Can You Do Petra in One Day With Kids? (Yes — Here’s How to Plan It)

If you’re wondering can you do Petra in one day with kids, the honest answer is yes — but only if you plan the day carefully.

This guide is for families who want to visit Petra as part of a wider Jordan family itinerary, but aren’t sure whether one day is realistic with children. Petra is huge, exposed and physically tiring, but it can absolutely work in a single day if you start early, focus on the main highlights and avoid trying to see everything.

Quick answer: can you do Petra in one day with kids?

Yes, you can do Petra in one day with kids if you arrive at opening time, prioritise the Siq, Treasury and Monastery, and build in regular breaks. We managed Petra by day and returned for Petra by Night with Joshua, but it was a long day and only worked because we paced it properly.

For us, Petra felt more like an expedition than a sightseeing stop. Joshua was 7 when we visited, and what made the day work was giving him clear goals — walking through the Siq, reaching the Treasury, climbing to the Monastery and having small breaks along the way. Petra is not effortless with children, but it can be one of the most memorable parts of a Jordan trip.

This guide covers exactly how to plan Petra in one day with kids, including when to arrive, what route to follow, what to skip, how hard the walking really is, whether the Monastery is worth it, and how to decide if Petra by Night is too much.

If you want to understand how Petra forms part of a wider Jordan Itinerary, see our 9-Day Jordan Family Itinerary

Just a quick note: some links in this guide are affiliate links. This doesn’t affect the price you pay, and we only recommend hotels, tours and planning tools we’ve used ourselves or would confidently choose again for a family trip.

Can You Really Do Petra in One Day With Kids?

Yes — but you need to be realistic.

One day in Petra can work well with kids, but only if you focus on the main highlights rather than trying to do everything. For most families, that means:

• walking through the Siq

• seeing the Treasury

• reaching the Monastery or Al‑Khubtha Trail ( view of Treasury from Above)

• exploring the Street of Facades / Roman Theatre

Should You Use the Main Entrance or the “Back Door” at Petra?

If you’re visiting Petra with kids, this is a common question — but in reality, for most families, the answer for us was simple: use the main entrance.

The main entrance route takes you through the Siq to the Treasury, which is one of the most memorable parts of the whole experience. It’s also the most straightforward way to navigate Petra, with the clearest path and easiest logistics.

The alternative is the so‑called “back door” route (via Little Petra), which drops you near the Monastery. On paper, this sounds appealing as it avoids the long walk in and doubling back on yourself — but in reality, it’s:

• less straightforward to organise

• more remote

• still involves walking and planning transport

• misses the 'wow' moment of entering the Treasury via The Siq

For families, the biggest advantage of the main entrance is simplicity. You can:

• follow a clear route

• turn around whenever needed

• adjust your day based on energy levels

The back route can work if you’re doing Petra over two days or less interested in starting at the Treasury, but for a one‑day visit with kids, in our opinion the main entrance is the easier and more flexible option.

What Time Should You Arrive at Petra With Kids?

Arriving early is the single biggest factor in making Petra work with kids.

Petra typically opens from 06:00 in summer and 06:30 in winter, so it’s worth checking the exact times for your visit — but in reality, you want to be there as close to opening as possible.

For us, this made all the difference. We got ahead of both the heat and the crowds, and Joshua had the most energy early in the day. Walking through the Siq and seeing the Treasury in the morning felt quiet and manageable — it almost felt like we had Petra to ourselves.

By mid‑day, it was a completely different experience. The site was much busier, the heat had built, and energy levels dropped quickly — even with stops for drinks, snacks and the occasional ice cream.

We went in prepared with breakfast and snacks, but even then we were stopping by mid‑morning to refuel. By the time we reached the Monastery, we were ready for a proper break before heading back out.

The key takeaway is simple:

• arrive at opening time if you can

• use the morning for walking and key highlights

• don’t try to start late — it’s much harder with kids

The Best One-Day Petra Route With Kids

If you’re visiting Petra with kids for one day, the key isn’t covering everything — it’s following a simple route and pacing it properly.

Here’s the approach that worked for us:

Suggested One-Day Itinerary

1. Start early at the Visitor Centre (6:00–6:30am)
   Getting in at opening time makes a huge difference. It’s cooler, quieter, and kids have the most energy first thing.

2. Walk through the Siq (30–45 minutes)
   This is one of the highlights in itself — Joshua loved it. It feels like an adventure rather than a walk, which helps keep kids engaged.

3. Reach the Treasury (around 1 hour from entry)
   Take a proper break here — photos, toilets, a drink. This is a natural pause before deciding how far to continue.

4. Head to the Monastery (1.5–2+ hours total from Treasury)
   If your child has the stamina, this becomes the main goal of the day.

   • 800+ steps up

   • time for photos, coffee, toilets at the top

   • we had our packed lunch here

   Then return the same way. By this point it was around 10.30/11am.

5. Light stops on the way back (Street of Facades / Roman Theatre)
   By this point, it’s hot, the mid day heat is kicking in and energy is dropping — keep this part flexible. We stopped for an ice cream and didn’t push it too much.

6. Exit Petra and have a proper break
   We ate again outside Petra around ~1.30pm — it was cheaper, quieter, and honestly much easier after a long day.

7. Rest at the hotel
   This was essential for us. After the Monastery and the walk back out, everyone was tired — especially Joshua. We went back, had a proper rest, cooled down and reset. Without this break, Petra by Night would have felt like too much.

8. Dinner (keep it simple and relaxed)
   We ate at a popular local restaurant recommended online with a rooftop view overlooking Petra — My Mom’s Recipe. It was a good choice because it felt relaxed, the food was easy, and we didn’t have to rush.

9. Return for Petra by Night
   We headed back out in the evening for Petra by Night. This is where pacing really matters — going in rested made it feel like a completely different experience rather than an extension of an already tiring day. The walk through the Siq at night is slower and quieter, which actually worked well with Joshua after the rest, but without that break, it would have been a struggle.

What Should You Skip If You Only Have One Day?

If you only have one day, the key is knowing what not to do.

We’d recommend skipping or saving for another visit:

• multiple viewpoint trails

• trying to combine every major climb

• lingering too long at early photo stops

• long sit-down lunches inside Petra

Keep things moving early in the day, then slow down later.

Can You Do Both the Monastery and the Treasury Viewpoint in One Day?

Where it becomes difficult is when you try to go beyond the main highlights.

Petra is huge, and while you can technically cover more in one day, in reality with kids it’s a big ask. If you want to add multiple viewpoints or take things at a slower pace, two days is the better option.

One of the key decisions is whether to include the Al‑Khubtha Trail viewpoint (the famous “Treasury from above” photo) or focus on the Monastery.

Both add a significant amount of extra effort:

• Al‑Khubtha viewpoint → around 45–90 minutes of uphill climbing

• Monastery → 800+ steps up, then back down, followed by the full walk out

In reality, trying to do both in one day with kids is where it starts to fall down. By the time you’ve reached the Monastery, energy levels drop quickly. Adding another climb — and still needing to walk out — is a lot, especially if you’re planning to return later for Petra by Night.

The Al‑Khubtha Trail was closed during our visit, so we didn’t have to decide — but realistically, after the Monastery, Joshua wouldn’t have had the energy for that extra climb.

There are also options like horse or donkey rides if kids get tired. Joshua used one on the way back, which helped — but they’re not a full solution. They’re slow, and you can’t rely on them to cover large parts of Petra.

Ideally, we would have done Petra by Night the evening before. That would have made the daytime visit feel much easier. Unfortunately, our itinerary didn’t allow for that, so everything had to fit into one long day.

If we had not been doing Petra by night that evening it may have been achievable to do both these sites in one day but with a sizeable break in between such as a long lunch to build back up our child's energy levels.

So while two days gives you more time to include both the Monastery and the viewpoint, it doesn’t necessarily make it easier with kids — it just spreads the effort. We were exhausted when we woke up the next day and the idea of getting up early to do it all again didn't feel that appealing!

For us, one day was about choosing priorities, not completing Petra. We managed Petra in one day with Joshua, including Petra by Night, but it was full-on. It worked because we:

• started early

• kept the plan simple

• accepted we weren’t going to see everything

If you want a fuller breakdown of what to expect with children, see Visiting Petra With Kids: A Practical Family Guide — this covers the wider experience beyond just fitting it into one day.

Can You Do Petra by Day and Petra by Night With Kids in One Day?

Yes — but only if you plan the day carefully.

Petra by Night is a separate experience and not included in the Jordan Pass, so you’ll need to buy an additional ticket. It also doesn’t run every day, which was the reason we had to fit everything into one day — we didn’t have the option to split it across two days.

The experience typically runs in the evening (roughly 8:30pm–10:30pm), so families need to factor in a late finish after an already long day.

For us, we did Petra by day and Petra by Night — but the only reason it worked was because we went back to the hotel mid‑afternoon and properly rested. Without that break, it would have been too much.

Petra by Night itself is completely different to the daytime visit — walking through the Siq in the dark, lit by candles, feels much more relaxed and slower paced. When you arrive at the Treasury, you can sit down, have a soft drink and take it in. That said, this depends on timing — if you arrive later, you’ll likely be standing or sitting on the floor, which isn’t ideal with tired kids.

If you’re unsure whether to include it, read Petra by Night With Kids — it’s less about whether it’s beautiful (it is), and more about whether your child will still have the energy to enjoy it.

Where Should You Stay for in Petra With Kids?

Where you stay in Petra makes a big difference to how manageable the day feels with kids, and it really comes down to a simple trade-off.

We prioritised location and stayed at a smaller local guest house, Petra Aretas, which was clean, comfortable, budget friendly stay and within walking distance of the main entrance. That made early starts much easier and meant we didn’t have to think about transport first thing in the morning. It also had plenty of local restaurants nearby and free parking, which kept things simple after a long day.

That said, looking back, this is one place where a hotel with a pool would have made recovery easier. After a full day walking — and especially if you’re combining Petra by day and Petra by Night — having somewhere you can properly relax makes a big difference for kids.

Hotels like the Mövenpick or Crowne Plaza offer that mix of location and facilities, like a pool, but they do come at a higher price point, so it’s a bit of a balance between convenience and comfort.

If you’re deciding what matters most for your family, see Best Hotels Near Petra for Families — this breaks down the options depending on whether you prioritise location, pools or overall comfort.

What to Pack for One Day in Petra With Kids

Packing properly for Petra makes a big difference — especially with kids, as you’ll be out for hours with limited shade and little flexibility once you’re inside.

We’d recommend bringing:

• plenty of water

• snacks (more than you think you need)

• hats and sunscreen

• comfortable walking shoes

• cash for drinks, toilets and small stops

• light layers if you’re starting early

• wipes or tissues

Snacks made a real difference for us. Petra isn’t the place to rely on your child pushing through hunger or tiredness — having something ready when energy dips helps keep the day on track.

For a full list covering the wider trip, see Jordan Packing List With Kids

Little Petra With Kids: Is It Worth Visiting and When Should You Go?

Little Petra is an easy add-on, but we’d recommend doing it on a separate day rather than trying to squeeze it into your main Petra visit.

It’s a much smaller site and doesn’t take long — around an hour is usually enough — so it works well as a quick stop either when you arrive in Petra or before you leave.

That’s what we did, and it felt like a good way to see a bit more without adding extra pressure to an already long day in Petra itself.

Think of Little Petra as a bonus stop, not something to fit into your main Petra day.

Final Verdict: Is One Day Enough for Petra With Kids?

Yes — one day in Petra with kids is enough if your aim is to experience the main highlights, not cover every trail. For us, it was a long but genuinely memorable day. The key was starting early, keeping the route simple and building in recovery time afterwards.

If Petra is part of your Jordan itinerary, read our How to Plan a Family Trip to Jordan guide for a detailed breakdown of routes, bookings and practical planning tips.

FAQs - Petra in a Day With Kids

Can you do Petra in one day with kids?

Yes — Petra can be done in one day with children if you start early, focus on the main highlights and pace the day carefully. One day is enough for the Siq, Treasury and Monastery, but not every viewpoint.

For more practical tips on visiting Petra, see: Visiting Petra With Kids

What is the best route for Petra in one day with kids?

The best one-day route is the main entrance route through the Siq to the Treasury, then along the main trail towards the Monastery if your child has enough energy.

Is the Monastery worth it with kids?

Yes, the Monastery is worth it with kids if your child can manage the climb and you start early. It gives the day a clear goal, but it may be too much in peak heat or late afternoon.

Can you do Petra by Night after visiting Petra all day?

Yes, but only if you rest in the afternoon. Petra by Night is magical, but it means walking back through the Siq in the evening, so tired children may struggle.

If you are still deciding, see: Petra by Night With Kids: Is It Worth It or Too Much?

What should you skip at Petra if you only have one day?

Skip extra viewpoint trails unless they are your priority. With kids, it’s better to focus on the Siq, Treasury, main trail and Monastery rather than trying to see everything.

Is Petra suitable for younger children or toddlers?

Petra is harder with toddlers because of the walking, uneven ground and limited shade. It’s much easier with school-aged children who can manage longer distances.

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About Plan Family Escapes

We’re a UK-based family sharing real, experience-led travel guides based on trips we’ve taken with our school-age son Joshua across destinations like Lapland, Turkey and India.

Everything we share is based on what we’ve personally experienced — with honest advice on what actually works when travelling with kids, focusing on making family travel easier, more comfortable and genuinely enjoyable.