January in Petra averages highs of 13 °C (55 °F) and lows of 6 °C (42 °F), with about 6 rainy days and 10 h 23 min of daylight.
January weather in Petra at a glance
average high to low each dot ≈ 3 rainy days
Is January a good time to visit Petra?
Tough month: cold and some rain. January is usually low season in Petra: rooms are typically easier to find and cheaper.
Our rule: a month scores 2 points for comfortable average highs of 18–28 °C (1 point for 14–18 or 28–32 °C) and 2 points for 5 or fewer rainy days (1 point for 6–10). Average highs above 35 °C or below 8 °C make it a tough month whatever the rain. A rainy day here means 2 mm of rain or more. 4 points = great, 3 = good, 2 = mixed, 0–1 = tough.
Holidays and events in January 2026
- New Year's Day (1 January) public holiday
Banks and many shops close on public holidays, and museums may change their hours, so check before you go.
Things to do in Petra in January
January's weather suits a mix of outdoor sights and museums, so the open-air ones come first.
- The Siq and the Treasury — enter at 6am for an empty Siq outdoors
- The Monastery (Ad Deir) — about 850 steps outdoors
- High Place of Sacrifice — views over the city outdoors
- Royal Tombs — best in afternoon light outdoors
- Petra by Night — candlelit Treasury on selected evenings outdoors
- Little Petra — free, 15 minutes north outdoors
Where to stay: Wadi Musa, the town at the gate, so you can enter at opening time.
What to pack for Petra in January
- A warm jacket and layers; evenings drop to around 6 °C (42 °F).
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees for mosques and temples.
- Comfortable walking shoes.
What a day in Petra costs
| Budget traveller | Mid-range | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical total per person, per day | €50–110 | €140–280 |
Excluding flights. January is usually low season in Petra: rooms are typically easier to find and cheaper.
January in nearby cities
| City | High / low | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cairo | 20° / 9° | 1 | Great time to go |
| Santorini | 13° / 10° | 8 | Tough month |
| Istanbul | 9° / 4° | 11 | Tough month |
Plan your Petra trip
Want the whole trip planned? Join the Journey waitlist: tell it where, when and your budget, and it plans every day hour by hour.
FAQ
Is January a good time to visit Petra?
By the numbers, January is a tough month: cold and some rain, with average highs of 13 °C (55 °F) and about 6 rainy days. January is usually low season in Petra: rooms are typically easier to find and cheaper. The best months for weather are March, April, October, November.
How warm is Petra in January?
Average highs are 13 °C (55 °F) and lows 6 °C (42 °F) (2015–2024 averages).
Does it rain a lot in Petra in January?
Expect about 6 days with 2 mm of rain or more, about 45 mm in total. It is the wettest month of the year in Petra.
Sources: climate averages from Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis, 2015–2024); sea temperatures from the Open-Meteo marine API (2023–2024); public holidays from Nager.Date. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of the month. Averages are a guide, not a forecast. Costs are typical ranges per person per day, excluding flights.