Back Door hiking route to the Monastery — Attraction in Maan

We made "the Back Door Trip" & “climbing from Wadi Farassa valley to High Place of Sacrifice” together in one day, beginning of April, 2024.

“Back door route” is a great solution to avoid the lot of tourist, we met just 4 other people on the way. (Important information, because of the Israel - Gaza war the average tourists avoid this region. For example by the Treasury - what is generally too busy - were just 6 other people.)

Our itinerary was: 7.30: start from Little Petra ticket office (easy to reach by taxi from Wadi Mussa). Don’t forget to confirm here your Petra Ticket or Jordan Pass! We wanted to save time, because of this we used the transfer (5jod) to the Ticket control point. I thinks we saved 1 hour not too interesting walking time. 8:00: Hop-off by the Ticket control point. After we walked on the footpath and steps 1,5 hours. The view is fantastic, the way absolutely safe. In 2022/23 years completed the side wall lining on the road. 9:30 Monastery We spent here about 30-40 minutes after walk down on the 800 steps way. (This section was very practical to use our walking stick! I recommend for everybody, especially for people with knee pain!) 11:00 We arrived at Qasr Al Bint. After visited Great Temple and Byzantine Church. 12:30 Lunch time in Nabatean Restaurant (Buffe 13 JOD / person. The food was better than we expected. The toilet clean.) In this time our group split into two part. One part walked to the Royal Tombs, Treasury, after cross in the Siq to the exit. (Approx. 2,5 hours)

My part of group wanted to climb to the High Place of Sacrifice too. 13:30 Start from behind of Qasr Al Bint, cross the Wadi Farassa valley to the High Place of Sacrifice route. 14:30: Roman Soldier Complex 15:10 Garden Temple The next section was hard, very stepped, sometimes a little bit slippery with old steps. I think better direction to go this part up, and not down, as we did it. 16:00 High Place of Sacrifice (Below the top was a small Bedouin buffet, where we drank some tea and soft drinks, enjoy the rest and view.) After we walk down on the steps, and we again were very happy with our walking sticks! 17:00 Royal Tombs We had time to visit just Urn Tomb. 18:00 Treasury 19:00 Exit All together this trip was 20km, 33.000 steps, and 1600 stair steps.

I’m 55 years old, from the Covid period I haven’t a great sport conditions. This 2 trip together in one day is not peanuts, but not impossible. If you have 2 days, I recommend split this route for 2 parts. Have a good walk! (1,5 l Water / section, hat, and sun protected cream...

Another wonderful hike towards the Monastery, amazing views along the way and despite being longer is not as challenging as the Ad deir trail. Start early in the morning so you can enjoy peacefully the views and the hike without too many tourists and get to the Monastery before the tours or visitors from Petra arrive.

Be sure to pack plenty of water and some snacks if necessary, some spots are perfect for sitting and relaxing. Wear sunscreen and comfortable, sturdy shoes because the terrain is more rough than the trail from Petra, a hat or a cap because the sun can be intense even from the morning.

The Back Door Hiking Route to the Monastery (Ad Deir) in Petra is a lesser-known and adventurous trail that provides an alternative access point to one of Petra’s most iconic sites. Here’s an overview of this route:

Overview of the Back Door Hiking Route

• Starting Point: The hike typically begins at the Little Petra area, a short drive from the main Petra site. Little Petra offers a less touristy experience and a chance to explore additional Nabatean rock-cut architecture. • Trail Description: The trail features rugged terrain and ascends through beautiful landscapes, including canyons, cliffs, and natural rock formations. It often involves some scrambling and steep sections, so a moderate level of fitness and good hiking shoes are recommended. • Distance: The entire hike is approximately 7-8 kilometers (around 4-5 miles) one way, depending on the exact path taken. • Duration: The hike can take around 2-3 hours to reach the Monastery, allowing time to enjoy the scenery and take breaks along the way. • Scenery: This route provides stunning views of Petra’s landscape, often with fewer crowds than the main trail. You’ll encounter beautiful rock formations, ancient terraces, and unique wildlife.

What to Expect

• Descent to the Monastery: Upon reaching the Monastery, hikers are rewarded with breathtaking views of the monumental facade. The quiet atmosphere allows for a more contemplative experience compared to the more popular entrance route. • Return Trip: Hikers can choose to return via the same route or combine the trip with a visit to other sites in Petra, such as the main archaeological area.

Conclusion

The Back Door Hiking Route to the Monastery offers a unique and scenic approach to one of Petra’s most stunning monuments. With its breathtaking views and quieter surroundings, this route is perfect for adventurous hikers looking to explore the ancient city from a different...

A shorter and perhaps easier option to get through the whole 16 km main trail (8 km in one way and 8 km to go back to the visitor centre) is to enter Petra from the Back Door and start your Petra tour at the end of the trail that is the Monastery / Ad Deir. It will save you some time (you’ll need 2-3 hours to get from the Back Door to the Monastery, depends on your hiking experience and condition), and you will avoid going up those awkward steps to the Monastery, since you’ll be getting down the other way around and going towards the visitor centre. Among the hiking route, you’ll see amazing landscapes and cliffs, it is a whole different experience of which most of other visitors aren’t even aware.

If you opt for this route, be aware of the following: you’ll first need to pick up your ticket at the visitor centre by presenting your Jordan Pass and passport (or just by bying it), then in front of the visitor centre take a taxi to the Back Door (they will of course rip you off, we paid 20 JOD (30 euros) for a 15-minutes ride, and the driver still didn’t take us to the Back Door entrance, but he left us at the Back Door ticket office where they checked our tickets, and he said that the road is under construction and we will need either to walk to the Back Door, which is an additional hike of 1-2 hours, or take a jeep ride offered by Bedouins; it seemed like a deal among them and an obvious scam; the jeep ride was additional 5 JOD/person (7 euros)). When you finally reach the Back Door entrance, you’ll meet along your way to the Monastery a lot of kind locals, but they will pressure you to take a donkey ride, and they will follow you around offering you stuff.

Prepare for this hike: take your hiking equipment, comfortable shoes (not sandals or flip flops), hiking sticks, sweat t-shirts and lots of water (there are no shops or rest points until you reach the Monastery!). It is not a heavy hike, I managed to cross it with my handicapped leg without any problems. But I don’t recommend it to people suffering of height fears, since most of the path is located on the cliff’s edge (or just don’t look down). Also, there aren’t many physical directions showing the way to the Monastery (just a couple of marks in the middle of nowhere), so just follow the official path and rocky stairs and you’re good (or ask the locals for directions). As soon as you see the top of the Monastery, you're there.

Enjoy your walk from the end to the...