Petra

Petra (Arabic: البتراء, Al-Batrāʾ), the fabled "rose red city, half as old as time", is a well known ancient Nabataean city in the south of Jordan. Due to its breathtaking grandeur and fabulous ruins, Petra was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985.

Petra was the impressive capital of the Nabataean kingdom from around the 6th century BC. The kingdom was absorbed into the Roman Empire in AD 106 and the Romans continued to expand the city. An important center for trade and commerce, Petra continued to flourish until a catastrophic earthquake destroyed buildings and crippled vital water management systems around AD 663. After Saladin's conquest of the Middle East in 1189, Petra was abandoned and the memory of it was lost to the West.

The ruins remained hidden to most of the world until the Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, disguised as an Arab scholar, infiltrated the Bedouin-occupied city in 1812. Burckhardt's accounts of his travels inspired other Western explorers and historians to discover the ancient city further. The most famous of these was David Roberts, a Scottish artist who created a number of accurate and detailed illustrations of the city in 1839.

The first real excavations of the site were in 1929 after the forming of Trans-Jordan. Since that time, Petra has become by far Jordan's largest tourist attraction, partially due to the exposure by the Steven Spielberg movie, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, in 1989. Due to the fantastic engineering accomplishments and the fact of its being well-preserved, the archaeological site was chosen in July 2007 as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Petra is the archaeological site and Wadi Musa is the city nearby.

Guides can be hired from about 25 JD and up (depending on what you want to see) at the Visitors Center. Many of them were born and raised in Petra, and will gladly share their knowledge with you. Major hotels can rent you a portable Easyguide audio guide (10 JD/day) for commentary in English, Arabic, French and Spanish. Easyguide is also available as a mobile phone service on all Jordanian mobile phone networks; a map is needed to use this service.

• Siq. The entrance to Petra is a long, winding sandstone canyon (about 2 km). There are minor carvings spotted here and there throughout the Siq, but the most impressive sights are the colorful and unusual sandstone patterns in the rock walls. There are also remains of terracotta pipes built into the sides of the canyon that were used in Roman times to carry water.
• Treasury. Upon exiting the Siq, visitors can view this jaw-dropping grandeur. Be sure to note the urn atop the Treasury structure, it has been rumored that the urn contained a Pharaoh's hidden treasure, and the urn bears the bullet pock marks where Bedouin travellers throughout the years have tested the theory. Get there when the park opens at 06:00 or 06:30 (depending on the season) and you may have the Treasury all to yourself or with fewer than 5-10 people around and no vendors.
• Street of Facades. Past the next bend is this part also sometimes called outer Siq, a large canyon lined with the facades of various tombs.
• Nabatean Theatre. At the end of the Street of Facades is the 7000-seat Roman Theater. The theater was created by the Nabateans but later enlarged by the Romans. It is still used for occasional performances.
• Royal Tombs. On the side of the valley opposite the Roman Theater and a short walk up the hill, are the tombs. The name was given because they are quite grand in scale compared to the others in the area, but it is unclear for whom the tombs were built.
• Byzantine Church.
• The Great Temple.
• Monastery. The largest carved monument in Petra, dates back to the 1st century AD. The interior, like that of the Treasury, is puny in comparison to the facade. The more than 800 steps up to the Monastery can take over an hour, and even if you take a donkey you will have to walk and climb for about 10 minutes near the end.
• Desert View. If you follow the track further from the Monastery, you will reach a camp offering tea and stuff to sell, which offers a great view of the desert to the west.
• Petra by Night. Happens on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at 20:30 (be there at 20:15!). Entrance fee is 17 JD and you do not need a day pass. Order your tickets at your hotel, or buy them at the site's visitor center. The approach to the Treasury through the Site is lit only by candles. Musicians will play about 15 min of Bedouin music, and you'll be served some tea in paper cups while you sit on mats at the Treasury. It's best to see this before you see Petra by day, as it becomes far less impressive if you already walked up to the Treasury during daytime. It's not amazing, but it's something nice to do during nighttime. However, there are really mixed reviews of this.
• Princess Alia Clinic, Brooke Hospital for Animals. Just inside the entrance to the park. As you can witness inside Petra, not all donkeys, horses and camels are treated right. A few are overworked, carrying overweight tourist or being excessively whipped. The Brooke charity educates owners about the treatment of equestrian working animals and treats the animals for free. The clinic is happy to tell you about conditions for working animals in Jordan. You can give a donation to the clinic.
• Wadi Musa. This is the city next to Petra, doesn't have any big touristic attraction except for a great panorama from uphill.
• Petra Museum. A small museum with lots of great info and artifacts about Petra. free.

Siq. The entrance to Petra is a long, winding sandstone canyon (about 2 km). There are minor carvings spotted here and there throughout the Siq, but the most impressive sights are the colorful and unusual sandstone patterns in the rock walls. There are also remains of terracotta pipes built into the sides of the canyon that were used in Roman times to carry water.

Treasury. Upon exiting the Siq, visitors can view this jaw-dropping grandeur. Be sure to note the urn atop the Treasury structure, it has been rumored that the urn contained a Pharaoh's hidden treasure, and the urn bears the bullet pock marks where Bedouin travellers throughout the years have tested the theory. Get there when the park opens at 06:00 or 06:30 (depending on the season) and you may have the Treasury all to yourself or with fewer than 5-10 people around and no vendors.

Street of Facades. Past the next bend is this part also sometimes called outer Siq, a large canyon lined with the facades of various tombs.

Nabatean Theatre. At the end of the Street of Facades is the 7000-seat Roman Theater. The theater was created by the Nabateans but later enlarged by the Romans. It is still used for occasional performances.

Royal Tombs. On the side of the valley opposite the Roman Theater and a short walk up the hill, are the tombs. The name was given because they are quite grand in scale compared to the others in the area, but it is unclear for whom the tombs were built.

Byzantine Church.

The Great Temple.

Monastery. The largest carved monument in Petra, dates back to the 1st century AD. The interior, like that of the Treasury, is puny in comparison to the facade. The more than 800 steps up to the Monastery can take over an hour, and even if you take a donkey you will have to walk and climb for about 10 minutes near the end.

Desert View. If you follow the track further from the Monastery, you will reach a camp offering tea and stuff to sell, which offers a great view of the desert to the west.

Petra by Night. Happens on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday at 20:30 (be there at 20:15!). Entrance fee is 17 JD and you do not need a day pass. Order your tickets at your hotel, or buy them at the site's visitor center. The approach to the Treasury through the Site is lit only by candles. Musicians will play about 15 min of Bedouin music, and you'll be served some tea in paper cups while you sit on mats at the Treasury. It's best to see this before you see Petra by day, as it becomes far less impressive if you already walked up to the Treasury during daytime. It's not amazing, but it's something nice to do during nighttime. However, there are really mixed reviews of this.

Princess Alia Clinic, Brooke Hospital for Animals. Just inside the entrance to the park. As you can witness inside Petra, not all donkeys, horses and camels are treated right. A few are overworked, carrying overweight tourist or being excessively whipped. The Brooke charity educates owners about the treatment of equestrian working animals and treats the animals for free. The clinic is happy to tell you about conditions for working animals in Jordan. You can give a donation to the clinic.

Wadi Musa. This is the city next to Petra, doesn't have any big touristic attraction except for a great panorama from uphill.

Petra Museum. A small museum with lots of great info and artifacts about Petra. free.

For the terminally energetic, there are a number of popular hikes around Petra. Most hikes last about 1-3 hr round-trip.

• In order to understand what Petra is, it is better to spend there two days. The first day: Siq - Treasury - City - Monastery. The second day: another way to Petra through Wadi Muthlim - see the Treasury from above on Jebel Al -Khubtha - High Place of Sacrifice. If you enter Petra through Wadi Muthlim do not turn left immediately after the small Siq, first go right to see Aqueduct, Tunnel and Al-Wu'eira Fort and only after that return to Petra center. It may not be possible to go through this route due to excess water in it. It's not recommended doing this route without a guide.
• Tomb Staircases. Just after the last tomb on the side of the Royal Tombs, there leads a staircase up the mountain which gives a good view of the Petra area. At the very end of this track there is a camp giving a great view from above the Treasury.
• High Place of Sacrifice. The site at the top of the mountain contains elaborate rock altars used for sacrifices. From the High Place, one can view much of Petra from above. Beautiful scenery. It can get cold and windy up there. The trek down the back side of the mountain reveals many interesting tombs and carvings that might be missed by the average tourist. The round trip generally takes 1.5-2.5 hr. Not many people go through the back route as it's not always clear where it starts - ask or use OpenStreetMap to identify the track. You might even try to use the direct track to the Treasury, which is even harder to find and not official, even though the staircases are clearly visible from down the Treasury.
• Mountain of Aaron. This is the highest peak in the area. At the top you will find a small church and the tomb of Aaron, brother of Moses. The route to the top and back will take you past the Monastery and will take 4-8 hours depending on your chosen path.

Tomb Staircases. Just after the last tomb on the side of the Royal Tombs, there leads a staircase up the mountain which gives a good view of the Petra area. At the very end of this track there is a camp giving a great view from above the Treasury.

High Place of Sacrifice. The site at the top of the mountain contains elaborate rock altars used for sacrifices. From the High Place, one can view much of Petra from above. Beautiful scenery. It can get cold and windy up there. The trek down the back side of the mountain reveals many interesting tombs and carvings that might be missed by the average tourist. The round trip generally takes 1.5-2.5 hr. Not many people go through the back route as it's not always clear where it starts - ask or use OpenStreetMap to identify the track. You might even try to use the direct track to the Treasury, which is even harder to find and not official, even though the staircases are clearly visible from down the Treasury.

Mountain of Aaron. This is the highest peak in the area. At the top you will find a small church and the tomb of Aaron, brother of Moses. The route to the top and back will take you past the Monastery and will take 4-8 hours depending on your chosen path.

Throughout Petra, vendors will offer bottles of decorative sand art (small ones about 1 JD bigger ones up to 6 JD). While they may appear similar to other such souvenirs found in other Jordanian locations, these are unique in that the sand used to create the art is naturally colored sand scraped from the rock walls of various Petra canyons and not artificially colored. The most common design displays a camel's silhouette against a desert background. Some artists can write a name inside the sand bottle in a surprisingly short amount of time.

Bracelets, necklaces and rings are sold frequently by vendors walking around and presenting their goods. Offers vary extremely in price and often salespersons claim that they are made out of silver, even though they are not (1-5 JD is a fair price for most of the offered goods).

There is a fruit and vegetable market next to the minibus station in Wadi Musa.

Souvenirs in Petra/Wadi Musa often cost twice or three times the price demanded in the rest of Jordan. So, if you are also going to visit the rest of Jordan, do your shopping there.

The Bedouin tradesmen around the area will display artificial "ancient" Roman or Nabatean coins which are rather large in size. If pressed further, they will generally have a hidden stash of small, authentic coins from various periods. However buying these coins encourages the illegal looting of archaeological sites. To supply you with a souvenir the local inhabitants destroy graves, tombs and buildings in searches for coins and other antiquities. The Antiquities Law of 1988 states that individuals who engage in illicit excavations and/or trading in antiquities are criminals.

There is only one restaurant in all of the Petra site - at the far end of the Roman Highway. It's operated by Crowne Plaza, and does a roaring trade despite steep pricing, and also has the valley's monopoly on beer (6.5 JD for a 300 ml can, Oct 2018).

For just snacks and hot & cold drinks however, there are small stores and vendors scattered throughout Petra.

Many of these shops are powered by petrol. If you follow the electrical cables, they go up the slope into the old tombs where the generator is running. Not only does this create sound and air pollution, but the top of these old cave tombs becomes thick with soot and desecrating their beauty. Please don't buy from these vendors.

Shade is sparse in Petra, and on a hot summer day you can expect to go through at least 4 l of water (and more if you can afford to carry it). The need for water in the winter months is much less. A 0.5-l bottles cost 1 JD, and 250 ml soft drinks cost 2 JD (Oct 2018).

There are several bathrooms along the Main Trail with running water.

• Al-Janoub Sweets. Delicious sweets beyond the ordinary stuff sold by many shops around the country. Baklava filled with cheese or pudding, other sweety warm rolls and nuts and almonds specialities. 0.2 JD per small piece, 0.5 JD per piece on a plate.
• Al-Wadi Restaurant, +962 7 7725 9961. Reasonably priced, and the servers are extremely friendly. 2-4 JD for a main dish.
• Cleopetra. About 1 JD for a falafel or a tea.
• Wrangler Bar. Cosy bar with alcoholic drinks and oldies but goodies music. 4 JD for beer and wine.
• Valentine Inn (see below) sells various alcoholic beverages and is famous for that with the locals.
• Si Wan restaurant has some good local food with fair prices. Also, there's a good and cheap bakery near it.
• Mountain Pub (at Hidab Hotel). Traditional wood bar with alcoholic beverages, hot and cold drinks, and snacks.

Al-Janoub Sweets. Delicious sweets beyond the ordinary stuff sold by many shops around the country. Baklava filled with cheese or pudding, other sweety warm rolls and nuts and almonds specialities. 0.2 JD per small piece, 0.5 JD per piece on a plate.

Al-Wadi Restaurant, +962 7 7725 9961. Reasonably priced, and the servers are extremely friendly. 2-4 JD for a main dish.

Cleopetra. About 1 JD for a falafel or a tea.

Wrangler Bar. Cosy bar with alcoholic drinks and oldies but goodies music. 4 JD for beer and wine.

Valentine Inn (see below) sells various alcoholic beverages and is famous for that with the locals.

Si Wan restaurant has some good local food with fair prices. Also, there's a good and cheap bakery near it.

Mountain Pub (at Hidab Hotel). Traditional wood bar with alcoholic beverages, hot and cold drinks, and snacks.

The most cold and rainy months to visit Petra are December and January. In this time it is warm during the day and very cold in the evenings and at nights. That's why it is necessary to take coats, hats and gloves. And it could warm up your visit there if you take a thermos with hot tea with you. Avoid going if the forecast shows a lot of rain, as the guards may need to transport tourists out if the valley starts to flood. The hot, dry air sometimes results in nosebleeds. You might want to carry petroleum jelly, or petroleum jelly-based products like Vicks and apply liberally to the insides of the nostrils to avoid nosebleeds. Also, carry plenty of water and oral rehydration products if you are travelling to Petra in the hot summer months to avoid dehydration. A good cap and sunglasses will help you avoid getting a heat stroke and sunburn.

The park is populated by a significant number of Bedouins, living in caves, tents, and buildings off the main tourist trail. A handful undertake herding and agriculture and your interactions with them (if any) are likely to be brief and pleasant; however, the vast majority are focused on tourism within the park. The perceived wealth of tourists, together with a high visitor turnover and ineffective authorities, can make the (unavoidable) interactions with these touts unsavory at best, and occasionally quite intimidating.

Some practices have already be mentioned in the according chapters before. Here are some more:

• Animal mistreatment – You will not visit Petra without witnessing the kind of animal abuse that would lead to imprisonment in western countries. The touts who work with horses, donkeys, and camels think nothing of beating them, nor do some Bedouin children who see nothing wrong in recreationally beating the animals with electrical cable, sticks, rocks, or anything else they can lay their hands on. This is especially prevalent towards closing time, and for western sensibilities this might entirely sour your visit. Despite animal protection being paid brief lip-service on a sign near the entrance, the authorities are failing to address this at all.
• Fake park rangers – In addition to the tourist police, some park rangers work in the park. The park rangers' primary tasks are to ensure the preservation and scenic quality of the site, and to assist tourists in education and appreciation of the park.https://jordankmportal.com/resources/petra-park-ranger-field-manual-2009 Therefore, if a difficult gentleman claims to be a park ranger and insists on inspecting your ticket, consider showing him, but do not physically hand over your ticket.
• Changing money – One or two touts may ask you to exchange some foreign money (maybe a €10 note) to JD, complaining that there is no bank in Petra. It is not recommended.
• Female travelers – The internet is awash with stories of female travelers who have experienced financial scams, uncomfortable situations, or worse. Western women are often assumed to be promiscuous and even a basic interaction might be construed as an advance. So accepting an invitation for a walk, an Arabic coffee, or an evening under the stars is inadvisable. Likewise, in the adjoining town, if a woman sits in the front seat of a taxi (even in a group situation) this is taken as an invitation.

While going off the main tourist path is a rewarding experience for the trails, scenery, and less-visited archaeological sites—the further you stray, the less likely you are to come across police or fellow tourists who could help if necessary—best to always go in a group.

While the main trail has proper bathrooms, you may not encounter one if you do some trekking. Be prepared with plenty of water and bring a trowel to dig a cat hole. If you must use toilet paper (instead of a rock or water), be sure to bring a plastic bag to pack it out with you.

Many of the tombs in Petra are literally full of feces and (worse) feces-smeared toilet paper. Don't contribute to the desecration of these beautiful caves. If you have to go, bury your excrement off the trail (not in a tomb!) and pack out your toilet paper with you.

• Little Petra. — a scaled down version of Petra, is accessible by taxi or from Petra. It is less traveled than the main site and is well worth the visit if you spend more than a day in Wadi Musa. Approximate cost for a cab ride to and from the site, including having the taxi wait for an hour or so, is 25 JD (Oct 2018). There is also at least one minibus leaving from the bus station (city center) around 12:00. Price: Free.
• Wadi Rum — a stunning desert valley in southern Jordan, lies about an hour south of Petra. Buses leave in the morning (~06:30) and generally cost 5 JD. Make arrangements through your hotel. Taxis for 40 JD (Oct 2018).
• Dana Nature Reserve — stay in a local village within the Nature Reserve, and enjoy unforgettable hiking in an offshoot of the Great Rift.
• Shoubak Castle. It is on a hill with spectacular views and a great for a stop when going south to Petra. Most of the castle is a pile of rubble but there are underground rooms to explore, including the staircase (through a metal door that should be open) that goes down 375 steps to the old wells. Take a torch. At the bottom, you can climb up metal rungs to a hatch next to the road below the castle, then walk back up the road. Along a side road to the castle, you can also find The smallest hotel in the world. with a steep price of 25 JD, but maybe it can be bargained down to 15 JD, considering there is only space for one. Just nearby the owner of it also has regular rooms with dinner and breakfast. 1 JD.
• Kerak — site of a once-mighty Crusader castle.
• Wadi Mujib. — great nature reserve famous for its impressive canyons. Read more here. Limited access in winter.
• Madaba — known as the 'City of Mosaics' for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of Palestine and the Nile delta at St. George Church.
• Dead Sea — The lowest point on earth and the most saline sea, letting you float on top.
• Buses to Aqaba also leave in the morning for 5 JD (price for tourists) (~07:00). From Aqaba, it is possible to cross the border to Eilat in Israel and from there to Taba in Egypt.
• To get to Amman, you can take a minibus from the central bus station (5.5 JD). There must be one every hour until 14:00 or 15:00. JETT also has a daily bus leaving at 17:00 from the parking close to the visitor center (8 JD).
• For a cheaper trip, a public minibus from Wadi Musa (Petra) to Ma'an is 0.55 JD and from there to Aqaba 1.5 JD. Also cheap buses to Amman from Aqaba pass by here.

Most budget hotels have tours but the level of organization varies a lot and could prevent you from taking a tour. It is best to form a group yourself (at least 4 persons). An example tour could be Kings way trip: Shoubak Castle, Dana Nature Reserve, Tafilah, Karak Castle, Dead Sea, Mt. Nebo, Madaba & Churches, and Amman for about 30 JD at the Valentine Inn.

Little Petra. — a scaled down version of Petra, is accessible by taxi or from Petra. It is less traveled than the main site and is well worth the visit if you spend more than a day in Wadi Musa. Approximate cost for a cab ride to and from the site, including having the taxi wait for an hour or so, is 25 JD (Oct 2018). There is also at least one minibus leaving from the bus station (city center) around 12:00. Price: Free.

Shoubak Castle. It is on a hill with spectacular views and a great for a stop when going south to Petra. Most of the castle is a pile of rubble but there are underground rooms to explore, including the staircase (through a metal door that should be open) that goes down 375 steps to the old wells. Take a torch. At the bottom, you can climb up metal rungs to a hatch next to the road below the castle, then walk back up the road. Along a side road to the castle, you can also find The smallest hotel in the world. with a steep price of 25 JD, but maybe it can be bargained down to 15 JD, considering there is only space for one. Just nearby the owner of it also has regular rooms with dinner and breakfast. 1 JD.

Wadi Mujib. — great nature reserve famous for its impressive canyons. Read more [[Dead_Sea_(Jordan)#See|here]]. Limited access in winter.