Petra With Children: Plans for Families

Advisory as of October 2026. The 2026 conflict involving Iran has disrupted commercial flights across the region, and the US State Department currently marks Jordan Level 3 (“Reconsider Travel”), with Level 4 (“Do Not Travel”) along the Syrian and Iraqi borders and in a handful of named districts. The UK FCDO is narrower: it advises against travel only within 3 km of the Syrian border and carries no warning for Petra or Wadi Musa. Both places are open and running, yet flights may be cancelled or rerouted and advice can change without notice. Check the UK FCDO page and the US State Department page before booking, and once more before departure.

A family visit works best when the plan is short and the breaks are long. Daytime entry costs nothing for under-12s, and the first stretch to the Treasury is easy walking. Amounts below are in Jordanian dinars (JD).

Day one: the Treasury and back

From the Visitor Center it is about 2 km to the Treasury: 800 m of approach path, then the 1.2 km Siq. Adults need 30 to 45 minutes, and small legs need longer, so leave early in the morning. Because the way back climbs gently, consider the electric club cars at 15 JD one way or 25 JD return. They operate from 7:00 am to 3:30 pm, you cannot book ahead, and very young children travel free.

Turn around at the Treasury or the Street of Facades. The Monastery needs 800 or more steps each way, which is too much for most young children.

Day two: Little Petra and Beidha

Little Petra lies about 8 km north of town, and entry needs no Petra ticket. The paths are short and flat. Children can look into the Painted Biclinium, a carved room with vine and bird paintings. Next door, Beidha is a Neolithic village where the round house outlines are easy to spot. Both stops cost nothing.

Indoor and evening ideas

  • Petra Museum: air-conditioned and beside the Visitor Center, so it works as a midday break. Check its opening hours on the day.
  • Petra Kitchen: a 35 JD per person cooking evening on Tourism Street, inside the Petra Boutique Hotel. It begins at 6:30 pm from March to October and 6:00 pm in the cooler months. Ask about children when you book at petrakitchen.com .
  • Hotel pools: the town has no public pool. The Mövenpick Resort Petra and the Petra Marriott are reported to have outdoor pools.
  • Petra Balloon: a tethered helium balloon that depends on wind. Ask about child prices at the booth.

Heat, water and floods

Summer afternoons reach 35 to 40 C or more with no shade, so spring and autumn are kinder months. Each person needs 2 to 3 litres of water in summer, and bottled or filtered water is the careful choice. The Siq channels rain, and floods have forced evacuations, as in May 2025. If rangers or Civil Defence give an instruction, follow it immediately. Start the walk out early because the park closes between 4:00 and 6:00 pm depending on the season, and the UK FCDO reports that people have been locked in overnight.

Animal rides

Working horses, donkeys, mules and camels share the park, and welfare groups have reported overloading and beating. Tired children are better served by the club car than by a ride.

Plan and book

Find family-friendly tours via GetYourGuide in Wadi Musa . Read more: Petra tours and club cars and walking routes .