May 19

May 19 Jerash, Petra, Wadi Rum

When visiting Jordan, Petra is probably the most well-known tourist destination. It is an ancient city, carved from the canyon rock. Instead of being built, this city was etched into the stone, and remained hidden in the desert until its rediscovery by the West some two-hundred years ago. Of course, it was never a secret to the local Bedouins, whose descendants are still present there today.

*Perhaps you can imagine how Petra stayed hidden for so long*

Petra lies deep in a desert valley; it is more than a three hour drive from the capital, Amman. If you drive there, it is perfectly easy to visit yourself. It is just like visiting any other national park. There are single-day passes, or multi-day passes, and plenty of accommodations in the town of Wadi Musa, which lies just at the entrance to the site, as well as campsites (and glamp-sites) just a little out of town. There are many people offering tours, or you could also just go with your guidebook and map.

I visited Petra on a package tour, which also included visits to the desert at Wadi Rum, and the Roman ruins at Jerash. While this was a brief trip, we were still able to see many things.

Jerash

Visiting Jerash was an incredible experience. I didn’t know anything about it before, but as soon as we arrived, it was familiar to me. It was familiar in that we were visiting Greco-Roman ruins of the ancient city of Gerasa.

The same types of Greco-Roman ruins like those found at Pompeii, Herculaneum, Tarragona, Agrigento, etc.; the same ruins found interspersed throughout Rome today. They all have in common the same features: streets lined with columns, amphitheaters, arches, temples, and baths. It’s incredible that these remnants of the Greek and Roman empires still remain present across the Mediterranean, from Spain, to Sicily, and to Jordan.

*The ancient and modern cities of Jerash*

Petra

When you first look over the vast canyons and valley of Petra, it is incredible to imagine what lies inside. When you first enter the official park, you walk through the naturally formed entranceway known as the Siq. It is in walking through the Siq that you first see up close the red, rust, and rose colored striations in the rock that Petra is famous for.

When you reach the end of the entranceway, your first sight will be that of Al-Khazneh, the Treasury. It is a quite impressive façade, believed to have stood since the 1st Century BC, during which Petra was the capital of the Nabatean Kingdom.

*The façade of the Treasury is truly spectacular*

Petra is enormous - there are an infinite number of sites to explore. The most impressive and famous are marked on the mp you receive upon entering the park, but along the way you will see remains and carvings lost to time and erosion. You will discover caves in which you can seek some shade and respite from the sun.

*Taking a rest from the strong sun in a carved rock shelter*

For my tour, we spent the first half of the day with the guide, walking through the Siq, learning about Petra, and seeing some sites on the way to eat lunch. Afterwards, we had the afternoon free to explore the many sites. Although Petra is very large, it was enough time for everyone to choose their preferred course and visit what they liked.

*View from my hike up to the High Place of Sacrifice*

Wadi Rum

On the last day, we took a jeep tour of the desert at Wadi Rum. There is truly nothing like being in the desert. With infinite sands in every direction, it is a magical experience.

*Endless sand and incredible rock formations define Wadi Run*

At Wadi Rum, the desert landscape is filled with large rock formations that make it seem like you are on a different planet. I love the hot, arid weather, and even more so when the breeze kicks in from driving in the jeep. With all the adventure of exploring, there was of course, time for tea in the shade as well.

* * *

Overall, what I love about visiting places like Jerash, Petra, and Wadi Rum is the idea of going back in time. Or perhaps, in a similar way, visiting places where time stands still. Using your imagination to wonder what it was like back then, as you wander through the way it is now. Each place offered a unique experience, a new perspective, and a different world to dive into. It was an incredible adventure.

Note: The header image was taken at Jerash.