This man in Petra, Jordan takes a break with his donkey after taking tourists for a ride along the Siq. Petra is known around the world as the ancient rose red city in the rocks.

If you’re planning to visit Jordan, rest assured there will be plenty there to keep you entertained.  While Petra is perhaps the most well-known of all the Jordan attractions, the truth is there are a myriad of things to do in Jordan, including a collection of impressive castles, an entire Roman city preserved for exploration, and six national nature reserves. While this is by no means a comprehensive itinerary for a Jordan holiday, it does represent our top tips for things to see there. At some point, we hope to return for further exploration. For now, here are our recommendations for must-see sights and attractions.

Ajloun Castle is an unexpected attraction for many Jordan tourists.

An impressive structure in the northern part of Jordan, Ajloun Castle has a commanding view of the surrounding area and makes for a great side trip if you are crossing over into Israel from the northern border crossing. It’s one of numerous castles in Jordan worthy of tourist attention, and located near the Ajloun Nature Reserve. There’s a lodge nearby affiliated with the Wild Jordan Café restaurant in Amman that helps fund animal conservation efforts in the area.

Numerous nature reserves are also available for touring in Jordan.

The Ajloun Nature reserve is one of only six nature reserves operated by Jordan’s Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. The others all bring their own relevance to the ecological tourism table. Wadi Mujib for example, borders the Dead Sea and brings a wet and wild entrance to this natural world wonder in full adventure-themed style. Azraq Wetland Reserve, another water-themed nature attraction is a bit more serene, offering an important birding stopover between Europe and Africa.

The capital city of Amman offers a bit more than a launch platform.

Most people get off the plane in Amman, Jordan and head out immediately for other world heritage attractions.  However, there are several things to do in Amman worthy of a day or two out of your tourism itinerary. Notable sights include the Amman citadel, the King Hussein mosque and the new Jordan Museum. Hotels in Amman are varied. We stayed affordably at the Palace Hotel near the Al Rashid Court Café and the downtown souk. It was a bit worn, but safe with a friendly staff.  There are also a number of restaurants in Amman. Two of our favorites are the Blue Fig and Wild Jordan.

The preserved Roman city of Jerash is a world-class set of ruins.

One of the coolest things about the ancient city of Jerash is that it’s completely set apart from the new city of the same name. The ruins in Rome for example, while impressive, are interspersed throughout the modern areas. Jerash is actually adjacent to the new city, making it the perfect spot for the annual cultural festival held there. It features chariot-themed activities, live performances in both of the two ancient theaters and period costumes galore.

Mosaics, Moses and more make Madaba a popular destination from which to base for daytrips.

The city of Madaba, Jordan has been famous for its mosaics for thousands of years. It’s also within daytripping distance to Mount Nebo, the Dead Sea, the River Jordan and Machaerus. There are a handful of hotels for tourists in Madaba, including the Hotel Mariam within walking distance or a brief cab ride of the atmospheric Haret Jdoudna, which is a phenomenal place to have dinner when you’re in the area.

Wadi Rum is a serene desert getaway for stargazers, rock climbers and avid campers.

A filming site for both Lawrence of Arabia and Red Planet, the natural area of Wadi Rum provides a quiet getaway for tourists looking to get over the craziness of a whirlwind tour of Jordan.  You can spend a few days here spotting camels, climbing stone arches, and exploring the desert landscape. It’s also a site with extremely dark skies, making it a popular stopover for astronomers.

Petra is one of the new seven wonders, and famous for its world-class Nabatean ruins.

A visit to Petra, Jordan is the experience of a lifetime. Just ask any traveler who’s made the journey. Tombs, high altars of sacrifice and ancient obelisks are just some of ruins you’ll see at Petra. Enter by horse-drawn carriage or foot through the siq, and your first view of Petra will be a scene made famous by the movie Indiana Jones. The building used in the Last Crusade movie is at the entrance to Petra proper, and many other remarkable buildings await you as you stroll down the ancient street towards the stairs to the monastery.

Visiting Jordan completely can take at least a month. With castles, nature preserves, spiritual pilgrimage sites and the Dead Sea to work in, along with Roman ruins and other important attractions, scheduling only a brief trip is a mistake. Be sure you set aside enough time on your itinerary to experience all of the things to see in Jordan, and perhaps a few extra weeks to cross over into some of the other neighboring countries.

Photo Credits: These images of Jordan were photographed by the owners of Trek Hound, and are available for creative commons use through an agreement with our sister travel image site, Pictures of Travel Places.

One of the New Seven Wonders, the rose-red city of Petra, Jordan has hosted the filming of Indiana Jones, countless tourists and a number of notable international celebrities. Founded by the Nabataeans as part of the ancient trade route, the lost city of Petra has since been rediscovered by modern-day tourists. Radically different from the ancient Roman city of Jerash in northern Jordan, Petra makes a great companion destination to both Wadi Rum and Madaba. My husband and I were fortunate enough to be able to spend nearly a week there exploring the sights, trails and local culture. These are our top tips for having the classic Petra experience.

Purchase the three-day pass.

Available at the Petra Visitor Center, this multi-day pass allowed us a couple of extra free days on the end of our visit, bringing the per-day cost down significantly. They also provided a fifty percent discount for anyone with an international student card. While it’s possible to have a decent Petra experience in the standard one-two days, you’ll be able to see so much more if you make the time to stay a bit longer. We made friends with the locals, took an entire afternoon for a picnic, hiked up to some of the high places to have tea with our guide’s grandmother and bonded with numerous donkeys, goats and camels. Also, if you’re there for the photo ops as much as the experience, managing multiple days on site is key.

Book a room close to the siq.

The Petra siq will look familiar to anyone who saw Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. It’s the long, cleft in the rock where you enter the ancient city of Petra on foot that ends in front of the building made famous by that same movie, the Petra Treasury. Otherwise known as Al Kazneh, this building was filmed as the entrance to the location where the proverbial Holy Grail was stored. It’s actually more façade than building, with a depth more appropriate for a large room. That being said, the siq makes for a meditative stroll and a magical first-time entrance the rose city. We stayed quite affordably at the Petra Moon Hotel.

It’s located directly behind the Movenpick, and rooms are available for a fraction of the cost. Breakfast was included, and it was extremely convenient not to have to make our way to the entrance from Wadi Musa every morning like most of the other tourists. It gave us first crack at unobscured photo ops, and faster access to our room so we could rest our heads after hours on our feet each day. Breakfast was included and the rooms were clean enough with a private bath. If you’re traveling during the cooler months, be advised that this establishment’s definition of heat is decidedly European.

For the classic Petra experience, a picnic is in order.

This takes some planning, as you’ll have to find some items in Wadi Musa to pack in with you. Also, when we visited, the only place we could find to purchase wine was at the Cave Bar (see below). That was fine with us, but we did need to plan ahead the night before because the supplies were in two separate locations, and the Cave Bar wasn’t open in the morning when we headed out through the siq. We asked one of the locals we had befriended during our time there to recommend a great lookout spot, and he didn’t disappoint. We climbed up to a flat area just past – and across from – the Petra theater and spent our last afternoon there enjoying the view and reflecting upon the experience.

The Cave Bar is worth an evening or two of your time.

Experience sheesha and wine sipping at the Cave Bar near the entrance to Petra proper. The bar is literally in a cave, and loaded with atmosphere. It’s a true treat at the end of a day on your feet exploring the ages-old home of the Nabataeans. If the picnic idea mentioned above appeals to you, then be sure to pick up an extra bottle of wine to add to your meal supplies.

Jebel Haroun, known to English speakers as the Tomb of Aaron, is a great overnight camping journey.

Local guides will load up their camels with all of the supplies necessary to transport you on an overnight campout to Jebel Haroun, where Aaron – brother to Moses – is believed to be buried. It’s a great reason to climb on a camel and experience a bit of Bedouin culture while visiting what for many is a spiritual pilgrimage site.

Making your way to the Petra Monastery, AKA Al Deir means expansive views . . .and living on the edge.

While the building known as the Petra Monastery is in essence a larger version of Al Khezneh, the Treasury, many people make the journey up for the expansive nearby view and the architectural photo op. Whether you make the entire climb on foot, or opt for partial relief in the form of a donkey ride, you’ll be hugging the edge of more than one cliff a you do so. Getting distracted and reaching out too far for that coveted souvenir photograph is definitely NOT recommended. That being said, it’s an unforgettable way to spend an afternoon, and you’ll pass by many friendly people having tea and hanging out with their livestock.

The location known as the High Place of Sacrifice is a moving experience.

It’ll take you a while to climb up there, but you’ll see other cool ruins along the way, such as a giant lion carved in the rock and an Egyptian-style obelisk. The main star of the show however, is the altar at the high place of sacrifice. While much of the detail has been eroded over the centuries, the view of the ancient city and surrounding areas will have you feeling like you are standing on the Middle East’s equivalent of the temple in Mel Gibson’s Apocolypto. The experience is strangely primal and spiritual at the same time, and a bit difficult to describe. And the view? Out of this world.

Also of note is the Petra theater.

With a seating capacity of roughly 7,000, the weathered Petra theater provides a sense of the thriving cultural scene that was present when the Nabateans themselves still resided in the rose-colored sandstone structures. Cultural theater demonstrations are still routinely held at the Petra theater, similarly to the modern-day operas held at the arena in Verona, Italy.

The local Bedouin people are extremely comfortable with having their photos taken.

Having spent time in other parts of the region where snapping photos of individuals isn’t necessarily appreciated, this was a pleasant surprise. Travel photos are some of my favorite souvenirs, and I love photographing the people who live in the places we travel to. We came home with some phenomenal pictures of Petra and its people, including a precious one of a young boy hugging his goat.

Traveling to Petra from Amman, Jordan is relatively easy by bus and affordable enough via private driver, particularly if you share the fare with a fellow traveler. Spend a full five or six days if you have the time. It’s the experience of a lifetime, and one you definitely don’t want to shortchange.

Photo Credits: These images of Petra were photographed by the people here at Trek Hound. If you would like to use these and other pictures of Jordan on your website, you can do so through a creative commons arrangement with our sister site, Pictures of Travel Places.

Shot in Petra, this image of a friendly and curious donkey has always stuck with me as one of my favorites.

It was beautiful day, and we were getting ready to head up to the monastery to enjoy the view and sights along the way. Along came this particular donkey, decorated for a day of giving rides and ready to say hello. What a hoot.

Have you been to Petra? Are you a donkey photographing enthusiast? If you have a link to a similar travel photo, we’d love to see it!

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

This photo review was submitted to the June 18, 2010 edition of Photo Friday at DeliciousBaby.com.

I admit it. I’m a sucker for camels. Up close and personal, or with a great zoom lense, I’m always up to try to capture their animated faces for posterity.

This particular camel was standing near some particularly colorful stone buildings in the middle of Petra. Isn’t he a hoot?

If you ever have a chance to visit Petra, there will be no shortage of camels for you to photograph. This camel was one of many, but was putting on the best show at the time. Share your favorite camel shot by including a link below.

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

The Middle East will always be dear to my heart, and Petra is one of my favorite attractions in the region.

On an around-the-world trip with my husband several years ago, we enjoyed several days at Petra. On one of those days, we made the journey up to the monastery, where we ran into this lady who invited us to tea. It was so relaxing to sit and enjoy the people-watching experience that is the stairway to Petra’s famous monastery building. Locals and international tourists, goats, donkeys and more climb the canyon for a peek at the building and the phenomenal view from the cliff.

On a side note, I’m enamored with Bedouin culture and images in general. Any links to images you’ve posted elsewhere online from the Middle East would be greatly enjoyed by yours truly. Happy trails, Trek Hound readers!

Photo Credit: Trek Hound

Petra falls into the category of amazing by anyone’s standards. The immensity of the site, the antiquity and the intricacy of the stone city itself all combine for a truly remarkable experience. 

That being said, anyone who’s been there will be able to tell you that the local Bedouins of Petra are the ones who truly make the experience. The decorated animals, the tea invites and the fact that they still lived in these caves until very recently makes them an authentic living element to this archaeological wonder.

Many of them still graze their animals there, as was the case the father of the boy in this picture. These particular goats were some of the most striking I’d ever seen, and this little boy clearly loved spending time with them.

Have you been to Petra? Do you have a particular memory or photo to share? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below.

Photo Credit: Trek Hound