Petra from Sharm by ferry: what fits into the 22-hour day
7 min read
The short answer: book the Petra day tour by ferry only if Petra matters enough to you to accept a 22-hour day, border formalities and several hours on foot. It starts at €222.13 and carries a 4.6 rating from 114 reviews. For travellers who mainly want a memorable day beyond the resort, Dahab or Ras Mohammed costs much less and wastes less of the day in transit.
Check availability and prices for the Petra day tour by ferry
What the 22 hours actually contain
This is not a ferry straight from Sharm to Petra. The working shape is hotel pickup, a road transfer north through Sinai, the sea crossing to Aqaba, another road transfer into Jordan, the visit to Petra, and the same chain in reverse. Border and sailing times can change, so the booking page rather than a memorised timetable is the place to confirm pickup and documents for your date. The booking page says that if the ferry is cancelled at short notice, or if you book a day outside the schedule, you are taken into Jordan via the Arava border instead.
The advertised duration is 22 hours. That is the useful number: even if every connection behaves, this is an overnight departure followed by a long return. A delay does not make Petra smaller; it reduces either the time at the site or the hour you reach your hotel.
Petra is not one photograph
The official Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority describes the Main Trail as 3.9 kilometres one way from the visitor centre to Qasr al-Bint. It labels the route easy and gives a non-stop walking time of 1 hour 30 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes. “Easy” describes the trail grade, not a 7.8-kilometre return walk after a night of transfers.
The Treasury appears fairly early, after the Bab Al Siq and the Siq. Continuing brings the theatre, royal tombs, colonnaded street and Qasr al-Bint. The Monastery is a different commitment and should never be assumed to fit a rushed day trip. If one sight matters most, tell the guide before the group starts walking.
Documents are personal, not a tour inclusion you can assume
Jordanian entry rules depend on nationality and residence status. Your Egyptian permission to remain in South Sinai does not answer whether Jordan will admit you, and a tour booking does not replace a passport or any approval your nationality requires. The listing names an entry visa to Jordan among its services without making clear whether it is included, so ask the operator in writing which border fees and visa handling are included for your nationality, then verify the answer with Jordan’s Ministry of Interior or your government’s travel advice. The booking page also asks for a copy of your passport to reach the local partner no later than two days before the tour.
On the return to Egypt, the UK Foreign Office says ferry services operate from Jordan to Taba Heights and Nuweiba, and explicitly advises contacting operators for schedules and availability. It also distinguishes the free South Sinai permission from a full Egyptian visa. This trip returns to Sinai, but your onward plans may require more. Check the stamp in your passport rather than assuming the excursion fixes it.
What to ask before paying
- Which port is used on your date, and what happens if the sailing is changed?
- Are Jordanian visa and border charges included for your nationality?
- The listing names a 3-hour guided tour of Petra: how much free time is planned around it?
- Lunch at a local restaurant in Petra is part of the programme: are drinks with lunch extra, and should you carry cash for them?
- Can the operator accommodate your walking pace, or must the group stay together?
The last question matters. A 22-hour group trip is not the place to discover that “free time” means twenty minutes or that a vehicle cannot wait.
Who should not book it
Do not choose this as a casual add-on for a beach week. It is poor value for anyone who dislikes overnight coach travel, has uncertain entry documents, or cannot manage a long uneven walk without a reliable rest plan. Petra’s official description calls the Main Trail accessible in the broad sense of an approachable route; that is not a promise of step-free or wheelchair access. Ask the operator and Petra Visitor Centre to confirm current arrangements for your needs.
With children, judge the transport before the archaeology. The problem is not whether a child likes ruins but whether they can cope with the outbound night, the walking and the same journey back. Operators set their own participation rules, so check the booking page for any age limit before booking for a child.
Is it worth the price?
Yes, if this is your realistic chance to see Petra and you understand that you are buying access across two countries, not a relaxed sightseeing day. No, if you are treating it as one more excursion from Sharm. At €222.13, the price buys distance and logistics rather than comfort.
For most travellers who have already decided that Petra is the priority, the answer is this trip: take the Petra day tour by ferry. If the 22-hour structure sounds excessive now, it will feel worse at the border; choose a Sinai day trip instead.
