the World, and Jordan’s most visited vacationer attraction. Because it’s such a compelling place, I deliberate to spend 2 days in Petra to make sure I didn’t miss out on any of its most valued treasures.


My Petra itinerary included visiting spectacular tombs, exploring ruins, climbing trails to spectacular viewpoints, and extra. There are a number of issues to see in Petra so I hope my 2 day Petra itinerary provides you some concepts for how one can construction and spend your time when visiting Petra.


My Petra Itinerary- The best way to Spend 2 Days in Petra
The principle issues to do in Petra are admire ruins and hike among the many rocky panorama, however the measurement of the park, variety of points of interest, and lengthy walks between them could make it tough to see extra than simply the highlights in sooner or later.


Once I was planning my go to to Petra, I rapidly realized that sooner or later wasn’t going to be sufficient to expertise every thing I needed, on the tempo I needed. I used to be involved in a few hikes to discover past the town centre and needed to go to Petra at a relaxed tempo with loads of time to take pictures and absorb the environment.


I made a decision that 2 days in Petra can be excellent to see the principle websites, hike to some viewpoints, and have a night to attend the Petra By Night time occasion. Right here’s a take a look at my Petra itinerary and all of the great issues I acquired to see and do with 2 days in Petra.


Night 1: Petra By Night time
On my first night in Wadi Musa, the city on the entrance to Petra, I headed to the archaeological park for the Petra By Night time occasion, a lightweight present and musical efficiency in entrance of the Treasury.
The night begins with a 2 km stroll from the entry gate by way of the dimly lit Siq to the Treasury. I beloved that my first view of the Treasury was of it illuminated at night time behind rows of flickering paper bag lanterns. It appeared so magical!


The present itself was quite simple, with one man enjoying the flute and the sunshine on the Treasury altering colors. Truthfully, the present was forgettable however the enchanting environment and exquisite setting made for an exquisite first impression of Petra.


Day 1: Discover the Metropolis Centre, Hike to the Monastery
The primary day of my Petra itinerary was spent visiting the highest websites and highlights within the outdated metropolis centre. I walked all the fundamental path from the doorway to the Basin Restaurant (about 4 km) then walked one other 1.6 km to the Monastery on the far finish of the archaeological park.
Djinn Blocks and Obelisk Tomb
Through the stroll from the Customer Centre to the Siq, I acquired my first take a look at the tombs and monuments the Nabataeans carved at Petra.


Among the many hills on the right-hand aspect of the trail, I seen three sq. blocks carved into the rock. Generally known as the Djinn Blocks, these funerary monuments have grave shafts inside. Djinn is an Arabic spirit so some locals consider the blocks had been constructed to accommodate or appease the spirits.


A brief distance later, on the left-hand aspect of the trail, I got here to the Obelisk Tomb. Carved within the 1st century AD, this tomb has 4 obelisks above the doorway and a distinct segment with a bas-relief statue believed to represent the 5 individuals buried there. Carved into the rock beneath the tomb is the triclinium, a eating corridor.


The Siq
The dramatic gateway to the traditional metropolis of Petra is the Siq, a 1.2 km lengthy slim gorge. I couldn’t assist however be excited strolling by way of the Siq, anticipating seeing the Treasury and different architectural marvels on the different finish.






As keen as I used to be to succeed in the Treasury, it will have been a disgrace to hurry by way of the Siq as a result of it’s dwelling to many fascinating relics. There are shrines, reliefs, rock-cut water channels, and several other niches housing Nabataean baetyl (a god image or sacred stone).


My favorite factors of curiosity within the Siq had been Sabinos Alexandros Station, an extended row of votive niches created after the tip of the Nabataean kingdom within the 2nd or third century AD, and the stays of a camel caravan aid depicting a information main two camels into the town.




One thing else that caught my eye within the Siq was a rock formation that appeared like an elephant.


The Treasury (Al Khazneh)
Of all of the issues to see in Petra, the Treasury is essentially the most legendary sight. Lengthy well-known with archaeologists, the Treasury gained large recognition in in style tradition after showing within the 1989 film “Indiana Jones and the Final Campaign”.


Believed to have been constructed within the 1st century BC, the Treasury stays one of the spectacular and complicated rock-cut tombs in Petra. Rising 37 m tall within the flat rock face of a towering cliff, its facade is embellished with Corinthian columns, elegant friezes, a tholos topped by an urn, and figures of gods and goddesses.


The decorative figures on the facade of the Treasury embrace twin Greek gods Castor and Pollux within the decrease corners, dancing Amazons within the higher corners, winged victories close to the highest on all sides of the tholos, and on the tholos what’s believed to be the Isis-Tyche, a syncretic deity combining the attributes of Egyptian goddess Isis and Greek goddess Tyche, each of whom are goddesses of fine fortune.


I used to be dazzled by the structure of the Treasury, however I heard some fascinating tales and legends about it too. One such legend is that it was given the Arabic title Al Khazneh, that means “The Treasury”, as a result of the native Bedouins believed the urn on the prime contained pharaonic treasures (the urn is strong sandstone). Look intently and you may see bullet injury on the urn brought on by Bedouins attempting to shoot down the pharaoh’s “treasure”.


The Road of Facades
Across the nook from the Treasury is the Road of Facades. On each side of the road is a row of tombs carved into the cliff face. The facades should not as ornate or well-preserved as among the different tombs I noticed throughout my 2 days in Petra, however you’ll be able to nonetheless see some fascinating architectural particulars like pilasters, crow steps, and cavettos.




The Theatre
Persevering with on the principle path I quickly got here to Petra’s theatre which, just like the tombs, can be carved into the aspect of a mountain. I used to be fairly impressed by the dimensions of this theatre- it has 3 ranges of seating that may accommodate over 8000 individuals.


Its semicircular design, with a number of tales of seating, jogged my memory of Roman theatres. Nevertheless, its development is characteristically Nabataean, hewn from rock. I ponder how the acoustics evaluate to these of a Roman theatre?


The Colonnaded Road
After the theatre, I walked down the Colonnaded Road, one in every of historical Petra’s buying streets. When the Romans took over the town they refurbished the road by including columns to every aspect, of which only some stay.


That is the one a part of the town the place there are buildings that had been constructed relatively than carved into the pure surroundings. Some factors of curiosity on and beside the road are the Nice Temple, the Temenos Gate (also referred to as the Hadrian Gate), and Qasr al-Bint on the finish of the road.






The Nice Temple is price exploring (I did this later within the day after visiting the Monastery), however for Qasr al-Bint, a temple devoted to the god Dushara, a passing look was enough for me as I used to be excited to hike to the Monastery.


The Monastery (Advert Deir)
The Monastery is likely one of the prime issues to see in Petra and it ought to undoubtedly be included on any Petra itinerary, despite the fact that it’s an extended stroll from the park’s fundamental entrance.


The path to the Monastery is gorgeous with towering partitions of pink rock framing the route. I beloved the rugged geology and views because the path gained elevation (200 m over 1.6 km and about 800 stairs). Alongside the best way there are distributors promoting souvenirs and on the finish of the path there’s a cafe.






The Monastery dates again to the mid-1st century AD and is likely one of the largest monuments in Petra. Its rock-cut facade measures 48.3 m excessive and 47 m large and contains a damaged pediment, central tholos topped by an urn, niches, and decorative columns. The Monastery is comparable in fashion to the Treasury, however barely much less ornate.




Not like many different carved buildings in Petra, the Monastery was not a mausoleum. As an alternative, it was probably used as a corridor for ritual banquets.


The Monastery was my favorite of all of the locations I noticed throughout my go to to Petra. I believed its facade was beautiful and the mountainous backdrop added to its grandeur. I additionally discovered the environment extra nice than the Treasury as a result of there have been fewer distributors and vacationers milling round in entrance of the constructing (I acquired there earlier than 11:30 am). It’s good that there are a number of rocks throughout from the Monastery the place you’ll be able to sit and admire the view.




Earlier than heading again all the way down to the town centre, I adopted a path throughout from the Monastery that went as much as the western fringe of the cliffs to see a view of Wadi Araba.


The Nice Temple
Again on the Colonnaded Road within the metropolis centre, I ended for a better take a look at the Nice Temple.


Protecting over 7500 sq. metres on three ranges, the ruins of the Nice Temple are fairly spectacular. There’s a propylaeum (formal entryway), a colonnaded courtyard, a small theatre, an higher columned corridor, a fringe wall and extra.






My favorite half was the columns, however the Nice Temple additionally supplied good views of Qasr al-Bint to the west, the Temple of the Winged Lions to the north, and the Royal Tombs to the east.






The Royal Tombs
One other spotlight of my go to to Petra was seeing the Royal Tombs, a row of mausoleums with magnificent facades sculpted into the Jabal al-Khubtha rock massif.




The 4 Royal Tombs overlooking the town centre are the Palace Tomb, the Corinthian Tomb, the Silk Tomb, and the Urn Tomb (going from north to south down the row).


The Palace Tomb is my favorite due to its lavish three-storey facade embellished with pilasters, entablatures, and pediments. The facade can be one of many largest in Petra, being shut in measurement to the Monastery. The tomb has 4 inside burial chambers with niches carved into the partitions.








The Corinthian Tomb, named so due to its capitals, is comparable in design to the Treasury however much more eroded. One fascinating factor I seen about this tomb is that the position of doorways and home windows isn’t symmetrical.




The Silk Tomb’s defining characteristic is the ribbons of colored rock on its facade. Different architectural components embrace mouldings, pilasters, and a frieze of steps.




The Urn Tomb stands out among the many Royal Tombs as a result of it’s carved far again into the rock to make room for a colonnaded courtyard. The tomb’s facade has columns, a worn entablature with bust-reliefs on the frieze, and a triangular pediment topped with an urn. The staircase to the tomb is supported by arched vaults.








Unayshu Tomb
After the Royal Tombs, I stored strolling alongside the slope of Jabal al-Khubtha and got here throughout some extra tombs earlier than finally arriving at Unayshu Tomb.


Unayshu Tomb has two units of steps on the prime of the facade however is total plainer than the others carved into this rock massif.


From the tomb, I adopted the stairway again to the Road of Facades and made my option to the park exit glad with my first day visiting Petra!
Day 2: Hike to the Treasury Viewpoint and Excessive Place of Sacrifice, Go to Extra Ruins
The second day of my Petra itinerary included two hikes. The primary hike was on the Al-Khubtha Path to see the Treasury from above. The second hike was on the Excessive Place of Sacrifice Path. Afterwards, I visited two extra ruins within the metropolis centre- the Temple of the Winged Lions and the Church- to conclude my Petra go to.
Hike Al-Khubtha Path
One of many issues I most needed to do throughout my 2 days in Petra was see the Treasury from above. There are two excessive viewpoints you’ll be able to hike to (and a brief stroll to a decrease one), however the official viewpoint is on the finish of Al-Khubtha Path.


The official Treasury Viewpoint Path (Al-Khubtha Path) begins in entrance of the Palace Tomb then turns to ascend Jabal al-Khubtha through a collection of stairs. Through the 3 km spherical journey hike there are great views of the theatre, metropolis centre, and surrounding panorama.


On the finish of the path, there’s a Bedouin tent you’ll be able to enter at no cost to get pleasure from an unbelievable view of the Treasury from above. If you’d like, you should buy a drink from the Bedouin household to get pleasure from whereas admiring the view. I had some scrumptious freshly squeezed pomegranate juice.


I beloved seeing the Treasury from a special vantage level in a quiet spot away from the crowds. Having this wonderful view all to myself was essentially the most particular second of my journey to Petra!


Hike the Excessive Place of Sacrifice Path
The Excessive Place of Sacrifice Path is an fascinating hike that results in a viewpoint above the town centre.


Beginning beside the Theatre Necropolis on the Road of Facades, the path climbs some stairs between rock partitions to the Excessive Place of Sacrifice. On the plateau, there may be an altar and panoramic views of the town centre. I particularly favored seeing the Royal Tombs from an elevated perspective.






After the Excessive Place of Sacrifice, the path continues down into Wadi al Farasa the place there are some fascinating points of interest together with the Lion Fountain, the Backyard Triclinium, and the Roman Soldier’s Tomb. The hike finishes close to the west finish of the Colonnaded Road.


Temple of the Winged Lions
After my hike, I walked up the slope on the north aspect of the Colonnaded Road to briefly go to the ruined Temple of the Winged Lions.




What has been excavated are some stone partitions, arches of a vaulted terrace, giant round drums from a pair of collapsed columns, and the central podium within the internal sanctuary. The temple’s title was impressed by the winged lion capitals that had been discovered by archaeologists.




Byzantine Church
I concluded my Petra go to with a cease on the Byzantine Church.
The church was constructed across the finish of the fifth century AD with supplies from different buildings in Petra that had fallen after an earthquake. The church would additionally later endure injury from earthquakes and hearth, however remarkably the ground mosaics on each aspect aisles had been preserved. The mosaics largely depict animals, each mythological and unique.


The ground tiles are the spotlight of the church however there is also a baptistery that has been preserved.
Would I Change Something About My 2 Day Petra Itinerary?
There are such a lot of excellent issues to do in Petra that I used to be glad I allotted 2 days of my Jordan itinerary to discover the archaeological park.




I believed that 2 days in Petra had been wanted to do the location justice as a result of there may be a lot extra to expertise past the highest points of interest. I beloved having an additional day to hike some trails and go to ruins and viewpoints that the majority vacationers don’t go to.




Even with 2 days, I didn’t match every thing there may be to see into my Petra itinerary (I missed out on the museum). Total, I felt like 2 days in Petra was the proper period of time and that one other day would have been extra of the identical with out something distinctive to supply.


Remaining Ideas About Visiting Petra
My first trip to Jordan was impressed by wanting to go to Petra and it didn’t disappoint. It was such a novel vacation spot and I used to be so impressed with the sculpted facades within the rocks. The scale of the tombs and monuments and their ornamental particulars had been extraordinary, even with the weathering of time.




As a lot as I loved visiting Petra, the park had some downsides. The climbing trails weren’t well-signed in locations and there have been a number of occasions I questioned which option to go/path to observe when there was a couple of choice (particularly close to the tip of the Excessive Place of Sacrifice Path). I additionally wished there have been extra data panels on the tombs and monuments (only some had them). Most upsetting was the litter and the animal exploitation. I don’t prefer to see horses, donkeys, and camels working so exhausting to move vacationers.


One other factor to concentrate on is that the native bedouins could be aggressive when attempting to promote you one thing or get you to journey their animal. I had one incident with a woman on the Monastery Path who was actually aggressive and impolite after I didn’t cease to take a look at her store when climbing by. The bedouins have additionally taken over two of the three treasury viewpoints and received’t allow you to go except you pay them to “information” you. The official and free viewpoint is on the finish of Al-Khubtha Path and also you received’t be compelled to have a neighborhood accompany you.


I actually loved my 2 days in Petra and am grateful that I had sufficient time to expertise extra than simply Petra’s highlights.


Extra Footage of Petra
Listed here are a number of extra footage I took throughout my go to to Petra.








































































Ideas for Visiting Petra
Entrance Tickets: The principle entrance to Petra is on the Customer Centre. Right here you should buy entry tickets for 1, 2, or 3 days. Present costs could be discovered here. Deliver a replica of your passport with you since you might need to point out it when shopping for your ticket.
Opening Hours: The archaeological web site and Customer Centre open at 6:00 am and shut at 5:30 or 6:00 pm relying on the season. Affirm present opening hours here.
Guides: A information isn’t wanted to go to Petra, however if you happen to favor to have one you’ll be able to rent a licensed information on the Customer Centre.
Greatest Time to Go to Petra: Essentially the most comfy time to go to Petra is within the spring (March to Could) and autumn (September to November) when the climate is gentle. Nevertheless, that is additionally excessive season so the park shall be extra crowded.
- I loved visiting Petra in early February. The mornings and evenings had been chilly, however the days had been gentle with temperatures excellent for strolling lengthy distances. The perfect half was that there weren’t large crowds of vacationers as a result of it was off-season.
Facilities: There are two eating places at the beginning of the Monastery Path, some cafes/kiosks all through the park, and lots of memento stalls promoting low-quality objects. There are public restrooms alongside the principle path which are free to make use of, comparatively clear, and often have rest room paper (I all the time deliver my very own simply in case).
What to Deliver: I like to recommend bringing loads of water, a bagged lunch, and a few snacks because the meals choice is restricted and I’ve heard that the eating places are common (I by no means tried them). Deliver money.
What to Put on: Be certain to put on sturdy footwear that you’re comfy strolling lengthy distances in. Put on layers because the days can get scorching however the nights could be chilly. In Jordan, it’s usually a good suggestion to decorate a bit of extra conservatively in scorching climate than you usually would, however as a result of Petra is so touristic it’s extra acceptable to put on shorts and a tank prime.
Strolling Distances: Be ready to do a number of strolling when visiting Petra. Listed here are some approximate distances in line with Google Maps:
- Petra entrance to the Treasury- 2 km
- Petra entrance to the Basin Restaurant (on the finish of the Colonnaded Road)- 3.8 km
- Petra entrance to the Monastery- 5.4 km
Petra by Night time: The Petra By Night time occasion takes place each Monday, Wednesday and Thursday night. It requires a separate ticket that may be purchased on the Customer Centre. Present costs and occasion occasions could be discovered here.
- If you wish to go to Petra By Night time I like to recommend doing it the night time earlier than you go to the park as a result of it makes that first glimpse of the Treasury extra enchanting. Had I gone after visiting the park, I’d have been much more underwhelmed by the present as a result of I’d already seen the Treasury (which is the very best a part of the occasion).


Lodging Close to Petra
To your comfort, here’s a checklist of hotels in Wadi Musa, the gateway city to Petra. Please take into account reserving your Wadi Musa lodging by way of the included hyperlink. It prices nothing further and helps assist this web site. Thanks!
Excursions of Petra
Here’s a trusted web site with a big collection of tours of Petra. You possibly can e-book a personal guided tour beginning in Wadi Musa or a full-day journey to Petra from Amman.

