Visiting Petra With Kids: Pace and Safety

October 30, 2026

Travel advisory, October 2026: The wider 2026 conflict involving Iran reaches Jordan, and the US State Department gives the whole country an overall Level 3, “Reconsider Travel”. Level 4, “Do Not Travel”, applies to the borders with Syria and Iraq and to a few named districts. The UK FCDO takes a narrower line: it advises against travel only within 3 km of the Syrian border and carries no warning for Petra, Wadi Musa or Wadi Rum. Petra and Wadi Musa are open and operating, but flights can be disrupted and the situation can shift at short notice. Compare the current UK FCDO advice with the US State Department advisory before you book and again before you fly. The rest of this page is written for an ordinary visit.

Petra works for families who treat it as a series of short outings instead of one long march. These answers cover the questions parents ask most, followed by a plan that splits the visit into blocks. Amounts are in Jordanian dinars (JD).

Quick answers

Cost for children: children under 12 enter Petra free in daylight. Very young children also ride the club car free.
Easiest stretch: the walk to the Treasury is about 2 km, an 800 m approach and then the 1.2 km Siq, mostly flat or gently downhill.
Hardest stretch: the Monastery has 800 to 850 steps each way and is too much for most young children.
Best months: spring and autumn. June to August is hot and shadeless at 35 to 40 C or more.
Public pool: none. Reports give outdoor pools to two hotels, the Mövenpick Resort Petra beside the gate and the Petra Marriott.

Morning block: the Treasury and a turnaround

Start at opening, around 6:00 to 6:30 am, when the Siq is cool. Adults walk to the Treasury in 30 to 45 minutes and small children take longer. The return climbs gently, so the electric club cars are worth considering at 15 JD one way or 25 JD both ways. They run daily from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm and cannot be booked in advance. Turn back at the Treasury or the Street of Facades, and save the Monastery for older children or another trip.

Midday block: indoors or flat and quiet

The Petra Museum stands next to the Visitor Center. It is air-conditioned, which makes it a cool break in the middle of the day, and its opening hours are worth checking that morning.

A second morning can go to Little Petra, about 8 km north, which needs no Petra ticket. Its paths are short and flat, and children can peer into the Painted Biclinium, a carved room with painted vines and birds. Beidha, a Neolithic village with round house outlines, shares the car park.

Evening block: cooking and balloons

Petra Kitchen runs an evening cooking class for 35 JD per person inside the Petra Boutique Hotel on Tourism Street. It starts at 6:30 pm from March to October and 6:00 pm from November to February. Ask about places for children when you book at petrakitchen.com .

The Petra Balloon is a tethered helium balloon that depends on the wind. Ask at the site about child fares.

Safety for small travellers

In summer each person needs 2 to 3 litres of water, and bottled or filtered water is the cautious choice.
The Siq carries rain runoff. Floods have led to evacuations, most recently in May 2025. Follow rangers and Civil Defence at once, and keep everyone out of the Siq in or after heavy rain.
Closing time is anywhere from 4:00 to 6:00 pm, depending on the season. The UK FCDO reports that tourists have been locked in overnight, so start back early.
Working horses, donkeys, mules and camels share the park with visitors, and welfare groups report overloading and beating. A tired child can take the club car instead.

To compare family-friendly tours, search GetYourGuide family tours in Wadi Musa . Read more: Petra sightseeing and outdoor activities . A ready-made plan is the Petra 3 day itinerary .