As so many of you were asking me, I’d like to answer the most frequently asked question here: Can you go inside Petra treasury?
Unfortunately, you can’t.
I guess the reason is the crowds of tourists who arrive in the ancient city every day. I generally agree that the preservation of Petra is more important. In this context, I also would like to ask you not to climb in Petra. At first view, this maybe sounds stupid to you. But here is the reason for my request: when visiting Petra, you will notice that there are quite some Bedouins which want to bring you to a (I admit) very impressing viewpoint. Most likely they also ask for some money to do so. In order to bring you to this viewpoint they will make you climb over the rocks – which is forbidden in Petra and will destroy the city. Image thousands of tourists climbing this way every day. Worse case this will lead that parts of Petra will be shut down. So please, please don’t climb just for the best Instagram picture.
Ok, having that said, let’s speak about the great things of Petra: The treasury. Yes it is truly stunning and amazing, have a look yourself:
But as it is the most famous sight of Petra, crowds are on the little square in front of the treasury all day long. And by crowds, I mean that many people that you have to even fight your way to get though.
What many people don’t know about Petra and the treasury is…
…that the facade of the Monastery is almost the same as the one of the treasury. The monastery is located in the very end of the ancient city and requires about 40 minutes of hiking (by using stairs) to get there. Therefore way fewer people are there. So if you want to get your perfect Instagram pictures without people, go to the Monastery! And what is even better: This facade is better preserved than the treasury. Look:
So do you still care about the question “Can you go inside Petra treasury?” or do you just want to visit the monastery now? 😉
Best time to visit the treasury in Petra
If I couldn’t convince you, and you still want to visit the treasury, then I recommend you to go early in the morning, right when Petra opens, which is generally at 7 a.m. In general, you will enjoy your visit way more because the crowds of buses normally only arrive from 9 or 10 on. By the way, the shots above I took on the way to the exit, just half an hour before Petra is closing. And as you can see, without people. So, if you can’t go early in the morning for any reason, try shortly before the closing hour.
Where to stay in Petra?
We stayed at Mövenpick Nabatea Castle Petra Hotel and I would definitely recommend it. The rooms were very clean, spacious, food was great, todo bien
You can see a magical sunset at their terrace:
And the view in the morning is not bad either:
Another reason for Petra in the list of the best things to do in Jordan I would say
Insider tip in Petra
Check out the “Cave bar” just at the entrance of the ruins of Petra. Really cool bar inside and super comfortable “Bedouin”-style lounge outside:
I hope I could answer your question “Can you go inside Petra treasury?” and give you some more useful tips when visiting Petra. If you want to know more about my experiences in Jordan, my travel route and which places I recommend and which you can skip, read my full travel guide about Jordan:
