Happy Monday traveler!

This week, we’re taking you to Petra, otherwise known as one of the New 7 Wonders of the World. Get ready for a fascinating trip to Jordan.

🌍️ What’s Going on In the Travel World?

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A message from Passport Inspiration

Looking to plan an inspiring adventure right now?

Planning an international trip can be overwhelming but it doesn’t have to be.

How?

You just need a plan for your plan.

It’s important to prepare with enough time for things like:

• Visas

• Dining

• Lodging

• Passports

• Excursions

• Travel Arrangements

  If you want a head start planning, we can help you prepare for an amazing trip.

🙌This Week’s Inspiration

Get ready to walk (or ride in a golf cart) through one of the world’s most mesmerizing archeological wonders: Petra. It’s referred to as Jordan’s crowned jewel because an average of one million people visited Petra each of the last couple of years.

Petra is a city located in the Jordanian desert and was carved into sandstone cliffs by the Nabataeans, who made up an ancient Arab civilization. It was built in the 4th century B.C. and was the capital city for commerce and trade. Various factors like an earthquake, a change in trade routes, and shifts in political power led to the abandonment of this great city.

Highlights of Petra:

Your journey through Petra begins at the Visitors Center. It’s here where you can buy lots of Jordanian souvenirs. You’ll enter the Siq, which is a natural sandstone gorge that leads through this ancient city. Walking through the Siq was a refreshing feeling with its cooler temperatures since there was a great deal of shade here.

The Siq is definitely impressive because you can see carvings along the way, all signs that show people lived here thousands of years ago.

It’s about a 20 minute walk or so through the Siq, depending on how long you stop for photos. But then, you start getting little glimpes of the Treasury- the most well-known site at Petra.

The Treasury was a mausoleum for King Aretas IV, a Nabataean king who ruled in the first century AD. Royal tombs have been discovered underneath the surface. Visitors are not allowed inside the Treasury, but you can take lots of photographs in front of it. Camel rides also take place here too. It was pretty inspiring to think about how places like this were carved out of the sandstone without the use of modern-day tools.

As impressive as the Treasury is, there is so much more to see after it. Here are some more places definitely worth visiting:

• The Street of Facades (where there are dozens of monumental tombs carved into the cliffs)

• The Ampitheater- a Roman style theater carved into the rocks

• Royal Tombs

• Colonnaded Street

• The Great Temple

• The Monastery

It’s about a 4 km (2.5 miles) hike from the Treasury to the Monastery. This walk includes hiking up a mountain and about 800 steps.

What We Did Wrong and How to Make Sure It Doesn’t Happen to You:

We messed Petra up. This was an extension of a trip to Israel we had taken. The trip was called “Wonders of Petra”, and we immediately knew we wanted to go.

Here’s where our mistake was made though: we severely underestimated the size of Petra (100 square miles or 264 square kilometers) and thought a few hours at Petra would be enough.

It was a three-hour bus ride from Amman (not including the lengthy stop members of our group wanted to make at Starbucks) and it was midday by the time we arrived. The crowds were already there, and we were told by our guide that we only had three hours to explore.

Our group walked with him until we got to the Treasury and then we were given about an hour to continue on our own until we had to leave.

One hour in Petra is nowhere near the time you need if you want to take your time and admire all the sights. We ended up jogging (in the desert and middle of the summer) to try and get as far as we could until it was time to turn back around so we wouldn’t be late for the bus.

👉🏼Both of us said (while jogging back to the bus) that we must come back here again and do the trip right.

Don’t make our mistake. Stay in the closest town, Wadi Musa. This will allow you to get to Petra right when it opens, before all of the tour buses start arriving.

Petra by Night happens every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. You can walk the entire Siq to the Treasury by following the 1,500+ candles that are lit along the way.

😉Don’t ask us for pictures of this. It’s one of the many reasons why we need to return.

How to Get to Petra:

The nearest airport to Petra is King Hussein International Airport (AQJ) in Aqaba. It’s about 100 km (about 62 miles) away. Another airport option is Queen Alia International Airport (AMM) in Amman, which is about three hours away. You can take public buses or taxis to Petra.

There are several ways to get around Petra once you’re inside the Visitors Center. Horses, camels, or golf carts will take you place to place. Walking is the other option. Cars are not allowed here.

Where to Stay:

Stay in Wadi Musa so you’re close. Here are some recommended accommodations:

• Petra Guest House (located just outside the gates of Petra)

• Petra Boutique Hotel (breakfast included, two minutes away from gates of Petra)

• Movenpick Resort Petra (also located right near the gates of Petra)

• Old Street Private Apartment (Airbnb- two minutes away from Petra)

We also highly recommend a trip to the Dead Sea, either on your way down to Petra, or on your way back to Amman. A fun fact about the Dead Sea is that you are less likely to get sunburned since it’s below sea level, the UV rays are not as intense. The Dead Sea also has incredible mud, rich with nutrients, that you can rub on your body. Let it harden and then rinse it off. Trisha loved how smooth it made her skin. This is where we stayed and loved it:

• Crowne Plaza Jordan - Dead Sea Resort & Spa

What to Eat:

Jordanian food has mixes of North Africa, the Middle East, Persia, and the Mediterranean.

Here are some foods commonly found in Jordan:

-falafels

-moutabel (roasted eggplant dip)

-hummus

-labneh (strained yogurt)

-galayet (chunky tomato sauce with cubes of beef)

-stuffed grape leaves

-manakish (also known as Arabic pizza dough with olive oil, spices, cheese, eggs, ground meat)

Click here for a full list of foods.

What to Pack:

Although Jordan is in the Middle East, we found this country to be a bit more casual on the dress attire. It’s still a good idea though to dress on the conservative side, with your shoulders and knees covered. Swimsuits are needed for hotel pools or at the Dead Sea. Here is what we recommend:

• This hat which is perfect for the Jordanian desert

• These women’s joggers, lightweight and comfortable

• This men’s wide brim sun hat perfect for the sun

• This 5 pack of men’s quick dry fit shirts

• This water bottle holder can also hold your phone, credit cards, etc.

• These towels which are super light-weight and easy to pack

👋 Have an Inspiring Week

Here are a few things to help you when at Petra.

• If you prefer to have a guided tour- this is a list of our recommended tours for Petra and the Dead Sea, ranging from 2-3 days…choose the one that best fits your needs

• The same link has a private transportation to/from Petra and Amman Airport

See you next week,

Trisha & Bob