The Legendary Rock City of Petra - Jordan

The legendary city of Petra is Jordan's top attraction. For me, the former capital of the Nabataean Kingdom and the Siq gorge was the absolute highlight of my Jordan tour. It's no wonder that it attracts several thousand visitors every day.

There are these places whose mere mention sends shivers and wanderlust through me. In the same breath as Machu Picchu, Okavango Delta, or Angkor Wat, I also count the rock city Petra in the Siq gorge in Jordan.

One of my main reasons for traveling to Jordan was to visit this ancient capital of the Nabataeans, over 2000 years old. The city of Petra is Jordan's most famous attraction, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and a filming location for movies like Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

For almost 1000 years, the city was abandoned until it was rediscovered by a Swiss in 1812. Today, it is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. The city is hidden in a pink rocky landscape near Wadi Musa and should definitely be on your bucket list.

"Petra is the most beautiful place in the world," once exclaimed T. E. Lawrence (better known as Lawrence of Arabia) and added, "any description is pointless, as it could not do justice to reality." I can only agree with him.

Words cannot truly do justice to this overwhelming place. Archaeologists often refer to Petra as the Eighth Wonder of the Ancient World. Presumably rightly so. When you come to Petra, you will likely feel as I did. You will be so impressed and overwhelmed that you will want to see and learn as much as possible about it. This mainly means: walk, walk, walk.

The remote ghost town is one of the largest and most impressive places I have ever visited.

Petra is the pride of the Jordanians. We notice this when our guide Nasr prepares us for the visit the night before and explains to us during dinner which paths and structures we will explore.

The next morning, he struts ahead to the entrance of Petra with his chest puffed out. He almost floats through the rock city. After the visit and a very eventful day, we all know he is completely justified in feeling this way. Proud that there is such a valuable archaeological treasure in his country.

Recently, new massive monuments of the ancient rock city of Petra in southern Jordan were discovered. Thanks to satellite images, these were uncovered by archaeologists from the USA.

According to Wikipedia, researchers have identified about 1000 buildings and building remains over an area of approximately 20 square kilometers. It is estimated that only up to 20 percent of ancient Petra has been excavated so far.

The structures in Petra exhibit Roman, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and local architectural features. It's hard to imagine how the city was once full of life. With paved streets, the remnants of which can still be found in the Siq gorge, terraces for agriculture, temples, and a large theater.

Gradually, the inhabitants left the city until Petra fell into oblivion in the 14th century. Until the Swiss Johann Ludwig Burckhardt rediscovered the rock city in 1812.

Here, I have documented the most important buildings and places in Petra. Listed in order of my visit from the visitor center to the monastery Ad-Deir.

The entrance is right by the visitor center. Here we pass through a security checkpoint.

Tip: At the entrance, take a map of the rock city or take a photo of the large sign to the left after the entrance that marks all the paths! As a good source of information for substantial knowledge about Petra and all the buildings and sites, I can recommend the Travel Know-How for Jordan.

Along a dried-up riverbed, we pass by vendors offering you a ride in a horse-drawn carriage or on horseback to the Treasury. These guys are really persistent. I advise you to only take a carriage if you're not good on your feet. Otherwise, the carriages look quite bumpy (on the uneven surfaces and cobblestones). Also, we enjoyed strolling slowly through the Siq.

Right after the horse-drawn carriage vendors, the path leads into open terrain (Bad as-Siq), slowly merging into the gorges. The first impressions are overwhelming. Here are the first rocks with the Obelisk Tomb, Triclinium, Bad as-Siq, and the Djinn blocks. Already here, we get a good first impression of the structures we will encounter later.

The oversized blocks are presumably graves, whose use at the time is unknown. Therefore, the Bedouins simply called them Djinn blocks, meaning "ghost graves".

Across from it is the Obelisk Tomb, below which is a classic Nabataean building with three rooms: the Triclinium. The hall was presumably used as a place for feasts in honor of the dead, which they celebrated annually.

The main access to Petra goes through the 1.2-kilometer long and quite narrow, winding Siq gorge. Tall rock walls rise on both sides to 100 meters high. The ground still consists of some original Nabataean pavement. At its narrowest point, the gorge is only two meters wide.

I am surprised by the bizarre rock formations of multicolored stone here. In the early morning sunshine, the rocks glow in various shades. I notice remnants of water channels carved into the walls and stop frequently.

In the early morning, we are nearly alone and can often pause to photograph the gorge without people around. Years ago, this would have been impossible.

Unfortunately, tourism here has dropped by over 80%. Many people think that a trip to Jordan is unsafe due to its proximity to Syria.

Suddenly, and completely unprepared, the most famous and photographed building of Petra comes into view: The Treasury, Khazneh al-Firaun. Even in the Siq, I had to marvel and repeatedly said, "How beautiful is this?".

However, when the first views of the approximately 40-meter-high facade of the Treasury are possible, I stand still for a moment.

The Jordanian's most beautiful monument is best seen when leaving the gorge. The facade is 43 meters high and 30 meters wide.

According to researchers, it was initially built as a tomb for a Nabataean king to later be used as a temple. So, there were never any treasures inside. By the way, you cannot enter the Treasury. The path from the Treasury leads through a wider gorge to the Street of Facades.

No more carriages run here. From here, however, you can continue to ride on camels or donkeys, which are charmingly marketed as Ferraris or Lamborghinis.

You automatically reach the Street of Facades via the outer Siq. Here, you will see ornate Nabataean rock graves. Additionally, there are the first cafes, souvenir shops, and restrooms.

We are in the center of the rock city of Petra. The gorge opens up into a wide valley. Countless graves and buildings line the rock walls on both sides. From here, numerous paths branch off, which are best explored with a guide. Thanks to ours, we enjoyed great views that we likely wouldn't have found without him pointing out barely visible paths.

The sacrificial site is located left above the Street of Facades, which you reach after following the path to the right of the Treasury. After a short and steep climb, you arrive at a fantastic viewpoint. Unfortunately, we didn't make it to the top. This tip comes from Susi (Black Dots White Spots), who has been up there.

To my surprise, the theater was not built by Romans, but by Nabataeans. The Nabataeans carved it completely out of the rock. Only the front sections were built up. From the originally 3000 seats, it was gradually expanded to over 7000 seats.

I find it a bit unusual that immediately after the theater, there are small graves. They are called the "Theater Necropolis". As if one wanted the deceased to have box seats for the next performance.

The best view of the theater and the Street of Facades can be obtained from the opposite hill, which you can easily reach after a short climb.

Directly behind us now is the impressive wall of the royal tombs (right side of the Street of Facades). Unfortunately, the royal tombs are already very weathered and barely recognizable. Apparently, these structures once rivaled the beauty of the Treasury. Nevertheless, I find them to be very impressive structures.

The Urn Tomb can be reached after a sweaty and short ascent up about 200 steps. Upon reaching the top, you first find yourself in a large courtyard. You can enter the grand hall. The interior is empty, but the walls show the craftsmanship that has been incredibly precisely carved in parallel grooves. It is hard to imagine how this was possible without modern machinery.

Above the entrance are three chambers. The middle one features a depiction of a stag, presumably representing the one buried therein.

Continuing along the slope, we first reach the Palace Tomb, which, despite its decay, is still impressive with its three-story facade.

After that, you arrive at the only grave whose name is known, as the inscription is still clearly visible. Sextius was once the governor of the Roman province of Arabia and wished to be buried in Petra.

If you don't have lunch packets with you, you should take a break here and fortify yourself with a buffet lunch. After that, it's a steep climb of more than 800 steps. So, make sure to hydrate well and rest in the shade.

Next, you ascend 822 steps to the monastery Ad-Deir. In the Middle Ages, monks lived here. On the way up, we first arrive at the Lion Triclinium. I keep catching great views of the gorges and the Wadis around us.

Info for the ascent to Ad-Deir: For about 10 JOD (depending on your negotiation skills), you can ride up on a donkey from the Rest House. The poor donkeys were slipping so much on the rocky floors. I'm not sure how dangerous these slippery surfaces are for the animals.

After about a 45-minute ascent, we reach the monastery Ad-Deir, idyllically situated on a plateau between impressive rock formations. The path is mostly in the shade, so the climbing is not too strenuous.

The sight of the monastery is magnificent. Despite its simpler facade, it bears a certain resemblance to the Treasury. However, Ad-Deir seems even more beautiful and impressive to me.

Opposite is a café that also offers fresh juices at a fair price. Here you can sit and enjoy the great view of Ad-Deir. We linger on the sandy ground, resting with a freshly pressed pomegranate juice.

We haven't had enough yet and follow the signs that lure us with inscriptions like "Best view of the world". From several viewpoints, you can get a good overview of the rocky area with views extending to Israel.

Here, too, there is coffee and tea and a beautiful place to linger. Afterwards, you descend the same way back to the Rest House, down the Street of Facades and the Treasury, through the gorge to the entrance.

The only stone building in Petra is Qasr al-Bint. Presumably serving as the main temple of the former capital, it also adorns the entrance tickets to Petra.

We walk through the magnificent Street of Columns as we leave the grounds. This street once led through the city center of Petra, surrounded by temples, shops, and houses. The marble flooring is still visible in some places.

Tip: You get a great view of Qasr al-Bint, the Street of Columns, and the Street of Facades from the Christian church.

The gorge and the Treasury are, by the way, the filming location for the final scene of "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade". Inside the Treasury - Al-Khazneh lies the Holy Grail, Indiana Jones's target as he navigates through the Siq gorge.

Amidst all the Indiana Jones references, it's often forgotten that Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was also filmed in Petra. Here, Ad-Deir served as a film set.

The best times to visit are in spring (March - May) or fall (September - November). The temperatures are comfortably warm, ranging from 64 - 77°F.

In summer (July - September), it becomes quite hot in Petra.

During my visit in November, it was pleasantly warm (in the gorges) to hot during the day. The temperatures ranged from 82-90°F in the sun. Without sun protection, you risk a sunburn. The gorges provide cooling shade, however. We had extremely good weather.

In summer, the visitor center opens at 6 a.m. and closes at 6 p.m. As winter time begins, Petra closes as early as 4 p.m. (shortly after it gets dark). Therefore, I advise you to go to the entrance at 6 a.m. when everyone else is still sleeping. Additionally, the lighting conditions are best early in the morning. When the sun is high at noon, all photos become overexposed.

In the late afternoon, the sun is lower, and the reddish evening sun casts the rocks in a rosy light.

In the evenings, you can experience Petra by Night. This experience is not included in the regular ticket price. From 8:30 p.m., tickets for the nighttime experience are only sold to ticket holders at the visitor center for 17 JOD. The tour lasts about 2 hours and, according to the guide, is very touristy and crowded. I would have liked to see it if the Treasury is illuminated by thousands of lights.

Dom recently visited Petra and also experienced the UNESCO World Heritage site at night. It's breathtakingly beautiful, but no tripods are allowed for cameras, making it hard to take good photos.

Note: The Petra by Night tour is only available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Exploring the ruins is an unforgettable experience. Petra is a much larger archaeological site than most tourists imagine. Therefore, they - myself included - often bring far too little time to explore the area. You should plan at least 2 or 3 days for a visit to Petra. I was able to see a lot in one day, but I felt that it was way too short.

The visitor center opens daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. in summer and from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. in winter.

At the visitor center in Wadi Musa, you can purchase your ticket for Petra. You can also pay with a credit card.

The ticket for a day visit costs 50 JOD (about 63 USD). Probably one of the highest entry fees I have paid for an attraction so far. But who goes to Jordan without visiting the country's most popular attraction? It's definitely worth it. If you stay longer, it becomes cheaper. A 2- or 3-day ticket costs 55 or 60 JOD.

Children under 12 can enter for free.

Tip for saving money: Buy the Jordan Pass before your trip. It costs only 70 JOD and includes not only the entrance to Petra but also the entry fees of 40 JOD for your visa. Additionally, over 40 other attractions in Jordan are included in the pass.

Due to the tourism slump, many guides offer their services right at the entrance. To ensure quality, I recommend booking a guide at the visitor center at the gate. This is sensible. He knows the hidden paths that are not always apparent. Also, he shows you the best viewpoints of the valleys and rock reliefs.

The distance from Amman is about 3-4 hours by car via the Desert Highway. Taking the more scenic King's Highway takes about 5 hours.

You can take a taxi for about 50 JOD from Amman to Petra. Buses are the cheapest way to reach Petra. They leave from Abdali Station in Amman at 6:30 a.m. to Wadi Musa (Petra) on Tuesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. The return trip is at 4 p.m.

From Aqaba, you can reach Petra in 1.5 hours.

I recommend staying at least one night in Wadi Musa, which is the starting point for any Petra visit. We spent two nights at the Mövenpick Resort Petra. The hotel is only 50 meters from the entrance (Visitor Center). It is expensive but excellent. I was invited by the tourism office for this trip.

Other well-rated hotels close to the entrance include La Maison Hotel, Al Rashid Hotel (from 36 €) or the Petra Guest House Hotel. For a particularly spectacular experience, you can stay at Bedouin camps, such as the 7 Wonders Bedouin Camp outside the city for those who want to overnight in an unusual place and don't have time for a Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum.

The rock city of Petra is located in Jordan, approximately 3-4 hours by car from the capital Amman via the Desert Highway to Wadi Musa (Petra).

You can buy chilled drinks everywhere on site. Of course, the prices are a bit higher than outside. I carried my 1-liter water bottle, which I constantly refilled. I really didn't want to walk through Petra with over three liters of water in my backpack. Additionally, there are fresh juices available everywhere, and you're supporting the locals who are already suffering from the decline in tourism. There are also a few restaurants on the site. The restaurants are overpriced and do not offer the best food (in terms of taste) that I had in Jordan. Still, it was nice to take a break as we were constantly climbing up and down.

There are many vendors in the rock city selling all sorts of items. From jewelry to postcards, books, or even herbs and spices, and even carpets, you can find a variety here. Sometimes the sellers can be pushy. So you should carefully consider if you are interested in standing at their stall or if you should proceed with purpose. A friendly "No thanks" (or "La'a shukran") often does not suffice in Petra to shake off the vendors.

Definitely wear sturdy shoes. Visiting in flip-flops would have been dangerous in some areas. By the end of the day, you will likely have walked over 10 km. Pack sun protection as well. Plus, bring water (I use a water bottle that I can roll up when it's empty) and sunglasses. With my shorts and a top, I was well-dressed. As the sun set on the way back from the Siq gorge, I felt a bit cold. I had brought my long-sleeve shirt (in November). Because once the sun sets, it gets cool.

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