Petra Jordan map · a practical orientation guide

Know the route.
Keep the wonder.

Petra is bigger than its most famous façade. Start with the shape of the walk, understand where the climbs begin, and give the journey back as much thought as the way in.

This Petra Jordan map guide connects the main landmarks, explains the Monastery extension and helps you choose an offline map. Use it to plan a day that fits your pace, rather than trying to collect every viewpoint.

01 / The route 02 / Offline maps

03 / Trail choices 04 / Petra collection

05 / Before you go

The Treasury seen through the narrow sandstone walls of the Siq

Carved rectangular recesses in a red sandstone interior at Petra

01 / The route at a glance

One main thread.
A few deliberate detours.

For a first visit, think of the standard approach as a sequence: Visitor Centre, Siq, Treasury, Theatre area, Colonnaded Street, then Qasr al-Bint. The Treasury is a landmark along the way, not the end of the whole archaeological park.

Original orientation schematic: landmark sequence only, not to scale or compass-aligned. It shows no GPS position, open-trail status or navigable shortcuts. The Royal Tombs, Church and other side visits are not plotted. Use the official map and instructions on site for navigation.

01 / Visitor Centre

Begin with ticket checks, a map and current route advice. This is the usual starting point for the Siq approach. Confirm your intended return and any service arrangements before setting off.

02 / Siq

The narrow gorge leads towards the Treasury. Take time for the sandstone and water channels, while keeping the remaining route and return in mind.

03 / Treasury

Al-Khazna is the first great reveal from the Siq. Decide whether to return from here or continue into the city; seeing the Treasury does not mean the whole main route is complete.

04 / Theatre area

The main route continues through the Street of Façades and past the Theatre. Other monuments and side paths need their own decisions; this simplified board does not plot every branch.

05 / Colonnaded Street

The route opens into the ancient city’s monumental centre. Keep track of your group’s energy and the time you need for the return before choosing additional sites.

06 / Qasr al-Bint

This is the Main Trail endpoint. The Monastery climb is a separate extension, not the next level of a flat city walk. Make the choice here with enough energy and time for your exit.

Read the distance properly

3.9 km is one way.

PDTRA lists the Main Trail from the Visitor Centre to Qasr al-Bint as 3.9 km, with a non-stop walking estimate. Retracing it gives a baseline of about 7.8 km before side visits. That arithmetic is useful; treating the published walking time as a complete sightseeing timetable is not.

Add your own allowance for photographs, rest, refreshments and the walk out. Official Main Trail details ↗

The Treasury façade carved into sandstone cliffs at Petra

04 / Match the names to the landscape

Landmarks, textures
and the spaces between.

These six photographs introduce the setting. The Street of Façades photograph shows rock-cut tombs; it is not labelled as the Royal Tombs. The landscape and interior views are contextual images, not marked viewpoints or route instructions.

The broad rock-cut façade of Ad-Deir, the Monastery at Petra

Rock-cut tombs along the Street of Façades at Petra

Sandstone ridges and the archaeological landscape of Petra

02 / Maps to take with you

Save it before
you need it.

A map is most helpful when it is ready before you reach the canyon. Keep an official reference on your phone, and decide how you will check the route if the connection drops or the battery runs low.

The official offline page explains ArcGIS Earth and provides separate map-data downloads. This guide does not install an app or download those packages automatically.

Official offline map ↗ · Visitor Centre information ↗

Download both parts.

Follow PDTRA’s instructions for the app and the map-data file. An installed app alone does not mean the Petra data is stored on your phone.

Test it offline.

While still connected, load the saved file and locate the Visitor Centre and Treasury. Then test that the map remains available offline. Check the app’s location permissions if you want position features.

Keep a second reference.

Ask at the Visitor Centre for available paper maps and current route advice. A screenshot of a simple route can help you remember the plan, but it is not a substitute for detailed navigation.

03 / Choose your walking day

Keep the first route simple.
Add one ambition.

The strongest plan has a clear priority and a sensible stopping point. These are different route choices, not three items that every visitor needs to complete.

A / The main approach

Through the Siq

Choose the classic Visitor Centre approach for the gradual reveal of the Treasury and the ancient city beyond. Review the return walk before adding side climbs. A shorter visit can have the Treasury as its chosen turnaround, rather than treating Qasr al-Bint as compulsory.

B / An uphill extension

Up to the Monastery

Ad-Deir is reached by a separate climb from the Qasr al-Bint area. PDTRA describes roughly 800 steps. Its page gives 2 km in the trail summary and about 1.6 km in the text, so this guide does not promise a single precise distance. Leave time for both ascent and descent.

C / A different approach

The back trail

The official Back Trail runs from Siq al-Barid, or Little Petra, to Ad-Deir. It is a separate approach, with its own terrain and logistics. Confirm current access, guiding, ticket checks and transport arrangements before choosing it. It should not be assumed to remove all walking or steps.

Viewpoints need a separate decision. A photograph taken above the Treasury does not prove the route is public, open or suitable for your group. Ask the Visitor Centre which paths are authorised and whether a licensed guide is required. Stay on approved routes and respect closures.

Make room for the return

Plan backwards
from the way out.

Choose the time you want to be back at the Visitor Centre, then work backwards through rests, the return route and any extension. Your latest possible arrival at a monument is rarely the best time to aim for it.

For 2 October 2026–1 March 2027, PDTRA currently lists the site and Visitor Centre at 06:30–17:00. Check the dated official hours again before your visit; operating notices can change.

A few questions worth settling

Where will your group turn back if anyone is tired?
How much time have you allowed for the return, rather than just the outward walk?
Do current weather conditions or park instructions affect the route?
Have you brought water, suitable footwear and sun protection?
If you need transport or step-free access, which exact sections can the current service cover?

Ask about the full route, including uneven surfaces and steps. A vehicle service on part of the route does not establish accessibility throughout Petra.

05 / Before you go

Map questions,
made clearer.

Is the Treasury at Petra’s main entrance?

No. The standard visitor approach starts at the Visitor Centre and continues through the Siq to the Treasury. The main route then carries on into the ancient city. Include the approach and return in your plan, even if the Treasury is your only priority.

Can I use this overview as an offline walking map?

The numbered overview is an orientation aid, not a GPS map. It deliberately omits distances between stops, terrain, branches and current closures. Save PDTRA’s official offline map data and check the route at the Visitor Centre.

Does reaching the Monastery mean I have finished the walk?

Only if your complete exit arrangement has been confirmed. The Monastery is a landmark, not a general road pickup point. A normal out-and-back climb still requires a descent and onward return. A back-trail plan needs separate checks for access, guiding, ticket verification and transport.

Does my map include tickets or a guide?

No. A map does not grant entry or include guiding or vehicle services. PDTRA lists admission and optional services separately. Check the category that applies to you and confirm what is covered before buying; Jordan Pass holders using the Back Trail are directed to the Ticket Office for verification.

Can I see Petra without doing every climb?

Choose a manageable section of the main approach and discuss your needs with the Visitor Centre. Ask about surfaces, distances, steps, current vehicle routes and return arrangements. Avoid treating an easy trail label or a photograph of a path as a guarantee of suitability for every visitor.

Plan with Wonders

A route that fits
your kind of day.

Tell us your travel dates, where you are staying and the places you most want to see. Mention walking or access needs early so that the conversation starts with a realistic route.

Contact Wonders ↗

Reference shelf · checked 22 October 2026

Official maps & useful links.

PDTRA Main Trail — sequence, endpoints and one-way distance.
PDTRA digital offline map — app and map-data instructions.
PDTRA Al Dayr Trail 1 and Back Trail — separate approaches and terrain context.
PDTRA opening hours and Visitor Centre — dated hours, maps and assistance.
PDTRA fees — admission categories and optional services.
PDTRA visitor guidance — approved trails, heritage and preparation.
More things to do in Petra — our wider destination guide.

The route board is an original simplified orientation aid, not official cartography. Confirm access, hours and services directly before travelling. This preview makes no promise of live trail availability.

Know the route.
Keep the wonder.