AMMAN TO PETRA
DIY day trip
there's a daily bus that will take you there in around 4 hours with a pit stop along the way (bathroom and breakfast, coffee break or snacks) it's a souvenir place with a restaurant cafe and bathroom that is free to use (and relatively ok) To travel from Amman to Petra by bus, you can take the JETT Bus, which departs Amman at 6.30am for Petra. I stayed in a hostel nearby to it and walked in the morning. I pre-booked my tickets and just showed my details when I arrived at the terminal. I suggest arriving around 30 minutes before.
I booked online: https://getbybus.com/en/bus-amman-to-petra
If your time is short you can do the trip in one day and return to Amman. There is a bus from Petra back to Amman at 5pm, or one the next morning.
early morning start for the bus from Amman to Petra. cold and wet but it soon dried up revealing a beautiful desert sunrise. The entrance for Petra is just across the road from the JETT bus stop, no need for extra transport. I bought my ticket on arrival but many can get it included in the visa ticket combo which also includes other destinations
Petra is sometimes referred to as the “Rose City” because of the colour of the stones used in its buildings. pink yellows. the stones are beautiful. so colourful. a one point I thought it was graffiti due to the different layers of colours. breathtaking (see pic below for an example!)
I actually thought this was graffiti when I first saw it and was a little angry....then I went for a closer inspection. AMAZING NATURAL STONE
you can pay for a picture of you on top of a camel outside the treasury. you can also get taken up to the cave cafes that look down over the treasury and drink some early morning (expensive) coffee
The city of Petra was established as a trading post by the Nabateans, an Arab tribe of southwestern Jordan over 2000 years ago, it was first recorded in history in 312BC as it was attacked by Greeks due to it's wealth
Excavations show that the Nabataeans use of canals enabled the ability to control the water supply that led to the rise of the desert city, creating an artificial oasis. The area is visited by flash floods, but the Nabataeans controlled these floods by the use of dams, cisterns, and water conduits, which also were used in times of drought as water sources ensuring the people could live comfortably and prosper in the desert city.
Petra is known primarily for its Hellenistic architecture. The facades of the tombs in Petra are commonly rendered in Hellenistic style, the best example perhaps being the treasury (24x37m tall similar to architecture in Alexandria Egypt)
the royal tombs
most recommend 2 days for Petra to see it all and enjoy it without rushing. Along with the site there are plenty of other things to do in and around the area.
There is a night show (Petra by Night: not included in the standard ticket admission to Petra and only runs on Monday, Wednesdays and Thursday nights. The tour takes around 2 hours and departs at 8.30pm from the Wadi Musa entrance to Petra.)
https://www.visitpetra.jo/DetailsPage/VisitPetra/EntertainmentsDetailsEn.aspx?PID=4
There is a lot of walking involved so wear good shoes. trainers or hiking boots. dress appropriately. it's the desert. It might be cold in the morning but when the sun comes out it gets hot. It can be pretty windy too!
There are also tours/camping in nearby Wadi Rum (desert) and several hotels to stay in, 5 star and budget.
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1377
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/world-heritage/article/wadi-rum-jordan
a semi-arid climate, most rain falls in the winter. thankfully it had stopped before we got there and was dry the whole day. windy at times, and cold at the beginning but it got warmer as the day went on, cloudy not sunny, it has an average temperature of 15 °C
inside the tombs
The Bedouins are a nomadic people who have lived in caves in Petra, Jordan for centuries, claiming to be direct descendants from the Nabateans. But since 1985, when UNESCO declared Petra a World Heritage Site, they were forced to move out of the caves and temples of the historic area. More than 250 families moved out but about 50 families still live inside the site, working as camel rider, souvenir sellers or unauthorized guides.
The Bedouins tend to be the people inside Petra who offer you tours, sell you trinkets, peddling souvenirs and offering camel and donkey rides (for a price / tip of course). The camels, horses and donkeys are in the best condition (As you can see from the pics) rides. They offer to guide your and take you to "secret" spots for good photos (such as take you up to the 'cafe" (climb) facing the treasury for the best view.
We met a little girl who was 10 but looks around 7 or 8 as she was so small and thin, she didn't go to school, instead she worked at Petra and helped her dad (she was a family of 8 kids)
If it's not them, then you have the "Pirate Cassanovas." Suave guys with "Jack Sparrow" vibes who try to get the female travellers to fall for them (who could say no to a pirates of the Caribbean captain jack haha). They don't just offer to take pictures but take pictures together and offer to be your guide haha
you don't need a guide. you can download maps or pick up a free map which tells you the routes and times from the entrance. there is only one entrance/exit. You go out the way you enter.
The Treasury - the most famous building of the Petra Complex. the notches at the sides of the building were used for climbing, "ladders" during the creation of the building apparently
Petra is known primarily for its Hellenistic architecture. The facades of the tombs in Petra are commonly rendered in Hellenistic style, reflecting the number of diverse cultures with which the Nabataeans traded, all of which were in turn influenced by Greek culture.
The Treasury, or Al-Jazneh
beautiful sandstone
you can visit Petra in one day if you walk quickly but you most likely won't get to see everything. if you have 2 days you can do the long hike to the end and see the Monastry (A lot of steps) Petra opens everyday from 6am - 6pm, if you are staying a night you can go early watch the sunrise and beat the crowds.. You can see the majority of main sights in a day, you don't need a guide and if you do get really stuck for time/tired there are horses/donkeys to ride or cars. You can get a free map at the ticket office and most of the famous sights are on the main route. Bring your passport to get your ticket. even if you have rebooked and printed the info!
https://www.visitpetra.jo/Pages/viewpage.aspx?pageID=138
It is included in the Jordan Pass. Which not only includes your visa fee but also other Jordanian sites
https://jordanpass.jo/Contents/jordanpass_prices.aspx
If you are visiting Petra on a day trip you should be able to see the main highlights including: the walk down the Siq to the Treasury (the first and most famous main site, around 30minutes from the entrance) the Amphitheatre, Colonnaded Street, Qasr al-Bint and Royal Tombs, The Tomb of Anensho, and many others...
Canal ways.
Although in the desert the ancient city developed canals, waterways that would hold water that flowed throughout the city stored during the rain times.
THE TOMBS
The dating of the tombs has proved difficult as there are almost no finds, such as coins and pottery, that enable archaeologists to date these tombs; a few inscriptions allow us to date some of the tombs at Petra, although at Egra, another Nabataean site (in modern Saudi Arabia), there are thirty-one dated tombs.
WEATHER: sandstorms, flash floods, intense summer sun
Bedoins staying in some of the tombs selling their wares
poor tired mummy and baby donkey
ancient mosaics
Byzantine Mosaic in the Ruins of a church near the royal tombs
Worth small climb up the hill from the main trail!
the mosaics are dated stylistically from the early 6th century, and depict everyday objects, exotic and mythological animals, as well as personifications of the Seasons, the Ocean, the Earth and Wisdom.
Petra Museum
at the exit/entrance to Petra beside the bus station. free entry with lots of interesting artefacts, explanations and videos. Worth a visit if you have time
https://www.visitpetra.jo/en/page/38/Petra-Museum
Goddess of Hayyan
