Visit to Petra, Jordan (A 7-World Wonder)
There are places in the world that feel like stepping into a history book, and then there is Petra- a place that feels almost unreal. My Petra experience was surreal. It was perplexing to see so much history preserved in one place.
The city is over 2,000 years old and was first established by the Nabataeans around 312 BC. This ancient civilization carved monumental structures directly into the rose-colored sandstone cliffs. Petra later became part of both the Roman and Byzantine empires, leaving behind layers of history that still echo through the city today.
Getting there was an adventure in itself. From Amman, my friend and I hired a taxi for around $100. The journey lasted about four hours and was quite a ride across the Jordanian landscape. The price covered the trip to and fro, which made it completely worth it.
Once we arrived, we checked out the Petra museum at the entrance- it was a great first stop, giving us an amazing backstory for the walk ahead. We walked as much as we possibly could throughout the day. Petra is not just a site - it is an entire city. There are endless paths, facades, caves, and monuments carved into the mountains. We didn’t quite make it to every single crevice, but we certainly touched most of it.
What made the experience even more special were the interactions along the way. Around 26 families currently live within caves in Petra, and they belong to the Bedouin tribe - some claim they are descendants of the Nabataeans themselves. We spent time walking with one of them who was apparently incredibly skilled in photography (shoutout to Ayman for the lovely photos). Throughout the day we also stopped several times to interact with locals. At one point, while buying some beautiful silk scarves, we were offered tea - which of course we didn’t say no to.
Our guide said “close your eyes and open your mind” and that stuck with me
The biggest challenge of the day was hiking up to the Monastery, Ad-Dayr. It takes roughly 1,000 steps to get to the top, carved right into the mountainside. By the time we were nearing the summit, I honestly thought I might pass out. But once you reach the top and see the Monastery standing there in all its grandeur, the exhaustion fades into pure awe.
Must-try pomegranate juice at the top of Ad-Dayr
At the top, we treated ourselves to locally pressed pomegranate juice — which felt like a reward from heaven after the long climb.
Petra was truly immaculate. Beauty from time, kept in time. Walking through it feels like stepping into a preserved moment of ancient civilization.
If you ever get the chance to visit, take it.
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