Petra: Complete 3 Day Itinerary
The Main Trail
The Main Trail starts at the visitors centre and goes through all the main sights including the Siq, Treasury, Street of Facades, Theatre etc. Where the main trail ends many other trails start leading to other attractions to see. It will take around 2 hours to complete the main trail.
The Siq
This is where the main trail starts. The Siq is 1.2km in length and about 3m wide. It is the only way to enter the ancient Nabataean city of Petra so you will no doubt pass through this several times. The Siq was naturally formed by a natural geographical fault split apart by tectonic forces and then later smoothed by water. Admire how tall the Siq is, reaching up 182 metres in height.
The Treasury
This is probably the most famous sight at Petra and is the most elaborate structure. It is hard to miss as it is the first thing you will see when you exit the Siq. The Treasury is in fact a mausoleum of the Nabataean King Aretas. At least one morning I would recommend getting up for sunrise as this will allow you to beat the crowds and get some good photos of the Treasury without any people around.
Street of Facades
Once you go past the Treasury, you’ll find rows of Nabataean tombs of senior officials carved in the sandstone rock. These tombs are an example of Assyrian architecture and are worth visiting with their elaborate rock carvings.
The Theatre
This Theatre fits eight thousand spectators and was used by the Nabataeans to attend cultic or cultural performances. It is similar to that of a Roman Theatre and was completely carved out of sandstone rocks which distinguishes this theatre as a Nabataean one vs a Roman one.
Colonnaded Street
After the theatre if you continue along the main trail you will reach the centre of Petra. The road widens into a large open space which is Colonnaded Street. There are a couple of Roman ruins along this street like the Nymphaeum at the beginning and Hadrian’s gate at the end. This was used by the Nabataeans as a shopping street but was later refurbished by the Romans hence the Roman ruins.
The Great Temple
Located south on colonnaded street is the Great Temple. There is debate about the Great Temple’s function because of its central location it is thought to have been a religious building but some people speculate it was actually an administrative centre.
Qasr al Bint
Located at the end of Colonnaded Street are two ancient temples that had a religious function: The temple of the Winged Lions which was dedicated to the supreme Goddess of the Nabataeans and the Qasr al Bint to the main deity of the Nabataens.
The Monastery
Its facade is similar to the Treasury and is also a Nabataean tomb. The hike up to the monastery is around 45 minutes and around 800 steps and it isn’t an easy climb. There are donkeys that you can take up to the top but I would advise against taking one due to animal cruelty. It is also really steep on the way down so it would be dangerous to ride a donkey and may put you or the donkey in danger. If you have some energy left inside of you then there is a viewpoint you can walk up to at the top of the Monastery which gives you panoramic views over Petra and is really worth the extra climb
The Main Trail:
Al Khubta Trail
Starting Point: Opposite the Theatre
Time needed: 1-2 hours
Distance: 1.7km one way
Level: Easy
Royal Tombs
Overlooking the centre of Petra there are a series of large mausoleums with impressive facades. If you enter this trail from the theatre then the first tomb is Urn tomb which is thought to have belonged to Nabataean King Malchus II and then was later used as a church by the Byzantines in 446AD. Other tombs to see are the Silk, Corinthian, and Palace tombs which are not as beautiful as the Treasury but you can appreciate how big they must have been.
You can either go back to the main square or if you continue past the tombs there is a free viewpoint of the Treasury, it’s 900 steps but worth it for the view. At the Treasury there are lots of ‘guides’ offering to take you up to viewpoints that are not free, they may be less safe and may cause damage as the path is not established so be careful if you choose to do this.
Al Khubta Trail:
Wadi al Farassa Trail
Starting Point: Qasr al Bint
Time needed: 1-2 hours
Distance: 2.7km one way
Level: Easy
Tomb of the Soldier
There are three carved manly figures between each column on the outside and the tomb is overall very well preserved. It is unknown who the tomb belonged to and was originally thought to be the burial place of a Roman soldier but archaeologists have found the tomb is much older and actually Nabataean and not Roman.
Garden Temple
Located adjacent to the Tomb of the Soldier, the function of this temple is unknown. It appears as though it may have been a part of a water system as there is a wall to the right which creates a natural water reservoir which could have supplied the people of Petra with water.
Lion Fountain
The body of the lion is all that is left as the head is missing. It was thought to be built in a way that water would flow out of the lion’s mouth and provide drinking water for the people of Petra. After this you can head up to the High Place of sacrifice which is a bit of a steep climb.
Wadi al Farassa Trail:
High Place of Sacrifice Trail
Starting Point: End of Wadi Al Farassa trail or near the Theatre (1 hour climb up)
Time needed: 1 hour
Distance: 1.2km one way
Level: Hard
Along the way and at the top you will see panoramic views over Petra that are really worth the climb for. The High Place of Sacrifice is where animals were sacrificed to the gods. As you reach the top you can see 2 obelisks standing 30m apart. They represent Nabataean God Dushara and his consort Al-Uzza. You can see structures where animals were sacrificed at the top like channels to drain the blood.
High Place of Sacrifice Trail
Umm al Biyara Trail
This is one of the lesser known hikes around Petra and has dramatic views of the Nabataean ruins below. It will take a minimum of half a day and is a steep and challenging climb. One of the most impressive things on this trail is the Nabataean cultic niches carved into the rock face as well as ancient inscriptions.
Jabal Haroun Trail
This trail is a 9km trek and is only for those dedicated hikers.
Little Petra
This is completely free to visit and there are free shuttle buses which are located to the right of the visitors centre as you exit Petra. As the name suggests this is a smaller version of Petra and is believed to have been a suburb of Petra. It will take about 1-2 hours to see the whole sight but is definitely worth a visit.
