Ever since I saw the Indiana Jones movie that featured the ruins of Petra, I was fascinated with getting there myself. Along with Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Petra was a major bucket list item on our world travel checklist.
The marketing material states "nothing quite prepares you for your first view of Petra"...well stated. Despite having seen numerous images over the years, and knowing that you approach it through a slot canyon, etc. seeing it in person is what it is all about. Fantastic!
The approach takes you from the visitor center down a trail for approximately 2-3 km through a beautiful slot canyon. The terrain was very familiar to us as it is nearly identical to the same type of geology as in Utah canyon country. Soaring sandstone walls that go up for 100 meters with the slot itself narrowing to 4-5 meters wide in places.
The first major feature you encounter is the Treasury. This is the one featured so prominently in the Indiana Jones film. A lot of tourists snap the obligatory photo and turn right around. However, they are missing out. The greater Petra site has dozens of beautiful ruins. Some small and some large. The Treasury is probably the best preserved of the ruins and the approach through the slot canyon gives it a special kind of delivery not easily replicated.
We spent about 7-8 hours exploring Petra on day 1. On day 2 we did a guided hike through the "back way". The hike weaved it's way through the surrounding canyon country up to the Monastery. We passed through the ruins of a neolithic village from circa 7000 B.C. After a couple of hours we finished our ascent to the Monastery. The Monastery is perhaps even more impressive than the Treasury. Very grand in scale. Not to be missed if you come to Petra.
The marketing material states "nothing quite prepares you for your first view of Petra"...well stated. Despite having seen numerous images over the years, and knowing that you approach it through a slot canyon, etc. seeing it in person is what it is all about. Fantastic!
The approach takes you from the visitor center down a trail for approximately 2-3 km through a beautiful slot canyon. The terrain was very familiar to us as it is nearly identical to the same type of geology as in Utah canyon country. Soaring sandstone walls that go up for 100 meters with the slot itself narrowing to 4-5 meters wide in places.
The first major feature you encounter is the Treasury. This is the one featured so prominently in the Indiana Jones film. A lot of tourists snap the obligatory photo and turn right around. However, they are missing out. The greater Petra site has dozens of beautiful ruins. Some small and some large. The Treasury is probably the best preserved of the ruins and the approach through the slot canyon gives it a special kind of delivery not easily replicated.
We spent about 7-8 hours exploring Petra on day 1. On day 2 we did a guided hike through the "back way". The hike weaved it's way through the surrounding canyon country up to the Monastery. We passed through the ruins of a neolithic village from circa 7000 B.C. After a couple of hours we finished our ascent to the Monastery. The Monastery is perhaps even more impressive than the Treasury. Very grand in scale. Not to be missed if you come to Petra.
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| Approaching Treasury through the Siq |
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| First view of the Treasury |
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| The Treasury |
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| The Monastery |
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| The Monastery |
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| The Monastery |
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| Camels on Roman Road in Petra |
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| Audrey holding a kid during approach hike |
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| The Treasury |
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| Little Petra |
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| The Treasury |
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| The Treasury |
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| The Treasury-late afternoon light |
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