Private Petra Monastery Hike via Back Trail with Local Guide
Description
* Start your Petra adventure at the Petra Visitor Center and take the free 7 AM shuttle (earlier tours may need a JOD 15 taxi). *Pass Little Petra and take the short truck transfer (JOD 5) to begin the scenic Back Trail, a quieter route ideal for families, seniors, and international travelers. * Explore Petra with a licensed local guide, uncovering history, legends, and hidden gems not in guidebooks. This private tour follows a gentle scenic route to the Monastery (Ad Deir), avoiding the long uphill climb while enjoying stunning desert views and Petra’s iconic landmarks. Tour Highlights: • Visit Petra’s Monastery via the Back Door • Pass the Royal Tombs, Theatre, and finish at the Treasury • Private licensed local guide • Minimal walking, maximum sightseeing • Ideal for families, seniors, and comfort-focused travelers • Return through the Siq at your own pace or by golf cart Perfect for visitors seeking maximum sights with minimal effort and an unforgettable Petra experience.
Tour Options
Itinerary
**What to Expect** **The Scenic Back Approach:** Enjoy a 20-minute ride to Petra Heritage Village near Little Petra. The free shuttle runs every 30 minutes starting at 7:30 AM (earlier starts require a taxi costing 15 JD per car). From there, we take a local 4x4 to the trailhead (5 JD per person). **The Wilderness Hike:** Begin a spectacular trek toward the Monastery along dramatic mountain trails. * Experience wild landscapes and panoramic vistas over the Wadi Araba desert on a quiet path far from the crowds. *The Majestic Monastery (Ad Deir): ** Arrive at the breathtaking Monastery, one of Petra’s largest and most impressive rock-cut monuments, revealing itself at the end of the trail. * **Hidden Caves & Viewpoints: ** Explore Nabataean caves. Your guide will show you the best spots for photos, including the iconic shots framed by the cave opposite the monument.
After enjoying the Monastery and the surrounding, The tour will then take us down where we may have buffet lunch at the Basin restaurant or a bite somewhere else. Afterwards we will be seeing Qaser Albent and enjoy the views overlooking the colonnaded street and the great temple.
The street represents an original Nabataean creation, later refurbished during the period of Roman occupation. It would have been one of the principal shopping streets of ancient Petra. The street was rebuilt in 106 BC with a width of 6 meters.
Perched above Petra's heart, the "Royal Tombs" stand tall, a majestic collection of grand mausoleums carved into the western face of the Jabal al-Khubtha rock massif, their stunning facades a testament to ancient craftsmanship.
Thereafter to the theater which was carved into th e side of the mountain at the foot of the High Place of Sacrifice, the theatre consists of three rows of seats separated by passageways. Seven stairways ascend the audi torium and it can accommodate 4000 spectators. the monument was carved in the mountainside during the reign of King Aretas IV (4BC-AD27) the Romans rebuilt the stage back wall.
Final Stop: The Treasury (Al-Khazneh) & Main Siq Exit **Description:** Our journey culminates at Petra's most iconic masterpiece: The Treasury (Al-Khazna). Standing nearly 40 meters high, this breathtaking monument is intricately carved directly into the rose-red cliffside, adorned with Corinthian capitals, detailed friezes, and mythological figures. Constructed in the 1st century BC, the Treasury's true original function remains shrouded in mystery, though historians believe it served as a royal memorial. Your guide will unpack the fascinating engineering marvels of the Nabataeans and separate fact from fiction—including the famous local legend of the Pharaoh’s treasure hidden inside the stone funerary urn crowning the structure. Take your final photos in front of this world wonder before we say goodbye. From here, your guide will direct you through the dramatic, winding main Siq toward the visitor center exit, leaving you with unforgettable memories of history, nature, and wonder.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Reviews(35)
My husband and I are well past 60, I have asthma, and my knees are not as good as before but seeing Petra was one of my lifetime dream. I chose this tour, "Petra Back Trail Hike to Monastery with Private Guide," on viator.com after reading other positive reviews. I'm so glad I did. We were taken to the back entrance. From that location, there's over a 3 mile walk down to the Monastery via breathtaking sceneries. Our tour guide, Shaker Nawafleh, arranged mules to take my son and I down to the monastry. But as my husband refused to ride the mule, Shaker slowly and patiently walked down with him to the Monastery. The monastry is indeed a beautiful sight and we had refreshments at the Cafe there as we enjoyed the sight. After the monastry, we walked down a number of steps to a spot where we took an electronic buggy to the Treasury, all the while Shaker would stop to explain/describe what we were seeing. At one spot, we got off to get into a cave, so we could experience how cool cave dwelling was and we sat on rugs and drank tea. We continued our journey on another electric car to the treasury and took some amazing pictures. This was a well planned, perfectly executed tour by our highly knowledgeable, pleasant, and patient tour guide, Shaker. This tour and our tour guide Shaker is very highly recommended by me and my family.
Hello Dear, Thank you so much for your kind and detailed feedback. I’m truly happy to hear that you enjoyed the Petra Back Trail experience and felt comfortable throughout the journey. It was a pleasure organizing your visit to Petra and sharing those special moments with you. we look forward to welcoming you back again to Jordan. Thank you, Jihad
My husband and I are well past 60, I have asthma, and my knees are not as good as before but seeing Petra was one of my lifetime dream. I chose this tour after reading other elderly peoples positive reviews. I'm so glad I did. We were taken to the back entrance. From there there's over 3 miles walk to the Monastery. Our tour guide, Shaker Nawafleh, arranged mules to take my son and I down to the monastry. But my husband refused to ride the mule so Shaker slowly and patiently walked down with him to the Monastery. After the monastry, we walked down some steps then came to a spot where we took electronic buggy to the Treasury, all the while stopping to explain/describe what we are seeing. At one spot, we got off to get into a cave, so we could experience how cool cave dwelling was and we sat on rugs and was offered tea to drink. We continued our journey on the electric car to the treasury and took amazing pictures. A well planned, perfectly executed tour by a highly knowledgeable, pleasant, and patient tour guide. This tour is very highly recommended.
I am a little disappointed about the tour. I booked this tour because (1) I thought that navigating the back trail could be difficult and (2) as we have more time, we could have more time to learn about Petra and Nabataean kingdom. Well, the back trail is not that difficult to find and our guide was unfortunately not very engaging. He was actually on the phone talking to his wife more than half of the time on the trail. When I pointed out his unprofessionalism, he did stop talking to his wife, but then added "but there is nothing to explain!". Well, if that is the case, what is the point of the tour? The tour is supposed to last for 5-6 hours but we reached the treasury in 4 hours. I do think the backdoor trail is worth doing it, as the scenery is so beautiful, but I don't think you need a guide for this. Actually, I do think that the whole Petra can be explored without a tour guide if you study a little bit in advance or visit the Petra museum (free) near the visitor center. If you really want to do the guided tour, probably 3hr regular tour may be better as that one allows you to explore Royal Tombs, Roman Theater and other structures in more detail with the guide's detailed explanation. During the backdoor trail tour, you just walk past those structures without getting close to them, so it is difficult to fully appreciate them (and have less chance to get the explanation). Even though the tour itself was disappointing, Petra is definitely beautiful and fascinating!
Hi Seong, Thank you for your detailed feedback—we truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We’re genuinely sorry that the tour did not meet your expectations. What you described, especially regarding the guide being on the phone and not being engaging, is not the standard we aim to deliver, and we take this very seriously. This is certainly not reflective of the level of professionalism we expect from our team. At the same time, we would like to clarify that during the tour we did our best to respond to your concerns immediately. When you raised the issue, the guide stopped the behavior, and we also offered a refund as a gesture of goodwill. You kindly mentioned at the time that it was alright and described the situation as a one-off experience or simply not the right fit. We respect your perspective regarding the Back Trail and understand that different travelers have different expectations—some prefer a more detailed historical experience, while others enjoy the scenic hiking aspect. Your point about the type of tour best suited for deeper exploration is noted and appreciated. That said, we remain confident in the overall quality of our guiding services, which is consistently reflected in the many positive reviews from our guests. We always strive to provide engaging, informative, and professional experiences, and we regret that this particular tour fell short for you. Thank you again for your honest feedback—it helps us improve. We’re glad to hear that you still found Petra beautiful and fascinating, and we wish you many more great travel experiences ahead. Warm regards, Jihad
This tour is really amazing. Fahed is so knowledgeable but also manages to engage even reluctant teenagers. He was friendly and very helpful. Highly recommend this tour.
Dear Rachel, Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! I’m truly delighted to hear that you found the tour amazing and that Fahed’s knowledge and engaging style made the experience enjoyable. That’s always one of the greatest compliments a guide can receive. Your kind words about his friendliness and helpfulness mean a lot to us, and we sincerely appreciate your recommendation. We hope to welcome you back to Jordan again in the future! Warm regards, Jehad
We went on this back door experience and it was AMAZING! We’ve been lucky to have Ahmed as our guide. He arranged everything for us to make this experience memorable, he told us the whole history and made everything even more interesting. 6 hours passed by in no time, even teenagers listened with interest and we were all more than happy to choose this option. Ahmed showed us spots outside the path we wouln’t go see if we were alone and showed us a perfect spot for the best pictures. I definitely recommend this tour and especially our tour guide Ahmed.
Thank you so much for this amazing review! We’re truly delighted to hear that you had such a memorable Back Door experience. It’s wonderful to know that Ahmed made the day so special for you—his passion for Petra’s history and his ability to bring it to life are exactly what we aim to offer every guest. We’re especially happy that the whole group, including the teenagers, stayed engaged and enjoyed the journey—this really means a lot to us! The Back Trail is indeed something unique, and we’re glad you got to explore those hidden spots and capture some unforgettable photos. Your kind recommendation means everything to us, and we’ll be sure to share your lovely feedback with Ahmed. We hope to welcome you again for another adventure in Jordan! Kind regards, Jehad
Great experience. Certainly less walking, but still pretty strenuous. Get a Guide. Ali was great and very knolwdgeable.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We truly appreciate your honest feedback. Petra can indeed feel less crowded on certain routes, but it still requires good energy and spirit — and we’re glad you embraced the adventure. We’re especially happy to hear that Ali made a positive impression. His knowledge, passion, and storytelling are exactly what we aim to provide in every tour. Having a professional guide truly transforms the visit from simply walking through monuments to understanding the history, culture, and hidden details of Petra. Thank you again for recommending getting a guide — it makes all the difference. We hope to welcome you back to Jordan for another adventure in the future!
We booked the back door tour which included transportation from our hotel to the trailhead for the hike to the Monastery. Our guide Hashim gave us the option to take a ride in a private taxi and a private 4x4 pickup truck to skip the wait for the public shuttle. This was good advice as we started the hike before everybody else arrived. Hashim was our guide for the entire tour that ended at the Treasury in Petra. He had a friendly demeanor, is patient, very knowledgeable and covered everything we saw in Petra in great depth. He also shared a lot about life in Jordan in general.
Thank you so much Gary for booking the Back Door trail and for your kind review and feedback! I’m glad the early private transfer helped you start ahead of the crowds, it really makes the Monastery hike more enjoyable. It was a pleasure guiding you from the Monastery to the Treasury, and I’m very happy you enjoyed learning about Petra and life in Jordan. You’re always welcome back anytime. Safe travels!
Great tour with wonderful guide.. walking through back entry of Petra with full adventures & scenic route, highly recommended.
Thank you so much for your kind words! It was truly a pleasure guiding you through the Back Entry of Petra and sharing this adventurous, scenic route together. I’m very happy you enjoyed the experience, and your recommendation really means a lot to me. You’re always welcome back for more hidden trails and unique adventures in Petra anytime!
The Back Door Petra – Easy Access route was an excellent way to experience Petra. The hike was manageable and very rewarding, with breathtaking views along the way and a much quieter entrance compared to the main gate. Reaching the Monastery from this route was truly unforgettable. Everything was well organized, and the experience felt authentic and peaceful. Highly recommended for those who want to enjoy Petra away from the crowds.
Thank you very much for this wonderful and detailed review! We’re truly happy to hear that you enjoyed the Back Door Petra – Easy Access route and found it rewarding, peaceful, and authentic. Reaching the Monastery through this quieter path really is a special and unforgettable experience, and we’re glad the organization and overall flow met your expectations. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we’d be delighted to welcome you again for more unique trails and hidden experiences in Petra—away from the crowds.
We did the backdoor access tour in Nov as a family - with 10 year olds. I was a bit apprehensive initially as I had read it was a solid hike. Our kids regularly hike 4 miles of even terrain (this was about 7), but it turned out great, partly due to our guide. Jihad contacted me via whatsapp immediately after booking, answered all my questions patiently and provided excellent suggestions. He kept tabs during our stay and volunteered to help if we needed any. We started early in the morning to catch the 4x4 ride to the starting point. It costs 15JD, but definitely helps. The hike is elevated but gradual for the majority and not very strenuous. Our guide Anas grew up in the area and is very knowledgable. He provided excellent information, kept us at a comfortable pace and the kids entertained. We learnt a lot about the history, geology and culture from him. Highly recommend this tour and the company.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a thoughtful and detailed review ! It truly means a lot to us. We’re very happy to hear that the Back Door access tour turned out to be a great experience for your whole family, especially with your kids. Starting early and using the 4×4 was a smart choice, and it’s great to know the hike felt manageable, enjoyable, and rewarding. Thank you as well for your kind words about the communication and support before and during your stay—it’s always our goal to make guests feel comfortable and well-prepared. We’re especially proud of Anas; his local roots, knowledge, and ability to connect with both adults and children really make a difference. Your recommendation is deeply appreciated, and we would be delighted to welcome you and your family again anytime for more authentic and memorable experiences in Jordan.
