From Sharm El Sheikh: Day Tour to Petra by Ferry

Petra is the reason to take this punishingly long day. You leave Sharm El Sheikh just before midnight, cross the border, ride a ferry to Aqaba, then reach the Nabataeans’ rose-colored city for a guided visit. The first view of Al Khazneh through the Siq is the payoff.

I like that the price includes the big practical pieces: transport, ferry tickets, Jordan entry visa, Petra admission, a guide, and lunch. I also like the strong local guiding, especially from Karim and Kareem, who are praised for clear explanations and good care of the group. The drawback is simple: 22 hours is a lot of road, waiting, border work, and walking.

Key points to know before booking

• Petra is the star: See Al Khazneh, the Roman Theater, Royal Tombs, Colonnaded Street, and Qasr al-Bent.
• The journey uses a ferry: The crossing is scheduled at about 2 hours and 20 minutes each way.
• The day starts before midnight: You return to your Sharm El Sheikh hotel around midnight the following day.
• The guide matters: Karim, Kareem, Wazy, Ahmed, and Imad have all been singled out for helpful service on different departures.
• Bring practical gear: You need your passport, sturdy shoes, and plenty of water.
• Expect border delays: The ferry and immigration process can waste time, particularly on the Egypt side.

Why Petra is worth such a long day

Petra is not a quick photo stop beside a road. The ancient Nabataean city spreads through natural rock formations, with carved tombs, temples, theaters, streets, and monuments reached on foot. The setting gives the visit much of its power: you walk through a narrow canyon, then the famous Treasury appears at the far end.

This tour gives you a useful first look at the main parts of Petra in a limited amount of time. You get a three-hour guided tour, enough to understand the Nabataeans and see the main monuments without trying to cover every path in the site.

The schedule calls for about ten hours in the Petra and Amman Governorate area, including the guided visit, free time, lunch, sightseeing, and shopping. That sounds generous, but the whole day also includes border formalities, port transfers, ferry crossings, and the long return drive. You should think of this as an ambitious introduction, not a relaxed archaeological holiday.

Leaving Sharm El Sheikh before midnight

Pickup takes place at your hotel in Sharm El Sheikh in a modern, air-conditioned vehicle. The departure is just before midnight, so your first challenge is managing sleep. Try to rest beforehand, since the next proper opportunity to slow down comes much later.

The vehicles are described as clean and comfortable, with air conditioning. That matters on a trip involving long road sections and several changes of transport. Still, comfort does not erase the basic fact that you will spend much of the day moving from one place to another.

The drive heads toward Taba, where the schedule allows about 20 minutes as a pass-through stop. This is not presented as a sightseeing visit. It is part of the route to the border and ferry connection.

Keep your passport easy to reach. The local partner also requires a passport copy no later than two days before departure, so this is not a last-minute detail to ignore.

Crossing the border at Taba

At the border, you are met and assisted before entering Jordan. This support is one of the tour’s most useful features because the process involves immigration, changing transport arrangements, and waiting in controlled areas.

You should also build patience into your expectations. Border and port timing can be uneven, and some departures have involved long waits on the Egypt side. The transfer staff and guides have generally been praised for coordination, but the schedule is not fully in their hands.

One practical weakness is communication during parts of the return. On one departure, the Egypt-side journey had no English-speaking guide for a period, leaving passengers unsure about toilet stops, drink purchases, and when to leave the vehicle. If you need clear instructions, ask before boarding and stay close to your group.

The tour is listed as wheelchair accessible, but the border, ferry, and Petra visit involve several changes of transport and a great deal of walking. If you have mobility needs or are traveling with small children, tell the provider in advance and ask exactly how assistance will work at each stage.

The ferry from Taba toward Aqaba

After the border procedures, you continue to the port of Aqaba and board the ferry. Each scheduled crossing takes about 2.33 hours, giving you a chance to sit down after the land journey.

The ferry is not the main attraction, but it gives this Petra trip a different character from a standard overland excursion. You move from Egypt to Jordan by sea before heading inland to the archaeological site. That change of setting makes the journey feel like a real two-country day out, even though the schedule is tight.

The Aqaba stop is short, listed at about 20 minutes. Treat it as a transfer point rather than a chance to explore the city. Your priority is staying with the group and following instructions about the next vehicle.

Ferry schedules can change. If the ferry is urgently canceled, or if the trip is booked on a day outside the normal sailing schedule, the operator may transfer you into Jordan through the Arava border instead. That is a practical contingency, not a sightseeing upgrade, and it may alter the rhythm of the day.

Entering Petra through the Siq

Once you reach Petra, your guide takes you toward the entrance and the Siq, the narrow natural crack in the rock that leads into the ancient city. You can walk toward the canyon or choose a camel ride for this section, depending on the arrangements offered at the site.

The Siq is the perfect opening to Petra. The rock walls close in around you, and the route builds anticipation before the monuments appear. Even if you have seen photographs of Petra for years, the approach feels different when you are walking through the stone corridor yourself.

Wear sturdy shoes. The day includes a lot of walking, and the route through Petra is only one part of a schedule that also includes ports, border areas, vehicles, and ferry terminals. Carry water as well. The tour includes lunch, but personal drinks and expenses are not included.

Local horse and camel handlers may offer rides or approach you with prices for small items. Decide in advance what you want to buy or ride, and ask about the cost before agreeing. This keeps a memorable visit from turning into an uncomfortable negotiation.

Seeing Al Khazneh for the first time

At the end of the Siq, Al Khazneh comes into view. This is Petra’s famous Treasury, carved into the rock more than 2,000 years ago and often used as the image people associate with Jordan.

The monument rewards a slow first look. Notice how the facade is framed by the canyon before you move on to the wider site. Your guide can explain the Nabataean kingdom and help separate the monument’s real function from the popular nickname attached to it.

The scheduled visit to Al Khazneh is about 30 minutes, but the wider three-hour guided tour covers more than this single facade. Your guide leads you to the Roman Theater, Royal Tombs, Roman Colonnaded Street, and Qasr al-Bent.

These sites show that Petra was more than a dramatic tomb carved into a cliff. The theater and colonnaded street point to the city’s public and commercial life, while the tombs reveal the scale and care given to the dead. Qasr al-Bent adds another important stop to the route and gives you a broader sense of the city’s religious and civic spaces.

What the three-hour guided tour adds

A guide is especially useful at Petra because the site can otherwise become a procession of impressive stone walls with little context. The tour focuses on the ancient Nabataeans, the people who shaped the city and made it the center of a wider kingdom.

Karim and Kareem are names worth noting when you receive your departure details. They have been praised for being enthusiastic, friendly, professional, and good at explaining the site. Wazy on the Egypt side and Ahmed in Jordan have also been credited with keeping the complicated transfer system moving.

The exact guide can vary, so do not book solely on the expectation of one person. The important point is that strong guiding has been one of the best parts of this experience. A good guide also helps you keep track of the group, which matters when every minute affects the ferry and return journey.

There is some free time after the main explanation, along with sightseeing and shopping. Use it for photographs, a closer look at a monument, or a short rest. Do not wander too far without checking the meeting time. Missing the group here would create a serious problem later in the day.

Lunch after the archaeological visit

Lunch is served at a local restaurant in Petra after the main sightseeing. It is included in the price and gives you a proper break before the return trip.

The meal has been described as tasty, with enough variety for many diners. Drinks are not included, so bring money for water or other beverages. If you are vegetarian, tell the guide and restaurant staff clearly at the start. One departure offered little beyond salad for non-meat eaters, so the meal may not suit every diet equally well.

The dining arrangements can also feel informal. You may need to work out where your group is eating and how the buffet or self-service setup works. That is a small issue, but after a long morning, simple instructions would make lunch easier.

Returning through Aqaba and Taba

After lunch, you travel back to Aqaba for the ferry to Taba. The return crossing is scheduled for another 2.33 hours, followed by border procedures and the road journey back to Sharm El Sheikh.

This is when the tour’s length catches up with you. You have already walked through Petra, crossed an international border, taken a ferry, and spent hours on the road. The air-conditioned coach helps, but you should expect tiredness rather than a second wind.

Keep your passport and personal items organized. Stay alert for announcements at the port and border, especially if the group separates into different queues or vehicles. On some departures, instructions on the Egypt side have not been as clear as they were in Jordan.

The final transfer returns you to your hotel in Sharm El Sheikh at around midnight. In other words, you leave just before midnight and arrive back close to midnight the next day. It is a full day in the most literal sense.

Is the $381 price good value?

At $381 per person, this is not a cheap excursion. The price needs to be judged against what it removes from your planning: hotel pickup and drop-off, an air-conditioned vehicle, ferry tickets, Petra admission, Jordan’s entry visa, a three-hour guide, lunch, and border assistance.

Buying each major part separately could be difficult, especially when the ferry and border arrangements need to connect on the same day. The included visa and entry fee are particularly useful because they reduce the number of costs you must handle during a complicated crossing.

The value is strongest if you have only one day available and Petra is a personal priority. You pay for access to a famous site from Sharm El Sheikh without arranging an overnight stay in Jordan.

The value is weaker if you dislike rushed schedules, lose sleep easily, or want time to explore Petra’s less visited paths. For that style of trip, a longer Jordan visit would be more comfortable, though that is a different kind of holiday.

Who should take this Petra day trip?

I would choose this tour if Petra has been on your must-see list and you are willing to accept a hard travel day to reach it. It suits adults and active visitors who can manage long transfers, border waiting, ferry changes, and a substantial amount of walking.

It can also work well for someone who values having the major logistics handled by a guide. You do not need to organize the Egypt to Jordan crossing, buy separate ferry tickets, arrange Petra admission, or find a restaurant on your own.

I would think carefully before booking for very young children, anyone who needs regular rest, or anyone with special mobility requirements. The tour is listed as wheelchair accessible, but the real test is the full chain of roads, immigration areas, ferries, and Petra paths. Ask the provider for a clear assistance plan before paying.

Bring:

• Your passport and the requested passport copy submitted in advance
• Sturdy walking shoes
• Plenty of water
• Money for personal expenses and drinks
• Patience for border and ferry delays
• A phone or small bag that is easy to keep with you

Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before departure, and you can reserve now and pay later. Those terms help if your Sharm El Sheikh plans are still changing, but they do not make the physical demands of the day any lighter.

Should you book this Petra tour?

Book it if seeing Petra matters more to you than having a restful day. The first view of Al Khazneh, the Nabataean setting, and the chance to see Jordan from Sharm El Sheikh make the effort worthwhile for many people.

Skip it if you want leisurely meals, smooth timing, or a full exploration of Petra. The best reason to choose this trip is its reach: it turns a Sharm El Sheikh stay into a visit to one of the world’s great ancient sites. Just go in ready for a long, tightly managed day, and pack your shoes and patience beside your passport.

FAQ

How long does the Petra tour from Sharm El Sheikh last?

The tour lasts about 22 hours. Pickup takes place just before midnight, and you return to your Sharm El Sheikh hotel at around midnight the following day.

Is hotel pickup included?

Yes. Pickup and drop-off at your hotel in Sharm El Sheikh are included.

Is the ferry ticket included?

Yes. Ferry tickets for the journey between the Egypt and Jordan route are included. Each scheduled ferry crossing takes about 2.33 hours.

What should I bring?

You must bring your passport. Sturdy shoes, water, and money for personal expenses are also practical choices because the tour includes extensive walking, and drinks are not included with lunch.

Is a Jordan visa included?

Yes. The Jordan entry visa is included in the tour price.

What does the Petra tour include?

The Petra portion includes a three-hour guided tour with an English-speaking guide. The route includes the Siq, Al Khazneh, Roman Theater, Royal Tombs, Roman Colonnaded Street, and Qasr al-Bent.

Is lunch included?

Yes. Lunch at a local restaurant in Petra is included. Drinks are not included, and vegetarian meal choices may be limited, so tell the restaurant or guide about your dietary needs.

What happens if the ferry is canceled?

If the ferry is urgently canceled, or if the tour is booked on a day outside the ferry schedule, you may be transferred into Jordan through the Arava border instead.