Petra

By gandara

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Nabataean temple of Al-Deir, ruins of Petra

Petra at night

Petra, the fabled "rose red city, half as old as time", meaning cleft in the rock is an archaeological site in the Arabah, Ma'an Governorate, Jordan, lying on the slope of Mount Hor in a basin among the mountains which form the eastern flank of Arabah (Wadi Araba), the large valley running from the Dead Sea to the Gulf of Aqaba. It is renowned for its rock-cut architecture. UNESCO has described it as "one of the most precious cultural properties of man's cultural heritage" thus designating it as a World Heritage site.

Tours entering the location of the city have to pass through 1 km of a winding narrow gorge or Siq. As you journey through, soaring vertical cliffs on either side dwarfs the Siq visitors. After weaving through the sheer pink tinged rock faces you finally glimpse the Al-Khazneh (treasury), the entrance to which has been carved into a sheer rock face. This intricately carved facade is believed to have been built in the 1st Century to house the tomb of a Nabataean King.

Petra tours by night offer a uniquely magical experience as 2000 burning candles lead visitors through the underground rooms to the treasury.

A particularly charming way to visit the site is by a horse drawn cart. Special permits are issued for an extra fee from the visitor centre at the entrance to the 1 km gorge to enable you the experience. To add an even more exciting dynamic to Petra vacations, once inside the historic site you can rent a donkey or camel to do the walking for you. Both come with handlers and take specially designated routes throughout this inspiring attraction in Jordan. Although you can easily walk the 1 km route with the humid and hot temperatures resting your weary legs proves a good option.

With fascinating rock formations and Roman temples and sacrificial alters, Petra vacations demand at least a few days of your time to fully explore this popular attraction in Jordan.

FYI
The picturesque site is featured in various films such as: Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, "Arabian Nights", Passion in the Desert, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger, the Sisters of Mercy music video "Dominion", and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

Mode of Transportation
The only modes of transport allowed within Petra are on two feet or on four feet (camel, donkey, or horse). When entering Petra, there is a brief hike down towards the Siq. 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 .9 kilometers) and down to the Treasury. The prices for such rides are not set and are extremely negotiable, depending on one's bargaining abilities.

Once you arrive at the Treasury, 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 times the owner will drop his price in half simply by hearing a few phrases in Arabic.

Camel or donkey transport should be seriously considered. 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. However if you are reasonably fit and the weather is good, the walk is quite nice.


By bus

JETT buses, both ordinary and all-inclusive guided tour, connect to Amman and Aqaba. Other tourists come with organized groups, including daily trips from Eilat. Tours to Petra from Taba, Sinai and Sharm el Sheikh are also gaining popularity with charter tourism.

It would cost 24 JD for two persons to travel by JETT bus, and allow you to see almost the entire site in an (exhausting) day trip.

By minibus

The minibus from Wadi Rum costs 3 Jordanian Dinars (JD) each. It takes 1.5 hours to get to Petra. Have the Rum Guesthouse or your tour operator call the bus owner the day before to arrange an exact time for pick up. The bus usually leaves from Wadi Rum at 8:30 in the morning, but may be delayed due to weather or tour groups coming the other way.

There are also minibuses from Amman departing from the Wadabat bus station - these leave when full, and tourists are almost always charged 3 JD to get on. DO NOT allow the drivers to charge you for your luggage, as they might sometimes try to do, considering you're already paying more than the locals (who pay 2-2.5JD).

By taxi

Taxi is also a viable option. For 75 JD or less (depending on how much you haggle) you may be able to get a private taxi from Amman to Petra and back, including the driver waiting around for 6 hours.

A taxi from Aqaba to Petra should cost about JD 30 one-way. If coming from Eilat (Israel), opportunistic drivers at the border may ask for much higher fares; it's better to take one cab to central Aqaba and continue from there at the normal price. Most hotels in Petra can also arrange to have someone pick you up.

If you get there renting a minibus with a driver in the hotel at the Dead Sea, the one-way price would be 140 JD.
http://www.destination360.com/middle-east/jordan/petra




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