Cooking in Little Petra: Bedouin Dinner Under the Stars

Make mansaf and maqloba over a mountain fire, then eat what you cooked as the stars come out

Cook traditional Jordanian Bedouin food over an open fire in Little Petra's mountains between the rock formations, with a private guide who teaches you the methods and the history behind each dish. You prepare dinner together, sit by the fire with tea, and eat the meal you made under the night sky. Pickup is included. Children from age five are welcome. The experience runs five hours and suits all fitness levels.

The experience

Little Petra sits in the mountains between towering rock walls, and this class uses that setting as its kitchen. You arrive by private transport and settle at a fire site outside a cave, where there is no electricity and no noise. Just the mountains, the sky and the work ahead. A guide in English walks you through how Bedouin cooks prepare food now and how they did it before, then you start making dinner together. The menu changes based on what you choose: maqloba (upside-down rice with vegetables), mansaf (rice and chicken or meat with yogurt sauce), BBQ chicken or meat, vegetarian dishes cooked over the flames, or knafa for dessert.

You cook at the fire and watch the food come together in front of you. Once dinner is ready, you eat the warm, healthy meal you made, sitting by the flames. After eating, tea comes out again, and you stay under the sky looking at the stars and the moon with the mountain all around you. The whole experience is five hours from the moment you're picked up.

What’s included

• Private transportation to and from Little Petra.
• dinner prepared and cooked together over the fire.
• coffee and tea throughout the evening.
• a guide in English who teaches you the cooking methods and the history of Jordanian Bedouin food.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (20 to 79 years) · Senior (80 and older) · Youth (15 to 19 years) · Child (5 to 14 years) · Under 5: can't be booked

GroupUp to 35

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 36 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsNo refund if you cancel.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.

ConfirmationConfirmation within 48 h

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePublic transport nearby

Operated by Jordanian Bedouin food on fire

Is this one for you?The five-hour evening means you cook and eat by firelight, so plan this for a night when you can stay out after dark. No hiking or strenuous movement is required (you sit by the fire, help with the cooking, and eat) making it suitable for all fitness levels and ages from five up.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (15 to 19 years); Child (5 to 14 years). Children under 5 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. No refund if you cancel.

What Bedouin dishes will I learn to cook?

Maqloba (upside-down rice with vegetables), mansaf (rice with chicken or meat and hot yogurt sauce), BBQ chicken or meat, vegetarian food cooked over the fire, and knafa are all options. Your guide explains the cooking method and the history of each dish before you start, and you choose which ones to prepare together.

What happens if I don't want to cook?

The class is built around cooking together, but your guide can explain the methods and history while you watch the food being prepared. You still eat the meal and spend the evening by the fire under the stars.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to Little Petra?

No. Private transportation is included in the booking, so your guide picks you up and brings you back after the five hours are finished.

Will there be electricity or modern facilities at the cooking site?

No. The fire site is outside a cave in the mountains with no electricity or noise. It is designed for you to cook and eat the way Bedouin cooks do, sitting by the fire under the open sky.