Petra Day Trip from Sharm el Sheikh: Ruins & Wadi Rum

Cross the Gulf of Aqaba to walk Petra's rock-carved ruins and desert tombs in a single overnight push from the Red Sea coast.

A full-day tour from Sharm el Sheikh to Petra, Egypt's most famous archaeological site, departing before dawn and returning after midnight. You travel by hotel pickup, ferry across the Gulf of Aqaba, and bus through Wadi Rum's desert to reach the UNESCO-listed ruins. The tour includes entrance fees, a professional guide in English, Russian or Polish, and lunch at a local restaurant. Available Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays only.

Step-by-step itinerary

Full day tour to Petra from Sharm

• Pick up from hotels in Sharm
• Drive to Taba port (4 hours)
• Cross border to Jordan
• Take high-speed ferry to Jordan port (45 min)
• Pass passport control, meet guide
• Bus to Petra through Wadi Rum desert (2 hours)
• Tour Petra: treasury, amphitheater, tombs, temples
• Lunch at local restaurant (buffet)
• Return to Sharm el Sheikh (arrival around midnight)

The experience

The day starts with pickup from your Sharm el Sheikh hotel around 1am, then a four-hour drive to Taba port. A high-speed ferry carries you across the Gulf of Aqaba in about 45 minutes to Jordan, where your guide meets you after passport control. From there, a bus takes you through the picturesque desert of Wadi Rum for roughly two hours before you reach Petra itself.

At Petra, you walk a three-kilometer route through the ancient Nabataean city carved directly into rose-colored rock. The tour covers the famous treasury of Al Khazneh, an ancient amphitheater, tombs, temples, the High Altar and period houses. A professional guide leads the way and explains what you're seeing. After exploring, you have lunch at a local restaurant with a buffet spread. Drinks cost extra. The return journey retraces the same route, with arrival back in Sharm el Sheikh around midnight.

This tour runs only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays, and can be cancelled if weather turns bad or if too few travelers book. The overnight schedule means you lose sleep but gain access to one of the world's most remarkable archaeological sites without spending a night away from your hotel. Children from age two are welcome, and the tour suits all fitness levels, though the three-kilometer walk and early start demand stamina.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in Sharm el Sheikh.
• professional guide in your chosen language.
• entrance fees to Petra.
• Jordanian visa.
• lunch at a local restaurant with buffet service.
• all transportation including the bus and high-speed ferry across the Gulf of Aqaba.

Options for this experience

3 options

English speaking guide01:00Pickup is included, with the language option shown

Russian speaking guide01:00Pickup is included, with the language option shown

Polish speaking guide01:00Pickup is included, with the language option shown

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesMonday, Wednesday and SaturdayDeparts at 01:00

Book up to15h before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (2 to 11 years)

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish, Polish and Russian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelInfant seats available

Operated by Cleotours Egypt

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're based in Sharm el Sheikh and want to see Petra without adding a night away from your hotel, though the overnight travel schedule and 1am start demand flexibility with sleep. The fixed Monday, Wednesday and Saturday departures mean you'll need to match the tour to your free days, not the other way around.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Russian and Polish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 11 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What exactly is the Treasury of Al Khazneh that I'll see at Petra?

Al Khazneh is an enormous facade carved entirely from the rock face at Petra, standing about 40 meters high. It's one of the most recognizable monuments from the ancient Nabataean kingdom and the centerpiece of the site. Your guide will explain its history and significance as you walk toward it.

How much time do I actually spend at Petra itself, not traveling?

The tour covers a three-kilometer walking route through the ruins, though the exact time spent depends on pace and how long you linger at each stop. The bulk of the day is travel (four hours to Taba, 45 minutes by ferry, two hours through Wadi Rum), so Petra itself is the destination, not a quick stop.

Do I need to arrange my own visa to Jordan, or is it included?

The visa to Jordan is included in the tour price, so you don't need to arrange it beforehand. You'll pass through passport control at the port after the ferry crossing, and your guide will be waiting on the other side.

Is the overnight schedule a problem if I'm not a morning person?

The 1am pickup means you'll be awake through the night and most of the following day, returning around midnight. If you sleep on the bus or ferry, you can rest during the journey, but the schedule is fixed and demanding. It's designed to fit Petra into a single day without staying overnight in Jordan.