PlanoPlanoPetra and the wider Jordan itinerary combine some of the most dramatic landscapes on Earth with 10,000 years of human habitation. Things to do around Petra extend from exploring the rose-red city itself to sleeping under the stars in Wadi Rum, floating in the Dead Sea, and tracing the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia.
Read the full Petra travel guide →3 days
March, April, October
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Royal Tombs facade
The row of monumental rock-cut facades on the eastern cliff of Petra includes the Urn Tomb, the Silk Tomb, and the Palace Tomb, best viewed in late-afternoon light when the sandstone glows orange.
Petra Archaeological Museum
A small museum inside the ancient city near the Basin Restaurant displays Nabataean pottery, coins, and jewellery excavated from tombs, providing context before or after exploring the site.
Jordan Museum in Amman
The national museum in downtown Amman houses the Dead Sea Scrolls, 9,000-year-old Ain Ghazal statues, and artefacts spanning every period of Jordanian civilisation.
Mansaf dinner
Jordan's national dish of lamb cooked in dried yoghurt sauce (jameed) and served over rice on a communal platter is traditionally eaten with the right hand at celebrations.
Dana Nature Reserve hike
The 320-square-km reserve between Petra and the Dead Sea spans four bio-geographical zones, with a trail from the hilltop village of Dana down the Wadi Dana gorge to Feynan Ecolodge.
Ajloun Castle and olive groves
A 12th-century Ayyubid castle in the forested highlands of northern Jordan, surrounded by olive and pine groves with hiking trails through the Ajloun Forest Reserve.
Wadi Mujib (Little Petra) entrance gorge
The Siq al-Barid, 10 km north of Petra, is a smaller Nabataean settlement with painted dining chambers and far fewer visitors, explorable in under an hour.
Wadi Rum overnight Bedouin camp
The desert valley 100 km south of Petra has Bedouin-run camps with traditional zarb (underground barbecue) dinners, 4x4 dune drives, and some of the darkest night skies in the Middle East.
Madaba mosaic map
The town 30 km south of Amman has the oldest surviving cartographic depiction of the Holy Land (a 6th-century floor mosaic in St George's Church) and workshops selling handmade mosaics.
Amman rooftop bars
The capital's Rainbow Street in Jabal Amman has rooftop cafes and bars with views over the Citadel Hill and the Roman Theatre, open until midnight with live oud music on weekends.
The best months to enjoy things to do in Petra are March, April, October, November. Plan around these months for the best weather and fewer crowds.
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