With so much to see in Petra it’s essential we make the very best of our time there. To ensure a successful tour, we will leave Kibbutz Ketura at 6:30 AM on Tuesday morning, and accompany participants through the border procedures. We also send all passport details ahead to make sure we have no delays and that our group is the very first at and through the border terminal.

Once through the border and on route to Petra, you are provided with bottled mineral water. It is not formally permitted to take food or drink into Jordan but tucking a small snack for lunch into your bag doesn’t typically present a problem.

You now begin the two-hour drive to Petra that takes you by the famous Wadi Rum. Your specialist guide will give you an in-depth briefing on the history of Jordan and its culture, as well as the background on the remarkable sights you will see during your trip. As you reach the Wadi Rum, the red desert scenery is particularly striking and we take a moment to enjoy the splendid views. This area was the base of TE Lawrence during the Arab revolt and the epic movie about him, Lawrence of Arabia, was filmed here.

Nearing Petra, we stop once more at a viewpoint overlooking the town of Wadi Musa (Moses Valley) and on a hilltop in the distance we can see the shrine marking the grave of Moses’ brother, Aaron.

After arriving at Petra’s entrance, we walk to the Siq Canyon. Horses are available for this walk but a tip is expected from the handlers of $5 minimum. We advise participants to walk with their tour guide to the Siq rather than use these horses.

On route into Petra, we see our first points of interest; the ‘Silica Quarries, the ‘Jinn Blocks’ and the first large site the ‘Obelisk Tomb’. At the entrance to the Siq we see the stone dam that protects Petra from floods and the ancient drainage channels of the site. Over the Siq are the remains of the Arch that marked the entrance to Petra and the beginning of Petra’s ingenious water system that runs the whole length of the canyon. Within the Siq Canyon itself we find several deities and ancient carvings adorning its towering canyon walls. As the canyon ends, we see Petra’s most renowned and astonishing monument ‘The Treasury’ (Khazneh). Here we take a few minutes for photographs before continuing our tour along the impressive Street of Facades towards the Nabataean Theater. We also get an impression of some of the most famous burial sites like the ‘Royal Tombs’. If time allows, we also walk along the Colonnade Street and visit the Great Temple before heading back to the Siq Canyon and Petra’s entrance. Then we head back to Eilat

Included: guide, transportation, visa and border tax, 1 large bottle of water and entrance fees.