Jordan is home to some of the most fascinating archeological sites and breathtaking desert scenery in the world.
Jordan is a young state that occupies an ancient land, one that bears the traces of many civilizations. Separated from ancient Palestine by the Jordan River, the region played a prominent role in biblical history. The ancient biblical kingdoms of Moab, Gilead and Edom lie within its borders, as does the famed red stone city of Petra, the capital of the Nabatean kingdom and of the Roman province of Arabia Petraea.
Part of the Ottoman Empire until 1918 and later a mandate of the United Kingdom, Jordan has been an independent kingdom since 1946. It is among the most politically liberal countries of the Arab world, and, although it shares in the troubles affecting the region, its rulers have expressed a commitment to maintaining peace and stability.
So, now let talk about our itinerary 😉
We arrived in Aqaba airport late night, picked-up our car at rental agency and headed directly to our hotel in Aqaba city. It was nice stay in cozy and budget hotel Mass Paradise 2:
http://www.booking.com/Share-8eJy0F
Early in the morning, we started our journey 😉
1st day in Jordan
The reason of our trip to Jordan is Petra, of course.
The ancient city of Petra is one of Jordan’s national treasures and by far its best known tourist attraction. Petra is the legacy of the Nabataeans, an industrious Arab people who settled in southern Jordan more than 2,000 years ago.
Petra is so much more than just the famous Treasury you always see! It was an entire ancient city with massive tombs and temples carved directly into pink sandstone cliffs. Approximately 10,000 people lived there in the 1st and 2nd century AD, when main monuments were first created. Petra is now considered one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
How to get there?
Since we had a car, it was easy to get to Wadi Musa, where is located Petra complex. 2 hours of driving through mountainous landscapes from Aqaba and you arrive in Wadi Musa town. Just follow your GPS indications and you´ll get there easily. Suggestion – buy SIM card with internet data on arrival at the airport!
Wadi Musa (Valley of Moses) is the closest town to the Petra Archeological Park in Southern Jordan. The town offers a base for visitors to Petra and has several eateries, many hotels and tourist amenities.
The entrance ticket is 65€ per person – a day pass. There are also 2 and 3 days entrance passes. I think one day is enough to see the main sites in Petra.
There is something magical, mystical in this place. I felt like in those Indiana Jones movies, lost in the canyons…
Couldn´t get enough of the beautiful scenery at Treasury – the most emblematic place in Petra.
Since we were planning only one day at Petra, we tried to see the most important sites so we´ve entered from Monastery side and not from Visitors centre. We knew we will save time if going only one way (the main trail distance is 4 km).
At Visitors centre is plenty of taxi, so you can grab one and ask to drop you at one of entrances near Monastery. Don´t forget to purchase your tickets at Visitors centre!
Below is a quick review of places we´ve explored – only on a main trail.
On our way to the main trail:
Qasr Al Bint
Great Temple
Colonnaded Street
Royal Tombs
Theatre – carved into the side of the mountain at the foot of the High Place of Sacrifice, the theatre consists of three rows of seats separated by passageways. Seven stairways ascend the auditorium and it can accommodate 4000 spectators.
Al Khazneh (Treasury) – Petra’s most magnificent façade. It is almost 40 meters high and intricately decorated with Corinthian capitals, friezes, figures and more.
The Siq – the main road that leads to the city, starts from the Dam and ends at the Treasury. It is a rock canal that measures 160 meters in length, 3 to 12 meters in width and reaches up to 80 meters in height.
After this amazing 4 km walk, we headed to our next destination – Wadi Rum desert 😉
The closest you’ll ever come to camping on Mars, Jordan’s Wadi Rum is an otherworldly experience you shouldn’t miss in your lifetime.
Also known as the Valley of the Moon is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock in Southern Jordan (about 60 km from Aqaba).
Wadi Rum is home to the Zalabia Bedouin who, working with climbers and trekkers, have made a success of developing eco-adventure tourism as their main source of income. The area is one of Jordan’s important tourist destinations, and attracts an increasing number of foreign tourists, particularly trekkers and climbers, but also for camel and horse safari or simply day-trippers from Aqaba or Petra.
If you´re looking for once in a lifetime experience, you should definitely stay at one of many camps in the desert. We chosen to stay at cozy and perfectly located property – Sunset Oasis Camp:
http://www.booking.com/Share-tinQpf
The place itself is very well located, with beautiful view for the sunset and rocks. The hosts were super kind and helpful! We loved our stay there.
We had amazing traditional food at dinner time (for 12 eur/ person) with plenty of local tasty tea and went sleep early.
2nd day in Jordan
After good breakfast we decided to go on the tour organised by our host. This all day tour include all sights seeing, lunch in the desert and the price per person is 65 eur. It´s quite expensive but totally worth it!
Wadi Rum desert is just an amazing, unique place you don´t want to miss!
Unfortunately for us, it was raining all day!
It was so cold and windy, I didn´t enjoyed as I could, but, the desert itself is so colorful and different in each place we´ve stopped.. Photos can´t demonstrate all the beauty we saw here..
Here I share some of many pictures we´ve taken..
Wadi Rum desert is definitely the paradise for nature and beautiful landscapes lovers! Here you can find perfect scenery for your photo shots, for sure!
Although, our adventure in desert and in Jordan was very short, we enjoyed every moment here. This country will stay in my heart forever, for their people, amazing landscapes, for magnificent Petra and wonderful Wadi Rum desert.
I hope this itinerary and some tips will be useful on planning your trip to Jordan, but I suggest you to stay and explore this country at least in 1 week, not in 2 days, as we did 😉
Have a nice trips!
For more travel tips and inspiration check out my posts here: https://travelwithanny.com/category/destinations/middle-east/
Yours sincerely,
Anny