Petra Day Tour from Amman: Private Guide & Desert Highway

Three Hours to Petra, Five Hours Inside the Rock City

You get picked up from your Amman hotel at 7am and driven three hours to Petra via the Desert Highway. A private English-speaking guide walks you through the Treasury, Siq, Royal Tombs, and Theater for two hours, then you explore freely for the rest of your time in the park, usually around five hours total. Your driver meets you at 2:30pm for the return journey, dropping you back at your hotel by 5pm. Water, tea, and coffee are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day trip from Amman to Petra

• 07:00 pickup from Amman hotel
• Drive to Petra via Desert Highway
• Meet private guide at Petra Visitor Centre
• Visit Siq and Treasury
• Walk Street of Facades to Royal Tombs
• See Theater and Qasr Al Bint
• Guide farewell. Free time in Petra
• 14:30 meet driver for return
• Drive back to Amman
• 17:00 drop off at Amman hotel

The experience

"You will see colors in that stone you didn't know existed," our driver said as we pulled onto the Desert Highway at 7am, and he wasn't exaggerating. The Petra day tour from Amman starts with a hotel pickup in the early morning: the drive runs about three hours depending on traffic, which gives you time to settle in and watch the landscape shift from city to desert. Your English-speaking driver handles the route. You watch the road narrow and the rock begin to change color as you approach the Visitor Centre around 9:30.

That's where you meet your private guide, and the real walk begins. The Siq is the first thing: a narrow gorge that opens onto the Treasury, and even though you've seen the photos, the actual sandstone hits different when you're standing in front of it. Your guide takes you through the main sights: the Street of Facades, the Royal Tombs, the Theater, and Qasr Al Bint. The whole guided portion lasts about two hours, and then your guide steps back. You get the rest of the time (most people spend around five hours total in Petra) to wander on your own, sit with a coffee, or walk the quieter sections without someone talking. There are restaurants inside the park and near the main gate if you need lunch.

The return drive leaves at 2:30pm, and you're back at your Amman hotel by 5pm. It's a long day in a vehicle, but the time in Petra itself doesn't feel rushed because you're not following a group schedule after the guided section ends. You move at your own pace, and that matters when you're walking uneven sandstone in the heat. Bring comfortable shoes, sunscreen, and a hat: the sun reflects off the rock and there's not much shade once you're past the Siq.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Amman, round-trip private transfer in an air-conditioned vehicle with an English-speaking driver, a private guide for approximately 2 hours at Petra (from the main gate through the Treasury, Siq, Royal Tombs, Theater, and Qasr Al Bint), complimentary bottled water throughout the day, tea and coffee at the Treasury, and Wi-Fi onboard the vehicle.

Options for this experience

5 options

Rate for five people sharingUp to 5 per booking · Guide in English · 07:00Private tour to Petra from Amman for five persons sharing the day tour. Pickup is included

Rate for a group of four sharingUp to 4 per booking · Guide in English · 07:00Private tour to Petra from Amman for four persons sharing the day tour. Includes pickup

Rate when three people shareUp to 3 per booking · Guide in English · 07:00Private tour to Petra from Amman for three persons sharing the day tour. Pickup is included

See 2 more options

Rate for two people traveling togetherUp to 2 per booking · Guide in English · 07:00Private tour to Petra from Amman for two persons sharing the day tour. Includes pickup

Rate per single travelerGuide in English · 07:00Private day tour to Petra for one person (solo traveler). Pickup is included

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

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (12 and older) · Child (2 to 11 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

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. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problems

Operated by Petra Nights Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Petra without arranging your own transport or hiring a guide separately: the fixed pickup time and private guide mean you're not waiting for a group or figuring out logistics on the day. The three-hour drive is long, but it's the only realistic way to do Petra as a day trip from Amman and still have meaningful time inside the park.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 11 years); Infant (under 2): free.

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.

How long is the drive from Amman to Petra?

About 3 hours via the Desert Highway, depending on traffic. The minimum is 2.5 hours.

What time does the tour start and end?

Hotel pickup at 7am, arrival at Petra around 9:30am, departure from Petra at 2:30pm, return to Amman by 5pm.

How much time do you spend with the guide at Petra?

Your private guide leads you for approximately 2 hours, covering the Siq, Treasury, Street of Facades, Royal Tombs, Theater, and Qasr Al Bint. After that, you have free time to explore on your own.

Is lunch included?

No, but there are restaurants inside Petra Archaeological Park and near the main gate where you can eat during your free time.

What's included in the tour?

Round-trip private transfer with an English-speaking driver, hotel pickup and drop-off, private guide for 2 hours, bottled water, tea and coffee at the Treasury, and Wi-Fi in the vehicle.

Do I need to be very fit for this tour?

The walk involves uneven sandstone surfaces and some elevation change. Comfortable walking shoes and moderate fitness are recommended. It's not suitable for wheelchair users or those with significant walking difficulties.

What should I bring?

Comfortable walking shoes, sun protection (hat and sunscreen), and water. The sun reflects strongly off the rock and shade is limited.

Can I extend my time in Petra?

Yes. Most visitors spend around 5 hours in the park, but you're free to stay longer or shorter. Just confirm the return time with your driver.