Guides at Petra entrance will quote you 50-70 JOD for a basic tour. This is negotiable, especially if it's afternoon or you're visiting in low season (November-February). I paid 40 JOD for 2.5 hours with a guide who showed me routes I never would have found on my own.

What to agree on before starting: Duration, which sites you want to see (Treasury, Monastery, High Place of Sacrifice, etc.), whether the price includes just route guidance or also historical explanation, and whether they expect baksheesh (tip) on top of the agreed price. Be direct about this. A good guide will appreciate the clarity and respect your straightforwardness — It's far better than awkward conversations at the end.

The real value: It's not just the history (though hearing about Nabataean trade routes and water systems is fascinating). It's knowing which paths avoid crowds and where to stop for the best views. My guide took me up a scramble trail to see the Treasury from above — Not marked on any map, involves climbing through a narrow canyon for about 20 minutes, but the aerial perspective is absolutely worth it. He also knew exactly when the tour groups would flood certain areas, so we timed our route to stay ahead of them.

Negotiation strategy: Don't hire the first person who approaches you outside. Walk into the site, get oriented, see the Treasury, then decide if you want a guide for the rest. You can hire guides inside the site near the Basin Restaurant area too, and you'll have better negotiating position once you're already there. In my experience, guides are more flexible on price around 2-3pm when the morning rush is over.

The guides waiting at the entrance are all licensed and knowledgeable — You're not risking quality by negotiating, you're just getting a fair price.