Half-Day Private Indiana Jones Petra Back Road Trial Tour

Petra looks different from the back of a horse. This private route begins at the Visitor Center, climbs toward Little Petra, crosses high ground above the red-rock valleys, and reaches the great Monastery from a less usual direction. The ride also gives you time among caves, old village remains, and mountain views that are easy to miss on the main path. I like the quiet back route and the chance to see Petra from above. I also like that the experience is private, so your group can move at its own pace.

The main thing to consider is the physical demand. You need moderate fitness, and the Monastery section includes roughly 800 stone steps, taking about 45 minutes on foot. The $165 price is per person and does not include Petra admission, which costs 50 JD, so this is best for you if the unusual route and private guiding matter more than finding the cheapest way through the site.

Key points to know before booking

• Little Petra is the starting point: You begin with caves, old village remains, and the quiet setting of Asiq Al Barid before reaching the main archaeological site.
• The route reaches Qararah Park: This high point provides broad views over Petra’s mountains and the surrounding area.
• The Monastery requires a climb: Expect around 800 steps and about 45 minutes of walking before reaching the huge rock-cut façade.
• You return through Petra’s major sights: The route includes the Girl Palace, Colonnaded Street, Royal Tombs, Byzantine Church, theater, and Treasury area.
• The tour is private: Only your group takes part, with a start at 8:00 a.m. and a total duration of about five to six hours.
• Horse care and safety matter: Mohammed is specifically praised for handling the horses carefully and making sure riders felt safe and comfortable.

Starting at the Petra Visitor Center at 8:00 a.m.

Your morning begins at the Petra Visitor Center in Wadi Musa. The meeting point is simple, and the tour ends back there, which makes planning easier if you are staying in town or have arranged transport nearby.

An 8:00 a.m. start is useful in Petra. You get moving before the strongest heat of the day, and the five to six-hour schedule leaves enough time for the ride, walking, viewpoints, and major monuments. The exact pace will depend on your group, the horses, and how long you stop at each place.

This is a private activity, not a large group outing. That matters on a route with uneven ground and a demanding climb. You can ask for a pause, take time for photographs, and raise concerns about the horse or the trail directly with the guide.

The experience includes bottled water, but you should still plan carefully for a long morning outside. Petra admission is not included. The listed entrance cost is 50 JD, so add that to the tour price when working out the total cost.

Riding through Qararah Park and Dabdabah Road

The first section takes you through the mountains toward Qararah Park. It is described as high ground with broad views of Petra’s sandstone peaks, giving you an early look at the scale of the area before you enter the better-known monuments.

This part is valuable because Petra is not only a line of famous façades. The mountains, ridges, and narrow routes explain why the Nabataean city could feel so hidden and protected. From above, you get a better sense of the rock formations around the old city.

The trail continues along Dabdabah Road toward the Petra Bubble Luxel Resort. The route is not presented as a paved sightseeing loop. You should expect a mountain trail, uneven surfaces, and the need to follow the guide closely.

That setting is also the first reminder that this is not simply a horse ride with a monument added at the end. You are moving through a larger archaeological area, with views and route changes that make the morning feel like an expedition rather than a quick photo stop.

Little Petra, caves, and the old village remains

Little Petra, also called Asiq Al Barid, is one of the most appealing parts of the route. It is quieter than Petra’s main visitor corridor and gives you a chance to see carved spaces, caves, and the remains of old settlements.

The appeal here is not one single grand façade. It is the feeling of a small mountain settlement shaped by the surrounding rock. The route offers a look at how people once used these spaces and gives you time to notice the relationship between the caves, paths, and natural setting.

The supplied timing gives this opening section about an hour and a half, though the full pace may vary. That is enough time to appreciate Little Petra without rushing straight onward. I would pay close attention here, since the calmer setting can be more revealing than a fast pass through Petra’s headline sights.

The route through Asiq Al Barid also makes the tour a good choice for anyone who wants something beyond the standard entrance path. You are not only walking from one famous monument to the next. You are seeing a quieter side of the Petra area before reaching the main city.

There is a practical tradeoff. A route with caves, mountain trails, and old village remains may be less predictable underfoot than the central paths. The tour requires moderate physical fitness, so it is not the right choice if you want a flat, easy morning.

The 800-step climb to Al Dayr

The Monastery, or Al Dayr, is the visual high point of the experience. It is a massive rock-cut façade, about 58 meters wide, carved into sandstone more than 2,000 years ago.

To reach it, you walk up roughly 800 steps. The climb takes around 45 minutes, and that figure gives you a useful idea of the effort involved. Even if the horse-riding sections feel comfortable, the Monastery approach is a serious walking section.

The climb is worth understanding before you book. You will need steady legs and enough stamina to handle stairs in an exposed mountain setting. If you are comfortable with a moderate physical outing, the reward is a huge monument set against the Petra mountains, with open views toward Jordan and the West Bank.

The structure has also had a later religious life. It was one of two major Petra structures converted into churches during the Byzantine era. That added layer helps explain why Al Dayr is more than an impressive carved front. It has been used and reinterpreted across centuries.

Give yourself time at the top. The point is not only to reach the façade and turn around. The views are part of the reason for taking this route, and the private format should make it easier to pause without worrying about a large group schedule.

Keep in mind that the supplied details do not include a separate admission charge for the Monastery. Petra’s general ticket is not included in the tour price, so you should purchase or arrange the required site admission separately.

Returning through the heart of Petra

After Al Dayr, the route continues back through several major parts of Petra. This gives you a useful contrast: the morning begins with quiet mountain routes and Little Petra, then ends among the city’s most recognizable monuments.

The Girl Palace is one of the stops. It is described as a religious temple at the end of Colonnaded Street, and it survived earthquakes that damaged or destroyed other structures. Its name can be confusing, so listen to the guide’s explanation rather than judging it by the title alone.

Colonnaded Street follows the Roman pattern of an east-west main road. It runs through the center of Petra, with additional ruins and less obvious sights on both sides. This is a good place to look beyond the main line of the road and notice how broad the ancient city once was.

The Royal Tombs are another major highlight. They were carved into rose-red sandstone by the Nabataeans about 2,300 years ago, and their wide façades show the scale and skill of Petra’s builders.

You also pass the Byzantine Church, a fifth-century structure associated with Petra. The church adds another period to the story of the city, showing that Petra continued to matter after its Nabataean peak.

The route includes Petra’s theater and the Treasury area as well. These are among the most familiar sights in the city, but seeing them after the mountain approach changes the experience. You will have already looked down over the rock country, visited Little Petra, and climbed to the Monastery, so the central monuments become part of a much larger picture.

What the horse-riding element adds

Horse riding gives the tour its character. The back routes and mountain setting are hard to understand from a short visit limited to the central passage, and riding lets you cover ground while keeping the focus on views and route variety.

Still, you should not think of this as five hours in the saddle. The Monastery requires a long walk up the steps, and the rest of the experience includes visits to monuments and archaeological areas. Your day combines riding, walking, climbing, standing, and sightseeing.

Careful horse handling is important on rocky ground. Mohammed is praised for being a good horseman and for checking that riders were safe and comfortable. The horses were also described as well cared for and well behaved, which is particularly useful if you have riding experience but do not want an overly demanding or nervous mount.

One account of a related ride with Mohammed describes a route from the entrance to the Siq over rocky ground toward the area near the Sacrificial Site, with a stop at a Bedouin hut. That detail suggests a strong focus on less crowded mountain routes, but the specific half-day route described here does not promise that stop, so you should not book expecting it.

Is $165 per person good value?

At $165 per person, this is not a budget way to visit Petra. You also need to add the 50 JD Petra ticket, making the final cost higher than the tour price alone suggests.

The value comes from the private format, the horse-riding component, the Little Petra approach, and the amount covered in one morning. You are not paying only for a standard walk to the Treasury. The experience links Little Petra, mountain viewpoints, the Monastery, and several central monuments.

It may be good value for a first-time visitor who wants a broad, active introduction and does not want to repeat the same route twice. It is also useful for someone who has already seen Petra’s central passage and wants a different angle.

The price is harder to justify if your main goal is simply to see the Treasury. You can spend less by entering Petra independently and walking to the key monuments, though you would miss the private horseback route and the mountain viewpoints.

I would compare the cost with your available time. If you have only one morning and want both the quieter outer area and the major central sights, this tour covers a lot. If you have several days in Wadi Musa, you may prefer to explore Petra slowly and decide later if a private ride adds enough to your visit.

Who should book this private Petra ride?

This experience suits you if you want an active day and enjoy seeing famous places from an unusual direction. It is especially well matched to riders who like mountain trails, open views, and a private guide rather than a fixed group.

It can also work for older or less confident walkers if you are comfortable with moderate fitness and the long climb to the Monastery. One 72-year-old rider described having a great time seeing the valley from above, but that does not remove the need to judge your own ability carefully.

You should think twice if you have difficulty with uneven ground, stairs, or long periods outside. The Monastery climb is not optional if you want the full route, and the experience is not described as accessible for people who cannot manage the steps.

Service animals are allowed, and the meeting point is near public transportation. These are useful practical details, but the tour still involves mountain trails and a major stair climb.

The free-cancellation rule gives you some flexibility. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start for a full refund. Poor weather can also lead to a new date or a full refund, which matters for an outdoor ride in Petra’s mountains.

Should you book the Indiana Jones back route?

Book it if you want Petra to feel larger than the Treasury and Siq. The mix of Little Petra, high mountain views, horseback travel, the Monastery climb, and a return through the Royal Tombs and central ruins gives you a fuller day than a basic sightseeing visit.

I would choose it for active visitors who value privacy and route variety. I would skip it if your priority is the lowest possible price, a gentle walk, or a simple visit focused only on the best-known monuments.

The strongest reason to book is the combination of access and perspective. You get a quieter start, a major climb, and the classic Petra sights in one private outing. Just budget for the 50 JD site ticket, bring enough water for a long morning, and be honest with yourself about those 800 steps.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

The tour starts at the Petra Visitor Center at 28, Wadi Musa, Jordan.

What time does the experience begin?

The stated start time is 8:00 a.m.

How long does the tour last?

The experience lasts approximately five to six hours.

Does the tour include Petra admission?

No. The Petra ticket is not included and is listed as 50 JD.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in this private activity.

Does the tour include horse riding?

Yes. The experience involves horse riding through Petra’s mountains and back routes.

How difficult is the Monastery section?

You should expect about 800 steps and roughly 45 minutes of walking to reach the Monastery. A moderate level of physical fitness is required.

What is included in the tour price?

Bottled water is included. Petra admission is not included.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Poor weather may also result in a different date or a full refund.