Jordan in Depth: Petra, Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea and the Art of Arab Hospitality

There is a moment in Petra that no amount of prior knowledge or photography can prepare you for. You have been walking for twenty minutes through the Siq — a narrow slot canyon, the walls pressing close on both sides, the light filtering down from a strip of sky far above — and then the canyon turns, and through a gap in the rock you see it: the Treasury (Al-Khazneh), a 40-metre-high facade carved directly into the rose-red sandstone cliff, its columns and pediments and carved figures glowing in the morning light. The scale is overwhelming. The craftsmanship is extraordinary. And the knowledge that this was carved two thousand years ago, by a civilisation that has otherwise almost entirely vanished, makes it one of the most affecting sights in the world.

Jordan is a small country — roughly the size of Portugal — but it contains an extraordinary concentration of significant places. Petra, the capital of the Nabataean kingdom, is one of the great archaeological sites of the ancient world. Wadi Rum, the desert valley where T.E. Lawrence organised the Arab Revolt, is one of the most dramatic landscapes on Earth. The Dead Sea, at 430 metres below sea level the lowest point on the planet's surface, is a geological and historical wonder. And the people of Jordan — shaped by Bedouin traditions of hospitality, by the crossroads position of their country between the Arab world and the West, and by a culture that values generosity and welcome above almost everything else — make the country one of the most genuinely pleasant places to travel in the Middle East.

Petra: More Than the Treasury

Most visitors to Petra see the Treasury, walk a short distance further into the city, and then turn back. This is a mistake. Petra is vast — the Nabataean city covers approximately 264 square kilometres, and the main archaeological zone alone requires at least two full days to explore properly. Beyond the Treasury, the Siq opens into a broad valley containing the Street of Facades (a row of tomb facades carved into the cliff), the Roman Theatre (carved from the rock and capable of seating 8,500 people), the Colonnaded Street (the main commercial thoroughfare of the ancient city) and the Qasr al-Bint temple.

The most rewarding part of Petra for most visitors is the climb to the Monastery (Ad-Deir) — a 45-minute ascent of approximately 800 rock-cut steps, rewarded by a facade even larger than the Treasury (50 metres wide, 45 metres high) in a remote location that sees far fewer visitors. The view from the ridge above the Monastery across the Wadi Araba to the hills of Israel and Palestine is extraordinary. The High Place of Sacrifice — a Nabataean altar on a ridge above the main city, reached by a different set of rock-cut steps — offers the finest views across the entire Petra basin.

Wadi Rum: Sleeping Under the Stars in the Desert

Wadi Rum is a protected desert wilderness of approximately 720 square kilometres in southern Jordan — a landscape of massive sandstone and granite mountains rising from a flat desert floor of red sand, with natural arches, ancient rock inscriptions and the silence of a place that feels genuinely remote from the modern world. T.E. Lawrence described it as 'vast, echoing and God-like,' and the description still fits. The desert has been used as a film location for The Martian, Rogue One, Dune and several other productions, and the landscape does indeed look like another planet.

The essential Wadi Rum experience is spending at least one night in the desert — either in a Bedouin camp (ranging from basic tents to luxury 'bubble' domes with transparent roofs for stargazing) or in a more remote wild camp arranged with a local guide. The night sky in Wadi Rum, far from any light pollution, is one of the finest in the Middle East — the Milky Way is clearly visible on clear nights, and the silence is absolute. Days are spent on jeep tours, camel rides, hiking to natural arches and rock bridges, and exploring the ancient Nabataean and Thamudic rock inscriptions that cover many of the cliff faces.

The Dead Sea: Floating at the Bottom of the World

The Dead Sea — a salt lake on the border between Jordan and Israel/Palestine — is one of the most extraordinary natural phenomena on Earth. At 430 metres below sea level, it is the lowest point on the planet's surface. The water is approximately ten times saltier than the ocean, making it impossible to sink — you float effortlessly on the surface, reading a newspaper if you choose, while the salt crystals on the shore glitter in the sun and the hills of the West Bank rise on the opposite shore. The mineral-rich mud from the Dead Sea floor is said to have therapeutic properties for skin conditions, and the tradition of covering yourself in black mud and then washing it off in the salt water is one of the more unusual tourist rituals in the Middle East.

The Dead Sea is shrinking rapidly — it has lost approximately a third of its surface area in the past fifty years, due to the diversion of the Jordan River for agriculture and industry. The receding shoreline has left behind a landscape of salt pillars, sinkholes and abandoned resort infrastructure that is itself a powerful visual record of environmental change. Swimming in the Dead Sea while it still exists is, in a sense, a historically significant act.

Jordanian Food: The Cuisine of Arab Hospitality

Jordanian cuisine is generous, flavourful and deeply connected to the Bedouin traditions of hospitality that define the culture. The defining dish is mansaf — a whole lamb slow-cooked in a sauce of fermented dried yoghurt (jameed), served on a bed of rice and flatbread and eaten communally from a large platter. Mansaf is the dish of celebration, of welcome and of reconciliation — it is served at weddings, at funerals, at the resolution of disputes and at the arrival of honoured guests. Eating mansaf with a Jordanian family is one of the most meaningful food experiences in the Middle East.

• ·Mansaf — slow-cooked lamb in fermented yoghurt sauce over rice; the national dish and the dish of hospitality
• ·Maqluba — an upside-down rice dish with chicken or lamb and vegetables; the name means "upside down" in Arabic
• ·Falafel and hummus — the everyday street food of Jordan; the hummus in Amman is among the finest in the Arab world
• ·Knafeh — a sweet pastry of shredded wheat filled with soft white cheese and soaked in sugar syrup; the definitive Jordanian dessert
• ·Zarb — a Bedouin slow-cooked meat and vegetable dish prepared in an underground oven; the traditional food of Wadi Rum
• ·Sage tea — wild sage tea served in small glasses; the universal welcome drink in Bedouin culture

Weather and Best Time to Visit: Month by Month

• ·January: 4 to 12°C — cool; some rain; Petra and Wadi Rum quiet; occasional snow at altitude; not ideal but possible
• ·February: 5 to 14°C — late winter; conditions improving; wildflowers beginning in Wadi Rum; quiet
• ·March: 9 to 19°C — spring; excellent conditions; wildflowers in desert; Petra at its most beautiful; highly recommended
• ·April: 14 to 24°C — peak spring; ideal temperatures; wildflowers; Easter busy; one of the two best months
• ·May: 19 to 29°C — excellent; warming up; still comfortable; fewer crowds than April; recommended
• ·June: 23 to 34°C — hot; summer heat building; early morning visits to Petra essential; manageable
• ·July: 26 to 37°C — very hot; not recommended for Petra hiking; Wadi Rum nights still comfortable
• ·August: 26 to 37°C — hottest month; not recommended; Dead Sea resorts busy with regional tourists
• ·September: 23 to 33°C — conditions improving; still hot but manageable; fewer tourists; good value
• ·October: 17 to 27°C — excellent conditions returning; ideal temperatures; highly recommended
• ·November: 11 to 20°C — peak autumn; excellent; quiet; one of the two best months; highly recommended
• ·December: 6 to 14°C — cool; some rain; quiet; Christmas and New Year busy; atmospheric

Getting to Jordan

Queen Alia International Airport in Amman is well connected to Europe, with direct flights from London (approximately 5 hours), Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Paris and several other European cities. Royal Jordanian, the national carrier, operates direct flights from many European hubs. Aqaba Airport in the south of the country is a useful entry point for travellers focusing on Petra and Wadi Rum — it has direct flights from several European cities and is approximately 1.5 hours from Petra by road.

A Country That Earns Its Reputation

Jordan has a reputation as one of the safest and most welcoming countries in the Middle East, and the reputation is deserved. The combination of extraordinary archaeological sites, dramatic natural landscapes, excellent food and the genuine warmth of the people makes it one of the most rewarding destinations in the region. Travellers who come expecting only Petra leave having discovered Wadi Rum, the Dead Sea, the Roman city of Jerash, the Crusader castle of Kerak and the hospitality of a culture that has been welcoming strangers for thousands of years.