Nov-2013
Petra: the land of a red stone
Forgotten Nabataean civilization
On November 1-2 I invite you to spend a weekend in one of the most beautiful deserts of the Middle East, watch sunrises, sunsets, starry skies, sand dunes, and, of course, the red rocks. Over the two days that you will spend in Petra among the fragments of the Nabataean civilization, sun, wind, and the tastiest Labane in the world, you will know that the every grain of sand, stuck in your hair, makes you a little happier. You will also learn who the Nabataeans were, who built the famous Treasury and what mysteries one of the Wonders of the World holds within itself . We will hike the most beautiful routes of the National Reserve, through the Treasury, Amphitheater , we will go up to the Monastery and look at Israel from the “End of the world”. Also, we will ascent the Jabal Haroun (the mountain on top of which Aaron was buried, according to the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition), which will open the most beautiful sight that you have ever seen in your life. You will see Petra that 99% of all tourists don’t see.
1250 per person
Sign-up- Transfer from the Israeli-Jordanian border to the start of the route and back.
- Accompaniment of a Jordanian guide and a policeman (according to law)
- Customs duty (100 NIS for crossing of the Israeli-Jordanian border)
- Getting to the Jordanian border and back (southern checkpoint, near Eilat)
- Gratuities to the local police, guide and driver (suggested amount is 10 dinars for each participant)
- Medical Insurance (a must-have!)
- Food and water
Program
Some places are like people. You get attracted to them. You don’t want to leave them. It gives you the butterflies, fastens the heartbeat, and even when you are together you still miss it. You do not want to go to bed not to lose the precious time together, even a few hours in each other’s company. You do not sleep, you sit and guard the sunsets, the sunrises, days and nights, because at the beginning of this journey you know that you will still have to say goodbye. Petra is such a place.
That’s where we will go right after crossing the border at 8:00 AM. After 2 hours in the road we will arrive to the village of Wadi Musa, near the entrance to the archaeological park, check in the hotel and immediately go to explore the treasures of a long-vanished civilization.
On this day we will visit all the major, classic attractions of the Reserve: the Large Siq, the Treasury, the Great Temple, the Byzantine Church, the Daughter Castle and others, as well as the pearl of Petra, the Monastery. From there, we will see the Arava desert, Israel, the surrounding mountains and the Tomb, the beauty of which can not be matched by any other monument in the Reserve.
Around 18:00 we will finish our hike (about 8 kilometers total), and return to the hotel for dinner and we will call it a night.
On the second day of our journey we’ll take a trek to the Mount Aaron, associated with the very mountain of Hor, where Aaron was buried. In good weather, one can see Israel from the top, but even without that the views from the 2,000-meter peaks fascinate even the most sophisticated audience.
Tens of kilometers across the desert, Bedouin tea on the way and here is our goal – the top of Mount Aaron (Jabal Haroun). The total length of the track in both directions is 20 km.
Around 17:00 we will complete the trek and return to the parking lot, where we will get on our mini-bus and head to the border with Israel. Around 19:00 we will complete our journey and … back home!
Program overview:
- Two days of sightseeing in the National Reserve of Petra: Nabataean civilization, the secrets of the ancient building, one of the greatest stories of the human history
- Trek and climb to the Mount Aaron (about 16 kilometers)
- Stunning views of Wadi Rum and Petra
- Delicious food, freshly brewed coffee and many new experiences and knowledge
- At 7:30 AM on November 01, we meet at the checkpoint Arava near Eilat. Everybody gets there by themselves- by car, plane or the Egged bus (I recommend not to reject prematurely this option, the bus can be very convenient). Ideally, we should get together and ride on few cars, saving on gas. You can either come in on the night from Thursday to Friday, or come on Thursday evening and spend a night in Eilat.
- After crossing the border we head to the start of the route and until 19:00 of the next day, November 2, we’ll forget about all our problems.
- About 19-20:00 on Saturday, November 02, we will cross the Jordanian-Israeli border and go home.
- Comfortable clothing and hiking shoes.
- Small backpack for 2-3 liters of water and food for two days.
- A hat and a sunblock creme