I will present my visit to Petra, Jordan in three parts: in this part I will discuss touts…and how to successfully navigate them. When it comes to exploring Petra, hiring a Bedouin to accompany you is not a bad investment.
How To Successfully Deal With Touts In Petra, Jordan
Note, I did not say avoid touts. Touts can be annoying, but you can use the competition to your advantage and the bottom line is that I am very grateful for the young men who helped to make my time in Petra even more special.
In years past, I was the type of traveler who would simply ignore touts, walking by people and refusing to respond as if they were not there. There’s some wisdom to that if you are familiar with a place and really know where you are going, but in a place like Petra you can really enjoy it even more with a helpful guide.
Any local Bedouin guide is “in cahoots” with all the young men who will surround you as you come out of the valley and stand outside The Treasury, the most iconic of ancient temples of Petra. One theoretical benefit to a local guide is to act an insulation from touts, but it’s all an extended family business in Petra and you will be mobbed whether you are traveling with a guide or alone, whether you are in a large group or small one.
Don’t panic.
The touts actually start all the way up at the entrance, where you’re offered a “free” donkey ride down the canyon, but that “free” ride will be used to try to sell you on taking the donkey all the way down to The Treasury or up to The Monastery.
You’ll get an offer for something like 80JOD to go up to The Monastery and back. You can hit back at 20JOD and settle on 30-40JOD instead. It’s an invigorating hike to The Monastery and I had no desire to take a donkey.
Outside the Treasury, there will be dozens of touts trying to get you to sit on a camel for a picture outside The Treasury. This time, we decided to get our picture on the camel… that cost 5JOD each. Well-worth it. Find a young person because they all have phones and will be better able to capture a great picture.
I met a young man named Omar who was dressed up like Captain Jack Sparrow (Johny Depp) from the Pirates of the Caribbean Franchise. He was very persistent, but also not overbearing. We decided to hire him (you can follow him here on Instagram and then request his help, if visiting Petra).
He got some great pictures for us and took us up to a vantage point from which we looked down on the Treasury. We paid him 50JOD for this.
When I came back to Petra on day three, I met Omar again and we walked all the way up to The Monastery together (I had also been up there at sunrise that day…talk about a lot of steps…).
He then took me to see some mosaics.
Then we climbed high above The Treasury and finally came to a little tent at teh top where I sipped mint tea and overlooked the valley below. What a cool moment and a place I would have no idea how to reach without a guide.
And finally Omar took me on the “Back Route” from Ad Deir to the main gate, which takes most people 4-5 hours but took us one. We were hauling…
I paid him 70JOD for this. He wanted more, but I felt this was more than enough for his afternoon and we departed on good terms. I do not necessarily recommend agreeing on a price beforehand. You pay what you feel is best. Don’t be pressured or intimidated. Also, don’t be suckered into surrendering 200JOD for an afternoon. That’s too much. You can push back. It’s part of the culture. You either push back or you will be taken advantage of.
CONCLUSION
Petra is the sine qua non of any visit to Jordan. I had an amazing time and am very thankful I had a guide named Omar to help me navigate it (who also served as a great photographer). You do not need to respond to the touts in order to have a great visit to Petra, but in this case I found hiring an additional guide was worth every JOD.
In my next segment, I’ll post a photo essay of what I captured over my three days of meandering through the ancient city.
Pics are fire. Epic.
I got the Jordan pass with two days Petra. You must have got the three. Hope two is enough but I’m unsure I have the walking stamina for three days anymore.
In the past I’ve often hired these guys but only seldom found it more enjoyable. Nowadays I just pass them by. I just find it more relaxing to self explore even at the expense of missing something. Maybe this place is an exception.
Great pictures. Gives me something to look forward to. I’ll try to find that tea place at the top of the treasury myself.
Getting up there is brutal and dangerous. I would recommend you hire Omar for 10JOD just to get you up there safely.
There used to be a nice cafe in the middle of Petra compound, just past the amphitheater ruins. They have chairs and a nice overlook of the surrounding valley and hills. Also go to the local restroom for the sheer beauty of the carved walls it has (no kidding).
I suggest to get a guide book for reference, instead of a tout, and research possible hike routs on internet before your visit.
Still there! I stopped there.
Good pictures and review, and yes – it is amazing place if you into art/history and pretty scenery + some local “flavor”.
We actually went on a full-day tour starting in Eilat, and had our own guide with a small group. The cost was $170 per person, but included all transportation, entry fees, visa, guide, horse or donkey (by choice) ride thru the siq, snacks and great lunch buffet right in Petra.
The camel ride back to entrance from the far side of Petra ruins was optional, and I even snapped a photo with official Petra guards (for free) – don’t know if they still present at the site. Overall it was a super memorable day and money well spent.
I had a similar experience in 2019. Unforgettable. However, I think you downplay Jordan a wee bit too much. So much to see there, and the people are exceedingly friendly. The ruins of Jerash are spectacular and those in Amman are no slouch. Seeing where Jesus was baptized along the Jordan River-exhilarating. As a bit of a world traveler, for me, visiting the trifecta of Jordan, Israel, and Egypt has been unparalleled.
I do recommend all of it — I reviewed the biblical sites last week and will move on to Amman this week.
Hmm. Downplaying? Where exactly. Multiple articles written about Jordan in past week or two plus “amazing time” in this article Haven’t seen downplaying.
Amazing pictures!! I definitely agree that having someone that knows the place to walk with you makes total sense. The challenge is to find the ones that are not going to scam you at the end like it is the norm in places like Thailand.
I’ve spent a lot of time in Thailand. I don’t see it any more prevalent there than most countries (including European ones). My worst experiences have been in big cities of China (rural areas are great), and Egypt.
One experience in Egypt I began shouting “Police Police” in a crowded area before the man stopped stalking me demanding more money. He ran back to his boat after I yelled.
I have many scam experiences as do all who are well travelled. But because I generally travel alone I think I’m targeted more than those in groups. Got a lot of great scam stories as well as police bribe stories.
Your footing must have been steady on that rug… I got goosebumps just thinking about standing there!
I spent a full day at the sites in Petra and was happy with that timing. I didn’t think I needed three days (although I would have enjoyed it I had had time). I thought Jerash was pretty special too and very underated (and lacking in tourists).
I never felt touts were a problem in Petra or jordan but perhaps they are more aggressive after the Covid years. I had an older guide in Petra who perhaps helped Stave them off although I did buy an ancient coin off an old guy. Still haven’t got round to seeing if it’s actually old or not 🙂
The old guy selling coins is still there. I was told he is 97 years old!
Matthew – no judgment on using the touts, just a piece of advice for anyone reading. You can likely get the same sort of tour for much cheaper if you negotiate or start lower. I would recommend the guide bringing you up to the “main” overhang viewpoint, but not the others (personally).
That said – as of November, here’s what people (or people in my group) paid for the same things (in USD):
Camel photo: $5 USD
General treasury photo shoot sans camel: $5
Taking you to the “main” overhang spot, plus photo shoot: $10 USD (+5 for photo shoot)
Getting up to the very top does not require a guide (the path is pretty well marked and you can google it), so no advice there. No judgment but 70 JOD for going to the main overhang is pretty high.
I’m sure a better deal can be always be bargained for. After all, the minimum wage in Jordan is 260JOD/month. I was happy with the prices I paid and don’t view bartering as quite the sport that others do.
Great Pix we went there years ago before Iphones…
70JOD = US$100
200JOD = US$285
Gee thanks Google
The top down view of the Treasury is from Abraham’s place. Was he awake? He usually gets hammered and passes out. Often with a begpacking female who wants a free place to crash for the night.
The donkeys and horses that pull carriages to the entrance of Petra are terribly abused and over worked. They are made to run at breakneck speeds while slipping and sliding on the rocks beneath their feet. Then the drivers of the horses bully tourists into giving more money that was originally agreed on. Don’t use them. The walk is not that difficult.
I wish governments would do something about this. The same thing happens at the Pyramids. I’m glad you were happy to pay 70JOD for a tour, but that’s really extortion by Jordanian standards. I mean, a barista in NYC would have to work 6.5h to make that much, and I would imagine rent and groceries in Jordan are a bit lower than NYC.
If there was more organization, and reasonable prices were charged, I think everyone would benefit. Aggressive touts detract from the experience and leave many with a negative view of a destination and the country as a whole. I understand that locals view foreigners (especially Europeans and North Americans) as bad negotiators with lots of wealth, and that’s a shame. To me, extorting visitors sort of runs contrary to what the Koran says about honoring guests.
All of the Jordan posts are very timely for me. I’ll be there in late February.
50 JOD to the vantage point, that’s $70 USD for some photos?? As a photographer, those pics aren’t that great….
No, 50JOD for a couple hours to take us down around on donkeys then up to the vantage point then walk us back to the entrance.
Way better pics than any I have.
Pics are fire. Epic.
That’s my line.
Dude. No.
Next time you’re there you should go to the Petra veterinary clinic. I think if you knew the daily abuse handed to camels and donkeys you would write a very different story. Donkeys are the main reason that boys don’t go to school and a huge supply of the child labor. Donkeys are not even supposed to be in the park and promoting it makes the government’s efforts for both children and animal welfare more difficult. The free clinic funded by PETA is the only care these animals get. https://www.pvc-jordan.org/
As someone who has been visiting Petra for fifteen years, and who lived at the site for a year, it’s really disappointing to see you mentioning riding the animals. Supporting the tour guides is great, and you can’t really pay them too much for a chance to walk in Petra, but riding those animals is directly supporting their abuse. There have been countless exposés regarding the treatment of the animals at Petra by PETA and others, the abuse is not a secret. A free veterinary clinic was established there several years ago to try and manage the many abuses and neglect that these animals face on a daily basis, and they have their hands full with work because of this abuse. I implore anyone who is planning to visit Petra to do the most basic of research beforehand and not ride or be photographed with any of these abused animals. Yes, see Petra, yes pay and tip your tour guide, but do it without the abuse. Don’t support child labour and don’t support animal abuse. Don’t ride the animals.
I’d like to take him for a ride nice pictures zendaya <3