Petra Nights Tours

This Iconic World Wonder Is Even More Beautiful at Night — Here's How to Plan Your Visit

"Approaching the site by candlelight felt magical: about 1,500 flickering candles line the footpath through the Siq, and after a half-hour walk (roughly 1.2 km) a luminous sliver of the Treasury appears through the wavy chasm before the full facade is revealed aglow. We all sat on provided mats, sipped warm mint tea, listened to traditional music while a mellow light danced across the carved sandstone, and the host told a short story in English about Petra's golden era — the scene was so powerful I teared up. Practical details: shows run Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 8:30–10:30 p.m., tickets cost 17 Jordanian dinars (about $24) and are sold starting at 7:30 p.m. at the visitor center; you must also purchase a daytime ticket to buy the night-show ticket, advanced reservations aren’t available but tickets are unlimited, and the path is adequately lit so you should avoid bright lights or headlamps, speak in whispers, expect fewer vendors than daytime, be ready to say “la, shukran,” and plan to arrive early if you want photos without people." - Melissa McGibbon Melissa McGibbon Melissa McGibbon is an award-winning adventure travel writer. She is the destinations editor for Powder Magazine, and you can find her work on Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, Outside, The Points Guy, Backpacker, Ski, Scuba Diving, and more. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines