From the ancient city of Petra to the breathtaking Dead Sea and sublime desert landscapes of Wadi Rum in between, Jordan has delighted visitors for centuries.
Finding some exit from Desert Hwy towards the amiable market town of Madaba was difficult. Even the traffic police officers were unsure how to get off the highway, but we made it. We parked at a friendly gated visitors center, from where it’s an easy 1.5-hour walk to cover all main...
On the way to the north, we made a short stop at Qatrana Castle, located in one of the few towns along the Desert Hwy. It was a former stop on the pilgrim road between Damascus and Mecca. The castle, built in 1531 by the Ottomans, has been nicely restored. But again, it’s slowly...
We were curious, so we followed the brown sign off the main Aqaba Hwy and struggled along the narrow, potholed access road through the seldom-visited Bedouin district of Humayma to a surprisingly large archaeological site. The largely Nabataean site, pressed against the cliffs, includes...
We drove to the Wadi Rum Protected Area (included in Jordan Pass) to the village of Rum, where the paved road ends. And, like in other destinations in Jordan, forget what is written in the books; most establishments also went bankrupt due to COVID-19. So, some private drivers of old pick...
Today, we drove 10 kilometers to Siq Al Barid (Cold Canyon), known as Little Petra (included in Jordan Pass). It was thought to have served as an agricultural center, trading suburb, and resupply post for camel caravans visiting Petra. The surrounding area is picturesque and fun to...
We spend one day exploring ancient Petra, which lies half-hidden in the wind-blown landscape in southern Jordan. It is often deemed one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in the world. Inhabited since prehistoric times, this Nabataean caravan city, situated between the Red Sea and...
In the late afternoon, we arrived at the base for the visits of ancient Petra. The Wadi Musa (Valley of Moses) town that has sprung up around Petra is an easygoing assemblage of hotels, restaurants, shops, and houses stretching about 5km from Moses’ Spring to the main entrance of Petra...
After the “death” Dead Sea, we rushed to Petra to use our expensive Jordan Passes before their expiry. So we took a scenic route through the Moab Mountain Ridge and the Highlands, where slopes drop steeply 1,000 meters or more towards the Dead Sea Rift. This region is...
We parked next to the Lowest Point on Earth Museum, the starting point of the climb up to Lot’s Cave. The museum is shaped like a giant stone comma. It contains some excavated remains from the site, including mosaics, 4500-year-old pottery, and ancient textiles. Other displays...
We ended up 431m below sea level at the lowest point on earth. After complicated travels in the north, we decided to relax for one day at the Dead Sea, also known as the Salt Sea. The Dead Sea is an ideal resting location on the way to Petra and Wadi Rum. The history of the Dead Sea...