Hike the Back road to the Monastery in 2025
Updated: 23 October 2025
Take the scenic, off the beaten track, hiking trail up to the Monastery from Beidah (Little Petra). The trail leads you along small white domes of sandstone, ancient steps and marvellous views over Wadi Araba desert while hiking up to reach the plateau. Once up on the plateau the Monastery will reveal itself to you!
Have a zesty ‘lemon and mint’ drink while you admire the Monastery. And don’t forget to climb up behind the restaurant to get to the view point to enjoy the view over the huge canyon of Wadi es Siyyagh.
From the Monastery you can take the main trail down into Petra by the Basin.
October 2025 updated logistics to organise your back road hike in Petra
When you are planning for your Jordan journey, Petra will be one of your main destinations. My advise, take at least two days to visit this rose-red city. Take the main entrance, via the Petra Visitor Centre on your first day. Wander through the Siq and be mesmerised by your first view on the Treasury! And on your second day, head to the Petra Heritage Village where you can buy the ticket to take the four-wheel drive (4WD) shuttle to the start of the steps. If you like to hike, you need a transfer to Little Petra. From there you can take the 5 km trail that also leads to this point. From there you walk up to the Monastery in about one hour.
To safe time I share the UPDATED (October 2025) logistics to organise your back road hike adventure!
First how to get from Wadi Musa|Petra Visitor Centre to Petra Heritage Village. By free shuttle bus or by taxi.
And then the info about the 4WD shuttle.
Free shuttle bus from Petra Visitor centre to
Petra Heritage|Cultural Village
Take the free shuttle bus from the Petra Bus parking to Little Petra. You find these busus when you walk from the Petra museum, up the steps, towards the bus parking. Upon entering the parking, you see the busses on the left side. Opposite the toilet building.
The first bus will leave at 7:30 am* from the bus parking to Petra Heritage Village, also called (Petra) Cultural Nabatean Village. The next bus will wait maximum half an hour before it leaves. And when the bus is full, it will leave immediately. The last bus leaves around 2:30 pm*.
Advice: Be aware that these times are subject to change. This information was given by the information desk at the Petra site on the 23rd of October 2025. Better ask at the Petra Visitor centre to get their answer the day before you hike the Back Door Trail.
A ticket for Petra is needed when you take the back road hike! You can also buy your Petra ticket or exchange your Jordan Pass for your Petra ticket at the ticket booth in Petra Heritage Village, if you do this hike on your first Petra day. And bring your passport as they will check if it’s really you!
Taxi transfer from Petra Visitor centre to Petra Heritage Village
If you are on a tight schedule, arrange a taxi beforehand. For a transfer from the Petra parking to Petra Heritage Village or from your accommodation, you can get in touch with taxidriver Saleh Helalat via Messenger. Or send him a Whatsapp message on +962 7 7926 7640. (Transfer price 15 JOD).
If you are traveling by rental car, park it at the Petra parking to have it waiting for you when you come back from your Petra visit.
4WD shuttle from Petra Heritage Village to the start of the steps
In Petra Heritage (Cultural Nabatean) Village you see the ticket booth where they sell the 5 JOD tickets for the 4WD shuttle. The first ride with the 20 seater 4WD pick up starts around 8 am*. The last ride, back from the start of the steps to the Petra Heritage Village is at 2 pm. (If you come down from the Monastery to get a transfer back to the Heritage Village).
* Warning! The times mentioned are not official as there is no official information from Petra Visitor Centre about the free shuttle and the 4×4 shuttle. So it can be different on the day you are planning to do this hike.
Hike from Little Petra to the start of the back road trail
The second option is to hike (it’s a 5 km, rather flat hike) to the point where you start hiking up. As extra stop you can have a look at Beidha, the Neolithic Village where you walk passed. You can find this trail on Komoot.
From there it’s 2,5 km hiking up to the Monastery. Here you can find the hiking trail on Komoot.
Find a guide for the back road hike
You can do this hike perfectly on your own. However, to learn more about Petra, history, nature and nabatean life, it’s a good idea to hire a guide to accompany you on your way up. You find a guide at the Petra visitor centre guide office. The price for the back road hike with a certified guide, from Little Petra to the Monastery, ending at the basin is 150 JOD.
A ticket for Petra is needed when you take the back road hike!
Add a visit to the Neolithic village to your Back road hike
If you choose to hike from the Little Petra parking to the start of the steps you can add a stop at the Neolithic village of Beidha. Go back in time 10.000 years to see how the pastoralists became farmers!
Looking for accommodation in Wadi Musa close to the Petra parking?
Have a look at the rooms in B&B Petra Fig Tree Villa, just a stone throw away from the Petra vistor centre.
