Petra is full of secrets. What surprised me is that our guide says that 95 percent of this abandoned ancient city has not been excavated.
“And,” says Abdullah, as we survey the vast archaeological site from a vantage point known as the High Sacrifice, “Jordanians have only recently realized the value of our treasures. In the past, old sites were mined to use building materials, but now they are protected.’
Like most, I only know Petra from the scene in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade when Indy (Harrison Ford) and his father (Sean Connery) venture into the treasure chest to search for the Holy Grail. But nothing compares to reality.
And you could settle here for days and still just stay on the surface, because it spans 100 square miles — four times the size of Manhattan. During ancient Petra, dating back to 312 BC Chr. was within walking distance.
I’m on a 7 day hurricane tour of Jordan organized by adventure tour operator Exodus and our group of 16 check into a basic hotel in the heart of Wadi Musa. “I’ve always dreamed of visiting this place,” says Donna, a retired climbing instructor, as we step off the white tour bus.
Rich in culture, Sadie Whitelocks explores Jordan on a seven-day trip organized by adventure tour operator Exodus. A highlight of the trip is a visit to the abandoned ancient city of Petra, where she sees the Temple of the Treasury (photo) before the crowds of the day arrive
The problem is that many others have had the same dream – and on our first day in Petra, it’s impossible to get a clear view of the treasure chest without tourists and tired-looking camels. It is not possible to enter the ornate Greek-style temple, but Abdullah assures us that there is not much to see inside as there is only one main room.
In an effort to beat the crowds, James, another solo traveler, and I got up at 6am the next day and jogged from our hotel to Petra to arrive when it opened.
We are rewarded with an eerie silence as we weave through the high sandstone canyon before standing in front of the Treasury. There is hardly anyone around.
From there we start a hike to Petra’s other main attraction, the monastery. This place of worship or tomb was built by the Nabateans – a lesser-known Arab tribe native to the southeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula – around the first century, and has a large sandstone facade that is 47 meters wide and 48 meters high.
The descent from the monastery follows the same route, with a number of small Bedouin souvenir shops along the way selling everything from brightly colored scarves to the black kohl pencil that the Arabs used to shield their eyes from the harsh sun.
In Petra, Sadie goes to the pictured monastery, a place of worship or burial site built around the first century
Half the group reunites at one of Petra’s more unusual features, a cave bar in a 2,000-year-old tomb that stands on the outskirts of the ancient city.
According to legend, during the Last Supper, Jesus drank wine with his disciples from a small town in the north of Jordan. We started our tour in the bustling Jordanian capital of Amman and visited a number of historical sites in and around the metropolis. And after Petra, our bus will take us to another famous place, Wadi Rum.
Nicknamed the Valley of the Moon, this rust-colored desert feels otherworldly. “Immense, resonant and divine,” is how Lawrence of Arabia described the 720 square kilometer area nearly a century ago.
We transfer to rickety open jeeps to get to our Bedouin style desert camp which will be our base for the night. Here, rooms take on an even simpler note, with metal beds housed in stilt-covered cabins.
“This rust-colored desert, nicknamed the Valley of the Moon, feels otherworldly,” says Sadie of Wadi Rum (photo).
Above, a Bedouin brews tea in Wadi Rum. Lawrence of Arabia once described the desert as “vast, resonant and divine” (file photo)
The next day we drive back north and stop in Aqaba for a relaxing day at the Red Sea beach. Our last port of call takes us to the shores of the Dead Sea, to our most ritzy hotel yet, a sprawling Holiday Inn. After a long day on the bus, we all quickly change into our bathing suits and head to the beach to experience the unique floating effect of one of the world’s saltiest bodies of water.
I enjoy floating effortlessly in the salt water and slathering myself in the slimy Dead Sea mud in hopes that it will make my skin look younger.
The remains of muddy minerals in my hair are not the only benefits of this old country.
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James is an author and travel journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a love for exploring new cultures and discovering unique destinations, James brings his readers on a journey with him through his articles.
