The walk through Petra’s Siq canyon to the Treasury is one of the world’s great architectural reveals — 1.2 kilometres of narrowing slot canyon, then the sudden sight of the carved sandstone facade filling the view between the walls. This petra walking tour companion is paired with “Petra, Jordan — main trail through al-Siq to the Treasury walking tour 4k 60fps” — a ground-level walk that conveys exactly what it feels like to make that approach on foot.

About This Walking Tour

This 4K 60fps walking tour covers the main entrance route to Petra — from the visitor centre at Bab al-Siq through the 1.2-kilometre Siq gorge to the Treasury (Al-Khazneh). The video captures the Siq’s extraordinary geology: a slot canyon formed by tectonic splitting of the Sharah mountain, with walls narrowing to 2–3 metres in places while rising up to 80 metres above. Carved into the walls throughout the Siq are Nabataean votive niches, the remains of a water channel system, and sections of ancient paving. At the Siq’s end, the first view of the Treasury’s rose-red carved facade — glimpsed first in fragments between the narrowing walls then suddenly fully revealed — is a moment that visitors consistently describe as their most memorable travel experience.

Beyond the Treasury, the full Petra circuit continues through the Street of Facades, the rock-cut Roman Theatre, the Royal Tombs (Urn Tomb, Silk Tomb, Corinthian Tomb), the colonnaded Roman street (Cardo), and — for those with energy and time — the 850-step climb to the Monastery (Ad-Deir), whose facade is larger than the Treasury’s at 45 metres wide and 45 metres tall.

Highlights of Petra

The Treasury (Al-Khazneh) is a rock-cut tomb facade carved in the 1st century BC during the reign of Nabataean King Aretas III. The Hellenistic architectural vocabulary — Corinthian columns, broken pediment, and figurative sculpture — reflects the Nabataeans’ cosmopolitan cultural synthesis of Greek, Egyptian, and Arabic elements. The name “Treasury” comes from a local tradition that the urn at the top contained hidden treasure; it is a solid carved stone urn. The Treasury served as a royal tomb and was the most elaborate single structure in the Nabataean capital.

The Monastery (Ad-Deir) at the mountain’s summit is accessed by a demanding climb of approximately 850 rock-cut steps. At 45 metres wide and 45 metres tall, its facade is even larger than the Treasury’s and its more austere Nabataean architectural style contrasts with the Treasury’s ornate Hellenistic decoration. The terrace beside the Monastery offers views across the Wadi Arabah toward Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The Nabataean water management system that allowed Petra to support a city of 30,000 people in a desert canyon is visible throughout — channels cut into the Siq walls fed cisterns, and terracotta pipes carried water throughout the city. This engineering is considered one of the most sophisticated water systems in the ancient world.

A Brief History of Petra

Petra was the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom from approximately the 4th century BC. The Nabataeans were originally nomadic traders who settled at this strategic junction of ancient trade routes between Arabia, Egypt, and the Mediterranean. By controlling the incense and spice trade — frankincense and myrrh from Arabia, spices from India — the Nabataean merchants accumulated extraordinary wealth, which they expressed through the rock-cut monuments of their capital. Rome annexed the Nabataean Kingdom in 106 AD and developed Petra as a provincial city.

Petra was abandoned as a significant settlement by the Byzantine period and was largely unknown to the Western world until 1812, when the Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, disguised as a Muslim pilgrim and claiming to need to make a sacrifice at a tomb, persuaded his guide to take him into the canyon. The 1989 film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade used the Treasury’s facade as the entrance to the Holy Grail temple, bringing Petra to a global audience.

Practical Tips

Petra is accessed from the town of Wadi Musa, 3 kilometres away. JETT buses connect Amman with Wadi Musa (3.5 hours); from Aqaba the journey is 2 hours. Jordan uses the Jordanian dinar. The Petra Archaeological Park entry fee is approximately JD50 (1-day), JD55 (2-day), or JD60 (3-day). The Siq to Treasury is approximately 2.5 kilometres one way. The full circuit including Monastery is 10–14 kilometres depending on route; allow a full day. Water and sun protection are essential as there is very limited shade. Horses are available for hire for the first 900 metres to the Siq entrance.

Best Time to Visit

March through May and September through November for comfortable temperatures. July and August are extremely hot (35°C+) inside the canyon. Petra by Night — a candlelit walk through the Siq to the Treasury — operates three nights per week and is worth the separate ticket.

Watch & Explore More

Watch the full 4K 60fps Siq to Treasury walk above. Find more Jordan and Middle East content at the @walkingtoursvideoscom channel. Related posts: Amman’s Rainbow Street to Roman Citadel walk and Jerusalem’s Old City four quarters walk.