This week, I had the pleasure of chatting with my world-traveling niece, Holly East. Holly is a former professional soccer player, teacher, wife, and mom of two (soon to be three!). She is also a travel advisor and author and shares advice for those traveling with young children, especially internationally.
We discussed her recent trip to Jordan and two sites she considers must-sees. Both have incredible geological and historical elements to see and learn about. Let’s go on a Middle Eastern adventure!
Sharon Lyon
Editor, GeoLifestyle
Visiting Petra
Scenes from Petra; Courtesy of Holly East
Petrais an ancient city located in the heart of the Arabian Desert of southern Jordan, halfway between the Red Sea and the Dead Sea.
It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Petra is known for its carved stone architecture, sculpted into its red sandstone walls, tens of meters high. The honeycomb of caves, temples, and tombs includes Al-Khazneh (the Treasury), Ad Deir (the Monastery), and the Royal Tombs.
Geology meets history: The rock that underlies Petra is also exposed in the mountains to the south. It is Precambrian granite with gneiss and schist, cut by a series of intrusive dikes.
Lower to middle Cambrian Salib sandstone, upper Cambrian Umm Ishrin sandstone, and lower Ordovician Disi sandstone unconformably overlie the Precambrian rocks.
Most of the monuments at Petra are carved into the Umm Ishrine, a massive quartz sandstone with an iron- and manganese-rich matrix varying from red to white in color.
Geologists have identified this unit as the remnant of a large, braided stream complex.
The Nabataeans, a nomadic Arab people, originally built Petra during the 4th century BCE.
They were expert stonemasons and engineers who carved monuments depicting Arab gods and goddesses, kings, and wealthy citizens into the sandstone walls.
The Nabataeans also created a complex system of water channels and reservoirs to supply water to the city, which helped the people thrive in a desert that gets 15 centimeters of rain per year.
The Romans conquered the area in 106 A.D., igniting a new era of expansion and construction. Petra declined under Roman rule because of the expansion of sea trade routes.
Seismicity: Petra sits on the western edge of the Arabian Plate, southeast of the Dead Sea. The sandstone outcrops extend north on the eastern side of the transform fault segment of the Dead Sea Rift Zone.
In 363 A.D., an earthquake destroyed many buildings and the water management system.
After the earthquake, inhabitants abandoned Petra, and the city was lost to the outside world until 1812.
Today, the flooding that created the region’s canyons threatens to fill them or erode away manmade structures. Shops that once lined the town are now filled with flood deposits.
Holly’s trip tips:
Enter Petra as soon as it opens to experience the Treasury (Al-Khazneh) in its most serene state.
The Siq is approximately 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles) long, and the walk can take 30–45 minutes.
Embark on a challenging but rewarding hike up to the Monastery (Ad Deir). The walk climbs numerous stairs, but the views are spectacular.
Have lunch at the Basin Restaurant. It’s a great stop for water, tea, rice, meat, and a reprieve from the desert heat.
The Treasury Overlook offers a panoramic view of the Treasury from above.
Stop in the Altar Tea Shop above the Treasury. Bring cash. Paying for the tea is required to enjoy the view.
Petra by Night: See the city lit up under the night sky! Holly says, “Petra by Night is magical. The Siq and Treasury are illuminated by candlelight, creating a mystical atmosphere.”
Check the schedule and arrive before the start time to secure a good viewing spot. You are given a lantern to navigate the Siq.
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Wadi Rum, also called the Valley of the Moon, is an expansive desert known for its rock formations, arches, bridges, and canyons. Located near Jordan’s border with Saudi Arabia, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is a 1.5–2-hour drive from Petra.
Geology: At Wadi Rum, the contact between the Precambrian crystalline basement, which was eroded to form an almost flat peneplain, is visible, overlain by the Paleozoic sedimentary formations also found at Petra. The granite and sandstones have been sculpted by wind and water to form distinctive topography.
Desert cameos: Wadi Rum’s dramatic landscapes have been the backdrop for films such as “Lawrence of Arabia,” “Dune,” “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” and “Aladdin.”
Holly’s trip tips: “[Stay at the] Suncity Camp in Wadi Rum. We experienced the unforgettable novelty of sleeping in glass igloos.”
There are several activities to engage in at Suncity, too:
Look up into the skies during a stargazing activity using telescopes.
Experience the stark beauty of the desert landscape during a jeep tour.
Enjoy a relaxing stop with traditional Bedouin tea, accompanied by the melodies of the oud—a pear-shaped, stringed instrument central to Middle Eastern music.
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A note on safety: At present, the military conflicts in Israel do not seem to have affected tourism in Jordan too greatly. Many, like Holly, are still traveling there and making fantastic memories, but as with any country, keep up to date on the latest happenings in the area before visiting and be respectful of cultural norms and customs.
Follow Holly on Instagram @energeticeasts for her travel tips and tricks—especially if you will be globetrotting with toddlers.
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