Petra was all that I expected. It is certainly is a world-class location. There is so much history here to see and experience. They only thing I did not like is the ten thousand vendors everywhere.
Petra is amazing for several reasons; it's a wonder of nature and wonder of history. I spent there five hours and I really could see just a small part of it. Area is huge. I've been in Chitzen Itza and Valley of the Kings and in both I spent almost two days. Proper exploring in Petra would need that too. You should be in pretty good shape and wear proper shoes because you have to walk a lot. Of course you can get a camel, horse or donkey ride but it seemed a bit dangerous. Be aware that your 50 jod ticket includes a horseback ride but you should pay tip 3-5 jod.
If you are against childlabour, don' t buy postcards from beduinchildren, they should be in school or playing somewhere. And don't purchase any stones etc because only that way this awesome world heritage site can be preserved for next generatios.
We were lucky, middle of January with few visitors and really nice weather. Petra was larger and more grand than we expected. We spent 5 hours in Petra and had to pick and choose which sites were best for us. Truly, one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Come on. This place is a must-do. Ignore the hawkers of postcards and donkeys. Look around and take it in. History preserved. Then also talk nicely to the donkey teams. They can make a 6 hour trip an amazing experience. Stop and have tea. Spend a few dollars on nothing much. Enjoy their social circle. It's part of the experience. Know that you are going to spend 200 USD or whatever. How many times are you going to go to petra. We left feeling very happy with our stay. One of the wonders of the world.
My wife and I were not very familiar with Petra before visiting the site. We loved everything about it. The historical significance if amazing. The beauty is beyond amazing. We spent about 5 hours exploring the entire site during our visit. You need to watch out for the local nomads that want to sell our camel and cart rides. They drive very fast. If you take a ride hold on for dear life. If you are walking watch out as they zoom by. I could have lived without this part of the visit but I guess it is part of the local atmosphere.
