Petra - 5 Things to Know Before Visiting

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About Petra

The ancient city of Petra, carved on to the mountains of Jabal Al-Madbah. Petra is believed to have been settled as early as 9,000 BC, and it was possibly established in the 4th century BC as the capital city of the Nabataean Kingdom.

Hotels near Petra

Hotels to stay near Petra

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Activities Around

Attractions Near Petra

Mount Hor - Tomb of Prophet Aaron

Supposed burial place of Aaron, the brother of Moses. Although in Jewish tradition, the location of Aaron's grave, like that of Moses, is shrouded in mystery, the Islamic tradition places it on Mount Hor, near Petra in Jordan.

Little Petra

Little Petra

5.24km from Petra

A much smaller version of the grand Petra, consisting of three wider open areas connected by a 450-metre (1,480 ft) canyon. Like Petra, it is a Nabataean site, with buildings carved into the walls of the sandstone canyons. While the purpose of some of the buildings is not clear, archaeologists believe that the whole complex was a suburb of Petra, the Nabatean capital, meant to house visiting traders on the Silk Road.

Shobak Castle - Montreal

Shobak Castle - Montreal

25.18km from Petra

A crusader castle perched on the side of a rocky, conical mountain. It was built in 1115 by Baldwin I of Jerusalem during his expedition to the area where he captured Aqaba on the Red Sea in 1116. The castle was strategically important as it dominated the main passage from Egypt to Syria. This allowed who ever to hold the castle to tax not only traders, both those who were on pilgrimages to Mecca and Medina.

Lot's Cave

Lot's Cave

80.07km from Petra

The place were Lot, brother of Abraham is said to have lived in a cave with his two daughters. The place consists of a monastery, a Byzantine basilica from the 7th century A.D. and the Cave of Lot.

Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum

88.33km from Petra

Known also as the Valley of the Moon, Wadi Rum is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in southern Jordan. It is one of the most popular attractions in Jordan, with deserts and mountains and rock formations. Wadi Rum has been inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric times, with many cultures–including the Nabataeans–leaving their mark in the form of rock paintings, graffiti, and temples.

Wadi Numeira

Wadi Numeira

89.59km from Petra

Valley known for its deep gorge cut through the sandstone. It gives its name to the Bronze Age ruins located at its mouth with the Dead Sea- the archaeological site of Numeira.

Discover More Attractions in Ma'an Governorate, Home of Petra

Ma'an Governorate

Ma'an Governorate

4 attractions

The largest governate in Jordan by area. Evidence for human settlement in Ma'an Governorate dates back to at least 7000 BC, when the Neolithic village of Basta was founded. Basta was one of the first settlements in the world to have agriculture and domesticated livestock.

Location of Petra

What Visitors Say About Petra

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Mariam Alkazemi

2020-01-25

Petra’s weather in January is fantastic. A great place for long hikes. The guides are a bit provocative but easy to avoid. The walk is just breathtaking and there are stairs and scenic views.
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Nithin Mathew

Nithin Mathew

2018-02-26

Petra is something else all together. So unique, and one of the best places I have ever been to.

The ancient city was built by the Nabataeans thousands of years ago for trade. Nabataeans were nomads, Petra was the city were they used to trade with each other from different parts of the nearby world.

The place is filled with tombs, palaces, temples, and the placement of them carved on tall, huge mountains is a sight to behold. The tunnel like passage called 'siq' through which you will enter the city itself is so magnificent.

There are many interesting spots inside this large ancient city- treasury, temple of sacrifice, monastery, palace, royal catacombs etc and each of them will need separate hikes to get to them.

Each of the spots can be accessed either by hiking or by renting donkeys/ horses/ camels. The hike is qmaamaz, which we did but they are not easy hikes. Also, the place is filled with people trying to sell you artefacts, trying to rent out animals as taxis- it can get super annoying. Be prepared for that.

All in all, this place is a must visit. The shear history and the magnificence and the brilliance of the place will dazzle anyone and everyone. You can plan to spend 1-3 days here. Atleast two are required to checkout all that has to offer by Petra.
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For more information about Petra, visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra

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