Hiking In Petra: Trails, Tips & Hidden Views You Can’t Miss (2026)

Hiking in Petra: Trails, Tips & Hidden Views You Can’t Miss (2026)

Alissa Walker

Travel writing based on first-hand experience

May 4, 2026

Planning a hiking in Petra? Discover the top trails, secret climbs, and local tips for making the most of your Jordan adventure.

Planning more of your Petra and Jordan adventure?

Hiking in Petra is not a cute little stroll with a view. Oh no. It is stairs, sandstone, hidden viewpoints, sun-blasted trails, dramatic cliffs, and that tiny voice in our head saying, “Why did we not bring more water?” If you’re building Petra into a bigger Jordan route, these guides will help you connect the trails, overnight stops, desert camps, canyon hikes, and road-trip logistics.

2 Days in Petra Itinerary — the obvious next read for planning the Main Trail, the Monastery hike, timing, food, water, and how many days Petra actually deserves.
Where to Stay Near Petra — perfect if you want to choose between Wadi Musa, nearby hotels, Bedouin-style stays, and the easiest base for early starts.
Ultimate Jordan Itinerary: 8 Days of History, Nature & Adventure — ideal if Petra is part of a wider route through Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, Amman, and Jordan’s biggest highlights.
Perfect Jordan Itinerary: 10 Days from Amman to Aqaba — for a slower trip with more breathing room around Petra, Little Petra, Wadi Rum, Aqaba, and the Dead Sea.
Ultimate Guide to Visiting Wadi Rum Jordan — the natural next stop after Petra for Bedouin camps, red-sand landscapes, jeep tours, stargazing, and full desert drama.
Guide to Wadi Mujib — for another wildly physical Jordan adventure, with canyon water trails, ladders, waterfalls, and a strong case for proper shoes.
Top Places to Visit in Jordan — useful if you want to compare Petra with Jerash, Madaba, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, Dana, Aqaba, and other must-see stops.
Driving in Jordan as a Tourist — handy if you’re renting a car and linking Petra with Amman, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, Wadi Mujib, and Aqaba.
Essential Jordan Travel Tips — practical advice on routes, timing, transport, safety, money, Jordan Pass basics, and the things you’ll wish you knew earlier.
How to Dress in Jordan as a Woman — useful for Petra hiking days, desert stops, city visits, mosque etiquette, and real-life outfits that survive heat, dust, and stairs.

Treks in Petra – One-Day Trail Suggestions

Hiking in Petra on the Main Trail

Distance: 8 km round trip
Difficulty: easy
Departure: Petra Tourist Office
Arrival: Qasr al-Bint

The Main Trail is the path that starts from the tourist office and leads to the stairs that go up to the Monastery. In other words, it is the route you take to see the main buildings in Petra.

When you leave the reception, you pass by a few buildings and quickly enter the Siq, a spectacular 1.2 km canyon with orange walls. It is by leaving the Siq that you arrive at Kahzneh, the emblematic Treasury of Petra. You then arrive at the street of facades, the royal tombs, the street of colonnades, and finally at Qasr al-Bint. Of course, if you have time, the ideal is to spend a little time at each place to explore a little.

The hike as a whole is easy: there is no elevation gain, and the trail is clear and well-maintained from start to finish. You will see that this is the busiest route on the site. There are many tourist groups there.

The Ad Deir trail to Petra Monastery

Distance: 5 km round trip
Difficulty: difficult
Departure: At the end of the main path
Arrival: Ad Deir (the Monastery)

Ad-Deir Trail starts at the end of the Main Trail and leads to the northern sector of Petra via an ancient staircase of 800 steps. At the end of the trail, we find the Monastery, another spectacular construction of Petra. This route is difficult due to its elevation gain. Otherwise, it is clear and well-signposted.

As you start the climb, you quickly reach the Triclinium of the Lion, and later a hermitage dug into the rock. The staircase is often lined with stalls and places to stop for tea or a cold drink. After the 800 steps, the gradient drops gently, then you reach the Monastery. I found the Monastery magnificent. I admit that I preferred it to the Treasury because of its calmer atmosphere.

Once at the Monastery, there are cafes and restaurants to refresh yourself, and you can also continue the hike to see some structures a little further north or advance on the Back door hiking trail to the Monastery .

Please note that I only took this trail to go back down to the Main Trail. Coming from Little Petra via the back door to the Monastery trail (see next hike in Petra), you avoid having to walk the stairs in both directions.

**The Back Door to the Monastery trail for an extraordinary arrival in Petra**

Distance: 5,5 km walking
Difficulty: Intermediate
Departure: Little Petra
Arrival: Ad Deir (the Monastery)

If you want to get away from the crowds, this Petra hike is the one for you. This is my favorite trail to hike in Petra. To reach the trail, the ideal is to go to Little Petra. From there, you have two options:

First, start walking right away by taking the path behind the Little Petra reception.
The second, take a Jeep ($5) to save 2-3 kilometers (sorry for the lack of precision, I couldn’t say how much) of walking in the desert. No matter what you decide, keep in mind that after this stretch from the Back door to Monastery, you will still have the Ad Deir trail (2.5 km) and the Main Trail (4 km) to walk back.

I opted for the second option and saved a few steps thanks to the Jeep. The section covered by the car, being essentially in the desert and without any notable viewpoint, I was at peace with my decision. After the drop-off point, from the first steps, the breathtaking panoramas follow one after the other. The trail alternates between climbs and descents, offering great viewpoints sometimes on the mountains, sometimes on incredible rock formations. I loved this sector, which seemed to me far from the busy main path.

The highlight of this hike is certainly reaching the Monastery, which becomes more clearly visible with each step. Certainly one of the most beautiful moments of this stay in Jordan.

Check out the Petra tourism website for more Petra trek suggestions.

Things to know to prepare for a hike in Petra in Jordan

What to bring on a hike in Petra?

Sunscreen
A hat
A sufficient amount of water
A snack or lunch
Comfortable shoes suitable for hiking
A suitable first-aid kit
A map of the site

Where to stay in Petra

I stayed in one of the new rooms at the Petra Town Check-Inn Hotel in the town of Wadi Musa. The location was great, central, and about a 20-minute walk to Petra. The owner was all smiles and super helpful. While not exceptional, the room was okay, and the breakfast was satisfactory. If you prefer, there are also a few options within walking distance of the entrance to the site, such as the Petra Boutique Hotel or the Mövenpick Petra.

Visit Petra from Amman

If you’re short on time, several day trips from Amman don’t allow much time for hiking, but you’ll at least be able to walk the Main Trail.

Visit Petra from Wadi Rum

With Petra and Wadi Rum being less than an hour apart, it is not uncommon for people to visit one after the other. Again, local transportation is available, and if the schedule doesn’t suit you, you can easily find a driver to take you from one point to the other.

Planning a hiking trip to Petra

There are several options for visiting Petra. If you want to be accompanied in organising your stay, I recommend that you go through providers who work with local agencies to ensure you have a trip that reflects the country.