Petra — Jordan's top attraction, an ancient city carved out of sandstone and one of the new 7 Wonders.

 

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 can be accessed by bus, taxi or car, however,Petra archeological site is reachable by an easy 20 minutes walk from the town centre or most hostels/hotels in the town of Petra.

 

The only modes of transport allowed within Petra are on two feet or four (camel, donkey, or horse). When entering Petra, there is a brief hike down towards the Siq. "Free" horses will be available for travel to the entrance of the Siq, or you can choose to take a horse-drawn buggy through the Siq (a distance of about 0.9 kilometers) and down to the Treasury. WARNING: Be very careful in dealing with the horse men - they will tell you that the horse ride is free, but once you are riding, will reveal that the "tipping" cost is actually 18 JOD per person (around £15 GBP/20 Euros/US$25). The ride takes about 5 minutes and is no quicker than walking. You can try negotiating - 4 JOD per person will probably be accepted - but these guys are mercenaries and will take you for every penny - tourists being scammed of 60 JOD for a family of 3 is usual. It really isn't worth it. Do not do it. The horse have been treated so badly in the past that a clinic to treat and heal them from the bad treatments they receive has been opened left to the entrance. It's not uncommon to see wounded animals, especially those pulling the carts, to be put to gallop under 37°C. So if you can walk, it's better to spare the animals.

There are 4 segments within Petra with 3 potential animal transport. From the entrance to the Siq (by horse), From the Entrance to the Treasury (by cart), From the Treasury to the stairs of the Monastery (donkey or camel), the 800 stairs of the monastery (donkey).

Once you arrive at the Treasury and throughout Petra, there will be many camel and donkey owners jockeying for your business. Be prepared to do some bargaining and don't pay more than 10 JD, a more reasonable price is around 3 JD a person. Often there are times when the owner will drop his price in half simply by hearing a few phrases in Arabic.

Camel transport could be an option. Riding a camel is a unique experience on more level ground, but a donkey is recommended for more ambitious climbs, such as the ones to the High Place or the Monastery. Camels are the only animals respected by their owners in Petra as they're very expensive and less docile than donkeys or horses. So riding them is ok but deal well with the owner before climbing on them.

However if you are reasonably fit and the weather is good, the walk is quite nice. Prefer climbing the Monastery's path from 3pm on, it will be mostly in the shadow. Riding a donkey is nothing for the animal friends as they treat the animals really badly and the climb at noon is really hard for them. You'll see them passing by and it will definitely deter you from riding one of them. They're exploited by small groups of beduin youths who uses 75cm electrical cable sections to strike them all the way up to the monastery.

Between your hotel and Petra entrance, you can either walk or take a taxi for 1-2jd. Most hotels have free shuttle to the entrance on fixed schedules.

A good idea is to stock up on high quality batteries for your digital camera, before you enter the site. You will need more photos than you think, and local batteries will often not last many minutes.

 

For the terminally energetic, there are a number of popular hikes around Petra.

• In order to understand what in reality Petra is, it is better to spend two days there. The first day: Siq - Treasury - City - Monastery (entry cost as of February 2014 is 55JD for two days ticket). 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.

• The 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 hours. Not many people go through the back route as it's not always clear where it starts - ask.

• The Mountain of Aaron (Jabal Haroun) 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.

Most hikes last about 2-3 hours both way.

Once you have seen Petra consider exploring Little Petra and the bordering deserts Wadi Rum and Wadi Araba. You can hire a local Bedouin guide for single or multiple day treks by foot, 4WD, horse or camel. Sleeping under the stars in a Bedouin camp and cooking a meal Bedouin style is a special experience.

 

Throughout Petra, vendors will offer bottles of decorative sand art. 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. Prices vary from 1,50-12 JD/bottle, depending on size, artwork and negociation. Small bottles are sold for no less than 1,50 JD, medium sized bottles for no less than 4 JD, big bottles for no less than 8 JD.

There is a quite cheap supermarket between Cleopatra Hotel and Seven Wonders Hotel. All items are scanned, so there is not a tourist and a local price. Although closes quite early, around 4-5pm.

Just under the bus station is a big building, with fruits and vegetables. Fair prices.

 

There is only one restaurant in all Petra at the far end of the Roman Highway, which does a roaring trade despite steep pricing. It also has the valley's monopoly on beer.

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

Shade is sparse in Petra, and on a hot summer day you can expect to go through at least 4 liters of water (and more if you can afford to carry it). The need for water in the winter months is much less. 1.5 liter bottles cost 1-1.50 JD.

 

The most cold and rainy months to visit Petra are December, January and February. 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 (like on Jan 18th 2010), it occasionally snows in Petra (around two days a year). During summer the hot, dry air sometimes results in nosebleeds for those who are prone to them. Carry petroleum jelly (Vaseline or other brands) 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 like Electral if you are traveling to Petra in the hot summer months to avoid dehydration. A good cap and sunglasses will help you avoid getting a heat stroke.