The most walked by travelers and once walked by the Nabateans that built the Rose City – the Main Trail of Petra is how you will see the city’s most iconic sites and even the lesser-known ones in a single day.
The Trail starts at the Petra Visitor Center before sloping down into the valley, into the grandiose Siq, and deeper to a world where tombs are carved into cliffs and temples rise from dust.
This trail threads through the city’s grandest monuments—the facades, the theatre, the royal tombs, and the forgotten chambers etched into rock. At its peak, Petra thrived with over 20,000 inhabitants before the Romans captured the city. As you walk this trail, you’ll witness traces of different eras—from Petra’s golden age to the changes that followed its annexation.
Petra needs at least three days to fully uncover and for those of you who would like to do a bit of research and know what the main trail has to offer before deciding which of the Petra trails you want to explore, read on below.
Trail Distance: The Main Trail starts from Petra’s Visitor Center all the way to the Monastery (of course you can turn back any time). The length is about 8-10 km one way.
While the Main Trail can be visited by your own, we highly recommend getting a guide as a lot of the information and important details can be missed when exploring on your own. We also recommend checking out Petra Canyon Hotel for easy access to the Rose City.
The Djinn Blocks
As you walk from the Petra Visitor Center and down to the desert valley, the first rock cut monuments you will come across are the Djinn Blocks. These are easier to miss due to its simplistic square shape and its placement amidst the larger boulders but these Djinn blocks have deeper story than its unassuming looks.
The Nabateans carved these into near-perfect square shapes, most likely as tombs. But their stark simplicity (so different from Petra’s more elaborate structures) sparked legends among the local Bedouins. Many believed these blocks served as talismans, created to trap or ward off evil spirits and supernatural beings known as “Djinns” in Arabic.
The Obelisk Tomb
Right across the Djinn block stands a lone tomb around 2 miles (4km) before the famous Treasury comes into view. This is the first structure you will come across that is the rock-cut work of the Nabateans.
Identified by the four elongated pyramids on top, symbolizing Nefesh, Nabataean symbols representing the deceased, the Obelisk Tomb gives a deeper insight into the cultural aspect of the Nabateans.
The tomb, with a central niche behind the elongated pyramids, holds a worn sculpture of a cloaked male figure, representing the tomb’s patriarch while the below chamber has a dining hall where banquets and multiple other ceremonies were held.
Across from the triclinium, an ancient inscription in Nabataean and Greek declares that ‘Abdmanku, son of Akayus, son of Shullay, built this burial monument for himself, his children, and their heirs during the reign of Maliku (AD 40–70).
The Siq
Walk further in and across a dam, you will then be standing at the starting point of the Siq! A geoarchaeological marvel, the Siq is a magnificent display of nature’s wonder, one that is just as astonishing as Petra’s Treasury. A natural split in the mountain formed the Siq, creating a narrow walkway that the Nabataeans cleverly used to their advantage.
The beginning of this walkway was once initiated with a triumphal arch that signalled entrance into the city. The structure stood strong until the late 19th century, and you can still see some remains at the twin niches flanking the entrance.
While a lot of people rush through the Siq to see the jaw dropping Kazneh, the Siq itself tells an awful lot about how the Nabateans survived in the Rose City.
As you walk through the Siq, you’ll notice water channels and remnants of terracotta pipes that the Nabataeans built to carry water into the city. You’ll also spot numerous niches, paintings, and carvings that tell stories of visitors, merchants, and the goods they traded here.
But above all, it’s the grand design of nature that makes the Siq famous. The walkway displays a stunning mix of pink hues, curves, and rock formations. It’s an artwork carved by nature that everyone should experience at least once. No words would ever be enough to describe the grandeur of the Siq as you’d see in person.
Al Kazneh – Petra’s Treasury
Peeking from behind the Siq in all its dramatic glory is the famed Treasury of Petra! Also known as Al Kazneh in the local dialect, the Treasury marks the end of the Siq and the beginning of the Rose City.
The Kazneh isn’t exactly a treasury as its name suggests. It’s actually a mausoleum belonging to the Nabatean King Aretas IV (9 BC–40 AD). Bedouins later believed that a pharaoh’s treasure hid in the crown of the structure and shot at it to find it. Unfortunately for them (and fortunately for the preservation of the structure), the crown didn’t break but bullet holes remain. Hence the name, “The Treasury”.
What’s fascinating about this monument is the depiction of Isis, who is a goddess of ancient Egypt and the carving of twelve Amazonian female warriors which are of Greek mythology, showcasing Nabatean’s knowledge and interest in foreign deities and religion.
Entry into the Petra Treasury is restricted and you can only gaze at the structure from outside. In 2024, archaeologists found a tomb underneath with 12 skeletons and various artifacts. You can see the excavation site and the dugout tombs by the Treasury.
Street of Façades
Just past the Treasury, the Street of Facades showcases the reality of Petra’s past as a once powerful city.
The Street of Facades is easily identified by its row of rock-cut tombs carved into the cliff face. The tombs were built in the 1st century BCE and appear in a descending order of size. It was likely commissioned by Petra’s elite families and at one point held the identities of the city’s nobles.
While the exact identities of those buried here remain unknown, the sheer scale and detail of the carvings blending Nabataean, Assyrian, and Greco-Roman styles reflect the city’s wealth and its role as a major trading hub.
Amphitheatre
Further along the route, you will come across Petra’s amphitheatre. Historians and history-lovers will be able to recognise the amphitheatre as being similar to those of Rome. And that’s because the purpose of this amphitheatre is the same.
Built during the reign of King Aretas IV (9 BCE – 40 CE), Petra’s Amphitheatre was built into the rock showcasing craftsmanship that is simply astonishing. The theatre could accommodate up to 6,000 spectators, which was not even half of the estimated number of population that Petra once held.
But unlike traditional Roman theatres built using separate construction, this one was carved directly into the living rock. After the Roman annexation of Nabataea in 106 CE, the theatre was expanded, showing how Petra’s cultural and architectural identity was gradually Romanized. It hosted performances, public gatherings, and possibly even political events.
The Royal Tombs
One of Petra’s main highlights, and also a sought-out hiking path, is the Royal Tombs. These tombs sit high along the eastern cliffs and dominate Petra’s skyline. They include the Urn Tomb, which is thought to have been repurposed as a Byzantine church in the 5th century; the Silk Tomb, named for the swirled colors of its stone; the Corinthian Tomb, styled like a miniaturized version of the Treasury; and the grand Palace Tomb.
While it’s unclear which Nabataean royals were buried here, scholars believe they likely housed kings such as Malichus II or other aristocrats during Petra’s golden age (1st century BCE to 1st century CE).
The Royal Tombs is located on the Main Trail but if you wish to explore them more closely, you will need to climb the stairs to get to the tombs. Exploring the tombs is a short detour and one that might elevate your heart rate from the small climb.
Colonnaded Street
Turning left from the Royal Tombs, you will be met with the Colonnaded Street lined with tall pillars that look familiar to those in Pompeii and Herculaneum in Italy.
This grand avenue was Petra’s main artery, stretching from the city center to the Qasr al-Bint temple. Initially constructed by the Nabataeans and later modified by the Romans after the annexation, it was lined with columns, shops, and public buildings in its heyday.
The street ran parallel to the Wadi Musa stream, which was carefully engineered to flow beneath stone pavers via underground channels.
Along its length stood a nymphaeum (a public fountain), a market complex, and various civic structures making it the economic and ceremonial heart of Petra. This street was where the city lived, traded, and celebrated.
Great Temple
The Great Temple complex, situated at the southern end of the Colonnaded Street, spans nearly 7,500 square meters making it one of the largest freestanding structures in Petra.
Built during the reign of King Aretas IV, the lower part of the Great Temple had a large open courtyard, paved with 60 columns made from stacked stone drums. The tops of these columns were decorated with carvings of elephant heads, a rare and powerful symbol, probably meant to show off wealth and influence.
Some of these columns have been partly rebuilt so visitors can see what they might have looked like in the past.
Above this area was an upper section, which you could reach by climbing two grand staircases. At the top, there was a small open-air theater with rows of stone seats arranged in a half-circle. Because it was too small for big performances, experts think it was used for city meetings, councils, or court sessions. The mix of the theater and surrounding columns suggests this was a public space for important gatherings, likely supported by Petra’s royal family.
Even though it’s near the famous Qasr al-Bint temple, this structure was probably used more for civic or government purposes than religious ones. That said, some ceremonies could have still taken place here.
Archaeologists have also found a drainage system under the site, public baths on the west side, and a workshop in the south where people once made plaster molds. Altogether, it shows the Great Temple wasn’t just one thing – it was a busy, multi-use center in the middle of Petra’s city life.
The Monastery (Ad Deir)
Just as all the tourists come to see the famed Al Kazneh, a lot of travelers also come to visit The Monastery, or Ad Deir in the local language. This is one of Petra’s crown jewels and twice in size compared to the Treasury.
The Monastery is believed to be carved during the 1st century CE likely in honor of Nabataean King Obodas I, who was deified after death. Despite its name, it wasn’t a Christian monastery but probably a temple used for religious ceremonies or royal commemoration. It was only used for Christian purposes after the fall of the Nabateans.
Towering over 45 meters high, its design echoes the Treasury but on an even more massive scale. The climb of over 800 rock-cut steps to reach it was likely part of a sacred procession. The surrounding area includes niches and altars, suggesting the plateau was a pilgrimage destination. Today, the Monastery stands as a quiet giant far from the crowds, yet impossible to forget and certainly, an adventure to reach.