Yes, Petra was the highlight of our trip this time, and we got to visit one of the seven wonders of the world. We visited the Great Wall of China in 2013, and I visited the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt in 2008. We have a mission to complete a series of visits to all these wonders. I hope to take my family to visit Egypt one day.
Just about 2 kilometers away from the Petra Plaza Hotel, we set off for the Petra Visitor Center after breakfast. As I mentioned at the beginning of this Jordan blog entry, we purchased the Jordan Wanderer Pass, which includes a 1-day entrance to Petra for 70 JD. If you’re wondering if that’s enough to explore the surrounding area, I can say that just visiting the main attractions is more than enough. We just followed the suggested main route, as Petra is big enough to be covered in a day. The visitor’s map depicts the various routes you can take.
Immediately after showing our tour passes, we stopped at one of the handicraft shops to put turbans on our heads. From the Visitor Center, we walked along the valley; we saw the Djinn Block crafts, the Obelisk Tomb, and the Dam. Compared to the previous few days, my wife said that it was a less crowded day. After almost 45 minutes through the Siq, we reached the Treasury, which is the main attraction.
The Djinn Blocks
Obelisk Tomb & Bab as-Siq Triclinium
Entering the Siq
Jalan berbatu-bata yang asal
The Treasury
Pelawat tidak dibenarkan memasuki bangunan.. boooo
We continued along the Facade Road, where we saw several tombs. I decided to climb the Tomb of Unayshu while my wife waited at the foot of the hill. I was exploring the beginning of the Al-Khubtha trail, which, if we followed the 3.5-kilometer trail, would take us to the Royal Tomb and several other intriguing tombs. Let’s continue this trail for our next visit. ;-P
From the top of the Tomb of Unayshu, I saw the Nabataean Theater. Let me explain. Petra was built by the Nabataean people over two thousand years ago. It flourished in the first centuries BC and AD and was an important part of the main trade route connecting ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt. So we walked along this historic trail to visit the Nabataean Theater.
High Place of Sacrifice
The Street of Facade
Two local men approached us offering a donkey ride to Ad-Deir (The Monastery). This 3 km route has the highest difficulty level, similar to the Al-Khuba Route. The only easy part was the 3.5 km main route. After haggling, we got 20 JD each, while my wife was charged 25 JD on her first visit.
The journey was winding and steep. At one point, we had to bend forward to achieve optimal balance. The men allowed us to stop briefly at one of the souvenir shops. We were given complimentary hot Arabic tea, which was delicious, before continuing on. After an hour, we reached Ad-Deir, also known as the Monastery. It has a similar façade to the Treasury, but it was less crowded.
The Urn Tomb, part of Al-Khuba trail
The Great Temple behind us
We had to use the side trail, away from the city.
The trail leads to the monastery.
We were offered a free drink.
After almost an hour, we reached the monastery.
Langsung takde orang...
Menyesal pulak tak masuk dalam tuh...
We went down the hill to the back exit, as donkeys are not allowed to ride along the Siq. After thanking the people who guided us on the route, we boarded a free bus provided by the authorities. We stopped for a moment at the souvenir shop before continuing on to the main entrance.
The Petra Museum is a must-see to learn about the rose-red Nabatean city. There are many artifacts taken from the archaeological site. The visit marked the end of our day exploring Petra.
Late lunch at Al-Wadi Restaurant after more than 5 hours at Petra
I will follow Zarin's example from his wrapping-up post and do the same for my own record. This post will be updated from time to time. Some of the trips may have a specific write-up and you may click on the travel month. Here is the world travel map, courtesy of TripAdvisor. A bit of statistics: Total countries visited = 25/195 [Last updated: September 2025]
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