Israel, Day 6: Petra, Jordan

Everything worked out pretty much perfectly for our visit to Petra. Let me tell you how we did it!

We knew we wanted to go in and out in one day, we were able to schedule it on a Saturday to avoid Jerusalem being a ghost town on Shabbat, and we found a great tour company, Tourist Israel. They handle a lot of the travel details and help you with the border crossing, which can be complicated.

We picked up the bus at 3 a.m. at a nearby hotel in Jerusalem and tried to sleep on the way. There were some rest stops for bathroom breaks and stretching, and we got to visit a little lookout over the desert and mountains:

Mt. Haroun lookout, Jordan

We learned a lot about Jordan from our guide, Abdullah, who told us that the country is not rich compared to other Middle Eastern countries - it has lots of minerals in the mountains, but no oil. They are very proud of their royal family, with whom I believe the U.S. has a fairly good relationship.

Still, the border crossing was a bit awkward, and I felt that the Jordanians did not smile easily and were a bit suspicious of us as visitors (with the exception of our tour operators). Our Tourist Israel person had told us that sometimes the border crossing can take 2 hours, although ours was not nearly so long.

Also, our group included one fairly disabled Japanese tourist who had a lot of trouble getting around, and we really didn't know how he'd get into Petra. (I don't know how he got here from Japan, to be honest - he had trouble managing his bags and documents and did not speak English language well, let alone Hebrew or Arabic.) Allegedly he had a three-day tour, and when our group left the border crossing at Eilat, he was still there. Dunno what happened to him, but I hope he got to Petra and back safely.

We received a somewhat odd and very carb-heavy little lunch box (a date-stuffed pastry, a green orange, a cookie, a banana) and headed into the Petra valley. 

The canyons are dramatic and beautiful - every one was a photo op. Tourists were shuttled up and back on horseback or in horse-pulled carriages, none of which looked like too much fun. It was better to walk down slowly and really take in the surroundings.

Of course, we were there to see "The Treasury," a former palace and tomb carved into the cliff. Like most people, we first saw it in movies (holla, Indiana Jones), but our guide told us about the restoration process and what has happened to the Bedouin tribes who formerly lived in the area.

Apparently they were asked to leave by the Jordanian government in the mid-1980s, but allowed sole right to sell wares in the Petra valley. So when you go up and down the valley looking at other tombs and caves, they're selling jewelry, weaving, etc.

The area is obviously stuffed with tourists like ourselves, but it wasn't too bad to get around. There are camels you have to watch out for, but they kind of add to the drama. 

Camel time

The area is so much bigger and more fascinating than I expected. To everyone asking yourselves if Petra is worth the hype, the answer is yes - it is beyond the hype. The whole valley is lined with tombs and caves, and hiking up and down gives you some really spectacular views.

More tombs

We walked around for a while and made friends with some other people in our tour group, sharing pictures afterward. Dave and Mike climbed up on some things, but I was too queasy of the heights. Still, I can see why people do two days here. Another beautiful facade is called "The Monastery" and is really not possible to get to in the same visit unless you start down right when you arrive and don't spend much time gawking at the Treasury or other sights.

Jordan pride!

We probably won't end up going back (although never say never), but if we did I would do two days next time and sleep in a Bedouin tent overnight (which was the two-day option from Tourist Israel). I would visit Jordan again someday for a more extended trip; I think even as suspicious as they are of visitors, they still have a reputation for being one of the friendlier Middle Eastern countries towards Americans.

When we arrived back at the border crossing, our Japanese friend wasn't there, so we assume he got on his way to Petra. Yikes.

One thing about getting to Petra from Tel Aviv or Jerusalem - it is a long-ass bus ride. Probably at least 4 hours each way. I got some sleep and did some knitting, but not much. It was kind of miserable, but worth it. Just had to add that piece. The buses on Tourist Israel were comfortable, it was just a long day, arriving back at Jerusalem around midnight.

TL;DR - Petra is totally worth it, do a tour and see as much as you can. It is truly beyond the hype. Bring water. Bring your camera. Feel the magic.