Discovering Petra!

Some days are so magical they don’t feel real and our day exploring Petra was exactly that. From the moment we set out in the early morning until we collapsed back at the hotel after dinner, every step felt like a journey through time.

The day began with a hearty buffet breakfast at the hotel before we met the rest of our group in the lobby at 7:00am. There was such a buzz of excitement as we made the short walk to the Petra entrance. With our tickets in hand, we were ready to explore one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

Included in our ticket was a short horse ride that carried us further into the site. Riding past the cliffs and sandy pathways felt surreal, like we’d stepped into an Indiana Jones adventure. After regrouping, we found ourselves at the entrance to the Siq.

The Siq is a long, narrow gorge that winds for about 1.2km. Its towering sandstone walls rise nearly 80 meters above, with incredible colors and patterns that shift with the light. Ancient Nabataeans once carved channels along its sides to bring water into the city which you can still see to this day. Walking through it felt like a passageway into another world every twist and turn building the anticipation of what was waiting ahead.

After about 20 minutes, the Siq suddenly opened up to reveal The Treasury. It’s impossible to put into words just how breathtaking it is when you first see it. Carved directly into the reddish/brown cliffs, its facade towers over you, with incredible detail that has lasted for thousands of years. Standing here felt bittersweet. Before the neighboring war, Petra welcomed nearly 6,000 visitors a day. Now, only a scattered few wandered around us. As incredible as it was to have this wonder almost to ourselves, I couldn’t escape the thought of how deeply this silence must weigh on the locals.

I couldn’t resist climbing onto a camel for some fun photos in front of it. Sitting there, with the Treasury towering behind me, it felt like I was on the front of a postcard.

But Petra is so much more than the Treasury. As we continued our journey, we passed ancient cave houses and wandered past the massive amphitheatre, carved entirely from stone, which once held thousands of people. Every corner revealed something new and extraordinary.

Then came the challenge, the climb up to The Monastery. The 800 or so rockcut steps tested our legs, but every step was worth it. At the top stood another monumental facade, similar in style to the Treasury but even larger. These monuments are absolutely breathtaking, the sheer scale and detail of them honestly take your breath away. Beyond the site itself, the views from the top were unforgettable, sweeping desert landscapes stretching out endlessly.

On the way back we rewarded ourselves with a stop at a little bar before finally returning to the hotel. After a much needed rest, we gathered again at 7:30 for a traditional Jordanian feast at a nearby restaurant. Along with being the most incredibly kind leader with endless amounts of knowledge and humour, our tour guide Adnan has also had the most delicious food recommendations. We have trusted him with every suggestion he has had and let me tell you, the food itself has been a huge highlight of our trip so far.

By the time we finished, our step count showed over 27,000 steps a true testament to the scale of Petra and the ground we covered. Exhausted but elated, we agreed it had been one of the most magical, unforgettable days of our lives.Read more