Itineraries of 2 to 4 Days Around Petra
Advisory as of 31 October 2026. Jordan is feeling the effects of the wider 2026 regional conflict involving Iran, so travel plans can change quickly and flights may be disrupted. On the US State Department scale the whole country sits at Level 3, Reconsider Travel, while the borders with Syria and Iraq and a few named areas are at Level 4, Do Not Travel. At the time of writing the US has also named Ma’an city and parts of Ma’an Governorate on their own. The UK FCDO takes a narrower line: it advises against travel only within 3 km of the Syrian border and has no warning for Petra or Wadi Rum. Petra and Wadi Musa are open and operating. Please read the US advisory for Jordan and the UK advice for Jordan before you book and once more before you fly. What follows is written for a normal visit.
Choose by number of days
| Days | Plan | Where you sleep |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Petra on a 2-day ticket | Wadi Musa |
| 2 to 3 | Petra, then Wadi Rum | Wadi Musa, then a desert camp |
| 4 | Dana to Petra on foot | Trail stages, ending in Wadi Musa |
| 5 or more | Southern Jordan loop on the King’s Highway | Wadi Musa, Dana, Karak and others |
Two days: Petra without rushing
Petra is not a one-day sight, and the Monastery steps alone take much of a morning. Visitors who sleep in Jordan pay 55 JD for two days, and Jordan Explorer pass holders pay 75 JD. A good split puts the Main Trail, Treasury and High Place of Sacrifice on day one. Day two covers the Back Door route or the Monastery, followed by the Al-Khubtha viewpoint if your legs allow. Stay both nights in Wadi Musa. The Petra itinerary fills in the hours.
Two to three days: add Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum belongs to Aqaba Governorate and lies 1.5 to 2 hours south of Wadi Musa. Spend your Petra nights in Wadi Musa and then sleep one night in a Wadi Rum camp. Choose a camp by name and book it ahead, rather than leaving it to chance on arrival. Expect a gate fee of about 5 to 7 JD per person.
Four days: walk from Dana to Petra
The Jordan Trail stages 601 to 604 take 4 days and cover about 72 km. The walk begins in Tafilah Governorate and finishes in Ma’an Governorate. The Petra pass is purchased at the Nabatean Cultural Village office, and a guide is strongly advised. Trails in the Dana reserve are booked via RSCN , with entry at about 10 JD for non-Jordanians.
Five days or more: the King’s Highway loop
The road from Amman via Madaba, Karak, Dana and Shobak to Wadi Musa takes about 4 to 4.5 hours without stops, and the Desert Highway is quicker at about 235 km and 3 hours. A loop might give Wadi Musa 2 nights, stop at Shobak on the way north and include Dana and Karak, with Wadi Rum and Aqaba to the south. Shobak sits north of Wadi Musa, and Wadi Rum sits south, so they cannot share a day.
Passes and timing
The Jordan Pass removes the 40 JD visa fee if bought before you land and used with a stay of 2 nights or more, and jordanpass.jo lists the terms. Petra closes between 4 and 6 PM in most seasons, so hard walking belongs in the morning.
Read more: Day trips and Romantic getaways .
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