Jordan Guide
Petra and around
Getting around
Whether you're in a group or alone, you'd do well to branch off the main routes every now and again. Petra sees somewhere around three thousand visitors a day in peak season. The place is physically large enough to absorb that many (although archeologists and environmentalists are both lobbying for controls on numbers), but the central path that runs past the major sights can get busy between about 10am and 4pm. Taking a ten- or fifteen-minute detour to explore either side of the path or wander along a side-valley is a good idea, since not only does it get you out of the hubbub, but it's also liable to yield previously unseen views and fascinating little carved niches or facades. Note that following increasing concern over the damage done by tourism, it is forbidden for visitors to stay in Petra after sunset. In any case it's potentially dangerous to do some of the longer descents (such as from the Monastery or the High Place) in low light.