Petra hiking tour: Main trails, backway & Little Petra
Walk the Siq canyon and climb to the Monastery on your own schedule.
Private guided hiking tours of Petra, Jordan, with routes customized to your pace and fitness level. Choose the classic front-entrance tour through the Treasury and main temples, the backway climb to the Monastery at dawn, or Little Petra in the surrounding mountains north of the city. A live guide in English or Arabic leads the walk. You arrange your own site entry ticket.
Options for this experience
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What’s included
- Private guide in English or Arabic.
- customized route and pace based on your fitness and available time.
- walking access to Petra's main trails, backway routes and surrounding mountains.
Times
- Every day 06:00 07:00
Before you book
Operated by Ismail Nas - Private guide
Prices and times updated 5 days ago
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The experience
Petra's layout gives you real choices about how to move through it. The main tour follows the Siq (the narrow canyon carved into rose-red rock), and opens onto the Treasury, then continues past the theater, royal tombs and temple complexes. The backway tour takes the opposite route, climbing into the mountains behind the city to reach the Monastery, usually started in early morning when the light is clearest and the paths are quieter. Little Petra, six kilometers north, explores the same carved facades and tombs in a smaller, less crowded setting, typically timed for late afternoon before sunset.
The guide speaks English or Arabic and walks with you the whole way. The pace and which route you take are set before you arrive, so the day fits your physical condition and how much time you have. Hiking here means sustained walking on uneven stone and sandy terrain, sometimes steep, sometimes in full sun. The operator notes this is not a casual stroll, and you'll want moderate fitness to enjoy it. Tours run anywhere from three hours to a full day depending on which route and how many extensions you add. You pay the guide's fee upfront. Entry to the Petra archaeological site itself is separate and you arrange that independently.
Because these are private tours, the itinerary can shift. If you want to linger at one temple or skip a steep section, the guide can adjust. If you're traveling with small children, a pram or stroller works on the main paths. Service animals are welcome. The flexibility is the point. You're not locked into a group schedule or a fixed pace.
Is this one for you?Book a private tour if you want to set the pace and choose which route suits your fitness level: the guide adjusts the itinerary before you start, so you're not locked into a group schedule or a fixed distance. The backway tour works best for early risers who want the Monastery without crowds; the main tour suits anyone who wants the iconic Treasury and temples; Little Petra is the choice if you prefer fewer people and an afternoon departure.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Arabic.
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's the difference between the main tour and the backway tour of Petra?
The main tour enters through the Siq canyon at the front of the city and walks past the Treasury, theater and temples in the lower sections. The backway tour climbs into the mountains behind Petra to reach the Monastery, a larger carved structure set high in the rock, and is usually operated in early morning. Both routes show you carved facades and tombs, but from opposite directions and at different elevations.
How long do these Petra hiking tours take?
Tours range from three hours to eight hours depending on which route you choose and how many extensions or side trails you add. The operator customizes the length to fit your available time and physical fitness level before the tour begins.
What is Little Petra and when is it usually visited?
Little Petra is a smaller archaeological site six kilometers north of the main city, with similar carved tombs and facades but fewer crowds. It's typically visited in the afternoon before sunset and can be combined with a tour of the surrounding mountains.
Do I need to buy the Petra site entry ticket separately?
Yes, the guide's fee is included, but entry to the Petra archaeological site itself is not. You arrange and pay for your own site ticket before or when you arrive.
Can these tours be adjusted if I'm not a strong hiker?
The operator customizes routes and pace based on your physical fitness level before you start, and notes the tours require at least moderate fitness. You can discuss which route and how many steep sections suit you when you book.
Petra hiking tour: Main trails, backway & Little Petra
3h–8h · EN +1
from US$ 179 per group
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