How to visit and what to see in Petra and its Treasure (Jordan)

If you ask me what is one of the most wonderful places we have visited in the world, without a doubt it occupies a special place. Petra.

In fact, just to know Petra (and the Wadi Rum desert) you should write down a future in your travel diary trip to Jordan.

Known as the Lost City, knowing this enclave will take you a full day in which you will have to walk through truly surprising corners, and during the walk you will be able to discover its very interesting curiosities.

Who, how and when Petra was discovered

Surely not even his own Johann Ludwig Burckhardt I was aware of the majesty of the city lostwhat I wanted to discover.

In this regard I will tell you that Burckhardt He was the Swiss explorer who in 1812 discovered Petra for Europeans.

This Swiss was a great connoisseur of Arab culture and a great lover of exploration.

To the point that in his desire to be able to see the lost City which I was talking about in the area Middle East where you are now Jordan, became the Islam to gain the trust of the tribes he lived with.

When he called himself Ibrahim ibn Abdullah was when he could see for the first time Treasure of Petra.

This is how the most majestic corner of what was the capital of the Nabataeans, civilization that developed east of Palestine from the 4th century BC to the 1st century AD.

How to visit and what to see in Petra

It is true that now, when visit Petra, you won't be able to have the same feeling of discovery that you had Burckhart while walking the Siq.

The bustle of tourists, horses, donkeys, camels and buggies prevents you from emulating that special feeling that the Swiss explorer must have had.

What is the Siq Gorge like to get to Petra?

Indeed, for get to Petra from Wadi Musa, town from where you access the lost City, you have to do something the Siq, which will become the first surprise you will have during your visit to this incredible landscape and cultural enclave.

This is the name of the impressive one and a half kilometer long gorgeWith its walls up to 80 meters high, which leads you to the Treasure of Petra.

When starting the trip to Jordan I knew that to get to Petra you had to take a hike, but I didn't know that it would turn into a wonderful hike.

Once you access the Petra tourist areaAfter a short stretch that takes you between mountains, you reach a point where high rocky cliffs rise.

From there the road becomes a very narrow gorge,

It is an opening that a large earthquake produced thousands of years ago in this area of ​​rocky mountains, which has a certain resemblance to the ones you can see in Cappadocia, in Türkiye.

This earthquake separated the tectonic plates, although in some sections the gorge is really narrow, and you can still imagine where both sides of it were joined.

Before entering, to the right you will see a large tunnel that Nabataeans They were used to divert water from torrents produced during the rainy season and thus protect the buildings that were being built.

Built in the 88st century BC, the XNUMX meter long tunnel diverts water to the valleys of Wadi Al Mudhlim y Wadi Al Mataha, to later be used by the inhabitants of the lost City.

Tu walk along the Siq You will share it with numerous tourists who walk, or who travel along it in buggies, or even on camels or donkeys.

As you advance you find archaeological remains of different altars drilled into the rock, places where the Nabataeans They placed their different pagan gods.

You will also see side gorges closed by adobe walls, which were built relatively recently to protect the numerous tourists who travel through the torrents. the Siq.

On days of heavy rain the Siq It gets flooded, and in fact, when there are big storms, the passage of tourists through the gorge is suspended until it is ensured that it does not flood.

In the different sections of the Siq, it widens or narrows to almost unsuspected limits.

You will also find whimsical rock formations, like the one that if you see from the side looks like a fish Nemo, and if you see it from the front, it will remind you of an elephant.

Also worth highlighting are the archaeological remains of sculptural reliefs on the rock that represent a caravan of Nabataeans with their camels.

Made between 100 and 50 BC, these reliefs represent the endless procession of people and goods that entered and left the city. hidden City from Petra.

On one side of the gorge you will see a channel through which the nabataeans They carried non-drinking water, and on the floor of the gorge you will find various sections of the original Nabataean road, which followed the guidelines of the Greek roads.

But when in one of the narrower areas of the gorge you get to see the image of the Treasure of Petra, you will feel a great emotion to arrive before what will surely become one of the images that you will remember most in your traveling history.

The ability of the guide who accompanies you to distract you, then at the most appropriate moment direct your eyes towards the Treasure of Petra, will help you enhance that emotion.

At least that's how I felt it in me Petra's visit when Mahmud, the guide of our group, made it a surprise to suddenly find yourself in front of its imposing pink facade.

Stop for a moment and enjoy the view, as well as take the relevant souvenir photos.

Of course, the great narrowness of this final stretch can even cause a buggy jam.

I'll tell you that just for tour the Siq worth it visit Petra.

What is the Treasure of Petra like?

The treasure (in Arabic, Al-Khazneh) you will glimpse it between the winding walls of the gorge, and from that moment on, you will begin to take photos in a frenzy.

Of course, be careful not to be run over by any of the buggies or horses that circulate with tourists through that very narrow stretch of the Siq.

Once you reach the large esplanade that opens in front of the Treasury facade excavated in the rock, you will be absorbed in its immensity (43 meters high y 30 meters wide).

It is the same feeling that the numerous tourists who will coincide with your visit have, and after that first moment I assure you that you will spend a lot of time appreciating its beauty.

There you will see its great pink tone due to the effects of oxidation on the rocks.

El Treasure of Petra It is a royal tomb built in the 1st century BC by the Nabataeans in Hellenic style, and there are very different theories about it. why is it called treasure.

When you enjoy the contemplation of this impressive monument, you can see that the façade is divided into two floors, in which its imposing columns stand out, six in each one.

Inside, where you cannot enter, there is a empty room of twelve square meters with a hole in the ground, it seems to be used for rituals dedicated to the various gods of the Nabataeans.

In the upper part of the façade, the stone emulation of a central circular gazebo stands out.

And on the walls of the entire façade you will find various reliefs with figures They are not in very good condition.

Approach the steps in front of the door, which is fenced.

In front of it you can see through a gap the entrance to a lower floor of this royal tomb, discovered in 2003 after some excavations.

The sedimentation of the stream that until the 19th century ran down the Siq It does not allow us to see the true dimension of said façade, which gives us an idea of ​​how much remains to be excavated to finally bring to light all the immensity of Petra.

If you would like to see sunlit facadeDue to its orientation, you will have to go very early in the morning.

But as the sun sets you can see how the sun's rays hitting the walls of the gorge highlight its strongly pink tone, giving the Treasury a special lighting.

Hiking routes to see other sites in Petra

However Petra It is much more than this famous corner, and also much more than exploring the great and impressive gorge.

This great monument Heritage It is a natural and archaeological enclave that extends over 900 square meters, and where up to 800 monuments are catalogued.

Now I can tell you that in one day you barely have time to explore the gorge, see the Treasury, pass by the Royal Tombs to reach the end of the valley, and take a short route through the area...well then you will also have to return on foot (or on the back of a donkey or a camel) to the entrance of the archaeological site.

Therefore, it is advisable to dedicate at least two days, and even better if there are three.

En Petra, apart from the main route described above, you can do various hiking trails through the mountains that surround the valley, which will allow you to enjoy other undoubtedly interesting corners.

Next, I am going to describe the main ones. hiking routes you can do in Petra.

Al-Deir Monastery Route

Visit Petra and not go up to the monastery It is an invitation to repeat the trip on another occasion.

Located at the top of a mountain, to reach the monastery known as Al-Deir You must climb up to 800 steps on foot or by donkey.

Once at the top, you are promised that you will see landscapes of such beauty that they will have well justified the physical effort. From one of the three viewpoints you can also see the lunar landscape of Wadi Araba.

Route of the Royal Tombs

With a duration of three hours, this route begins in the area where the aforementioned tombs are located and takes you to Al Khubtha.

During the tour you will pass by the tombs of the Urna, Silk, Maroon and the Palace, and finally you will reach the Nymphaeum, Byzantine Church and Temple of the Winged Lion.

Al Madras Route

This route, lasting only one hour, allows you to see the exit of the Siq Gorge. In its time it was a busy route for commercial caravans.

Al-Khubtha Route

Starting from the Palace Tomb, in the area of Royal Tombs, in an hour and a half round trip tour, promises spectacular views of the Treasury façade

Umm Al Biyara Route

This seems to be a very demanding route from a physical point of view, as it has a duration of four hours.

Starting from Nymphaeum, takes you through monuments like the Main temple and Pharaoh's Column, to end at the top of the mountain Umm Al Biyara.

This route must be done with the accompaniment of a guide.

Petra route by night

More than a route, it is a show that leads you to return at night to see the Treasure of Petra.

you will do the tour with the light of more than two thousand candles that will serve as a complement to the moonlight.

This is one of the most popular visits among tourists who travel to Petra.

In short, these routes in my case are a good argument to return to this wonderful enclave of Jordan.

Petra ticket prices

El entrance price to visit Petra It is not cheap, but you must keep in mind that it is the main tourist attraction in the country, and the place that is essential to visit for tourists who travel to Jordan.

The specific objectives of the one day ticket price is 50 Jordanian dinars (64 euros), that of the two day tickets, 55 dinars (70 euros), and that of three days, 60 dinars (77 euros).