By Petra… there are few places in the world that evoke such feelings of wonder and majesty.
Awe-inspiring for both its ancient structures and natural landscape, you’ll find yourself just as amazed by the mountains and canyons surrounding it as you will the man-made treasures within.
But with tens of thousands streaming through every year from cruise ships and jumping off speedy tour buses, many visits to the legendary site are criminally short. This list is meant to help you make the most of it.
1) Spend at least 2-3 days
Many visitors do it in just one day, and though you can see the primary attractions in one efficiently spent visit, you’ll find yourself rushing and foregoing many adventures.
Do yourself a favor, walk and hike without a rush to experience it fully. 2 days at a minimum. 3 days is ideal. 4+ if you’re really into desert hiking.
The Treasury and The Siq are but a fraction of what Petra has to offer. The ancient city is the perfect combination of mysterious history and outdoors adventure. The mountains and canyons carve into the desert landscape just as beautifully as the Nabataeans once did. Wander. See it all.
2) When you first arrive, share a taxi
A seemingly obvious suggestion, but when you first arrive on a bus you will likely be among several other travelers and most of you will have booked hotels/hostels that are a long walk up Wadi Musa’s hilly terrain. So approach other travelers, get a group together, secure a driver, go together.
Plus, you may end up with friends to explore Petra with. I did, and thankfully ended up with an all-star group of backpackers who made the adventure even more tremendous. Helps when one of them knows Arabic
3) Don’t ride like Indiana: Avoid the donkeys, horses and camels
We all want to cap our journey to the ancient city by galloping atop a horse or camel as the the backdrop of The Treasury fades from view…… but alas, none of the romantic imagery of Indy is possible in today’s Petra.
The ride is never “Free”: Dozens of locals will approach you at the gate and throughout the park telling you the ride is included in your ticket. It is not, they will bother you for a hefty tip and try to up-sell you the entire ride. The routes you go on are predetermined and lack adventure. You cannot explore as fully as you could on foot. The animals are not treated well and they clearly suffer from mistreatment. Instead of riding the beasts of burden,wander through the canyons and past the ruins under your own power. You’ll have the time to stop, stare, sit and wonder, and you’ll be happy you did. You’ll feel much more like Indiana. Though, as long as the camels and donkeys are there, they do make for excellent photo-opportunities…
4) Go to every “Top of The World” you can
Locals compete for business from travelers as they climb up Jabal Al-Dier and past The Monastery. And in the spirit of Bedouin competition, some of them post signs 
proclaiming their spot as the “Top of the world” or “real” top of Petra, with the “best views”.
Overlooking the stunning Jordanian Highlands and mountainous terrain of southern Israel beyond, each of these claims prove correct. Check them all out.
These overlooks are capped off with simple, tent-like shops selling souvenirs, so you can grab a few good birthday presents.
5) Take a moment or two alone
Get away from the crowds of The Siq and The Treasury and hike up a trail in the surrounding mountains, cliffs, and canyons: Petra will reward you.
Whether it’s the echo of your footsteps on stairs cut from the rock over 2,000 years ago, or watching the masses below you from a high rocky mountaintop with only the sound of a desert breeze – having these moments is what traveling is all about. No selfie can capture it. No status update can describe it. It just is. Find yours, and enjoy.
6) Bring LOTS of water & pack food in.
I bought about 4-5 liters on each of my extended days in Petra, each were days where I trekked over 20 km / 13 mi each. It was barely enough, I was empty by my walk back to the hostel each night. If you really want to see Petra the right way, and ambitiously explore its vast topography, bring plenty of H2O.
Also, the prices of food in the park are a bit high, so be prepared. Most hostels/hotels in town offer to pack you a full lunch for around $3-$4 to bring with you instead (and you get much more food for the money).
7) Go to the spot overlooking The Treasury
Tens of thousands of people stop and stare right in front of The Treasury every year. But few venture to see if from any other angle. There is, in fact, another, very rewarding perspective of the crown jewel of Petra: From above. It’s a mere 25-30 minute hike, and the reward is far exceeds the cost of the steep climb.
To get there: Go past The Treasury toward the center of the ancient city. Once you pass the the Amphitheater on your left, you will see a path leading off to the right along the bottom of the cliff going past several ruins. Follow it. From here you will access the Al-Kubtha trail. It is well trodden and well marked. With 
steps cut from the cliff face thousands of years ago and improvements made since. Once you get past the winding switchbacks, you’ll come up on a beautiful view of the entire valley below. After taking in the view, turn around and follow trail signs and markers (usually in the form of rock cairns) until you start approaching the vantage point. You’ll know it when you see it, you’ll be coming up on a cliff and it’ll be overlooking the canyon and The Treasury below. There are a couple places where local Bedouins have set up shops to do business, but you can find your own, quiet spot if you look hard enough. Revel in it.
8) Find the Place of High Sacrifice
Here you will be presented with one of the most extensive vistas that Petra has to offer, 
situated on the peak of Jabel Al-Madhbah and overlooking the ruined city below.
The location is devoid of any structures, leaving only the ominous sacrificial platforms. From here the views are breathtaking. And the hike up to and back down from this location is a treat in of itself. With a winding slot canyon up, and scrambling down rocks and cliff faces on the other side, it’s a blast. On your way down, be sure to stop at the criminally under-visited Tomb of the Roman soldier. A hidden gem where you can be completely away from the crowds and have a lovely, shaded ruin to yourself for a mid-hike lunch or a shaded conversation with another wandering backpacker.
9) Really explore the central Valley…
May seem obvious, but many people just walk through it in one quick walk without exploring either side of the main path. This area is filled with some of the most intact, and accessible ancient structures in the park. Climb up on the stage of the Amphitheater…. Hop from columns to column in the great market place… consider that your feet are walking upon a Roman road built nearly 2,000 year ago… it’s amazing.
The heat becomes impressive at midday in this part of the park, so try to do your exploring here in the late afternoon as the sun drops casts dramatic shadows across the ruins.
10) Reset and recharge in front of The Treasury 
One thing is certain no matter when or how you go to Petra: you’ll do a lot of walking. Along with the heat, it’s going to wear you out. So instead of letting fatigue cut your day regrettably short, and returning to the generally uninteresting town of Wadi Musa, take a break in front of The Treasury and recharge. This is one of the only reliably shady places in the whole park, with plenty of chairs, tables, benches, a small store with beverages and food, and yes, even wifi. You’ll rest in the presence of the park’s main attraction, and once you’ve rebounded you can rise again and see more.
11) Watch and Read before you go
If you have the time, watch the documentary below before you go to Petra. Or better yet, read up on it in a book. Your visit will be many times more worthwhile.
You’ll save money on not hiring a tour guide and everything you see there will have context and be far more rewarding. The engineering marvels and cultural nuances of Petra’s history will not disappoint you. My father recommended this documentary to me before I went and I’m thrilled I spent the time to watch it prior. Titled “Petra: Lost City of Stone” produced by NOVA, it’s an excellent summary of Petra’s history and architectural feats. You can find it on YouTube as well.
And if you’d rather read, a quick google search will give you innumerable articles, essays entries and books. The Wikipedia entry is of course quite good. And if you want to get a book online, I always recommend Avenue Victor Hugo Books on any of the the major online bookseller sites.
Leventeia 