Petra: Walking Through the Siq to the Rose-Red City
Petra is not a ruin you view from a distance but a canyon you walk into, its rose-red facades carved directly from the sandstone by the Nabataeans over two thousand years ago. The approach through the narrow Siq, opening suddenly onto the Treasury, is one of the few travel moments that still outdoes its own photographs. Beyond that famous first view lies an entire valley of tombs, a Roman-style theater, and a mountaintop monastery most visitors never reach.
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✈ Plan Your Visit →Key Sights
The Siq
A narrow, winding sandstone canyon over a kilometer long that forms the dramatic natural entrance to Petra.
Al-Khazneh (The Treasury)
Petra's most iconic monument, a temple facade carved into rose-colored rock, first glimpsed through the closing walls of the Siq.
Street of Facades
A row of tomb facades of varying styles lining the widening canyon just past the Treasury.
Petra Theatre
A Roman-influenced theater carved directly into the hillside, seating thousands and still showing Nabataean construction beneath later Roman additions.
Royal Tombs
A cluster of large, elaborately carved tombs, including the Urn Tomb and Palace Tomb, set into the cliff face overlooking the valley.
Ad Deir (The Monastery)
A monumental facade even larger than the Treasury, reached via a steep climb of roughly 800 rock-cut steps, with far fewer crowds.
Petra by Night
An evening experience where the path to the Treasury is lit by candles, held on select nights of the week.
A Sample Day
What to Eat
Wadi Musa, the town beside the ruins, serves Bedouin-influenced Jordanian food built around slow-cooked meat and rice.
March–May and September–November, when daytime temperatures are mild enough for the long walks; summer heat in the enclosed sandstone canyon is brutal, and winter brings cold nights and occasional flash-flood closures of the Siq.
Everything runs on foot or by horse/donkey/camel for hire along the Siq and main trail; the site is vast and dusty, so wear proper walking shoes rather than relying on animal transport. A single ticket covers the whole valley, but distances mean most visitors need a full day, or two, to reach outer monuments like the Monastery.
Skip the midday rush at the Treasury entirely by walking the Siq at dawn, then save your energy for the Monastery climb around 1-2 PM when most day-trippers are already heading back toward the entrance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much walking does Petra actually require?+
Expect 8–12 km if you go from the entrance to the Monastery and back, much of it uphill on uneven stone; the Siq alone is a 1.2 km walk each way before you even reach the Treasury.
Is one day in Petra enough?+
One day covers the Siq, Treasury, Street of Facades and the Monastery climb if you start early, but a second day lets you see the Royal Tombs, the Monastery from a quieter angle, and Little Petra without rushing.
Should I ride a horse, donkey, or camel inside Petra?+
The short horse ride from the entrance to the Siq is included in some tickets, but donkeys and camels further inside are optional paid rides handled by local guides, and prices should be agreed before mounting, not after.
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Planning a trip to Petra
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