Petra, the rock-cut capital of the Nabataens, is what seduces almost a million visitors to the Kingdom of Jordan each year. Lost for hundreds of years, this World Wonder is well worth its title. From its secret entrance down a narrow Siq, to the stunning Treasury views, every visitor leaves Petra awe-inspired.
With that being said, Petra entrance fees are among the most expensive for any archaeological site in the world. Visiting Petra costs upwards of USD70 and for visitors who are only in Jordan for the day, it is even higher. Below, I break down the entrance fee to Petra and why it varies.
Petra Entry Fees
1 Day Petra Ticket is JD50 (~USD70)
2 Day Petra Ticket is JD55
3 Day Petra Ticket is JD60
Things to Note about Petra Entrance Fees: You must purchase a multi-day pass on the first day. In other words, you cannot buy a one day pass and then go back to the ticket office and buy a second day. You will be charged the 1 day rate again.
Petra Entrance Fees for One Day Visitors to Jordan
One day visitors to Jordan are considered to be anyone who does not spend the night in the country. This includes daytrippers from Israel and cruise ship passengers who arrive into Aqaba. These types of travelers are known as non-accommodated visitors
1 Day Petra Ticket for non-accommodated visitor is JD90 (~USD 127.00)
Petra Entry Fees with the Jordan Pass
The Jordan Pass includes entry to 40 sites as well as a visitor visa to Jordan. In addition to Petra, it includes access to other World Heritage Sites in Jordan inlcluding Wadi Rum, and Qesr Amra. It also includes entry to the Amman Citadel and the Roman Theatre in Amman. Visitors can also visit Kerak Castle, Shobak Castle, and Aqaba Castle.
You can get more information on the Jordan Pass here.
Make sure you decide how many days you want to visit Petra as that will affect the price of the Jordan Pass.
1 Day Petra Ticket with the Jordan Pass is JD70
2 Day Petra Ticket with the Jordan Pass is JD75
3 Day Petra Ticket with the Jordan Pass is JD80
You need to buy the Jordan Pass from the Ministry of Tourism’s Jordan Pass website before you arrive in Jordan in order to use it for the waiving of visa fees on arrival. In order to be eligible for the Pass, you must also stay in Jordan for a minimum of three days. If you do not, you may be charged the JD40 Visa fee (or more) upon departure.
More Petra Resources
Beyond Petra is Petra by Night (click the link for more details) where 15 000 candles illuminate the Siq all the way to the Treasury. Sweet Bedouin tea, a starry night, and a traditional Jordanian flute, set the stage for a short performance. It occurs three times a week from 8:30-10:30pm
There are several hotels near the Petra site entrance. You can read about which ones are close by in this post on Petra hotels.
If you are at the beginning stages of planning your trip to Jordan, check out this 7 day Jordan itinerary that gives you plenty of time to explore Petra over multiple days. The best time to visit Petra weather-wise is late Spring and Fall.
What to Pack for Petra
It depends on what time of year you are taking a tour to Petra from Amman. But generally, you are going to need these items any time of the year:
- Comfortable shoes (unless you are on a multi-day trek, I do not suggest hiking boots, comfortable shoes or even comfortable sandals that you can walk in all day)
- Water (I highly suggest a Grayl Water Bottle to everyone, not just those going to the Middle East. Some people say the water is safe to drink from the tap, others say it is not; it is not something I am going to chance. And Jordan has a HUGE garbage problem. The streets, the forests, and even the desert are littered with plastic bottles.If you consider drinking at least 1-2 big water bottles a day while you are there, think of how much plastic that creates when every visitor and the population’s 9 million people do the same. With a Grayl, you can filter any tap water (or actually any water source) and have clean drinking water in seconds. Since most people travel with water bottles already, consider one like this with a filter so that you are not just pouring from big water bottles to small. It might sound expensive, but when you compare it to spending a few dollars per day on water while you travel (and do not forget how expensive the water is inside airports), you will pay for this very quickly.
- Hat or Scarf (will keep the sun off your head in the summer and will keep you warm in the winter)
- Snacks (you can buy tea and snacks inside the site, and there is a restaurant also)
- Camera and or Phone
- Selfie Stick
- Kleenex and Hand Sanitiser (there are washrooms in the site, but not few, and sometimes they are not well stocked)
Read more tips on what to wear in Jordan. It covers visiting at any time of year and what to wear, where ever you are going in the country.
