Friends, I continue to share stories from my trip to the amazing Petra — a city where extraordinary natural landscapes intertwine with stunning architecture. Last time I wrote about the history of this place; today I want to focus on the main landmarks of the complex and explain how I got there.
Walking through the ancient city
In the previous article about the trip, I wrote about the first unusual place in Petra — the winding gorge that leads to the main area of the complex. Walking through the gorge took me about 15 minutes. The rocky path brings visitors to Petra’s main attraction, the Treasury of the Pharaoh (Al-Khazneh). This structure was carved into the rock in the 1st century BC. It is the main photo spot of the complex, and there are always crowds in front of Al-Khazneh’s façade.
From there, each traveler can plan their own route. There are countless walking itineraries across the vast territory of the complex available online. I reached the ancient theater, climbed to the façades of buildings northeast of it, and then walked to the beginning of the ascent to the Ad Deir Monastery. This part of the route felt the most challenging to me: I was carrying a backpack with all my belongings, the temperature rose above 30 degrees Celsius, and climbing uphill in such conditions was not easy.
On the way to the monastery, I passed many souvenir stalls. At the café at the very top, I bought water and a cola. They accepted both cash and international bank cards, although card payments required a minimum purchase of five dinars. A cola cost two dinars, water one. I’d like to separately mention the local residents — vendors and guides working here. They all speak excellent English, are happy to answer questions, and, most importantly, are not pushy at all.
On the way back from the monastery, I took a slightly different route. Along the way, I came across the ruins of several massive structures and an ancient street with a partially ruined colonnade.
How to get to Petra on your own
I planned my route several months before the trip. On the first day, I arrived in Amman, the country’s capital. I spent the night there and the next morning traveled to Petra by bus. Tickets can be purchased online via 12go.asia. In September 2025, a one-way trip cost €22.93. The boarding and drop-off coordinates are indicated on the electronic ticket.
The bus ride took about four hours, and I spent exactly four hours walking around the city. During that time, I covered 12 kilometers (18,413 steps). At 5:00 PM, I had another bus — this time to the Wadi Rum desert. I also bought those tickets on 12go.asia. I spent my free time at the Petra Museum, where a large collection of artifacts found in and around the ancient city is displayed.
The ticket stated that we would arrive in the desert at 6:30 PM, but in reality the bus arrived half an hour later. It’s worth keeping such delays in mind when planning your trip, as some travelers arrange transfers from the bus stop to their desert camps in advance.
Next time, I’ll tell you about my journey through the Wadi Rum desert — another unforgettable place in Jordan.
Enjoy your travels!
