Private Tour: Petra and Little Petra Day Trip from Aqaba
Description
Discover the ancient jewel in Jordan’s crown on this private day trip to Petra from Aqaba. Visit the UNESCO–listed city of the red rose city of Petra and explore deep canyons beneath soaring sandstone cliffs. Marvel at the intricately carved face of the Treasury “Al-Khazneh” after walking the narrow “Siq”, as your guide shares details of its glorious past. Learn of the 6th-century Nabataean people who lived in this marvelous place, and admire other top attractions such as the ancient theater and the royal tombs. Enjoy free time to explore Petra at your leisure before continuing to see lesser-known Little Petra, whose sculpted rock buildings were a suburb of the main city. Board back to Aqaba with your private leisure vehicle and English-Speaking Driver who doubles up as your guide.
Tour Options
Itinerary
You will leave the hotel early in the morning to drive drive with your informative English-Speaking Driver to the Nabatean Red Rose City of Petra, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, for a classic visit. As you travel, gaze at the desert landscapes and hear tales of Jordan’s history. Hewn into a sandstone valley carved by the Nabataean people some 2,000 years ago, this ancient rose-red rock city located 125 kilometers from Aqaba at the crossroads of age-old trading routes, to dominate ancient Arabia.
Continue to Petra main site to learn more about its magnificent history. On arrival, leave your vehicle, and enjoy a 2-hour tour of this UNESCO Heritage listed wonder with a local guide. First, walk through the famous “Siq”, a narrow path of 1.2 kilometers; rock fissure that was once the main entrance to the city, and marvel at your first glimpse of the hauntingly beautiful Treasury “El - Khazneh” as the canyon suddenly opens up.
Admire this rose-pink masterpiece, originally built to house priceless treasures and capture it on camera. Then, proceed through the widening canyon to witness other monuments such as the 3,000-seater Theater, the Royal Tombs, and the Byzantine Church. As you explore, listen as your guide describes how the Nabateans sculpted the buildings, and learn how they mastered the harsh desert conditions to make their lives here. After around two hours of exploring, enjoy free time. If time permits you can climb up the Monastery on your own or the High Place of Sacrifice: a clifftop altar that was once used for animal sacrifices and other ceremonies. Free time to visit the Petra Museum; if there is time, then rejoin your vehicle and driver.
Return to Petra’s entrance and rejoin your private vehicle and driver. Pass by Little Petra, a small rocky valley with carvings, that archaeologists believe acted as the Nabatean’s caravan before heading to the main city and as an accommodation stop for the traders who traveled through the city. Then, journey back to Aqaba, where your day trip ends with a hotel drop off. Please wear comfortable shoes and bring a sunhat for this unforgettable adventure. Come and explore one of the world’s wonders of architectural engineering combined with the ingenuity of carving for an unforgettable adventure just like that of Indiana Jones!
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Confirmation will be received at the time of booking.
- Airport Pick-up and Drop-off by request.
- Contact your local operator (office phone number, emergency mobile number – out of office hours, or email address) a day before to reconfirm pick-up arrangements provided in your voucher.
- For Jordan Pass holders that purchased tour activity with entrance fees, please inform us to reimburse the entrance fees in destination.
- Tour activity is provided in English. For other languages by request.
- Clients with mobility issues, please contact us.
- For Golf Cart service at Petra, by request.
- Strollers and car seats for infants, please contact us.
- Most local tourist restaurants in Jordan do not serve alcohol, if you do not want a dry restaurant that does not serve alcohol, please contact us.
- For Arab and G.C.C. nationals, please book Jordan Pass option; visits without entrance fees included, as reduced entrance fees apply. It is better for Arab and G.C.C. passport holders to pay directly in destination their entrance fees.
- Clients are advised to bring hats, sun screen, and comfortable walking shoes.
- Indicate special dietary requirements at the time of booking.
Reviews(26)
It was a great experience the driver was extremely nice and the tour guide was incredible. Be prepared to walk a lot and wear sunscreen.
Thank you for choosing ZTT and for this amazing review of your stay. I hope you can post this review on our TripAdvisor page to share with more travelers. Our goal is always to provide a distinguished service, and our professional and dedicated team go the extra mile to ensure our travelers have wonderful trip. It is rewarding to know that our efforts at continuous improvement, are being recognized. We will be waiting for you again in Jordan!
As a British traveller based in SaudiArabia travelling to Aqaba through the AROYA cruise, I would like to specially leave a glowing review for Zaid Tours and Travels in Jordan, honestly their owner Carol and their agent Safinaz has shown outstanding customer service and taken their time to answer all my questions and shown continued patience and support with me throughout the process of booking the experience, unfortunately I had to cancel the trip to Petra for personal reasons, but I was given a full refund and they were very professional and kept me informed on email about the refund process which really set my mind at ease. I wish Carol, Safinaz and Zaid Travels continued prosperity and success, they are extremely professional, a true asset and a wonderful reflection of their country.
Thank you very much, can't wait to have you here with us in Jordan.
My driver Osama picked me up at my hotel bright and early. He was friendly and patient. My tour guide Naif was great. Very knowledgeable, kind, and made our experience memorable.
Thank you for choosing ZTT and for this wonderful review of your stay. Our aim is always to provide a first-class service, and our professional and dedicated team go the extra mile to ensure our travelers have a memorable stay. It is rewarding to know that our efforts at continuous improvement, are being recognized. We look forward to welcoming you back with us in Jordan for many unforgettable moments to you, your friends, and family. I appreciate the time and effort in sharing your experience.
I booked this trip on TripAdvisor mostly off of the reviews. Overall the trip was good - the driver who came to pick is up was on time. The tour guide was also informative. The price of the tour as others have mentioned is quite steep for the offering. The tour guide was only with us for 2hr and we were left on our own for much of the day. If the price was lowered, I think the value would be more appropriate or more time with the guide.
Good day, thank you for your comment. I am happy to hear our services were up to standard as specified, and it met your satisfaction. Please note that the price we offer for private services is very competitive, value for money; as the prices of the shore excursions from the cruises directly are way more expensive and much higher than our prices. Many cruises only offer group tours.
Great driver and Petra guide. They did a good job. I’m very happy. I was picked up from my hotel on time. The driver and guide were very pleasant. Highly recommended
Thank you for your comments and for sharing your experience with us. The nicest complement that our team can get is your desire to return to Jordan with us. We are truly happy to learn that you enjoyed your holiday with us and even, it was difficult to leave. What a complement indeed! Looking forward to your next visit.
Surprisingly I was the only participants, so I was driven to and from Petra by the father in law of the company's local representative. He was not a guide, so there were no information about Jordan's history on the way as indicated in the description. I got a very good and knowledgable guide in Petra, so this main part of the program was excellent. Lunch at the restaurant down in Petra was good. However, the price I paid for the whole package compared to what was delivered was much too high.
Thank you for your comments, that all our services were just perfect to say the least based on the tour description and inclusions! Please note that due to this, our services are value for money private tour, and your booking was for just 1 traveler. Kindly note our prices are competitive in the market with other prices of same and similar visits, if not less! I personally agree with you that an excellent service is paid for what it is! Not more, nor less. Looking forward to have you with us again!
Despite a hot day, visiting Petra is an amazing experience. Guide was knowledgeable and driver was excellent with a 1-month old vehicle. Driver also stopped and bought us the famous Jordanian dessert of cheese and honey.
💕Great! Looking forward to have you and your family again with us! Thank you.
Saleh Our Driver was on time was excellent and also our guide in Petra Mohammed was very knowledgeable & informative would recommend this trip with Viator very reliable
Great! Looking forward to have you and your family again with us! Thank you.
An unique experience to visit Petra. A very old and very well preserved historical place. Petra was a very important city of the famous Silk Road. One may have a precise idea how the people leave and how the habitants manage the caravanas on the way to China. It is important to bring water and to be prepared to walk 2.5 miles - both ways. It is worthwhile.
Great! Looking forward to have you and your family again with us! Thank you.
It’s a private tour “Petra and Little Petra Day Trip from Aqaba, with Aqaba Port Transfer”, booked directly with Viator, and serviced by the local tour operator “Zaid Tours and Travel”. The tour started ok. The young driver, Ahmad Nazzai, met our party of four, two couples, at the port, and transported us in a Hyundai van to Petra. But he didn’t know the tour also included the tour Little Petra, and horse rides before “Siq”, the gorge into Petra. He called his office and confirmed. We met an older tour guide, also named Ahmad, at the ticketing area for Petra, and then went to the horse riding platform and got on 3 small horses; one person didn’t want to ride. There’s no formal arrangement between Zaid Tours and horse-boys (men). One horse-boy demanded $25 for tip from the wife of one couple, and wouldn’t slow down when he didn’t hear the tip agreement. It’s a dangerous ride for her. Two other horse-boys were more friendly. The tour guide indicated that there would be horse rides when we came back from Petra, but there was no such arrangement. The tour guide was pretty bad, just walked a good distance ahead of us, didn’t care that we were taking pictures of this amazing gorge, and didn’t provide much information about the artifacts that guides of other tour groups were providing. At the end of the gorge, we saw the famous temple facade, and took many pictures. It’s quite hot. The guide didn’t show much interest of going beyond, and so we let him go. We walked back without realizing it’s going uphill and the sun directly overhead. It’s probably better to ride an electric golf cart, $25 per person. We went back to the pre-arranged area and texted the driver for our next stop, Little Petra. We were surprised to find out that we wouldn’t have a tour guide for Little Petra, and the driver volunteered to step in as the guide. But things went bad to worst. The local hustlers demanded about $40 per person for guiding and wouldn’t allow the driver to accompany us. We didn’t feel safe to go with those hustlers and decided to skip Little Petra and just returned to Aqaba. The driver called his office for help and then told us that his office couldn’t help. We were quite disappointed about this entire tour. The driver was however quite pleasant and we tipped him at the port and wish him Happy Ramadan. Contacted Viator the next day and reported the incident at Little Petra, but only received only that “we understand your fear of safety and disappointment”, and nothing else.
So sorry to hear that some local hustlers bothered you at Little Petra, our driver had already warned you to be careful; since unfortunately this happens in many tourists’ spots in the world, and it is not in anyone’s control. However, we do care about your safety as it is our priority, and be rest assured there is nothing these boys can do to you or harm you. Jordan is a safe country and our driver was there to assist you in destination directly, as he represents the office and we are not present directly. Please note our office is in charge of the tour driver and guide for the classic Petra visit, Little Petra is an additional visit to the tour and no guide is mentioned under tour inclusions at Little Petra. We do not do any arrangements with the horse boys at Petra, since they are independent, and since tips are not under our contracted services of the tour. The horse ride till before the Siq is included in Petra ticket entrance, but tips (gratuities) not included. We understand your disappointment from the conduct of the locals and horse boys, that we can inform Petra Municipality about, in order to have more control on them directly, as not our responsibility as tour service providers. Thank you once again for your comments for improvement purposes in Petra!
