Private halbtägige Tour durch Petra mit Mittagessen

We had an amazing tour with Abdullah. He was very knowledgeable about the history of Petra. He had an upbeat disposition throughout the hike and walked at a pace that we were able to keep up. We also took a few small breaks. I highly recommend this tour…you won’t be disappointed.

Abdullah was generous to help arrange for assistance (trucks, mules, golf carts) to help a member of our party who was struggling a bit with the terrain. Abdullah provided some information about his life as a Bedouin, but the history and context of Petra overall was minimal with his tour. For the amount we paid ($600 for a group of 5) I had hoped for some explanation of the history, but got very little.

We had an incredible full-day tour of Petra, and our experience was made unforgettable thanks to our amazing guide, Abdullah. From start to finish, he brought the rich history of Petra to life with his deep knowledge, engaging stories, and warm personality. He knew all the best routes, hidden photo spots, and gave us a real sense of how people lived in this remarkable ancient city. Abdullah was patient, funny, and incredibly passionate about sharing his culture and history. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide. If you’re visiting Petra, do yourself a favor and request Abdullah—you’ll leave with memories (and photos!) that will last a lifetime. Five stars all the way!

We had an excellent time discovering Petra with Abdullah. He explained the history with patience, his English is excellent and he is knowledgable about everything in Petra.

The guide never showed up. I booked this quite a bit in advance. I tried calling the company many times (I had a Jordanian number),but they never answered. This may no longer be an active tour. Viator quickly refunded me, as they should. I was a solo traveler, so maybe it wasn’t worth it to the guide. If that is so, they should update the minimum amount of people for the tour. It turns out if you are healthy enough to make the walk, a guide isn’t really necessary. The bedouins will take photos of you for a 1 or 2 JOD tip, and they do a spectacular job. Each important site has an explanation right there for you to read. As you buy your tickets or show your Jordan Pass for free entry at the ticket area, they also have free English guidebooks that explain each site. I spent a total of 30 JOD ($40) for photos, lunch, and even two decent souvenirs. If you want to start at Little Petra like this tour does in order to shorten the walk, the can drivers will take you there for 10-15 JOD. I chose to start at the visitor center, walk to the Treasury, and then came back. It took me 4 hours, and that was with a detour to the high-photo site at the monastery that many people see on Instagram (lots of steps for that and is a good 40 minute detour). The bedouins harass you a bit for horse rides and also at their shops, especially as you get closer to the Treasury, but they aren’t so bad and most of them are decent people trying to make a living. There was o e bedroom lady that makes fresh orange juice for 2 JOD, and it was delicious. The overall harassment is much worse in Cairo and other major tourist areas. In short, you really don’t need a guide, it’s all pretty easy and self-explanatory to get around.

This was such a good way to see Petra. Starting at Little Petra and approaching the Monastery from the back allowed me to see everything without backtracking and allowed me to get to the Monastery before the crowds. And Abdullah was such a good guide; he explained the history of the park, the region, each of the major sites, and the Beduin culture.

This was the perfect way to experience Petra! Abdullah knows a lot of the local history and the modern scholarship. My trip felt like I was taking it with a friend.

Entering Petra via the back route is definitely the way to go. The views along the way are just incredible. It takes around 2 hours and you need a moderate level of fitness, but I'm 71 and certainly not an athlete, and I managed without any trouble. My guide, Abdullah, was the best. He spoke excellent English, is a native of the area and had an extensive knowledge of the history and was very informative and interesting to listen to. He also allowed me to make the hike at my own pace! There are a couple of places along the way where you can rest and have a cup of tea, but make sure you take plenty of water with you anyway. It's a wonderful sight as you round the bend and see The Monastery. For those who have come the conventional way from the front entrance it's the last building they see and have to climb over 800 steps. Via the back route it's the first building you see and you only have to go down those steps! From there you head towards the front entrance and past all the many other sights, including of course The Treasury, the most famous of all, although The Monastery is actually larger. I can highly recommend this tour, you won't be disappointed.

Our group unfortunately had a very different and disappointing time with Abdullah. When we first met him he seemed happy and excited to share information with us and then about an hour or so into the day his attitude changed. He offered for us to go to his sisters for lunch and kept mentioning different things we could do with his family. It felt like he was trying to sell us on additional options and then was upset when we declined. He didn't even tell us about Petra being known for it's intricate water systems...we learned that from a video in the visitors center. When we were at lunch we tried asking him questions and he only gave us one word answers. Most of the tour he was walking in front of us and seemed angry. It was really unfortunate because it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and we had a guide who didn't want to speak with us.

Of course, you can just walk around Petra and enjoy this wonder of the world, but if you want to see and hear more details, it is better to take a guide. We had a very good guide with whom we walked around for two days. His name is Abullah. He is a Bedouin, born in one of the caves in Petra. He knows the area very well. Abullah is very patient. He adapts to the pace his guests want. He speaks good English. His sister still lives in one of those caves. We were allowed to drink tea with her. That was very special. Abullah said that he can also arrange for his guests to have lunch with her in the afternoon. There are many (certified) guides in Petra. Abullah is also certified. If you are looking for a good guide, we would definitely recommend Abullah.