Petra day trip from Sharm El Sheikh: how it works

A Petra day trip from Sharm El Sheikh works, but it is a very long day: pickup is around 1:00 and you are back around midnight. You drive about 3 hours to the Taba area, take a ferry of about one hour to Aqaba in Jordan, then drive about 127 km to Petra. SinbadTour’s trip costs from $235 and includes the ferry and entrance fees.

How does the Petra day trip from Sharm El Sheikh work?

You travel by bus and ferry, crossing from Egypt to Jordan by sea and back on the same day.

1. A bus collects you from your hotel around 1:00 and drives north along the Gulf of Aqaba coast towards Taba. Rome2rio gives about 225 km and just over 3 hours to Taba; the ferry port is at Taba Heights, a little south of Taba.
2. You leave Egypt at the port and take the fast ferry to Aqaba. The operator, AB Maritime, gives the crossing as 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the sea.
3. You go through Jordanian entry at Aqaba port, with help from our staff, and board a bus to Petra, about 127 km or 1.5 to 2 hours away.
4. You walk through Petra with a guide, then stop for lunch.
5. You drive back to Aqaba, leave Jordan, take the ferry to Taba Heights, enter Egypt again and drive back to Sharm El Sheikh, arriving around midnight.

How long is the day?

About 23 hours from pickup to drop-off. Most of that time is spent on buses, on the ferry and at border controls.

Leg	Distance	Typical time
Hotel pickup in Sharm El Sheikh		Around 1:00
Sharm El Sheikh to Taba area by bus	About 225 km	About 3 hours
Ferry Taba Heights to Aqaba	Across the Gulf of Aqaba	45 minutes to 1 hour, plus border formalities
Aqaba to Petra by bus	About 127 km	1.5 to 2 hours
Petra visit and lunch	About 3.5 km on foot	The rest of the middle of the day
Return by the same route	As above	Back at hotel around 0:00

The ferry operator advises that departures can run late, and one guide reports delays of up to 90 minutes. Border queues add time on both sides, so the return time can vary.

Do you need a visa for Jordan?

Visa rules for a day trip through Aqaba are less simple than for a longer stay, so check them for your nationality before you book.

• Standard visa: the UK government says a single-entry visit visa costs 40 JOD.
• Aqaba free visa: Aqaba is a special economic zone, and visitors entering there can have the visa fee waived. A 2025 traveller report quotes the Aqaba zone authority as saying the waiver needs a minimum stay, and that the fee is otherwise collected on departure.
• Jordan Pass: the pass costs 70 to 80 JOD and includes Petra, but it only waives the visa fee if you stay at least 2 whole nights in Jordan. It does not help on a day trip.
• Departure tax: AB Maritime says every ferry passenger pays a 10 JOD departure tax in cash, in Jordanian dinars.
• Restricted nationalities: some nationalities must get a Jordanian visa from an embassy in advance.

The Petra 1 day by bus (from $235) includes the return ferry and entrance fees and tickets. Its list does not mention Jordanian visa charges or the departure tax, so ask us at booking which charges, if any, you pay on the day, and bring some cash in dinars or dollars.

How much is the Petra entrance fee?

Petra charges more for visitors who do not stay overnight in Jordan. The Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority lists 90 JOD for non-accommodated visitors, against 50 JOD for a one-day ticket for visitors staying in Jordan. Children under 12 enter free. The Petra ticket is part of the entrance fees on our tour.

What about coming back into Egypt?

If you are staying in a Sinai resort such as Sharm El Sheikh for under 15 days, you return on a Sinai entry stamp. If you plan to travel beyond Sinai afterwards, for example to Cairo, or to stay longer than 15 days, the UK government says you need a full Egyptian visa, sold at Taba Heights port for $35 in cash. Tell us when you book if this applies to you.

What passport do you need?

• A passport valid for at least 6 months after the date you enter Jordan and after the date you re-enter Egypt, with at least one blank page.
• Bring the passport itself on the day. A copy is not enough at the borders.
• Send us a copy of your passport in advance. We need it to arrange the travel permit.

What do you see in Petra?

The tour covers the main route through the site: the Siq canyon, which is about 1.2 km long, the Treasury at its end, the colonnaded street and the theatre. In total the walk is about 3.5 km. Petra is open from about 6:00 to 18:00. The tour programme does not include the Monastery (Ad Deir), which is a long climb further on. A guide in your own language costs extra.

Is the Petra day trip from Sharm El Sheikh worth it?

It is worth it if Petra is a place you really want to see and you have no other chance on this trip. You stand in the Siq and in front of the Treasury, which is what most people come for. Be realistic about the cost in time and energy: you are awake for about 24 hours, cross four border controls and spend around 10 hours on buses. You have a few hours in Petra. That is enough for the main route, and the rest of the site needs more time.

The trip suits fit adults who sleep easily on a bus. It is hard on young children and on anyone with limited mobility, because of the walking in Petra and the long night. If you have more time, a stay of two nights or more in Jordan lets you use the Jordan Pass and see Petra at a slower pace. For a long day out without border crossings, the Cairo 1 day by plane (from $255) and the Luxor 1 day by plane (from $245) stay within Egypt.

What should you bring?

• Your passport, valid for at least 6 months.
• Cash in small notes for drinks, tips and any border charges not covered.
• Comfortable walking shoes, a hat and sunglasses.
• A warm layer for the bus and the ferry; the air conditioning is strong.
• Breakfast and lunch boxes ordered from hotel reception the day before.
• Water and snacks, as drinks are not included.