Safest Neighbourhoods in Petra (and Areas to Avoid)
Surrounding area — Wadi Musa, the park, and the wider south
- Wadi Musa centre — the basetown built up the hillside above the Visitor Centre. Movenpick Resort Petra (USD 200-280) sits directly opposite the park gate; Petra Guest House's Cave Bar (carved into a real 2,000-year-old Nabataean tomb) is the atmospheric drinks pick. Most mid-range hotels cluster around the Shaheed Roundabout 1.5 km uphill, with free shuttles down.
- Petra Visitor Centre & ticket hall — where Jordan Pass holders scan in; standalone tickets sold here too (1-day JD 50, 2-day JD 55, 3-day JD 60). Tourist Police, bathrooms, the free horse to the Siq entrance (rider tip 5-10 JD expected), and the start of the 1.2 km Siq walk.
- Umm Sayhoun — the Bedouin Bdoul relocation village uphill from the park. The Bdoul tribe lived in the Petra caves until the 1985 UNESCO designation; the Jordanian government rehoused them here and they hold the in-park concession for animals, stalls and many of the Bedouin-camp homestays.
- Little Petra (Siq al-Barid) — 9 km north of the main site, free entry, often empty. A 15-minute walk through a miniature siq with carved caravanserai facades; pairs well with a Bedouin tea stop and the back-door hike into the Monastery from the north.
- The Monastery (Ad Deir) trail — 800 carved steps from the basin floor, ~2 hours round-trip from the museum, the most rewarding climb in the park. The "Best View in the World" cliff terrace is another 10 minutes beyond the facade.
- High Place of Sacrifice — the alternative climb, 800 steps up from the Roman theatre, descending past the Garden Tomb and Lion Fountain back into the main basin. Quieter than the Monastery trail and a useful Treasury-to-Royal-Tombs back route.
- Royal Tombs cliff — the row of huge facades (Urn, Silk, Corinthian, Palace) above the colonnaded street, accessed by a short staircase. Late-afternoon golden hour is the photographic sweet spot.
- Wadi Rum — 100 km south, the desert valley of Lawrence-of-Arabia and Martian-film fame. Most people pair it with Petra as a one- or two-night Bedouin-camp add-on.
- Aqaba — 130 km south on the Red Sea, Jordan's only coastal city, dive sites, and the Wadi Araba border to Eilat (open daily except Yom Kippur).
- King's Highway via Dana — the scenic northern approach from Amman through the Dana Biosphere Reserve and the Crusader castles at Karak and Shobak. Adds 2-3 hours over the Desert Highway but is the more interesting drive.
FAQ
- What's the biggest scam to avoid at Petra?
- The 'free' donkey, horse, and camel rides — nothing is free. The horse ride from the Visitor Centre to the Siq entrance is technically included with your ticket but the rider expects a 5-10 JD tip; any other animal ride needs a price agreed upfront (typically 5-25 JD). Other recurring patterns: unofficial Bedouin 'special viewpoint' guides who lead long climbs then demand unagreed fees; vendor-stall opening prices that are 2-3x the real price; and 'VIP entry / skip the queue' offers that don't exist (buy tickets at the official Visitor Centre window or the Jordan Pass online before flying).
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