We got our first glimpse of the Treasury poking out between the walls of the Siq, and we were excited. We had waited a long time to visit Petra, our expectations were high, and we were a little nervous. If it’s a stop on your Jordan itinerary, the photos don’t quite prepare you for the practical questions: Can you explore on your own? How much time do you need? Is the Monastery climb worth it? We spent two days there without a guide, and this is what helped us most.
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Can you visit Petra without a guide?
We explored Petra’s main sights on our own and were glad we gave ourselves two days. You could hit the highlights in one, but after a couple of hours of photos we had made it only about a ten-minute walk beyond the Treasury, and you would have to speed through the rest. A second day gave us another early morning there and time for the viewpoints we hadn’t reached on day one.
Go early if you can, wear shoes you’re happy to walk in all day, and expect repeated offers of rides. The Monastery is a substantial stair climb, not a quick detour. We finished our first day having walked almost 11 miles by our count, then walked six and a half miles on the second. We were happy and exhausted—which, admittedly, says something about our approach to pacing.
Our first morning: the gates and the Siq
We walked from our hotel to the visitor center after breakfast. It was February, about 40°F that morning, and our clock check read 6:58. We hoped the early start would put us ahead of some of the tour buses. We’d bought a Jordan Pass option covering two days of Petra entry, so we knew we could come back rather than trying to fit everything into one visit.
Inside the gates, people offered horse and donkey rides for the first stretch toward the ruins, as well as a back-way shortcut. We chose to walk. If you’re considering a ride, know that sellers may describe it as included with your ticket and then expect a tip afterward. We were comfortable declining the offers and continuing on foot.
We put the walk to the Treasury at about 1.2 km, gradually downhill on gravel before the paved passage through the Siq. Good shoes are worth wearing even before you get to the longer hikes. As the canyon walls rose around us, the Treasury finally appeared in the gap ahead. After all that anticipation, we were excited.
The Treasury is the beginning, not the whole visit
Kevin had dressed as Indiana Jones for the occasion. A few people recognized the reference, and he even lent his hat and jacket to other visitors for photos. We stayed at the Treasury for roughly half an hour, long enough to notice it getting busier. There’s a cafe nearby if you want to sit with the view, but don’t assume you’ve seen Petra once you’ve taken the straight-on photo.
Beyond the Treasury, we wandered among tombs carved into the rock. Some had beautiful colors, and a little shop up by the tombs gave us a view back over the theater. We found coffee, tea and restrooms around this part of Petra, too. There was more to explore than we could fit into our first morning, which made the decision to return the next day feel like a good one.
Is the Monastery climb worth the stairs?
We had chicken shawarma and fries near the start of the Monastery trail before tackling it on foot. By our rough count, we’d been offered donkey rides about 25 times by then. The climb from the basin area is roughly a mile (1.6 km) and around 800 steps; Kevin figured on about 45 minutes to an hour to go up, depending on your pace. Bring water. There were places to stop for a drink or a rest along the way, but it felt hot in the sun, and you do have to watch your step for donkey droppings.
The climb felt manageable in parts and hard by the end. The Monastery was worth it to us. We stayed a while, had a snack and coffee at the cafe across from it, and looked at the building from several angles before heading down. Going downhill was welcome, though it didn’t put us back at the entrance: we guessed the walk to the front by the way we’d come was still maybe two miles. If you would rather not retrace the whole walk, ask at the Visitor Center what licensed transport is available.
Day two: bring ID and decide on the Treasury viewpoints
Both of us had passed 20,000 steps the day before, so getting up at 6:30 for our second visit took some commitment. At entry, we were asked for photo ID with our Jordan Pass. That hadn’t happened on day one. If you’re using a pass, bringing identification is an easy precaution.
We returned to the Treasury for the elevated views we’d spotted the previous day. A gate was across the entrance when we arrived, so we waited and then chose the ticket covering both viewpoints. Both were paid during our visit, and the access arrangements may change, so check at the Visitor Center before you plan around them. The more popular one climbs from behind the ticket booth, with a lower ledge on the way to the rug-and-prop-filled view above the Treasury. It was fun, and it involved more stairs—which our legs definitely noticed.
The second viewpoint is across from the cafe in front of the Treasury. Its angle is less direct, but we were the only people there during our visit. We took photos, had a coffee and enjoyed having room to spread out. If photography is a priority, we thought both viewpoints were worth seeing; if you want a quieter place to linger, don’t overlook that second side.
Photo spots to notice as you walk
You don’t have to make a separate photo expedition out of Petra, but a few angles are easy to miss when you’re focused on getting to the next big sight:
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In the Siq: Pause when the Treasury first comes into view. The canyon walls frame it, and we also made a silhouette photo at the opening.
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At the Treasury: We photographed the classic straight-on view with camels in the foreground without riding one. Facing the building, we also climbed onto a small ledge to the right for a side angle; it was a little slick getting up, so take care.
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Beyond the Treasury: Some of our favorite tomb photos were unplanned. Higher up around the tombs, look toward the cafe and gift shop along the cliff edge for a view back over the theater.
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At the Monastery: Start with the view from directly in front and from the cafe across the way. There’s also a ledge to the right and, farther up behind a cafe, a cave opening that frames the Monastery. Someone expected a little money at the cave when we visited, so we paid what we were comfortable with; there was a line for photos in mid-afternoon. From farther up, a zoom lens gave us a different angle looking back.
Why we stayed beside the visitor center
We chose Crowne Plaza Resort Petra largely for its location, and the walk down to the visitor center took us about three minutes. That was convenient for an early start and even more appealing at the end of a long walking day.
The resort had recently reopened after a renovation when we stayed, so it was unusually quiet. Our IHG status got us an upgrade to a king mountain-view room overlooking Petra; the room wasn’t huge, but it was comfortable and nicely appointed. We had breakfast in the main restaurant, dinner and drinks at the bar one night, and especially liked the outdoor patio overlooking the mountains. The infinity pool wasn’t open and the fitness center was still being finished during our stay, so we’d choose it for the location rather than assume our experience reflects every stay. We were happy with it.
Before you go
If you’re visiting without a guide, stick to the main trails: Petra’s official visitor tips advise having a guide for routes beyond them and using only licensed transportation confirmed at the Visitor Center. Check the official Petra site and ask at the Visitor Center about current entry details, viewpoint access and transport. For current pass options and fees, use the Jordan Pass site; the pass includes Petra entry, and we’d bring photo ID again after our day-two check.
This covers the routes we walked, not the trails we left for another visit. If you take one thing from our two days, make it time: enough of it to start early, stop for coffee and climb to the Monastery without rushing everything else. With that, the offers of rides, the ID check and the paid viewpoints were all manageable on our own, and we came away knowing Petra deserved more than a rushed day trip.
Image credits: the photo of the Treasury facade near the top is by Vyacheslav Argenberg, licensed CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source). The featured image is another photo from the same photographer, also CC BY 4.0 (source). Both show the Treasury but were not taken on our trip. The other photos are stills from our own videos of Petra.
