Line © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked by Global Adventurer.
The walk
From the Little Petra car park, take the track south past the Neolithic village of Beidha and follow the Back Trail through Bedouin farmland and sandstone hills, rising gently towards the edge of the plateau. A final climb on rock-cut steps, with views west across Wadi Araba, brings you out behind the Monastery (الدير), one of the largest monuments in Petra. From there go down the Ad-Deir Trail's long stairway to Qasr al-Bint, along the Colonnaded Street past the Theatre and the Treasury, and out through the Siq to the Visitor Centre in Wadi Musa.
It is 12.2 km one way with 312 m of ascent and 327 m of descent; allow about 4 hours, more with stops. The grade is Moderate: tracks and paths with little shade, the climb to the plateau, then a long, steep descent on worn steps.
Start early so as to reach the Monastery with time to walk out before closing: from October to March the site closes at 17:00. Carry at least 3 litres of water each. The Siq floods after rain, and the Petra authority closes the site when floods threaten.
You need a Petra ticket or Jordan Pass, checked at the Little Petra ticket office, open 07:00 to 14:00 in winter. Take a taxi from Wadi Musa to the start.
Route drawn by Global Adventurer along OpenStreetMap paths (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), with figures worked out from it. Check the forecast and the ground on the day: paths change.
Good to know
- An old path joins Petra's northern suburb at Beidha to the Monastery plateau, through farmland and sandstone hills used by the Bedouin of the Ammarin and Bdul tribes
- The last climb follows rock-cut steps up to Ad Deir, the Monastery, a façade 48 m high, with views west over Wadi Araba
- From the Monastery the walk drops down the 800-odd steps of the Ad-Deir Trail into the ancient city and leaves Petra through the Siq
- Umm Saysaban, an Early Bronze Age settlement above Wadi Araba, lies beside the Back Trail
Summits on the way
- Jabal al-Deir · passed close by
Getting there
Start: Little Petra car park, Beidha. 30.37554, 35.45204
Directions to the start
Places to stay nearby
Rooms in and around Little Petra car park: Booking.com → Expedia → Hotels.com →
Affiliate links: if you book, Global Adventurer earns a small commission at no cost to you.
Paths change, and the weather decides the day. The line and figures come from OpenStreetMap and our own checks; take a map, check the forecast, and turn back if it isn't right.