Have your driver from the Aqaba port drop you off at Little Petra. From there you can purchase your day ticket for Petra. Take the 4x4 shuttle to the closest point a vehicle can go which is the start of the steps up to the Monastery. The steps are not continuous but interspersed with trail and sets of steps. There are many steps but not as many as the 800+ you will find trekking the "front way" to the Monastery. The 4x4 shuttle is 5 JD per person. It should take you about 45-60 minutes (depending on your fitness level) to get to the Monastery. After you see the Monastery, head down the 800+ steps the front way. As you are facing the Monastery, you will see the start of the steps to your right. Once you get to the bottom, you will be at the Basin Restaurant. Trek towards the Petra Visitors Center from the Colonnaded St. to the Royal Tombs on your left, then the Theater on your right, then the Treasury, through the Siq, and you will arrive at the Petra VC. Depending on how many places you stop to see along this route (the fastest route), you should get to the Petra VC within 4 hours to meet your driver at the entrance of the Petra VC to take you back to the Aqaba port.

To get to the Monastery from the "front entrance" one has to start at the Petra Visitors Center, walk through the Siq to the Treasury, then past the Royal Tombs on the Colonnaded Street to the end of the Main Trail. Near the Basin Restaurant at the end, one will find the 800+ steps that lead up to the Monastery. This is the only route to the Monastery from the front entrance of Petra. To get to the "back entrance" after walking in from the starting point - Petra Visitors Center - once you are at the Monastery and you are facing it, head to your left. There will be a trail that will lead you towards Little Petra. The route is a mix of trail and many sets of steps. The steps are not continuous as with the front way and not 800+ but there are quite a few sets. When you get to the bottom of the last set of steps, you can either walk to Little Petra or you can take the 4x4 shuttle that takes visitors from Little Petra to the bottom of the steps (the initial set of steps that lead up to the Monastery) and vice versa. This shuttle runs about 2-3 times per hour until 5 PM. The cost is 5 JD per person. Once you get to Little Petra, you can take a taxi to Wadi Musa or take the free shuttle to the Petra Visitors Center.

For other readers, I'm answering my old question: We recently returned from Jordan and decided to use the back Monastery entrance. There may be more than one side or back entrance. The transport we took got us as close as a 4-wheel drive can get. A taxi will drop you off much further away. From where we got dropped off, it was about a 40-minute walk to the Monastery . And, it was a beautiful and peaceful walk/hike. Entering this way allows you to walk only one way and get back to the Visitor Center. We found a guide, Ayman, who will also provide transport to the back entrance (as well as other guide services if you want them). Our hotel quoted us 50 JODs for a 4-wheel drive ride to the back entrance. Ayman might start at 50 JODs, but will let you negotiate him down to a more reasonable price (I'm guessing this depends on time of year and demand). Ayman's truck was older, but dependable and got us there (these are extreme dirt paths). You can find Ayman at his decorative sand bottle stand at the entrance to My Mother's Recipe restaurant - or you can text him at+962775216631. He went to school for literature and his working English vocabulary seems larger than mine. I'm from the US and have no connection to Ayman other than using his service once. We started mid-day and coming in through the back Monastery entrance allowed us to get to the Treasury around 5 PM, which was perfect, because the crowds have died down by then. Highly recommended. Bring water for the back entrance, otherwise you can buy water most places in Petra.

ciao, per arrivare al monastero almeno un paio d'ore

όχι δυστυχώς. μόνο με τα πόδια ή με το γαϊδούρι που κοστίζει περίπου 15 δηνάρια (την τιμή μπορείς να την παζαρέψεις)

Hallo: nach meinem Dafürhalten ist der Aufstieg anstrengend aber nicht schwindelerregend.

Another option is to take the back way in from little Petra. A Jeep will drive you about a mile and then use a local Bedouin to guide you for about an hour through a beautiful and totally quiet hike. The hike is very easy and gradually works upward to the monestary. If you go early (10a), you have the place virtually to yourself. There are no steps which is the plus. Then, once at the monestary, it’s all downhill from there and you will arrive at The treasury. Backwards from most but definitely the way to go.

Hi no it's not a possibility . The only way is walking and donkeys ( if your grandfather can sit on them )

How much time do you have? I ran up in about 20 minutes, but it wasn't easy :) ... it all depends on your physical shape - your twins will not walk up there. it's easy to figure it out: if you don't feel tired by the time you reach the stairs, you could do it; if you're tired before reaching the stairs, consider taking a donkey (it doesn't look easy as well, but you won't get tired).

Mr BobandSharon, it is very nice the visit of the Monastery, the stairs to monastery takes about 45 minutes. you will find Bedouins who have donkeys, it is about 10 JD= 15 USD to go up. and then you have to come back from the same way but it is better to come down without donkey, it is more safety. any way if you take a donkey; try to choice a strong one