Middle East
Jordan
The rose-red city carved directly out of stone by the Nabataeans.
Petra is one of those places where photographs fail to prepare you. The Treasury — Al-Khazneh — emerges at the end of a 1.2-kilometer slot canyon and hits you before you're ready for it. But Petra is vast: most visitors see roughly 10% of the site in a day. The full archaeological zone covers 264 square kilometers and has barely been excavated. What's visible is extraordinary. What's underground is likely more so.
Plan Your Trip to Jordan
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Hotels & Accommodation
Flights
Tours & Experiences
What to See
The Siq & Al-Khazneh (The Treasury)
The 1.2-kilometer slot canyon narrows to a gap just wide enough to walk through, then opens onto the Treasury facade carved directly into rose-red sandstone. The approach makes the arrival hit harder.
The Monastery (Ad Deir)
Larger than the Treasury and far less visited, requiring a 45-minute climb up 800 steps. At the top: a facade 45 meters wide and 50 meters tall carved into the clifftop. Worth every step.
Wadi Rum
The desert valley south of Petra used for Lawrence of Arabia and The Martian because it looks like another planet. Red sand, sandstone cliffs, Bedouin camps. Spend a night.
Jerash
One of the best-preserved Roman cities in the world outside of Italy, just 48 kilometers north of Amman. Colonnaded streets, temples, theatres — largely intact and largely ignored in favor of Petra.
Amman
The capital is a modern city built on top of an ancient one. The Roman amphitheater sits in the middle of downtown. The citadel above it holds remains going back to the Bronze Age.
The Dead Sea
At 430 meters below sea level, the lowest point on Earth's surface. You float without trying. The salt concentration is 34%. Bring shoes for the shore — the salt crystals cut.
Essential Info
Best Time to Visit
March–May or September–November — avoid the extreme summer heat
Currency
Jordanian Dinar (JOD)
Language
Arabic (English widely spoken in tourist areas)
Further Reading
The books that make a destination make more sense before you arrive — history, culture, context.
📚Books About Jordan
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