Petra Walk-In (Half a day tour)

Hidden behind an almost impenetrable barrier of rugged mountains, the rock-carved city of Petra is full of mysterious charm. The approach through the cool gloom of the Siq, a long narrow gorge whose steeply rising sides all but obliterate the sun, provides a dramatic contrast with the magic to come. Suddenly the gorge opens into a natural square dominated by Petra's most famous monument, the Khasneh, whose intricately carved facade glows in the dazzling sun. More facades beckon you or on until the ancient city gradually unfolds, one monument leading to the next for kilometer after kilometer. The sheer size of the city and the quality of beautifully carved facades is staggering and leads one to reflect on the creativity and industry of the Nabateans who made Petra their capital more than 2, 000 years ago. From their capital at Petra the Nabateans had established an elaborate network of caravan routes which brought spices, incense, myrrh, gold, silver and precious stones from India and Arabia.

We meet in the lobby of your hotel in Petra or in the visitor center. The site tour begins after getting the tickets, we start our walk through the monuments carved out of the rock such as Djinn blocks, the obelisk tomb, the Siq (most enjoyable walk of the site) which is a natural narrow gorge that is over a kilometer long that serves as the main entrance into Petra. The Siq meanders gently towards the ancient city and opens onto a spectacular view of the Treasury (Al Khazna), an intricate façade that first greets you. Then I take you through the street of facades, the theater, the Royal Tombs, the Colonnaded street, The Byzantine Church, and then to Qasr El Bint where you can have lunch in one of the two restaurants nearby. The guided part ends there and you can explore more or simply walk back. The distance is around 5 kms (one way) and expected to take around 5 hours.