Petra Private Tour with Driver: Amman, Aqaba and the Dead Sea to Petra by Car

How long is the drive from Amman to Petra, and which road should the driver take?

The word to hold on to is "foot". A petra private tour with driver is a transport arrangement on both sides of the site: the road from Amman, Aqaba, the Dead Sea or the Queen Alia airport to Wadi Musa, and the road back. Inside the archaeological park you walk. The Visitor Centre is the dividing line, and the chauffeur's skill is in getting you there at the right hour, rested, with your ticket sorted and a clear plan for the day.

The Jordan Tourism Board's guidance puts the Desert Highway at about 235 km, the Dead Sea Highway at about 251 km (4 to 5 hours) and the King's Highway at about 274 km. It also notes that "Amman to Petra" in guidebooks almost always means Amman to the Visitor Centre at Wadi Musa. That is the destination your chauffeur uses.

We have no dedicated Amman airport page yet, so see our airports hub for the airports we cover. Queen Alia International Airport is south of the capital, about 32 km from the city centre according to World Travel Guide, so a landing there shortens the trip to Petra compared with leaving from central Amman. The booker shows the exact fare for your pickup and drop-off before you confirm.

Price & book your ride

Choosing the road: Desert Highway, King's Highway or Dead Sea Highway

Each route suits a different traveller, and the choice is worth making when you book.

• Desert Highway (Highway 15), about 235 km, about 3 hours. The fast route. It is a modern road with services, and it is the right choice if Petra is the main goal and you want to maximise time on site.
• King's Highway (Highway 35), about 274 km, 4 to 4.5 hours. An older road that threads through towns and across dramatic wadis. It is slower, with bends, and gives the landscape. It suits a leisurely journey with stops.
• Dead Sea Highway (Highway 65), about 251 km, 4 to 5 hours. The route if you start at the Dead Sea, and it runs south along the Rift Valley.

Many visitors go one way on the Desert Highway and return on the King's Highway, or the reverse, which gives both the efficiency and the scenery. Tell the desk if you want a particular combination and the driver plans the day around it. Our Dead Sea guide explains the northern leg of that circuit.

Why a day trip from Amman is long

The Jordan Tourism Board's own day-trip guide gives a telling schedule: leave Amman by 6:00 am to reach Petra around 8:30 to 9:00 am, plan about 4 to 4.5 hours in Petra on the main trail, and expect a return that stretches late into the night, especially if you add Wadi Rum. The Board recommends hiring a driver or tour rather than self-driving, since the combined day involves about 12 hours of driving.

For Petra alone, a round trip from Amman means roughly six hours on the road plus the walk. It is feasible, and many visitors do it, but a night in Wadi Musa changes the experience. You arrive rested, you can be at the gate when it opens, and you can see the site in the evening light. If your itinerary allows one night, take it.

Opening hours and tickets: what the official site says

The official Petra website lists the opening hours as follows for the period around the date of this guide:

From 2 October 2026 the winter hours apply, so a late-afternoon plan has to finish earlier than in summer. The fees page, as listed in October 2026, gives these entrance prices for visitors who are accommodated in Jordan: 50 Jordanian dinars for one day, 55 for two days and 60 for three days. Two-day and three-day tickets must be used on consecutive days. For non-accommodated visitors making a same-day visit, the listed price is 90 dinars. Children under 12 are admitted free during the day. You must present a valid passport at the ticket office, and payment is accepted in cash in Jordanian dinars or by Visa card.

The Jordan Pass is a separate product that covers entry to Petra and Wadi Rum, according to the Jordan Tourism Board's guidance, and it does not cover Petra by Night. Because rules and prices change, read the official Petra fees page and the opening hours page before you travel. We do not sell tickets.

What to see, and how long it takes

The main trail runs from the Visitor Centre through the Siq, the narrow gorge that opens onto the Treasury, and on to the Street of Facades, the theatre and the Royal Tombs. The Jordan Tourism Board gives the main trail as roughly 8 km or more round trip, about 4 to 4.5 hours. The Monastery, up several hundred steps, adds time and effort, and many visitors keep it for a second day.

The site was the capital of the Nabataeans, whose civilisation also built the northern city described in our guide to Hegra. UNESCO lists Petra as a World Heritage property, and the Nabataean rock-cut architecture is the reason to come.

Practical advice for the walk:

• Start early. Light is good, the Siq is quieter, and the heat is lower.
• Wear sturdy shoes. The ground is uneven and the paths are dusty.
• Carry water and a hat. Shade is limited beyond the Siq.
• Take small bills for refreshments and tips.
• Allow time for the return walk uphill, which many visitors underestimate.

Petra by Night

Petra by Night is an evening candlelit walk through the Siq to the Treasury. The official fees page says it requires a valid daytime ticket, that children under 10 are admitted free, and that neither daytime tickets nor the Jordan Pass include the evening admission. Travel guides report the programme running on selected evenings, commonly three a week, so check the official schedule. A chauffeur is useful here because the night is long, and the evening finish is easier with a driver than with a taxi hunt in Wadi Musa.

Reserve your chauffeur

Where the car stops and how pick-up works

Chauffeurs stop at the Petra Visitor Centre area in Wadi Musa. You buy or collect your ticket, pass the gate and walk in. For pick-up, agree a time and a place, and tell the driver your plan: a long loop with the Monastery needs a later pickup than a shorter walk to the Treasury and back.

Parking is arranged by the driver, so the key is to set the timing realistically. If you walk further than you intended, send a message and the driver adjusts. Phone coverage in the Visitor Centre area is generally good, but it can be patchy inside the gorge.

Getting there: the honest comparison

Public transport works and is the lowest-cost choice, but it fixes your timetable. A hire car is perfectly sensible for confident drivers, though a day with long motorway sections and a long walk can be tiring. A chauffeur costs more and gives you rest, privacy and a plan that fits your hours. For a family or a group of up to six in a Luxury SUV, the per-person cost can be competitive with an organised tour.

Combining Petra with Wadi Rum and Aqaba

Petra and Wadi Rum are about 100 km apart, a drive of roughly 1.5 hours, and Aqaba is about 125 to 130 km from Petra, around 2 hours. The Jordan Tourism Board calls a same-day Petra plus Wadi Rum trip from Amman possible but heavy, running from a 6:00 am departure to a return at about 11:00 pm.

A better rhythm is Amman to Petra on day one, an overnight in Wadi Musa, then Wadi Rum on day two with a desert camp night or a transfer on to Aqaba. A chauffeur covers the roads and the hand-offs, while jeep tours inside Wadi Rum are run by local operators. Our page on private tours with a driver shows how multi-day hires are built, and the Middle East directory lists the regional network.

Planning the day in sequence

A sensible sequence for a one-day visit on the winter hours, with the gate opening at 06:30 and closing at 17:00, looks like this. Leave Amman or the Dead Sea in the dark, aiming to arrive at the Visitor Centre shortly after opening. Walk the Siq while it is quiet, spend the morning among the Treasury, the facades and the theatre, and eat a simple lunch inside or at the edge of the park. Start the walk back no later than mid-afternoon so that you are out of the gate before closing, and keep an hour of margin for the uphill return.

On the drive back, ask the chauffeur to take the road that suits your energy. The Desert Highway is quicker and gets you to Amman for dinner. The King's Highway is better if you want to watch the light on the hills and stop for a coffee. In either case, tell the desk about any evening commitment so the return is planned from the start.

Dress, conduct and photography

Jordan is relaxed with visitors but modest dress is appreciated in towns and at heritage sites. In the park, practical clothing counts: breathable layers, a hat, sunglasses and closed shoes. Cover shoulders and knees when you visit nearby villages.

Respect the monuments. Do not climb on carved facades or touch the surfaces, and avoid souvenir collecting. Be polite with traders and animal handlers, and ask before photographing people. Alcohol is regulated, and we never promise drinks on board; local law applies.

Families, groups and accessibility

Families do well at Petra, but the distance matters. Young children and older relatives often manage the Siq and the Treasury and then turn back, which is a satisfying visit in itself. Request child, toddler or booster seats at booking. Water and phone chargers are in most vehicles.

The terrain is uneven, with sand, steps and slopes. Visitors with reduced mobility should speak to the Visitor Centre about the options available and tell the desk in advance. Groups of up to 12 to 14 can use an Executive Sprinter. In Jordan, vehicles are late-model and fully maintained, and exact models are confirmed at booking. Official tourist offices and visitor bureaus can book chauffeur services for their visitors through a trade account; see our tourist offices page.