Petra and Wadi Rum, Jordan
Across the border in Jordan lie two of the Middle East's greatest wonders: Petra, the rose-red city carved into sandstone cliffs by the ancient Nabataeans, and Wadi Rum, a vast desert of towering rock and red sand. Together they make an unforgettable extension to any Holy Land journey.
Why it matters
Petra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, built more than two thousand years ago by the Nabataeans, a trading people who grew wealthy controlling the caravan routes of the ancient world. Approaching through the Siq, a narrow gorge over a kilometre long, visitors emerge before Al-Khazneh, the Treasury, a monumental facade carved directly into the rose-coloured rock. Beyond it stretches an entire city of tombs, temples and an amphitheatre.
To the south, Wadi Rum is a protected desert wilderness of red dunes, sandstone mountains and canyons, long inhabited by Bedouin and made famous in the story of Lawrence of Arabia. A night in a desert camp under exceptionally dark skies is, for many, the emotional peak of the whole trip. This is a cross-border extension into Jordan, not part of Israel, and it adds grandeur and adventure to the sacred journey.
Explore pilgrimage toursHighlights of Petra and Wadi Rum
- The Siq, the dramatic narrow gorge into Petra
- Al-Khazneh, the Treasury, Petra's iconic carved facade
- The Royal Tombs, Roman amphitheatre and Colonnaded Street
- The Monastery, reached by a stepped climb
- Wadi Rum's red dunes and sandstone mountains by jeep
- A Bedouin desert camp and star-filled night sky
Good to know. Petra involves a lot of walking, much of it uphill on uneven ground, so good shoes and water are essential. Wadi Rum is reached by 4x4, and desert nights can be cool. A valid passport and border crossing are required for Jordan, which your tour arranges.
Fits. The showpiece of Israel and Jordan and beyond-pilgrimage packages, entered via the Eilat and Aqaba border.
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