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This is one of the most well-known archaeological sites in all of Jordan, Petra
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Admired for its massive architecture and ingenious complex of dams and aqueducts
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it was built over 2,000 years ago by an industrious Arab people, the Nabateans
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This site is evident that they were one of the most impressive early civilizations in the area
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They were a nomadic people who began to settle in Petra around the 4th century BC
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It seems the Nabataeans' arrival to Petra was unplanned, and the area had long been inhabited by other peoples
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but most of what remains today was built by the Nabataeans. In fact, a few hundred years after settling here
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Petra became the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom, a huge city encompassing around 10 square kilometers
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Here in southern Jordan, these sandstone cliffs are peaceful, beautiful and quiet
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But this landscape alone is not the reason people travel from all over the world to visit here each year
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thousands of years ago the smooth sandstone was carved into this massive intricate facade behind
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me but this isn't the only carving in this canyon it's filled with them people lived in these caves
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making crafts and trading with people traveling from all neighboring continents this was once a
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lively spot but the prehistoric city of Petra was lost to the western world of hundreds of years
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But why? Before coming part of the Roman Empire, the Nabataeans controlled most of the Middle East
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The city of Petra was built as their capital and trading center in 400 BC
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Surrounded by tall cliffs and accessible by only a narrow canyon this land gave a natural advantage to whoever controlled it It was easy to defend and ensured a steady income This is where the Nabataeans would
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charge a tax on all the travelers and traders that had to pass through Petra. That's why this
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is known as the Treasury. With soldiers dotting the tops of these cliffs as you walk through
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it would certainly be hard to say no to that request. The Nabataeans grew in wealth and power
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throughout the region and a huge reason for that was their control of this land that I'm standing on
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When the Romans took over though, the trade passing through this site started to fade
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with sea trade over the Mediterranean becoming more important than land routes through the Middle East
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By the time of the Byzantine Empire, Petra was essentially forgotten about to the western world
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But we are here now, so obviously it wasn't lost forever. This is Johann Ludwig Burghard, a Swiss explorer disguised as an Arab traveler
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while traveling throughout the Middle East and Africa in search of the source of the river Niger
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Birkhardt arrived in Jordan where he learned of an ancient city hidden in a narrow mountain valley
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nearby. Asking for more information he heard a local legend which claimed that the tomb of Aram
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the brother of Moses was located at this ancient site. In order to see the ruins, Birkhardt paid
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a local guide to take him under the guise that he wanted to sacrifice a goat to Aram. Birkhardt
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the guide and the goat entered the narrow canyon and emerged to see the magnificent ruins of the
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treasury. Burkhardt secretly wrote everything down in his journal and later shared his discovery when
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he returned to London and that's how the western world learned of Petra. And now thanks to Burkhardt's
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rediscovery of Petra, visitors can visit this amazing site and also stand in awe at the impressive
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remains of the ancient city The entrance to the site is right here and if you follow along this path one of the first sites you see is the Siq or the narrow canyon and the treasury but don make the mistake of stopping here just look at how many sites are beyond this you just
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getting started to get the full experience of petra you will want to dedicate a lot of time
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inside the site the visitor center is right here at the entrance in the town of wadi musa you can
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buy your ticket here but if you get the jordan pass that will be your ticket this is where you
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can also pick up this map we're looking at. The path you walk along is flat and lined with vertical
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sandstone walls. This is called the Siq. As you walk down this, you'll quickly begin to see some
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ruins. In fact, these channels cut into the wall made a part of their ingenious network of flowing
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water. So as you can see, the Nabataeans carved this so the water can go down. And here we can see
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two carvings. One represents people who come to trade goods. They would come from all continents
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and this one represents the camel which was used to transfer people in and out from the Petra
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After walking two kilometers along the Sikh, the rock walls open and reveal the beautiful facade
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of the treasury. There are a few different routes you can take through the rest of the canyon
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Most visitors aim at least to get to this point but most of the site lies beyond this
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The theater, the royal tombs, the great temple, the colonnaded street, Qasr al-Bint, Byzantine church
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About two and a half miles from the entrance is the furthest side, the monastery
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This is equally as stunning as the treasury and has great views of the surrounding area
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If you want to see these sights but are nervous about the walk you can also hire a horse carriage to take you from the entrance to the Sikh You can also hire a donkey or camel to take you throughout the site For tourists who
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are elderly or have special needs, the visitor center can issue a special permit for an extra
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fee so the carriages can take you to the main sites. If you're interested in seeing the unique
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experience of seeing the ancient city at night where the Sikh and treasury are illuminated by
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candlelight you will have to pay an additional fee if you're using a Jordan pass however the
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night entrance is already included in your Petra ticket if you plan to attend the night tour of
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Petra I highly recommend you plan a day visit as well while we could spend much more time exploring
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Petra we'll leave you to discover some secrets for yourself and top tip I highly recommend staying
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overnight in the nearby town of Wadi Musa and arriving at Petra just after sunrise when the
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site first opens each day. The morning light will slowly light up the canyons and you'll beat the
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clouds and heat. Also, be sure to plan ahead for the intense weather. In the warmer months
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come prepared for intense heat, wearing a proper attire and pack plenty of sunscreen. The site gets
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a lot of direct sunlight throughout the day and it can get quite hot. If you plan a night visit or
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to be there in the early morning, be mindful that temperatures can drop significantly. Even in the
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warmer months when the sun goes down so a sweater or a jacket will be needed to
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stay comfortable. Note that Petra's entrance is also its main exit so you
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likely have to hike a long distance throughout your day here. If traveling
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with a higher driver you can arrange your driver to pick you up at the next gate beyond the monastery otherwise you'll have to walk back through the
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canyons to exit the site. This is just one video in a series that make up our
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Jordan travel guide and you can find the whole thing for free at brighttrip.com
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which I'll link in the description below. See you there
