Petra from Eilat: can you visit Petra in a day from Israel?

Petra from Eilat: can you visit Petra in a day from Israel?

The Petra from Eilat day trip is one of the most frequently asked questions from travellers in the region, and one of the most honestly complicated to answer. Yes, it is possible. Yes, people do it. But “possible” and “recommended” are different things, and this guide will be straight with you about what the day actually involves.

Eilat sits on the Israeli side of the Gulf of Aqaba. Five minutes north of Eilat’s central hotel strip, the Wadi Araba border crossing (Yitzhak Rabin crossing on the Israeli side, Wadi Araba terminal on the Jordanian side) connects Israel and Jordan in what is generally the quickest and least complicated border in the region. From there, Petra is 130 km and about 1.5 hours by road through the Jordanian desert.

The arithmetic of a day trip is honest enough. The experience is genuinely another question.

The Wadi Araba crossing: how it works

The Yitzhak Rabin / Wadi Araba border is located at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, approximately 5 km north of central Eilat. It is one of three Jordan–Israel crossings and the most convenient for travellers moving between Eilat and Aqaba / southern Jordan.

Israeli exit fees: 116 ILS (Israeli shekels) per person for most foreign nationals. This is the standard exit tax at Israeli international crossings. It is paid at the crossing — bring cash or a card (Visa/Mastercard). There is no exit fee if you are leaving Israel from Ben Gurion Airport, but the land crossing carries this fee.

Jordanian entry through Aqaba Special Economic Zone: travellers entering Jordan via the Wadi Araba crossing from Eilat enter the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ZAS). This means the Jordanian visa (normally 50 JOD at other entry points) is issued free of charge at this border. This is a deliberate incentive to encourage tourism.

Important caveat on the Jordan Pass: the Jordan Pass (which normally includes the Jordanian visa and Petra entrance) is only fully valid for the visa benefit if you enter Jordan at a standard entry point and stay for at least 3 nights. If you enter through Aqaba ZAS on a free visa and leave the same day, the Jordan Pass visa benefit does not apply — but the Petra entrance coverage still does. Check current terms carefully.

Border hours: the Wadi Araba crossing is open Sunday through Thursday, 6:30 AM to 8:00 PM; Friday and Saturday, 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. The crossing is closed on Yom Kippur (Israel) and Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha (Jordan) — check dates in advance.

Time at the border: plan for 30–60 minutes in normal conditions. The crossing can be slower on busy days, particularly Sundays after the weekend and around Jewish and Jordanian public holidays. Day tours typically build in 1 hour for the crossing.

Day tour options from Eilat

Most travellers visiting Petra from Eilat do so as part of an organized day tour. These tours handle the logistics of the border crossing, transportation on the Jordanian side, a guide in Petra and the return crossing — which removes significant complexity.

Typical price range: 200–300 USD per person all-in, including Israeli exit fee, border procedures, transport Aqaba to Petra, guide in Petra, lunch, and Petra entrance (50 JOD). Some tours include entrance; verify before booking.

The tours operate in both directions — Israeli-operated tours from Eilat and Jordanian-operated tours from Aqaba. The Eilat-based operators are generally more organized for the Israeli crossing procedure. The Jordanian operators often have better Petra guides.

Schedule: departure from Eilat hotels around 5:30–6:00 AM. Border crossing 6:30–7:30 AM. Arrive Petra 9:00–9:30 AM. In-site time: 4.5–5 hours. Depart Petra 14:30–15:00. Return to Eilat by 18:00–19:00.

From Eilat: Petra private full-day tour From Eilat: Petra ancient city tour with buffet lunch From Eilat: Petra full-day guided tour with transfers

What you will see in Petra with 4–5 hours

Given a 9:00–9:30 AM arrival and a 14:30–15:00 departure, the realistic Petra itinerary for a day trip from Eilat:

Definitely doable:

  • The Siq walk (1.2 km, 30–40 minutes each way)
  • The Treasury (Al-Khazneh) and the immediate area
  • Street of Facades and Royal Tombs
  • The Colonnaded Street

Possibly doable with good energy:

  • The Monastery (Ad Deir) — 850 steps, 1.5–2 hours round trip from the Basin area. Requires moving efficiently after the Treasury. If you want the Monastery, skip lingering at the Royal Tombs.

Not realistic:

  • High Place of Sacrifice and Monastery on the same day
  • Petra Back Door (Beidha) approach
  • A relaxed, unhurried exploration

With 4–5 hours, you will cover the essential experience of Petra. You will not cover Petra comprehensively.

The honest assessment: is this worth doing?

The day trip from Eilat to Petra is the most intense day you can have in the region. You are looking at:

  • 5:30 AM departure from Eilat
  • 1 hour border crossing (best case)
  • 1.5 hours driving to Petra
  • 4–5 hours in Petra (exhausting walking in a large, hilly site)
  • 1.5 hours return drive
  • 45 minutes border crossing return
  • Arrive Eilat: 18:00–19:00

That is 12–13 hours from start to finish. Most people return tired. The Petra experience, compressed into 4–5 hours after 3 hours of travel, does not allow for the contemplative engagement that makes Petra genuinely transformative.

The better option: spend 2 nights in Jordan. Cross the border on day one, drive to Aqaba or Wadi Musa, spend a night in Wadi Musa (Petra’s gateway town), enter Petra at 6:00 AM on day two when it opens, visit for a full day, and return to Eilat on day three. The difference between this experience and a day trip is the difference between a rushed museum tour and actually being in the place.

If a 2-night Jordan stay is genuinely impossible due to trip structure, the day trip is valid and Petra is worth seeing even under these conditions. But if you have any flexibility at all, add the nights.

Alternative: Petra and Wadi Rum over 2 days

Several operators offer 2-day tours from Eilat that include Petra on day one and Wadi Rum on day two, with an overnight in a Wadi Rum Bedouin camp. This doubles the cost but doubles the experience. The Wadi Rum stargazing overnight in particular is a genuinely different experience from anything Eilat offers.

Cost breakdown for a Petra day trip from Eilat

ItemCost
Israeli exit fee116 ILS (~30–32 USD)
Jordan entry visa (via Aqaba ZAS)Free
Transport Eilat–Petra–Eilat80–150 USD
Petra entrance fee50 JOD (~70 USD)
Guide in Petra (if not included)30–50 USD
Lunch15–30 USD
Total DIY~195–300 USD
Organized tour (all-in)200–300 USD

At organized tour prices, the DIY approach is not significantly cheaper — the organizational convenience of a tour justifies the cost for most visitors.

What to expect in Petra on a day trip from Eilat

Arriving at Petra at 9:00–9:30 AM, after crossing at Wadi Araba and driving through Aqaba and the desert, you will already have been travelling for 3–4 hours. Most visitors find their energy reasonably good at this point — the crossing is bureaucratic rather than physically demanding, and the drive through the Aqaba–Wadi Musa road passes through genuinely striking desert scenery that provides a visual transition.

At the Petra visitor centre, resist the horse parade. The first 800 metres of approach road before the Siq entrance is a horse parade where Bedouin handlers offer a free ride (included in entrance price) to visitors who do not know it is free and often end up paying far more than expected in tips. Unless you specifically want the horse experience, decline politely and walk — the approach road is a pleasant walk and the Siq begins beyond it.

Inside the Siq: the 1.2 km gorge is among the most atmospheric approaches to any monument in the world. The walls rise to 80 metres at points, the light changes dramatically as you progress, and small Nabataean carved niches and water channels run along the walls. Do not rush this section to get to the Treasury faster — the Siq is part of the experience, not merely the approach to it.

The Treasury: the moment of emergence from the Siq into the forecourt of the Treasury is one of those genuinely iconic experiences that delivers what the photographs promise. The facade is larger than expected. The rose-pink sandstone colour shifts with the quality of light. Allow 30 minutes here before the crowds of the main tour buses arrive (typically from 10:30 AM onward).

After the Treasury: continue north through the Outer Siq to the Street of Facades (row tombs carved at multiple levels), the Theatre (a Roman-era carved theatre), and the Royal Tombs complex — the Urn Tomb, Corinthian Tomb and Palace Tomb are the three most significant. These are often neglected by day visitors who turn back at the Treasury.

The Monastery decision: from the Basin Restaurant (approximately 1 km past the Treasury), the Monastery (Ad Deir) is accessible via a 850-step trail that takes 30–45 minutes each way. With a 14:30 departure from Petra, you need to begin the Monastery ascent by no later than 12:30 PM to have time at the top and descend comfortably. If you want the Monastery, be efficient at the Treasury and skip lingering at the Royal Tombs.

Eilat and Aqaba: the twin cities

Eilat and Aqaba are sister cities at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba, separated by an international border but sharing a body of water, a climate and an economy built around tourism, diving and port activity. Understanding their relationship helps with the logistics of the day trip.

Eilat (Israel) is Jordan’s closest neighbour and has had formal peace treaty relations since 1994. The Wadi Araba crossing between the two cities is the physical expression of this normalized relationship. Eilat itself is Israel’s only Red Sea city — a beach resort town with good dive sites, some casino activity (gambling is not permitted elsewhere in Israel), and a transit function for visitors entering or exiting Israel from the south.

Aqaba (Jordan) is the mirror image — Jordan’s only Red Sea city, a free trade zone with duty-free shopping, excellent dive sites and a transit function for visitors crossing to or from Egypt via the Aqaba ferry. The Jordanian city is larger and more diverse than its Israeli neighbour; it has an old city quarter around the Mamluk fort, a fish market, and a genuine local character that Eilat, which is almost entirely a tourist economy, lacks.

The 5-minute drive between the Eilat city centre and the Wadi Araba terminal is the key logistical fact. This proximity is what makes the Petra day trip from Eilat viable at all. No other Jordan–Israel crossing offers this convenience for accessing southern Jordan.

Tips for the crossing

  • Bring your passport (not just an ID card) — Jordan requires a valid passport
  • Have Israeli exit fee in cash (ILS) or on a card — ILS is accepted, USD is not at all counters
  • If your passport shows an Israel stamp, Jordan allows entry (Jordan has a peace treaty with Israel since 1994 and Jordanian officials are accustomed to Israeli-stamped passports)
  • Keep your Jordanian entry stamp document — you will need it at the exit crossing
  • Some visitors have Israeli surnames or markings that can occasionally prompt additional questioning in some contexts in Jordan — this is rare at the Wadi Araba crossing for tourist purposes
  • Book your tour operator in advance during peak season (March–May, September–November) — the popular Eilat-based operators sell out

FAQ

How long does the Eilat–Wadi Araba border crossing take?

Allow 45–60 minutes each way in normal conditions. Peak periods (Sundays, Israeli school holidays, Jordanian public holidays) can extend this to 90 minutes. Day tours build in buffer time.

Do you need a Jordanian visa from Eilat?

If entering through the Wadi Araba crossing (Aqaba Special Economic Zone), the Jordan visa is free on arrival. No pre-arranged visa is required for most Western passport holders.

How much does the Israeli exit fee cost?

116 ILS (Israeli shekels) per person at the Wadi Araba crossing. Pay at the border by card or cash.

Is the Jordan Pass valid for a day trip from Eilat?

The Petra entrance component of the Jordan Pass is valid. The visa benefit does not apply if you enter via Aqaba ZAS and stay less than 3 nights. Buying the Jordan Pass for the Petra entrance alone (50 JOD) is only worth it if you are visiting other covered sites. For a single-day Petra visit, paying the entrance directly (50 JOD) is simpler.

Is it safe to cross from Israel to Jordan at Wadi Araba?

Yes. The Wadi Araba crossing is a routine, well-managed international border between two countries with a formal peace treaty. It is the standard crossing for tourists, business travellers and diplomats. Security procedures are thorough but professional.

Can you cross from Eilat to Jordan independently, without a tour?

Yes. The crossing is open to independent travellers. On the Jordanian side, you will need to arrange your own transport to Petra (taxi from Aqaba: 80–100 JOD to Petra and back). The tour option is convenient because it packages transport, guide and the return logistics, but independent crossing is perfectly feasible.

Is Petra worth it as a day trip from Eilat?

Petra is always worth seeing. The day trip from Eilat compresses the experience but delivers the essential monuments. If 2 nights in Jordan is possible, take it — the experience is dramatically better. If not, the day trip remains one of the more remarkable days you can have in the Middle East.