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Petra Independent Short Break





Walk the ancient streets of Petra
Visit Petra on this Independent Short Break, the rose-hued fortress city carved into rock by the Nabataean people. Once the capital of a trading empire that dominated the deserts of modern Jordan, Petra showcases the achievements of this ancient Arab people. Explore the rock-cut architecture, float in the Dead Sea and see Jerusalem in the distance from Mt Nebo. This short trip is the ideal way to start off or round up a voyage to the Middle East.
4.4
7 reviewsStart: Amman, Jordan
End: Amman, Jordan
- Duration
- 3 days
- Group size
- 1 to 6
- Minimum age
- 12 years old
- Style
- Original
- Theme
Our themes categorize trips based on a common interest or activity, while showcasing the highlights of a destination.
- Independent - Short Breaks
- Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Why you'll love this trip
- Spend a day walking around Petra with your local guide – you’ll be blown away by the iconic Treasury facade.
- Take in views across Jordan from Mt Nebo and admire its preserved ancient mosaics.
- Float effortlessly in the mineral-rich waters of the Dead Sea, the lowest point on Earth.
- Return to Petra for some solo exploration, discovering hidden corners at your own pace.
- Cover yourself in therapeutic mud at the Dead Sea and then swim at a private beach nearby.
Itinerary
Ahlan o Sahlan! Welcome to Jordan. Your Short Break Adventure starts at 10 am when you’re picked up from your hotel in Amman and drive to Mt Nebo. When you’ve admired the Byzantine mosaics and the great views (which, on a clear day, extend all the way to the Palestinian Terriroties and Israel), you’ll head to the Dead Sea. Here, at the lowest point on Earth (420 m below sea level), the water is seven times saltier than the ocean. This means you’re extremely buoyant when swimming and will float on the water rather than in it. The mud here is said to have healing properties, and many visitors like to cover themselves from head to toe. Stop at a private beach with less salty pools and a gentle slope to the water – don't forget to pack your swimwear today! After lunch, drive to the mountains of Petra, where you’ll spend the night.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Lunch
- Mt Nebo - Site visit
- Dead Sea - visit and swim
Your travel time today will be approximately 5.5 hours today.
If needed, pick up locations may vary from the standard hotel – however, we’ll make sure you’re aware of any changes prior to departure.
Today, you’ll explore Petra – a site that remained unknown to the Western world until 1812 when it was discovered by Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, a Swiss explorer. According to Arab tradition, Petra is where Moses struck a rock with his staff, and water came forth. You’ll learn all this and more from your local guide during a tour of the ancient city. The day starts with a walk through the narrow Siq to the fabulous Treasury. After admiring this iconic view, continue along the Roman road, passing several impressive tombs and the city's amphitheatre. If you’re feeling energetic, you can take the 800 steps to the Monastery. The evening is free for you to enjoy dinner in one of the many restaurants in the village.
- Hotel (1 night)
- Breakfast
- Petra - Guided tour
- Petra - Petra By Night - JOD30
Please note that the site of Petra is huge and it takes at least a full day of walking to fully appreciate all its attractions.
When entering the ancient city, a complimentary horse ride is included in the ticket price from the entrance point to the Siq. Intrepid recommends passengers do not take this option due to the safety and insurance liability involved.
The optional activity Petra by Night runs every Sunday to Thursday, beginning at 8.30 pm from the Petra Visitor Centre and finishing back at the Visitor Centre around 10.30 pm. Please ensure you check your departure date if you are planning to book this activity as it is not available on all departures.
Your Petra pass is still valid today, so you’re free to explore more of the ancient city at your own leisure. You must check out of the hotel by 10 am, but you can store luggage at reception while you roam. You’ll arrive back to the Art Hotel in Amman at approximately 4 pm, where your Short Break Adventure will come to an end. If you wish to spend more time here, just speak to your booking agent.
- Breakfast
Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.
If you’d prefer to be dropped off at a different hotel in Amman or require an airport transfer, please speak to your booking agent ahead of time.
Inclusions and activities
Included activities
- Mt Nebo - Site visit
- Dead Sea - visit and swim
- Petra - Guided tour
Optional activities
- Petra - Petra By Night - JOD30
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Before you book you should know
- On Independent Short Breaks, you maintain a good level of independence and freedom, with the added bonus of having the details sorted out for you. You’ll have lots of free time and you won’t be accompanied by a Trip Leader. This means that all included activities and tours will be run by different local Intrepid partners, and these may operate independently from each other. The included activities and transfers will operate on a join-in basis, which means that you could have your Adventure all to yourself, or others may join you along the way. If you would prefer to travel in a group with a dedicated Trip Leader, just get in touch with your booking agent and they will take you through some alternatives.
- This trip packs a lot in so expect early starts and late finishes. If you prefer to explore at a more leisurely pace, this may not be the best trip for you.
1. This Independent Short Break is a ‘join in’ group departure, which means you are not accompanied by an Intrepid group leader. Instead, our local representative in your destination will fill this role and the configuration of any fellow travellers in the group might change during the trip. This trip will run with a minimum of one person, so you may be joined by other travellers booked on the same date as you, or you may be on your own.
2. This trip starts at 10.00 AM on Day 1 in Amman and finishes at approximately 5.00 PM back in Amman. If required you can request to be dropped back at the Amman Airport. You will be picked up on Day 1 from the Joining Point Hotel listed in the Essential Trip Information for this itinerary. If you require a pick up from another centrally-located hotel in Amman please inform your booking agent at least 14 days prior to departure.
3. Transport will be by way of air-conditioned modern vehicle, you can expect your driver to speak English and have a good knowledge of Jordan and local attractions.
4. Being one of our Independent Short Breaks you will not be accompanied by an Intrepid Leader during this tour. You will have a local English speaking driver to assist you and a local Guide for touring Petra.
Visa information is provided by Sherpa, a third-party. The "Add connection" feature shows transit visa requirements only and does not include full entry visa needs. Please note, additional service fees apply if you choose to purchase a visa through Sherpa.
Travel and visa requirements
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
OCCASIONAL ALTERNATIVE ACCOMMODATION
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline. On rare occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our usual accommodation. A similar standard of accommodation will be used in these instances.
ACCOMMODATION STYLE
Some of the accommodation along the way is basic or simple, three and four-star accommodation in the Middle East (with the exception of Israel) is often not equal to same-star facilities in some western destinations. Rooms are clean and comfortable, however, you may note some small maintenance issues that have been overlooked, please assist us by bringing these to the attention of your group leader or local representative so that we can follow up with our hosts. Many restaurants and hotels do not serve alcohol for religious reasons or due to local laws. Breakfast is included in 95% or our hotels, pleaser refer to our daily itinerary for meal inclusions.
TWIN SHARE / MULTI SHARE BASIS
Accommodation on this trip is on a twin/multisingle-share basis.
CHECK-IN TIME
Throughout the trip, we request that our hotels prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination. Standard check-in time is 1400 hours.
PRE/POST TRIP ACCOMMODATION
If you've purchased pre-trip or post-trip accommodation (subject to availability), you may be required to change rooms from your trip accommodation for these extra nights.
SHOWERS
Showers at some hotels only have hot water at peak times (usually morning and evening). Outside of these times, you may need to speak to reception to obtain hot water.
HEATING AND AIR-CONDITIONING
As a desert region, this part of the world has extremes of weather. Winter months (approx December to March) can be very cold. All of our hotel accommodation contains suitable bedding, and simple light bedding is provided during camping activities such as an overnight felucca, desert camps or at the Red Sea Beach camp stay. Most of our travellers find the bedding provided here adequate, but for your own comfort and if you are particularly sensitive to the cold, consider bringing your own sleeping bag, thermals, scarf, gloves and a warm jacket. Some of our guesthouses/hotels don't supply heating. In many cases, this would be a major financial and environmental strain on our hotels and the local towns. Summer (approx June to August) can be very hot everywhere we travel, which means that it can be quite uncomfortable for those not used to the heat. Not all our hotels have air-conditioning, and in those that do, it's not always functioning.
ROOM ISSUES
If you have any issues with your room, please speak to the hotel and your group leader or local representative right away so that the problem can be addressed without delay.
Liwan Hotel
Mohammed Street, Prs. Taghrid St. Amman
Amman
11181
JORDAN
Instructions
Amman’s international airport (AMM) is approximately a one-hour drive from your hotel, depending on traffic. A taxi will cost approximately USD 40.
Intrepid can assist with pre-booking an arrival transfer from the airport - enquire with your agent. Please advise your flight arrival details at least 14 days prior to your departure.
If you have pre-booked an arrival transfer, you’ll be met before you reach immigration by a representative holding an Intrepid sign. This representative will assist you in obtaining a visa on arrival if required, before guiding you through immigration, luggage collection and to a waiting vehicle.
In case you don’t meet the Intrepid representative by the time you’ve cleared customs, please call our local team on +962 79700 4051 or text this number via WhatsApp. (This occasionally happens when many flights arrive at the same time. This number doesn’t accept calls via WhatsApp.)
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July 2026
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