Hiking Ad Deir Trail (Monastery): Back Route to Petra + Main Trail
Hiking the Ad Deir Trail in Petra is an unforgettable experience.
When you hike the Ad Deir Trail to Petra you will find history, adventure, and stunning landscapes all along the way. Plus, Petra is considered one of the New Seven Wonders of the World and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is absolutely a must-visit!
As you plan your routes for hiking in Petra, I’ll take you through everything you need to know about the trail to Ad Deir, back door hiking route to The Monastery, and the Main Trail, including how to get to The Treasury.
Located in Wadi Musa, Petra is home to infamous historical monuments such as The Treasury and The Monastery, which draw in travelers by the thousands. Travelers can sometimes be confused by what’s what in Petra, as Petra is the name of the town, as well as the park area where you hike to the famous rock structures. And some people even refer to The Treasury as Petra.
All of this was a bit confusing to us before we traveled to Petra, so hopefully, I can clear it up for you, as this was one of the highlights of our trip to Jordan!
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Ad Deir Trail (Petra Monastery Hike)
Petra’s Ad Deir Trail is also known as The Monastery Trail. Below I’ll lay out all you need to know and the various options you have to access and hike to The Monastery at Petra.
Ad Deir Trail Information
Below you’ll find information on various Petra trails that lead to Ad Deir Trail, as well as the level of difficulty, hiking time, and distance. Keep in mind below I’m stating approximate round trip times, but in the article, I suggest doing a one way route to maximize your time!
Distance * Hiking Time * Difficulty
✔️The Ad Deir (Monastery) Trail is 1.6 miles (2.5 kilometers) round trip. Round trip will take approximately 3 hours. The trail is considered hard, as the terrain is rocky, uneven and has many stairs along the way (800+ stairs!). Note, I have seen people refer to this trail as Al Deir Trail Petra, but I think that is just because they misunderstood that it is Ad, not Al Deir Petra
✔️The Ad Deir Trail Back Route is essentially an extension of the Ad Deir Trail and will take another 2 hours round trip. The trail is uneven with various rocky terrain and stairs along the way. Yet the views are worth it, with unique rock formations and gorgeous scenery which are different than you see in the main part of Petra.
✔️The Main Trail is 5 miles (8 kilometers) round trip. Round trip will take approximately 4 hours. The trail is considered easy, as the hike is mostly flat with fairly even terrain.
On many maps, the Ad Deir Trail starts at the base of the Basin Restaurant (where The Main Trail ends) and goes up 800-1000 steps (depending on who you ask) to The Monastery. Continuing the hike beyond The Monastery towards Little Petra is considered the “Back Route to Ad Deir Trail.” This back portion is off of most of the route maps I’ve seen (although it is a clear hiking path that people will be hiking).
Here is where it gets confusing to people. The Ad Deir Trail Back Route can be accessed from Little Petra or after hiking the Ad Deir Trail from the Basin Restaurant.
Best Way to Hike the Ad Deir Trail (In My Opinion)
Our recommended option for a long hike that is challenging in parts and easy in others would be to do the one-way back route to Petra, starting from Little Petra. This gives you a scenic hike but also time to slow down (as opposed to doing round trip) and enjoy the many monuments and sites within Petra (there are so many!).
For this Back Route Hike to Petra, you will be starting from Little Petra. (I will explain how to do this below). At the small ticket booth in Little Petra, you can use your Jordan Pass to get your ticket into Petra. From there, you can take a shuttle to the start of the Ad Deir Trail Back Route.
The Back Route Trail takes you to The Monastery, which will take approximately 1+ hours from where the shuttle drops you off. You then continue along the Ad Deir Trail towards the Basin Restaurant (which takes another hour+) and then onward along The Mail Trail towards The Treasury and continue until you reach the Main Entrance (90 mins).
This one-way route takes approximately 4-5 hours, give or take depending on how often you stop off to explore and see monuments.
If it is within your capabilities, our opinion is that this is the best way to really experience so much of Petra in one day and have time to enjoy the many sites, as well as take a little break for a snack and a quick lunch along the way.
Below under Ad Deir Back Route are more tips on how to do the one-way back route that we recommend.
How to Get to Ad Deir Trail
I definitely recommend starting the day early to beat some of the crowds. It is absolutely worth it.
There are a couple of ways you can access this trail in Petra.
1. From Main Entrance
One option to access Ad Deir Trail is by starting at the main entrance, which will start you on the Main Trail. You can follow The Main Trail until you reach The Basin Restaurant area, which is approximately where the trail then turns into the start of Ad Deir Trail.
From this direction, you will climb the 800+ stairs to The Monastery. Once you reach the Monastery, you have a couple of options.
✔️Option A: Turn around and go back the same way you came (about 5-6 hours round trip).
✔️Option B: Continue past The Monastery on Ad Deir Trail towards Little Petra (technically the Back Route) for approximately 60 minutes (the route is considered hard). You will come across an area where truck shuttles go back and forth to the entrance of Little Petra. You can choose to jump on the shuttle (recommended) or continue walking for an additional hour on fairly flat terrain (but not very interesting and very hot because you will be in the direct sun). Just make sure you have a car or a taxi lined up to pick you up in Little Petra.
2. Ad Deir Back Road Access
The next option to access Ad Deir Trail is to take a cab or driver to the “Back Exit Road.”
Note: This is not the Back Route to The Monastery.
“Back Exit Road” is located between the Petra Main Entrance and Little Petra. Back Exit Road will essentially put you in the vicinity of where the Main Trail and Ad Deir Trail meet.
You can access the Ad Deir trail from there and climb the 800+ stairs to The Monastery, or you can just continue in the other direction on the Main Trail towards the Main Entrance, passing the Royal Tombs and The Theatre, essentially hitting The Treasury from the back side and ending at the Main Entrance.
3. Ad Deir Back Route – OUR RECOMMENDATION!
This Ad Deir Back Route option is the one that we did and that I would recommend if it suits you physically.
I recommend doing a one-way route to allow time to enjoy the sites. In short, what we suggest is to start at Little Petra. Then, take a shuttle to the start of the Back Route to Ad Deir Trail.
From where the shuttle drops you, you will hike an hour or so to The Monastery. After spending some time admiring The Monastery, continue along the Ad Deir Trail (down the 800 or so stairs) and then pick up The Main Trail to The Treasury, eventually ending at the Main Entrance to Petra.
The route is hard along the Back Route and Ad Deir portion, but easy along the Main Trail. It takes approximately 4-5 hours one way.
Details on How to Access the Back Route to Ad Deir from Little Petra
To access the Back Route to Petra, you will essentially be starting at Little Petra. If you have a car, we recommend parking it at the Main Entrance to Petra. There is a Free Car Park there where you can easily park your car. We arrived just after 8 am in March and there was plenty of parking.
At the parking lot, there are some guys with trucks that hang out to direct you where to park. We were a bit confused by this, as we thought they wanted tips. Instead, they want to give options for tours. We asked a bunch of questions and then told them we weren’t interested (so that we could walk away and chat about it). It also gives us a little negotiating power to walk away first!
We decided to take one of them up on the offer to drive us to Little Petra. This way, we could hike one way and end up back at the main entrance, where our car was parked. He offered to drive us for 25JD. I offered 15JD and we settled on 20JD for him to take us in his truck to Little Petra.
The driver told us a bit about Petra along the quick 20-minute drive to Little Petra, helped us get our tickets once we arrived in Little Petra, and then recommended that we take the shuttle from the entrance of Little Petra to the main start of the Back Route to Ad Deir Trail.
Tip: If you don’t have the Jordan Pass, ask the driver to help you get your ticket first.
The shuttle was a fantastic suggestion, as the first part of that hike from Little Petra is in the direct sun and there isn’t much to see. I would recommend taking the shuttle and saving your energy for the main part of the Back Route, Ad Deir Trail, and onto The Main Trail throughout Petra.
The shuttle costs 5JD per adult and is free for children under 12. You’ll walk about 5 minutes from the Little Petra entrance to the shuttle truck.
From Little Petra, the shuttle ride is approximately 15 minutes and takes you to the main start of the Back Route to the Ad Deir Trail (also known as the Back Route to Petra). You will follow the trail for approximately 60 minutes until you reach The Monastery.
Again, this part of the trail is not easy, there is a lot of uneven terrain and many steps up and down. However, the landscape and scenery are really beautiful and a bit different than the rest of Petra.
And coming upon The Monastery from the back door route is spectacular!!!
A bonus is that most people start from the main entrance, so you will be one of the first to arrive at The Monastery if you get an early start!
Continuing on The Main Trail From Ad Deir Back Route
After spending some time at the Monastery, you’ll continue along the trail, which at this point is now officially the Ad Deir Trail. You’ll pass some local Bedouin vendors selling snacks, souvenirs and fresh juice before starting to walk down the approximately 800 steps.
During the entire hike, make sure you take time to enjoy the sites. There are so many caves and carved rock monuments along the way.
As you descend down to the bottom of the stairs, you’ll find The Lion Triclinium, with two lions carved at the entrance. You can easily miss all these extra little sites in Petra if you don’t stop to look around a bit.
As you continue, you’ll come across an area with bathrooms and a couple of restaurants near Qasr al-Bint (a monument that was once the most important temple in Petra).
We brought a lunch, as we weren’t sure what to expect in terms of food options along the way, so we set out our mat (this one is our absolute favorite) and had a picnic lunch under a little shade we found!
Continuing from here, you will now officially be on The Main Trail headed towards The Treasury and then onward to the Main Entrance. At the Main Entrance, you can grab your car, a taxi, or walk around to restaurants located near the Visitor’s Center or in town.
This one-way Back Route from Little Petra to Petra really allows for a nice long hike but also gives you time to stop and see all the amazing historical sites along the way. It never gets boring, and there is time to grab a bite to eat along the way.
While it isn’t an easy hike, it is doable with kids who are adventurous, good listeners (so they don’t go running towards a cliff or steep drop-off), and don’t mind a walk. This will be an absolute highlight of your driving trip to Jordan!
Entrance Fees
To enter Petra, you need to have your Jordan Pass stamped, so that you can get your tickets. If you don’t have a Jordan Pass, you will pay approximately 50JD for one day. Children under 12 are free. We definitely recommend getting the Jordan Pass, as the cost of your visa is included in the Jordan Pass anyways. It saves you a lot of time and hassle.
Since we accessed Petra from the Back Route at Little Petra, we just showed our Jordan passes at the ticket booth in Little Petra, and they handed us tickets. We then literally turned to our left and handed the tickets over to walk in!
Note: At this Little Petra ticket booth is where you will also pay for the shuttle (which takes you from Little Petra to the start of the Back Route to Ad Deir Trail). The shuttle costs 5 JD per adult. You’ll walk about 5 minutes down the path to catch the shuttle, which comes every 15-30 minutes.
When is the Best Time to Hike Ad Deir Trail?
Unless you enjoy the direct sun and heat, the best time to hike Ad Deir Trail is in the early spring or late fall. The temperatures are cooler and sun isn’t as intense.
We hiked Petra in March and the temperature was perfect with a cool breeze in the air but warm sun. It was warm hiking but not sweating hot. Plus, the benefit of shoulder season, such as early March, is that there aren’t as many tourists as in other times of the year.
What to Bring When Hiking Ad Deir Trail
Here I’ll give you the need to have and the nice to-haves when deciding what to bring when hiking Ad Deir Trail!
Need to Have:
☑️ I highly recommend being prepared for the direct sun. There are many parts of the Ad Deir Trail and Main Trail where there isn’t a place to hide from the sun. Sun Protection is a must. I recommend bringing a hat, SPF, and a sun shirt.
☑️ Make sure to also bring plenty of water and some snacks when hiking. There are places along the way to purchase food and drinks, but some of the stands weren’t open for the first hour that we were hiking.
☑️ Also, make sure you have good walking or hiking shoes. You’ll want your feet to be comfortable while going up and down various terrain for hours!
Nice to Have:
While we like to pack light, here are some items that we found useful when hiking Ad Deir Trail.
☑️ A camera (of course a phone will do, too)
☑️ Mat: We find this super lightweight mat extremely useful. Sitting on the dry, dusty dirt for a picnic isn’t fun. Plus, this mat has flat smooth stakes which makes it really helpful to hold the mat down when the wind is blowing.
☑️ Layers: Depending on the time of year you visit Petra, there are days that can be cooler or windy, so prepare your layers accordingly.
We were surprised that as a family of five, including a baby and two children, our backpack was significantly smaller than other single people hiking the same route. (Maybe our worldschooling travels have helped us conquer light packing after all!) You should be prepared, but there are also amenities along the way, should you need something (snack, scarf, water, etc.).
Donkeys, Horses, Camels, Shuttles and Other Transportation in Petra
While hiking Petra is a wonderful way to be active and explore the historical area, there are other options for transportation in Petra.
Apparently, a horseback ride is included in the fare from the Main Entrance. However, this does not mean that tip is included, and they will expect a tip.
There are also donkeys available to ride throughout Petra, including up the many stairs to The Monastery on Ad Deir Trail (coming from the direction of the Main Entrance, not the back route). To be honest, I don’t think it looks very comfortable to ride a horse, donkey or camel in Petra. Plus, I’m not really sure how the animals are treated.
There is a shuttle (golf cart style) from the Main Entrance to The Treasury, that is available for the elderly, children, or people that can’t make the walk. I believe there is a separate fare for this service, which you can ask about when you get your ticket at the Main Entrance. There was a queue lined up at The Treasury and then also the main entrance, with golf cart shuttles taking people back and forth regularly.
Other Hiking Trails in Petra
There are many hiking trails in Petra that you can choose from. Some of them lead right into others, meaning you can decide to make a longer hike by combining trails. Honestly, we were surprised at just how much there is to see in Petra. We really could have spent a couple of days hiking around!
Here are some of the other hiking trails Petra has to offer, including what to expect in terms of distance, hiking time, and difficulty level:
- Main Trail: 5 miles, 3.5-4 hours, EASY
- Al-Khubtha Trail: 2.2 miles, 2.5-3 hours, HARD
- High Place of Sacrifice Trail: 1.9 miles, 3.5-4 hours, HARD
- Ad Deir (Monastery Trail): 1.6 miles, 2.5-3 hours, HARD
- Umm al-Biyara Trail: 2.5 miles, 3.5-4 hours, HARD
- Jabal Haroun Trail: 4.7 miles, 4-6 hours, HARD
- Sabra Trail: 6.2 miles, 6-7 hours, MODERATE
- Al-Madras Trail: 0.7 miles, 1.5 hour, MODERATE
Note: The Main Trail is the trail you’ll walk to visit the Petra by Night show that is located at The Treasury three nights per week.
What to See in Petra
There are obvious monuments to see in Petra, such The Siq & The Treasury (along the Main Trail) and The Monastery (along Ad Deir Trail). However, in between, there are hundreds of other carved rock structures, monuments, temples, tombs and more.
Here are a couple of noteworthy monuments and sites to see in Petra:
✔️The Theatre: The Theatre is located across from the Royal Tombs. It is carved into the mountainside and could accommodate 4,000 spectators.
✔️The Royal Tombs: There are four main structures that make up The Royal Tombs of Petra. Um Tomb (constructed around 70 AD), Silk Tomb (known for the colorful swirls of rock), Corinthian Tomb (the upper part similar to The Treasury), and Palace Tomb (five-story facade).
✔️The Church: While it was significantly damaged (possibly from an earthquake or fire), the mosaic floors are well preserved.
✔️Colonnaded Street: It was most likely the main shopping street in ancient Petra civilization.
✔️Great Temple: Estimated to cover over 7,000 sq meters, it was one of the major monuments of central Petra.
✔️Qasr al-Bint: The most important temple of Petra and dates to the 1st century AD
✔️The Lion Triclinium: Lions are carved into both sides of the entrance to this structure.
A Brief History of Petra
While it is unknown precisely when Petra was built, it was once a thriving trade center. After an earthquake struck, along with changes in trade routes, Petra was abandoned.
Only a few local Bedouin people knew of Petra’s existence until 1812, when Johannes Burckhardt, a Swiss explorer, dressed as an Arab, convinced his local Bedouin guide to take him to the lost city. He was then credited for rediscovering Petra.
The monuments throughout Petra are amazingly preserved and you can really get a sense of what civilization was like thousands of years ago.
The word Petra, comes from words meaning “rock” and the ancient site is also known as the “Rose Red City” due to the color of the rock formations and carved rock structures.
FAQs: Ad Deir Trail
Here are a few common questions about hiking the Ad Deir Trail in Petra.
How many steps is Ad Deir?
There are approximately 800-1000 steps on the Ad Deir Trail to the Monastery. While I didn’t personally count as I walked them, this seem in the range. It definitely is not an easy climb or descent but worth the effort!
How difficult is walking in Petra?
When most people think of Petra, they think of The Treasury – the famous carved rock that has become the symbol of Petra. It is not a difficult walk to Petra from the Main Entrance to The Treasury. It’s flat and considered an easy route.
However, there are some uneven surfaces to be aware of and if you have limitations, you can also opt to take the golf cart shuttle.
Beyond this route, there are many other hiking trails in Petra to choose from. They range from easy to difficult, with many having stairs, uneven surfaces and rocky terrain to contend with.
What is the best trek to Petra?
We think the best trek to Petra is the one we highlighted throughout this post: Starting at Little Petra, taking the shuttle to the start of the Back Route to Ad Deir Trail (Monastery Trail), then continuing along the Main Trail, past The Treasury until you finally reach the Main Entrance.
This one-way hike to Petra is the best because it allows you to see so much of Petra but optimizes your time by going one way!
How long is the walk into Petra?
The walk into Petra takes approximately 40 minutes to walk from the Main Entrance through The Siq (bouldering rock walls) to The Treasury (the iconic structure in Petra). There are many other walks that you can take within Petra that vary in distance and time, but this is the main portion where you’ll find the most crowds.
You can also opt to take a shuttle (golf cart) along this same route.
Can you go inside the monastery in Petra?
No, you cannot go inside The Monastery in Petra. You can walk up to the entrance, but there are signs that forbid you to enter inside.
Most people enjoy the Monastery from one of the many bouldering rocks or cave-like structures up on the hillside, overlooking the Monastery.
How long does it take to walk from the Treasury to the Monastery at Petra?
The walk from The Treasury to The Monastery at Petra will take approximately 2.5 – 3 hours one way. Remember that from the Main Entrance to the Treasury takes an additional 40 minutes to walk.
Wrap-Up: Ad Deir Trail (Petra Monastery Hike)
In conclusion, hiking Petra is incredible and we would absolutely recommend taking the Back Route to the Ad Deir Trail, hiking one way from Little Petra to the Main Entrance. You’ll enjoy the Petra Monastery Hike, The Treasury, and so many other monuments, caves, rock formations, history and adventure along the way.
Enjoy whichever trek you decide to take when hiking in Petra. Just being there is magical!
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