Petra Day Tour from Tel Aviv

Board your flight south to Ramon Airport near Eilat. The flight takes approximately 1 hour, covering the length of Israel from the Mediterranean coast to the Red Sea. Sit back and watch the Negev Desert landscape unfold below you as the sun rises.

Board the Jordanian coach and head north along the Desert Highway through spectacular desert and mountain scenery. The drive to Petra takes approximately 2-2.5 hours. Your Petra day tour from Tel Aviv guide provides an introduction to the Nabataean civilization, the ancient spice trade routes, and the story of how Petra was lost to the Western world for nearly 1,000 years before being rediscovered in 1812.

En route, catch views of Jebel Haroun (Mount Aaron) in the distance, traditionally believed to be the burial place of Aaron, brother of Moses.

The Petra day tour from Tel Aviv arrives at the Petra Archaeological Park visitor center. Your guide collects entrance tickets (included) and you begin exploring one of the most extraordinary archaeological sites on earth.

The Siq: Walk 1.2 kilometers through the narrow canyon with walls rising 80 meters. Your guide points out Nabataean water channels, Djinn Blocks (spirit monuments), the Obelisk Tomb, and remnants of the ancient paved road. At the end, the Treasury appears through a narrow gap.

The Treasury (Al-Khazneh): A 40-meter-high facade carved directly into the sandstone cliff around the 1st century BCE. Intricately decorated with Corinthian columns, mythological figures, and a 3.35-meter-high urn that gave the building its name (Bedouins believed a pharaoh hid gold inside).

The Street of Facades: Monumental Nabataean tomb facades lining the main path deeper into the city.

The Roman Theater: Carved into the hillside to seat 8,500 spectators. Uniquely, tombs are visible above the upper seating rows.

The Royal Tombs: Four massive facades on the cliff face of Jabal al-Khubtha: the Urn Tomb (converted to a Byzantine church in 446 CE), Silk Tomb, Corinthian Tomb, and Palace Tomb.

The Colonnaded Street and Qasr al-Bint: The main civic thoroughfare of ancient Petra, leading to the Qasr al-Bint temple, one of the few freestanding structures in the city.

Your Petra day tour from Tel Aviv guide explains how the Nabataeans controlled the incense and spice trade, engineered sophisticated water systems in the desert, and built a city of 20,000-30,000 people that rivaled Rome in architectural ambition.

After the guided portion, enjoy approximately 30-45 minutes of free time to revisit your favorite spots, take photos, or explore areas the group didn't cover. The Monastery hike (800 steps, 45 minutes each way) is not feasible on a day tour due to time constraints.

Enjoy a late lunch (included in your Petra day tour from Tel Aviv) at a local Jordanian restaurant near the visitor center. Traditional dishes: grilled meats, rice, hummus, fresh salads, flatbread, and dessert.

Board the coach for the return drive south along the Desert Highway toward the Arava border. Your guide answers final questions and shares recommendations for other tours in Israel. The return drive passes through scenic Wadi Rum landscape visible from the highway.

If you have more time in Israel, consider our Jerusalem Full Day Tour, Masada and Dead Sea tour, or Caesarea Haifa Acre tour on another day. For a deeper Petra experience, our Petra 2-day tour from Eilat or Petra and Wadi Rum 2-day tour give you more time in Jordan.

Cross back into Israel at the Arava border. The return crossing typically takes 30-45 minutes. Transfer to Ramon Airport for your return flight.

Board your return flight from Ramon Airport to Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv. Flight time approximately 1 hour.

Your Petra day tour from Tel Aviv concludes at Ben Gurion Airport (Terminal 3). Make your way back to your hotel independently by taxi, train, or use the optional return transfer service ($70 per person, bookable as an extra). You should be back at your Tel Aviv hotel by approximately 23:00-23:30.

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