Heading south from Amman 3.5 hours.



Arriving in Petra town.



Thin air and hot sun at 900 m (2800 ft) elevation.

The main route is 8 km (5 miles) roundtrip, without sidesteps.

And so the walking begins...

Obelisk tomb and Bab el-Siq Triclinium from around 50 AD.

Horse ride is included in the entrance fee.

Start of a long gorge called the Siq.

Yes it is pretty "siq".

Vroom! Carriage rides available for rent.

Imagine the water that has flowed through here.

Amazing formations.

And colors.



80 m (260 ft) high cliffs.



Petra was the capital of the Arab Nabataean empire from the 4th century BC.

Most tombs and structures are from 100 BC to 300 AD.

uum, those priest outfits must get pretty hot.

After 2 km you reach this.

The Treasury (Al-Khazneh) from around 50 AD.

The famous urn centerpiece.

It is the mausoleum of King Aretas IV.

The street of facades from around 0 BC with multiple tombs.



Riding a Petra taxi, and texting of course.

Tombs everywhere.

More downhill walking, and the only way out is to go back uphill.

Nabataeans, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines and Umayyads have ruled it.

Much of Petra was destroyed in a huge earthquake in 363 AD.

The Theater from around 75 AD.

Seating for around 6000 people.

After the half way mark, just keep walking.



Petra was a capital, trade hub, and religious pilgrimage site.

This complex is called the Royal Tombs.







Still quite a way to go...

The Urn tomb.

Huge chamber.

Ceiling.



Not a bad view from up here.

Palace, Corinthian, Silk, Urn tombs from a distance.

The Colonnaded street from around 150 AD.



The Great Temple from around 0 BC.

The Tememos Gate from around 200 AD.

Qasr al-Bint temple from around 0 BC.

The Monastery is a 900 step climb up 220 m (720 ft) in the desert heat.

So I elected for local transportation.









Shakira, my heroine donkey kong.

After 40 min donkey ride there is another 10 min on foot.

Arriving at the plaza.

The Monastery (El Deir) from around 50 BC is around 50 m (165 ft) high.



Crazy big.



A camel caravan relief from around 75 BC.

More climbing.



After a long hike, back at the Treasury.





Back through the Siq.

Never been this exhausted in my life...

Click here to go back to the main directory.