Sights and Activities

Petra: the Nabataeans, a nomadic tribe from western Arabia, settled in the area of Petra around the 6th century BC. They were organized traders and over the next 500 years they used their wealth to build the city of Petra. Earthquakes in 363 and 551 ruined much of the city and Petra became forgotten, a ‘lost city’ known only to local Bedouin who kept it a secret. In 1812, a Swiss explorer, Jean Louis Burckhardt, ended Petra’s isolation. There are over 800 registered sites in Petra, including some 500 tombs. We spent a day-and-a-half exploring the magical canyons and splendid man-made carvings. The entrance to the complex starts by walking down a path passing by Djinn Blocks, Obelisk Tomb, and then entering the the Siq (Canyon). The Siq is narrow with vertical walls and one of the highlights of our visit to Petra. The walk through this mystical corridor transports you into a new world full beautiful colors and cliffs. Technically, the Siq is not a canyon, a gorge carved out by water, but a single block that has been spread apart by tectonic forces. As you exit the Siq, you go from a natural wonder into making sight at a man-made wonder, the Treasury. In sunlight, the Treasury is amazingly photogenic. We were fortunate to view it from above the Siq after hiking to a great lookout. After the Treasury the path continues passing by the Street of Facades, Theater Roman, Royal Tombs that the stone turns pink at sunset, Colonnaded Street, Great Temple, and Qasr al-Bint. After visiting the ancient city of Petra, we went on a couple more treks, the first up to the High Place of Sacrifice located on the mountain top of Jebel Madbah where the views of all of Petra are spectacular. The last hike was to the Monastery, which was our favorite monument. The spectacular Monastery is similar in design to the Treasury but bigger. The name derives its name from the crosses carved on the inside walls, suggesting that the building was used as a church in Byzantine times.