Day Tour to Petra from Eilat
Eilat, Israel
- 12 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Bottled water
- Visa fee (to be paid in cash at the border)$60.00 per person
- Gratuities
- Border fee (to be paid in cash at the border)$70.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting points
Select a meeting point
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Operating hours.8:15 am
Itinerary
1
Petra
4 hours • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- Border crossing fee of US$70 (230 NIS), which should be paid in cash or by credit card on the Israeli side, and the visa fee of $60, which should be paid in cash (USD or JOD) on the Jordanian side. No visa fee is required for stays of 2 nights or longer
- Please note, border fees and visa fees are NOT included in the tour price and are paid directly at the border, in cash or by credit card. Border fee is for departure tax from Israel, the departure tax for operated groups from Jordan, arrangement, and preparation of Jordan visa, assistance service from border representative on departure from Israel, assistance service from border representative on arrival in Jordan and assistance service from border representative on departure from Jordan
- Modest clothing is recommended (no short skirts, low-cut shirts, or garments revealing the midriff), headscarves are not required
- Please bring your passport, sunscreen, sunglasses and hat, scarf, ATM card or cash, US Dollars or Jordanian Dinar for tips, and shoes suitable for walking
- Small delays can sometimes occur at the border, or at other points during the tour
- During Ramadan the tour itinerary will change due to earlier closure of the border
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Nancy_G
It was wonderful from start to finish. Seamless getting through border coming and going. Everyone hired by Tourist Israel was so helpful. Mohammed was so nice, personable and knowledgeable. Petra is not to be missed! No one should be concerned about traveling across the border or into Jordan. An experience of a lifetime!!
Reviews
3.9
based on 239 reviews
Nancy_G, Oct 2025
It was wonderful from start to finish. Seamless getting through border coming and going. Everyone hired by Tourist Israel was so helpful. Mohammed was so nice, personable and knowledgeable. Petra is not to be missed! No one should be concerned about traveling across the border or into Jordan. An experience of a lifetime!!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you, Nancy. The benefit of traveling with Tourist Israel is the ease of crossing the border, thanks to our expert guides. We agree, Petra is a must-see, and our day tour makes it simple to visit comfortably in one day.
Mike_H, Sep 2023
The tour and tour guide were terrific. We used Tour Isreal. However when asking Vistor for specific questions about fee’s needed to be paid at the border our answer’s from Vistor were vague, although it seemed other tour operator’s gave their client’s the same vagueness. That was a bit frustrating as we were worried about not having the proper payment resdy.
Joshua_B, Jun 2023
We were not provided accurate information about the meeting spot by the tour operator (Tours Israel) and missed the bus. There was literally no customer service at all. We called, texted and emailed. Everything was automated. It was impossible to speak to a live person, and obviously the bus did not wait and the tour operator did not call, text or email me before leaving without us (me and my wife and 2 daughters). I was In Eilat and I later learned that the operator was based in Jerusalem and had no one within hundreds of miles to help. Afterwards we sent several follow up texts and emails and no refund was offered. I re booked the next day at my cost with booking-tours because I flew from Boston and was not missing a trip to Petra because of one horrible tour company with no customer
Service. The second operator, booking-tours.com was terrific. They picked us up at our hotel. My advice is to book a tour through a reputable travel agent, as any tour booked through Viator is a roll of the dice. One day a horrible disreputable tour like Tours Israel, and the next day a great operator like booking-tours.com.
Paula_F, Jun 2023
The place is breathtaking. I took the one day tour and it was rushed. I would have rather not make any of the stops and have more time at Petra
Our guide was nice and so was one lady that meets you at the border, the other person there was very rude.
Don’t expect the tour company to reply to your messages and make sure to be on time. Even Viator was not able to do anything. Instructions were not clear and they will not wait for you not even 2 minutes. They don’t really check who’s on the bus so on the way back we were struggling for seats.
Lunch was well organized and welcomed after the long walk
Our group was split in 2 and we went with a local tour guide who did a wonderful job
Don’t fall for the camel ride unless you just want to hop on and off a minute later.
If you go during the summer suggest you were linen or 100% cotton loose clothing. You can wear shorts if you want to but if you burn easily go with pants or lo g skirt. Bring good walking shoes. They sell drinks everywhere
If you want to really enjoy the place, the o e day option is not enough
Crossing the border was very easy and well structured.
So only because of the lack of response and the rushed tour is because I gave 3 stars, but it is worth it
Olbin_M, May 2023
It was very nice! The tour guide Methqal was extremely knowledgeable and nice, he knew where things were and was always happy to answer questions or assist. He took the trip to the next level.
SteveS, May 2023
Day tour to Petra from Eilat
Confirmation number 1346155756
Booking number 957094534
We booked this tour with Viator since previous tours had been excellent. However on this tour there were problems from the start. “Pick up/drop off from any hotel in Eilat” … didn’t happen. When checking before the tour we were told the pick up point was at Club Hotel Eilat which required us to take a taxi and add an additional expense.
Once on the bus to Petra our guide was very knowledgeable and provided a lot of information. However once we got to Petra we learned that our “guide” was not walking with us down the path to the treasury. We went on our own and that became a problem. We had never been told that there were golf carts which we should have taken (at an additional charge) to drive us over the long path to the treasury. After much discussion and problems, we convinced a cart driver to take us the remainder of the distance. We had no guide, no one to provide information. There was no organization. It was awful!
When we finally returned to the restaurant meeting point, we found much of the group had eaten and were ready to board the bus back to Eilat. We gulped down some food and hastily left to find the bus. This was the worst tour experience ever, and we are experienced travelers having been on numerous tours.
We would never recommend this tour to Petra with Viator. The destination is fascinating and one not to miss but there are better tours available.
Oh yes, we did convince the driver to reluctantly drop us off at our hotel …rather than rake us back to Club Hotel which would have required another taxi to get back to our hotel.
Very disappointed in Viator.
Ginger_C, Apr 2023
The tour company caused a 2 hour delay at the border and another
1 hour delay at some shops. We only had 2 hours in Petra instead of the 4 hours advertised. With the 30 minute walk required each way to get through the Siq, it only left us about an hour to see the sites inside Petra. Due to how little time we had, our guide informed us he would only be going to the first two sites within Petra. If we wanted to try to see more of Petra, he encouraged us to go on our own at our own pace, which we did. We were extremely disappointed with this tour.
Frank_L, Mar 2023
745 pickup at central hotel. We did not board bus to Petra until 10 am. Border into Jordan not too much trouble but we had to wait for the bus with more tourist from Jerusalem. Bus packed. Every seat sold. Arrived in Petra 130. Had to meet for lunch at 330. Back to border by 630. Guide very friendly but practically ran through Petra. I could not keep up. Lunch was delicious. Not sure if it was the tour company or what but it seems like a lot of money for a 2 hour tour.
Alexander_G, Mar 2023
Expensive, disorganized, poor value - ad promised 4 h in Petra, we got 2 instead, just enough to run half way to the attractions and immediately rush back. The missing 2 h were spent crossing Jordanian border!
Daniel_d, Feb 2023
I cannot recommend this tour more. We were very sceptical because of the bad reviews on here and as someone who is very safety conscious we did not at any point feel worried when with Fadi. There were about 30 other people who also took the tour. Fadi was amazing and looked after us from the Jordan border for the day in Petra and back to the border. It is a good tour for those who want to visit Petra and the main attraction but do not have the time to stay over. We left Eilat at 7:45 and we were back by 20:15. Ensure you have enough cash although some aspects you could pay by card. We needed to have US $65 border fee (which could be paid by card), US $60 visa fee cash so a total of $125 per person over and above the tour fee. We are plant based and the restaurant we stopped at was able to accommodate us by providing falafel in addition to the food that was available.
Loralee_B, Feb 2023
Great organization and attention to detail! The boarder crossing was smooth, the coach driver safe & efficient. The guide, Fadi Farjat made the whole experience magical! He made sure everyone was comfortable & experienced the magnificence of Petra and understood its pivotal importance in our world history. He was professional, knowledgeable and accommodating to everyone. I only wish I had more time to spend in Jordan and will return for more only if I am able to request Fadi & his driver 😎 I also wish to experience Wadi Rum and as a scuba diver, I want to also experience scuba diving in Jordanian waters. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I fell in love with Petra and Jordan all within the 12 hours of my visit.
Giedrius_R, Jan 2023
First of all, I'd like to say that I was a bit nervous and had some doubts about this trip as there were quite a lot bad reviews (I've read them all). But, as we really really wanted to see Petra, we decided to try this trip. And I'm very happy about this decision. Here's why:
- For tour operator (Tourist Israel) it was a very tough task: they have to collect people from different locations throughout Israel, lead them through the border, help with all the customs, visa etc. stuff, they have to bring tourists to Petra and give them enough time to explore the site, and then deliver all the people to their pick up locations, and they have to do EVERYTHING between 08:00 and 20:00 o'clock, because these are the working hours of the border. If something goes wrong (and there are many things that may go wrong), then the whole plan may fail, and mostly because of the reasons that do not depend on tour operator. It is a risk. We had to take this risk, because we had only that day to visit Petra, and no day more. I'm happy that Tourist Israel accepts this challenge and offers people a possibility to see the main highlights of a site.
- 3-4 hours in Petra is more than enough to see the main highlights (except the monastery). It is a magic place that must be seen once in a lifetime.
- There were in total 5 people who guided us through this trip in different stages of this trip (at pick up, at border crossing, in Jordan etc.) and NONE of them was rude or unhappy doing his job, as in some reviews are said. They were all nice, polite, informative, knowledgeable and professional. Thanks to them all.
- The lunch was just awesome. Not a box with a brutal sandwich (as in one review was said), but a whole restaurant was booked for our group. The self service food had a great variety (~ 5 hot dishes, many kinds of salad, hummus etc.). Everything very delicious and you can eat how much you want. Water is included. But other drinks cost extra. We drank fresh juice - 5 USD for each glass (for me it's a bit of a sign of gold-digging as those fruits grow in that country, but that's ok).
- Except ~1 hour waiting a the pick-up location (they apologized for that), everything went as perfectly and precisely as a Swiss watch. And the mother nature was friendly, and a tour operator made a great job. We were happy happy.
- I have nothing to tell bad. Well, yes, it is quite an expensive trip as for 3 hours in Petra, BUT the tour operator made a huge job and only a small piece of that money stayed within tour operator. The most of our money went to border fees, Petra entrance, busses, lunch etc. So when you count, it is not as expensive as it may look.
- In conclusion: if you are in Eilat, and if you want to see Petra, and you are not planning going to Jordan as a separate trip, choose this day-trip without hesitation. But you have to know the risks.
Leo_B, Dec 2022
It’s hard to do Petra in a single day, and the way this tour is set up it’s virtually impossible. So what you get is a rather abbreviated Petra experience (1.5-2.5 hours at the actual site), with a lot of travel in between. I recommend staying in Eilat because at least you’ll have a bed at the end of a long day, the people who traveled from Jerusalem or Tel-Aviv had a long night ahead of them when we got back to the Jordanian border. Speaking of which, the border crossing is the rate-limiting step. It will take as long as it needs to take, which for a group of 40+ people could take more than an hour. There’s no real way of expediting this, since you never know who or what customs will take issue with. Our Jordanian guide was charming, but clearly tired of his job and didn’t really display any enthusiasm over Petra. He lectured a bit on the bus ride and some at the site, but to get more out of the visit I would recommend you read up on what Petra is before hand so you have some context. Petra is more than just the inset tomb that signifies it, it’s a large city most of which you won’t get to see on this tour. So I recommend you do at least two days. The restaurant was ok, buffet style Jordanian food. I could have lived without stopping at the gift shop, but at least there you get a picturesque view of the Petra mountains and a bathroom break.
Ora_F, Dec 2022
I would not recommend taking Tourist Israel for the following reasons:
The person who was supposed to meet us at the Israeli border ( Yaron I believe was his name) was late. We entered the empty lot and I had to ask other people to find and contact him (we arrived to the Jordanian border right on time). He was extremely rude, basically telling me that he doesn’t work for me when I mentioned that after long day I would expect him waiting for us. The guide on the Jordanian side (Kasim) was very nice and knowledgeable however he rushed us in Petra yet did unnecessary stops at the stores (kickback?). The border crossings were easy and uneventful except we had to wait for awhile for busses that collected people from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Tourist Israel send us notification to fill out some web site the night before, unfortunately it was supposed to be filled out 48h before, but the boarder guys managed everything beautifully.
The bottom line, Petra is great and I would recommend to take private tour with a different company that has better customer service.
PAUL_E, Nov 2022
If possible, don’t miss an opportunity to visit Petra. While the one day trip does not provide enough time to see everything, our guide was exceptional in explaining multiple details of the city and it’s history. Be warned that it is a long day and requires much walking.
MICHAEL_S, Oct 2022
Travelling by bus across Jordan provided an opportunity to view Jordan's mountains which formed an impressive and dramatic backdrop. Depending on where in Jordan you are, the mountains vary in (rock) composition and appearance. One of the rest stops provided an opportunity to buy local Jordanian craft products (daggers, bowls, embroidered pashminas, and sand art, to name just a few) which all were beautiful and required high levels of skill to make, although some were also quite expensive. Petra itself was amazing, allowing a closer examination of sandstone rock formations, and impressing everyone with the skill and patience of the ancient Nabateans in turning this site into an amazing expression of their civilization. An eye-opening and thoroughly recommended experience.
Bobr, Aug 2022
Petra is everything your hear about it. Incredible place and highly recommend going with a guide to explain the area. The bus ride felt shorter than I expected due to the surroundings and one added feature they don’t tell you about. (I won’t spoil it!). The border crossing is a unique experience as I have never walked across the border and done immigration. Our guide, Kareem, felt like an old friend. I would go when the weather is good. It was a hot day in the sun in the parts that were not shaded. We are so glad we did this tour!
Brian_C, Nov 2019
The trip was long. 12 hours pickup to drop off. Maybe 45 minutes getting into Jordan and 20 minutes getting back into Israel.
Petra was amazing. Worth the time and money. We went in November and it was COLD COLD COLD.....and windy. Guide was great, well informed, but went on a 30 minute rant at the beginning to tell us what was wrong in Middle East. Oil, money, religion.....got it thanks. The lunch provided was brutal. But Petra was great. Want to go again in warm weather.
hasshah, Oct 2019
Too much waiting time
1. They consolidate Eilat and Tel Avis passengers
2. Jordan side guide was late - were told he is always late
3. Money collection on Israel and Jordan side takes time as it is not well organized - could have been charged upfront to avoid delay.
4. Delayed due to couple of people coming late from 1st break -
5. No microphone - hard to listen all conversation in a large group of 15+ people
Marc_B, Apr 2019
Started at 7am but didn't get there til 13.30 the guide went off, we couldn't follow missed explanation
christinegS7039XT, Mar 2019
Breathtaking views, well worth the time. just prepare for an extended period of time to get through security when entering Jordan.
ManuelAlberto_Y, Jan 2019
Crossing the border took almost 4 hours, all because the lack of organization of the guides, they mixed up passports among other things. The guide was extremely rude too, the threatened to leave is behind if we kept asking about our passports. The lunch is included, but the restaurant received no payment, they did not let us leave until we pay for the lunch. These are just facts of what happened in this tour, Petra was amazing though, shame we went through this awful agency.
SALVADOR_G, Jun 2018
Very interesting the place and the city of Petra. The unique problem Is the lost of time in the border.
Merrill_K, Apr 2018
Wish we had more time at the actual sight and informed that it would give us more time if we rode a carriage in.
Brad P, Jul 2017
Petra itself is a must see so I would go regardless if any hassles. Border crossing took welll over an hour and there was no one telling us what was going on and also the dinner was just okay.
Yoshiya Y, Jan 2017
Petra is amazing. we spent a lot of time picking people up and getting through the Jordanian border, and made an unnecessary stop in a souvenir shop on the way, then stopped at the office of the tour company for another 20 minutes. Bottom line, we got to the entrance of the Petra Park after 12:30 and had to be back by 3:30. We travelled a long way to be there, and only had 3 hours in total. Calling this excursion a day tour in Petra is a little misleading-it should really be an afternoon in Petra...
Mark U, Jan 2017
Petra is great place to visit. This specific day tour from Eilat was provided by some company from Israel. This tour was not well organized from booth places Israel and Jordan. This tour offered many activities that actually did not happened due to limited time and organizational issues. We spent almost entire day on the Jordan border collecting some money for the passing the border and for tour type visa 65 60 , etc.. etc. The promised lunch in the nice restaurant did not happened. We had a very simple buffet lunch in the terrible small restaurant on the Jordan site. As a result of all these issues we started our actual tour at 2PM and by 5PM we had to be back to bus. We crossed the border with Israel around 8PM. We did not visit Acaba and some other places. The tour guide was OK, but I would expect more professional tour guide for this amount of money. So, I would not recommend this tour. VIator have to be aware of these issues and not offer this tour.
Gil W, Nov 2016
Fantastic trip to an amazing place. The roads were good, the guide was funny and informative and the food was great. This trip is far from cheap but one of the reasons is that the entrance to the site is very expansive.
If you are even remotely interested in Petra, just do it. Really worth it.
Scott F, Sep 2016
Incredible experience. Mayin and Sammi were the best guide and driver!!!!!
Jacobo_T, Apr 2023
The treasury al khazan mala organización y poca información por parte del Guia
Pésimo comida
Se pierde tiempo en cosas sin importancia y no se explica lo qué hay dentro de Petra
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