Petra is spectacular in so many ways. “The red-rose city”, completely overwhelmed me with its greatness and fascinating carved structures. I’m a big fan of epic views, so luckily I did some research first to find out where to find the best places to go. Otherwise I wouldn’t have seen the great places I visited! Below I listed some of the best views in Petra and how to reach them, because they are not always easy to find!

The best views in Petra, the lost city of Jordan

The Siq

You can’t miss the Siq since it is the gateway to Petra. This narrow canyon with its impressive yellowish and red cliffs is an awesome entrance to the lost city of Petra. It is about 1.2 km long. Behind every bend there’s a different view of the breathtaking gorge. It ends with a dramatic view of the Treasury peeping through the cliff sides.

The Treasury

The Treasury is the first carved building you’ll see after entering Petra via the Siq. It’s a surreal view when you’re coming out of the canyon. It is the most famous place to visit in Petra and known for its presence in the Indiana Jones movie “The Last Crusade”.

The Monastery

To reach the Monastery, which is even bigger and more impressive than the Treasury, you have to be willing to climb about 1000 steps (the actual amount is unknown, I heard a guide saying 927, the internet says 850, some say 1000) at the end of the main trail. Try to do this in the morning because the heat will really get to you! It takes about 45 minutes and it’s totally worth the effort!

The “Best View in the World Tent”

Another challenging hike is the Al-Khubtha Trail. It starts right after the Street of Facades where you will find a small stairs on your right. If you climb the stairs you’ll find a sign saying “Al-Khubtha Trail”. Follow the sign and pass the impressive Royal Tombs. A little further you’ll find the bigger stairs leading all the way up. This hike gets really steep and make sure to bring water! On top you’ll find signs leading to the “Best View”, but make sure to continue until you see the sign saying “Instagram view”. This sign will lead you to a bedouin tent with a sign “Best View in the World”, which is a bar where you can relax with the best view on the Treasury!

The more thrilling view on the Treasury

If you’re looking for a true thrill, you need to do the exhilarating climb to another great view on the Treasury. I didn’t read about this anywhere, but had seen some people sitting on the other side while sitting at the “Best view bar” and I remembered something looking like a stairs on the left side of the Treasury. It’s not a usable stairs though… This hike is actually more a rock climbing activity and is not allowed without a local guide (I checked with the local police officer at Petra). It’s dangerous because of the difficulty, the steepness and the risk of getting lost. There was not a single doubt in my mind to start this climb, since I really wanted to see the view from the other side of the Bedouin tent I visited the day before. It wasn’t always that easy but I managed to reach the view point! I was glad I didn’t have to return the same way back down, because the view was just too terrifying! (climbing up, you don’t always see where you’re actually standing 🙂 )

High Place of Sacrifice

From the previous view point there’s also a short cut to the High Place of Sacrifice via another unofficial hike/climb. It’s also quite challenging since there is no real path and you just climb over rocks next to steep cliffs (with your private guide). If you’re afraid of heights this can be too scary! But I’m getting over that fear lately, since I love standing on edges to see spectacular views. You’ll pass a bedouin tent to take a pause and have a drink and then you can continue on your own to the High Place of Sacrifice.
If you’re not comfortable doing this hike, you can always do the official High Place of Sacrifice Trail. You’ll find the sign for it on your left, about 5 minutes from the Treasury, before the Street of Facades.

If you like the pictures of my “best views in Petra” article I suggest to follow my Instagram account where you can find a lot more!
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