15 Best Petra Tours

Located in southern Jordan, the historic archaeological site at Petra is one of the country’s most visited places.

The amazing ruins are built into a sheer rock face in a mountain range that runs along the Dead Sea and Gulf of Aqaba.

If the historians and archaeologists are correct, the Petra ruins were constructed many thousands of years ago by a band of Arab nomads who chose the site for its location along a prosperous trading route.

The site can be visited from many regional cities and countries, and tours are available in half-day, full-day and multi-day options.

Below are 15 of the best tours of Petra.

1. Full-Day Petra Tour with Return to Aqaba

Source: snapshopped / shutterstock

After being picked up by an air-conditioned vehicle in Aqaba, tour guests will drive to Petra and enter the one of a kind site through the dramatic and multi-colored gorge that acts as its entrance.

The monument was carved into the vertical stone face thousands of years ago, and you’ll wonder how such an ancient and supposedly primitive people created such an epic and enduring structure.

The area is full of tombs, rock carvings, altars, and even a theater built in a style similar to those in Rome.

Tour highlights include the Ad Deir Monastery and the Petra Nabatean Museum as well.

2. Private Petra and Little Petra Tour from Aqaba

Source: Anton_Ivanov / shutterstock

This private guided tour and shore excursion will give guests a wonderful insight into the history of Petra, which is one of Jordan’s most visited archaeological sites.

It’s a harsh environment, but the rugged inhabitants not only survived, but thrived as merchants and traders, and built a monument that would last for thousands of years.

You’ll have ample time to explore the site at your own pace, and after hours in the desert sun the air-conditioned vehicle will be a welcome reprieve.

The tour begins and ends at the Port of Aqaba, so it’s convenient and a great value for those arriving via cruise ship.

3. Day-Tour from Eilat, Israel to Petra

Source: Shutterstock

If you and your travel companions are staying in Eilat, but want to dedicate a full-day to exploring Petra, this day-tour would be a wise choice.

At 12 hours it’s a bit on the lengthy side, but it includes pickup and drop-off from Eilat, entrance fees to the site and a traditional Jordanian meal at a nearby restaurant.

The tour includes all the area’s highlights and a historical narration from your local guide.

Please note, that since you’ll be crossing national borders, there are fees you’ll have to pay that aren’t included in the tour’s cost, so check the inclusions and exclusions section in the link below carefully.

4. Guided Day-Tour from Amman to Petra

Source: Aleksandra H. Kossowska / shutterstock

This Petra tour from Amman conveniently includes round-trip transportation to and from your hotel, making it a great fit for travelers who’d rather not fuss with pesky details.

The valleys and mountains in the area of Petra and Wadi Mousa are full of historic sites, and this tour will get guests up close and personal with the most significant among them.

Your guide will be with you for 2 or 3 hours depending on which sites are visited, and you’ll get a thorough and interesting look into the area and its culture and history.

The tour lasts 12 hours and doesn’t include meals, drinks or entry fees.

5. 5-Day Amman to Petra, Jerash, Nebo, Wadi Rum, Dead Sea Tour

Source: lkpro / shutterstock

For those who’ve got 5 full days to dedicate to an executive-class tour of the region’s historic and archaeological hotspots, this tour would be a great fit.

Starting out with a tour of Jordan’s capital Amman, the group will head to Umm Qais, Jersah, and Karak Castle to name just a few.

3 night’s accommodations are included, and one night will be spent in a desert Bedouin camp, giving guests a truly rare and unique chance to experience the local culture like few will.

As with many multi-day tours, there’s a long list of inclusions and exclusions, so check it out carefully before booking.

6. 3-Day Tour to Petra, Wadi Rum, Dana, Aqaba, Dead Sea

Source: Peter Wollinga / shutterstock

Though Petra is one of the most well-known of Jordan’s ancient sites, it’s one of many that deserve to be seen, and this 3-day tour will cover many others as well.

It’s a private tour that can be customized to fit the needs and interests of its guests, and the tour’s size is limited to 7, so everyone will get an intimate experience unlike those in large tour groups.

The tour begins and ends in Amman and includes all accommodations and transport, and unlike many other tours it includes a great mix of guided and personal time, so you’ll be able to see the things that interest you, and do it at your own pace.

7. Half-Day Tour from Queen Alia Airport

Source: DimaSid / shutterstock

Considered one of the world’s new 7 wonders, Petra is a unique site that was carved into the sheer rock face by the Nabataean people thousands of years ago.

It’s a truly epic feat of engineering and construction, and lies at the end of a deep and narrow gorge that winds its way back to the site.

The area is littered with carvings, altars, obelisks, and an amphitheater built in the Roman-style that is capable of seating thousands.

This half-day tour from Queen Alia Airport is a quick and convenient side-excursion for those who want to enjoy what the area has to offer but don’t have a lot of free time.

8. 3-Day Jordan Highlight Tour

Source: HildaWeges Photography / shutterstock

With three full-days of guided tour time, this Jordanian highlight tour will take guests to an amazing array of the region’s most historic sites.

The Wadi Rum Desert, the Rose City of Petra, and Mount Nebo near the Dead Sea are a few highlights.

As you’re traveling, you’ll get an insightful historic narration from your guide, and you’ll learn how many of the things you’re seeing fit in with the stories told in the Bible.

2 nights of 4-star lodging are included, as is breakfast, your guide, transport, and site entrance fees.

It’s a value packed tour you’ll never forget.

9. Petra Day-Tour from Dead Sea with lunch

Source: Kanuman / shutterstock

This guided tour of Petra is one is a great fit for those who’d rather someone else take care of all the little details.

Designed to give participants the time and freedom to see and explore the things that interest them, this guided tour includes lots of little details that add to the tour’s value.

The tour includes air-conditioned transportation, the guide’s fee, site entrance fee at Petra, an area map, and an authentic Jordanian lunch in a local restaurant, and your local guide will provide historical and cultural perspective along the way.

Personal expenses, additional food and drinks, and Dead Sea entry fee aren’t included.

10. Discover Egypt and Jordan Tour 14 Days- Cairo and Nile Cruise – Petra and Dead Sea

Source: Veronika Kovalenko / shutterstock

For those international travelers with high credit card limits and two full weeks to dedicate to a comprehensive tour of the Middle East, this value-packed combo tour would be a great choice.

Focusing on Egypt and Jordan, the tour also includes a Nile Cruise and trip to the Dead Sea.

In many ways the tour is a trip back in time, and you’ll likely see history unfold before your eyes as your guide impresses you with their knowledge of local culture and history, much of which dates back to biblical times.

The tour can be customized to accommodate travelers in Egypt and Jordan, and the only things that aren’t included are gratuities and international flights to and from your starting point.

11. Day-Trip to Petra from Amman

Source: Firebird007 / shutterstock

This convenient Amman-based tour to Petra begins with a morning drive through the desert, and upon arrival guests will enter the ancient site through the deep and narrow gorge leading into the site.

The first view will be of the majestic Treasury building chiseled into the vertical cliff face.

The amphitheater, monastery and ceremonial altars are also included stops, and guests will have a good mix of guided and free time to explore.

Hotel pickup and drop-off and guide’s fee are included, but entry fees, border fees, and taxes aren’t. Bring some extra money for food, refreshments, souvenirs, and gratuities as well.

12. Full-Day Round-Trip Transfers to Petra from Amman

Source: Maridav / shutterstock

For those interested in experiencing the Petra sites at their own pace without a guide, this round-trip, private transfer option would be a great way to do just that.

Once guests arrive at the site, they’ll have the opportunity to hire a local guide, or give themselves a self-guided tour.

Whichever option you choose, you’ll have access to everything you could possibly want to see, and approximately 6 hours of the 12-hour tour will be spent onsite.

Site entry fees aren’t included, and if you’re up for some fun activities, you can also take a donkey ride or do a bit of rock climbing.

13. 4-Day Private Tour to Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum, Aqaba, Dead Sea

Source: NAPA / shutterstock

Jordan has a lot to offer, and with 4-days of value packed activities and excursions, this tour is one that will cover everything that most visitors want to see.

Stops include Petra, Jerash, Wadi Rum, and the Dead Sea, and the tour is customizable depending on the needs and interests of the guests.

Accommodations are included in the tour’s cost, as are the tour’s guide and driver.

It’s a cultural and historic trip into the rich culture of the Middle East, and with an insightful narrative every step of the way, guests will feel like they’ve had a vacation and much-needed history lesson.

14. Private, Wheelchair-Accessible Tour to Petra

Source: Leonard Zhukovsky / shutterstock

For foreigners traveling in the Middle East, navigating the dizzying array of languages and customs can be stressful and time consuming.

If that sounds like something you’d like to avoid, then consider this private, shore excursion tour of Jordan’s Petra site.

From the port you’ll be whisked by private air-conditioned car to the site, and since the local portion of the tour is given in golf carts, the tour is accessible for those confined to wheelchairs as well.

The tour includes transportation to and from the site, and for those who’d like to enjoy an upgraded lunch option, they can do so at a local restaurant or hotel as well.

15. Aqaba to Petra and Little Petra: Private 1-Day Shore Excursion

Source: Yakov Oskanov / shutterstock

The port at Aqaba is a docking site for many cruise ships in the Middle East, and from the port this one-day tour of Petra and Little Petra is a convenient way to get up to date with the area’s amazing history.

Pickup and drop-off from the port are included in the tour’s cost, and since a guide isn’t included you’ll have the option to see the sights at your own pace, or to hire a local guide onsite.

Whatever you choose, it’ll be an amazing day and one you and your travel partners won’t likely forget.

Site entrance fee and food and drinks aren’t included.