Jordan Guide
Petra and around
Petra is incredible. Tucked away in a remote valley basin in the heart of southern Jordan's Shara mountains and shielded from the outside world behind an impenetrable barrier of rock, this fabled ancient city of ornate classical facades is wreathed in a sense of mystery and drama. Since a Western adventurer stumbled on the site in 1812, it has fired imaginations, its grandeur and dramatic setting pushing it – like the Pyramids or the Taj Mahal – into the realms of legend. Today, it's almost as if time has literally drawn a veil over the once-great city, which grew wealthy enough on the caravan trade to challenge the might of Rome: two millennia of wind and rain have blurred the sharp edges of the facades and rubbed away at the soft sandstone to expose vivid bands of colour beneath, putting the whole scene into soft focus.
Where Petra sits, in a valley basin between two lines of jagged peaks, there's only one route in and out, and that passes through the modern town of Wadi Musa, on the eastern side of the mountains. In the last few decades this town has grown to serve the lucrative tourist trade to Petra, and has all the hotels, restaurants and services you'd expect: there's nowhere to stay within the ancient city itself, and virtually nowhere to eat either. The single entrance gate into Petra is in Wadi Musa, but once you've crossed the barrier you're immediately thrown into the rocky landscape of the desert. Spending a few days here is a constant to-and-fro – down-at-heel Wadi Musa providing all the necessities of life, and majestic Petra all the historical and natural drama.
Petra is situated in the mountains, at around 1100m above sea level. In spring and autumn it is pleasantly warm, with highs around 25–30°C and virtually no chance of rain. In summer (late May to early Sept) it can be blisteringly hot during the day, perhaps above 40°C. However, with the altitude and the desert conditions, nights year-round are cool. In winter (Nov– Feb), Petra can be cold, often not getting above 10–15°C during the day and dropping below freezing at night: rain is to be expected, and snow is not uncommon.
Highlights
1 Petra By Night Magical late-night guided walks into Petra for traditional music and storytelling by candlelight.
2 The Siq Dramatic entrance to the ancient city, through a high, narrow gorge.
3 The Treasury Jordan's flagship monument, a towering facade dominating the entrance to Petra.
4 High Place of Sacrifice Mountain-top altar with stunning views over Petra.
5 The East Cliff A line of impressive royal tombs carved out of a cliff overlooking the city centre.
6 The Monastery A long climb is rewarded with a close-up viewing of Petra's most imposing facade.