Monastery (Ad Deir)

Monastery Petra

Ad Deir, in English the Monastery in Petra is 47m wide and more than 48m high. That means it is even bigger than the well-known Treasury and to be honest, it is even more impressive. So why is the Monastery not the star of Petra? The reason is simply that the Monastery is 6 km and several hundred stairs away from the entrance. This is hardly feasible for day-trippers, as there is so much to see on the main path already, that there is no time left for it, especially if you still want to take the famous photo from above of the Treasury. Or it is summer and very hot, then a 12km hike is probably not at the top of the list.

The standard path leads along the Treasury and Theater, via the Colonnaded Street to the end of the main path. Here you have reached about half the way. On the next 4km it will be a bit more strenuous, as it is now going uphill a lot. On the way you pass the Lion Triclinium. This is indicated by a sign on a narrow branch. You can’t see it from the sign yet, but a minute through the narrow path around the corner and you can see the caves and ornate entrances.

After further ascent and more and more tourist shops, you will reach the Monastery. The reward is an overwhelming sight and, of course, fewer tourists than at the Treasury.

There is also a small shop with snacks and drinks at the Monastery itself. Have you ever had Arabic coffee? If not, then take the chance and try it with a great view of the Monastery. The taste of Arabic coffee differs from the ordinary coffee, because it contains cardamom, which adds a minty taste. The Monastery (Ad-Deir) in Petra is an absolute recommendation. If you have the time and can physically do it, you should not miss it.

It is also possible to take a donkey for the way, but this should be avoided for the welfare of the animals.

There is also a back-way to get to the Monastery. You can either hike from Little Petra or start a shorter way over a branch to the side of the street. If you take this route, you must have your ticket in advance, as there is no ticket office on the back. However, since I wanted to go to the Treasury in the morning to see how the sun slowly falls on the building and was already 2km within Petra anyway, I went the standard route. Therefore I cannot say anything else about this variant. You can find information about this alternative route here: https://jordantrail.org/route-stages-maps/4-little-petra-to-petra

Petra Overview