So you decided to spend two days in Petra and wonder how to plan a trip there? Petra is a massive city so prepare to do some serious hiking and see a lot of impressive architecture! Looking at a map, it can seem quite overwhelming. Where to start and how to make sure you won’t miss anything? Well, continue to read, because I have the perfect two day itinerary for you!
Two days in Petra: planning your trip
What trails should you definitely do?
There aren’t many maps online that show the actual hiking trails, so the picture above is from the tourism brochure I received at Petra. There are 8 official hikes. During my two days in Petra I did 4 of them and an extra unofficial one. On day one I did the main trail, the Al Khubtha trail and the Ad-Deir (Monastery) trail. Day two consisted of an unofficial trail/climb to a fantastic view of the Treasury and the High Place of Sacrifice trail.
DAY ONE
The Main Trail
The main trail alone is already 4 km (one way). But it is easy to do since it is all flat! If you follow the main trail you will see most of the monuments Petra has to offer. The hike starts at the Visitor Center and will lead you through the Siq, the gorgeous red stoned canyon. At the end of the canyon you’ll encounter Petra’s most famous sight: the Treasury. From then on you’ll see a lot of Petra’s tombs and ruins. The trail ends at the start of the Ad-Deir trail.
The Al Khubtha trail
This trail starts right after the Street of Façades, where you will find a small stairs on your right. Climb the stairs and find a sign saying “Al-Khubtha Trail”. Just keep following the sign. You will pass the impressive Royal Tombs and a lot of jewellery and souvenir shops. A little further you’ll find the bigger stairs. This hike is no joke! It is steep and there are a LOT of steps. They just keep coming! On top you just follow the signs to “the best view in the world” until you reach a Bedouin tent. When you enter the tent, you’ll get the famous Instagram view!
Ad-Deir trail
Better known as the trail to the Monastery, the Ad-Deir trail consists of about 1000 steps (the actual amount is unknown, I found 850, 927, 1000…). It starts at the end of the main trail, where you can also find a buffet restaurant to have lunch. The hike is hard, but on your way you will encounter some bedouin cafés offering cold drinks, Kit Kats (no joke, there was a Bedouin guy shouting “Have a break, have a Kit Kat” at least 50 times while I sat on his café’s terrace, sipping on my delicious cold lemon mint drink) and a place to sit down for a moment. On your way you’ll probably wonder if it is all worth it. Especially if you already did the Al-Khubtha trail earlier that day, like I did. But let me assure you; it is totally worth it! The Monastery is bigger than the more popular Treasury. Directly opposite the Monastery there is a café in a cave where you can have a refreshing drink. The best time to do this climb is in the afternoon, when the path is mostly in shade and the sun is shining on the Monastery’s facade.
DAY TWO
Unofficial climb to an incredible view point of the Treasury
This is for the adventurous souls, that aren’t scared to climb massive rocks using hand and feet! Fear of heights? Don’t go there! I had seen something on the left side of the Treasury that looked like a broken stairs. I wanted to start the climb but the local guides stopped me saying it was prohibited to do it on my own. So I checked with the local police officer and he confirmed what the guides had told me. It’s dangerous because of the steepness and you’ll get lost because there are no actual stairs or path. So I let Omar join me to help me climb all the way up to the viewpoint. It was hard and challenging, but I loved it so much! The view is the best!
High Place of Sacrifice Trail
From the viewpoint you can do a shortcut to the High Place of Sacrifice. Again, an unoffical adventurous one, but the guide led me. He joined me until I reached the Bedouin tent. After that it was easy to reach the High Place of Sacrifice. From this point you have an extensive view of the main trail of Petra. I returned back to the main trail via the offical High Place of Sacrifice trail. The rest of the day you can use to explore more of the main trail, in case you missed some things the day before.
Where to stay?
During my two days in Petra I stayed at the Mövenpick Resort (book here) because it is right across the Visitor Center. It isn’t cheap, but I also spent one extra night at a three star hotel a little further and it wasn’t exactly pleasant. So I totally found it worth its price! The people at the Mövenpick are super friendly. They helped me getting my luggage back (it was delayed and it took days to arrive). The rooms are spacious and clean and the breakfast buffet is extensive. They even have waffles!
What to wear?
Jordan is a muslim country, but they are very open minded. You’re not obliged to wear a headscarf. Do remember to show respect to the country and its people. I always wore a loose pants and a top. It’s OK to show your arms at touristic sites such as Petra, but avoid decolletés and shorts. Make sure to wear comfortable closed shoes. The sand and tiny rocks will annoy you when wearing sandals.
What to bring?
- A lot of water so you can drink sufficiently. (you can also buy drinks in Petra, but it’s more expensive)
- Sunscreen because the sun really burns here
- Your Jordan Pass (It includes the visa fee of 40 JD, entry to Petra and 40 other monuments in Jordan. With a Jordan Pass you never have to stand in line!)
- A backpack, because a handbag won’t be handy while climbing
Where to eat?
When you spend two days in Petra, you are lucky to be able to have at least one dinner at Wadi Musa. There are plenty of cafés and restaurants at Petra, but if you can, have dinner at Mom’s Recipe at Wadi Musa. It’s not far from the Visitor Center, the decor is fantastic and the food really delicious.
Some extra advice:
Get an early night sleep, because if you want to visit Petra without the crowds and avoid the hot temperatures, you’ll need to wake up VERY early! (opening time is 6:00 am)
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