Day 1: Petra Tour
At 4:15 AM, you will be picked from your hotel in Jerusalem to Tel Aviv Sde Dov Airport. The Flight to Eilat from Tel Aviv departs at 06:40 AM.
The tour starts with a pick-up from Eilat airport at 7:40 AM. At 8:00 AM our representatives and the tour guide will meet you at the Southern Border (the Arava border), assisting with visa requisition and passage through the border.
To save time with the crossing, we will send your passport details to the border a day in advance so on the day we should be able to go straight through. You'll be accompanied the whole time by our staff and your tour guide will meet you on the other side. The native tour guide will sort out the border crossing and after collecting your visas we'll be on the road to Petra.
The tour takes place on a minibus and therefore spaces are limited. This ensures a smooth visit which lasts around 4-5 hours. First thing you'll be given is a bottle of mineral water – got to stay hydrated!
The two hour drive to Petra takes us through Aqaba and the nature reserve of Wadi Rum, while your tour guide briefs you on Jordan's intricate history and culture. There will be a stop-off at a magnificent viewpoint, showcasing the red desert views, the inspiration for Lawrence of Arabia. A second viewpoint overlooks Wadi Musa, a town which means 'the valley of Moses', and in the background you'll see the shrine to Moses' brother Aaron, believed to be his grave site.
We'll start by making our way to Siq Canyon, either by walking with the guide or hiring a horse for $20. The road takes us through the Silica Quarries, the Jinn Blocks, and then finally the Obelisk Tomb. Once at the Siq we'll see the stone damm that was built to shield the city from floods, with its impressive primitive draining channels. Inside the Siq an archway is visible – once the grand entrance to the ancient city. The plumbing runs all the way through the Siq, reminding us how advanced the inhabitants of Petra were for their time.
It's always amazing to see the ancient carvings in the rock, paying homage to the various deities worshipped in the city. The end of the canyon is marked by Petra's most famous structure, the Treasury (the Khazneh), the perfect spot for a photo break! From here the tour continues down the Street of Facades to the Nabataean Theater. The Royal Tombs are an impressive site, and after that we'll walk down the Colonnade Street to see the Great Temple, assuming there is time of course. Then we'll return to the Siq entrance for a well-deserved lunch at a local restaurant in Wadi Mussa.
There will then be some free time in which you can choose to take part in an optional hike to The Monastery on Jabel A-Deir, or to the High Place of Sacrifice, but you'll have to let us know beforehand so we can organize it for you. Shortly afterwards you'll be driven to a nearby hotel.
Overnight stay:
Petra
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