Embark on a journey of discovery as we delve into the captivating world of hiking in Jordan, where ancient landscapes and hidden trails beckon intrepid adventurers. In this exploration, we unveil the secrets of finding the back door to Petra, a UNESCO World Heritage site steeped in history. Venture beyond the well-trodden paths, winding through rugged terrain and breathtaking vistas, as we uncover the lesser-known, yet equally mesmerizing, approaches to one of the world’s most iconic archaeological wonders. Lace-up your boots and join us on a trail less travelled, where the magic of Petra unfolds through the enchanting back door.
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The route we took
We started the route driving from the nearby town of Al Baydha, just ignore this first bit of the route if necessary and start where the track leaves the road.
We were fortunate enough to get a lift half way to the back door and be dropped in the desert with a vague idea of where we should go. If you’re very fit and want a real adventure, you can hike from Little Petra all the through to the backdoor steps and on to Ad Deir Monastery.
As soon as you hit the desert, you need to follow the brown signs. They’re quite frequent at approximately every 400m.
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Hiking with kids; the back door to Petra
A man, in the middle of the desert, did check our tickets and this was one of the only times we actually had our Jordan Passes looked at.
This is a really good hike to do with kids and our 10 and 9 year old thoroughly enjoyed it. We had nearly the entire hike to ourselves, occasionally passing or spotting someone else doing it, but for the most part we hiked in quiet awe.
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4 ways to find the back door to Petra
- Get a taxi to drop you by the side of the road and hike the rest of the way
- Arrange 4×4 transport to drop you halfway to the back door (this is what we did)
- Find a local with a good 4×4 to take you right to the back door steps
- Hire a 4×4 and drive yourself, although you’ll need to get back there to collect the car at some point.
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Book flights to Jodan with Kayak
If I told you how much our flights to Jordan cost us, you wouldn’t believe me. Let’s just say for 4 of us they were less than a restaurant meal!
Click here to See How Much Flights To Jordan Might Cost
Seeing Ad Deir Monastery from the desert
The mountains in the Wadi were mind-blowing in shape and pattern. According to the GPX data, we really weren’t very elevated but it felt as if we were on top of the world!
Meandering around the rocks, sometimes on cut steps, sometimes just following a path, it was our son who first spotted the turrets of Ad Deir Monastery.
In a way we were disappointed that the calm of the hike was over, we were back onto the desert floor and the commotion of hundreds upon hundreds of tourists could be seen and heard.
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View The Map On How To Get There
You can view this route via Google Maps or through All Trails below.
Click here to see this map on AllTrails
Book accommodation in Petra, Jordan
Whilst we were in Jordan we stayed in the following places:
- Hostel with a private room in Amman
- Red Sea Hotel With Beach Access
- A Camp In The Dana Reserve
- A Camp In The Desert
- A Bedouin Cave
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See what else we got up to in Jordan
All our Jordan posts can be found here
