Long before the first Muslim dynasty arrived in Jordan, ancient civilisations built majestic cities on dramatic terrain, from the Greco-Roman Decapolis in the north to Petra’s Nabatean kingdom of sandstone in the south.

Faced with the narrow, winding gorge that leads into Petra, visitors have three transport choices: go by foot, horse-drawn carriage or mule. Camels aren’t an option yet, but the chance to see them will come soon enough at Al Khazneh (The Treasury), the famous facade meant to amaze and intimidate visitors emerging from the sandstone corridor.

With its elaborate sculptures towering 40m overhead, Al Khazneh is a sight to behold. While craning your neck, try to make out the four eagles perched above, which, according to ancient local mythology, carry human souls into the afterlife.

From there, the path suddenly opens up into a sprawling plain bisected by a colonnaded street of great stone pillars. After squeezing through the siq (shaft) for 1.2km, it’s a shock to walk into such vast grandeur.

This is what everyone has come for – to see one of the Wonders of the World in all its rose-hued glory. Many visitors pay a special trip to Jordan just to visit the Lost City of Petra, a breathtaking site left behind by the Nabataeans, a civilisation that mysteriously disappeared.

Historians have identified the lost city’s builders as a nomadic desert tribe from the Arabian Peninsula. The Nabataeans journeyed from the south and decided to settle in the valley between the Dead Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea). As their society grew into a kingdom, they carved a city out of the surrounding soft rock, chiselling gods and goddesses whose names have long been forgotten. After the Roman conquest, they converted to Christianity.

In its heyday a decade ago, tourism comprised 13 percent of the Jordanian economy. However, political instability caused a decline in visitors. For a country of Mediterranean clime, lunar-like desert landscapes and incomparable archaeological sites (most over 2,000 years old), Jordan is grossly underperforming in a sector that would otherwise be thriving.

To some travellers, however, the low volume of tourists is what makes Jordan all the more attractive. Tourists can explore the country’s extraordinary landscapes at their leisure without having to rub elbows with hundreds of people (cough, Rome).

If you only have a couple of days, Petra and Wadi Rum in the south should definitely be the focus of your journey. Many organised trips start with northern Jordan before heading south to cross the Israeli border in Aqaba-Eilat. For travellers who’d like to hit two countries in one trip, Gafencu’s recommended travel agency is Abraham Tours.

With itineraries leaving from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Eilat, Abraham Tours is the preferred option for travellers beginning their journey in Israel. As opposed to other operators that shuttle large groups from place to place in bulky, old buses, Abraham Tours usually arranges smaller groups. A range of combinations are on offer, including everything from a one-day excursion to a full-blown 12-day package covering Israel, the West Bank (Palestine) and Jordan.

On the other hand, if you want to have your entire trip arranged from Asia, Lightfoot Travel is the best way to do it. The luxury tour operator specialises in designer holidays to Jordan, and their personalised services take the planning out of your hands. Their five-day Highlights of Jordan package starts at the Four Seasons in Amman, and it’s a five-star experience through and through. Lightfoot Travel has offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Dubai.

Visitors will want to spend as much time in Petra as possible. At the very least, make it an overnight affair to experience the Petra Night Show – a magical walk through the ruins by the light of 1,500 candles. It only runs three times a week, from 8:30pm to 10:30pm, and tickets are available on arrival at the Petra visitor centre.

It takes at least one whole day to fully explore Petra’s main sights. You’ll want to wear walking shoes or hiking boots, especially if you plan to complete the entire route – 7km, often uphill – and hit all the must-sees.

The first stop on most tours is the imposing Nabataean amphitheatre cut into the hillside. After that you’ll see royal tombs climbing up the mountain, reached by walking up several flights of stairs.

The Great Temple comes next, a puzzling piece of architecture that archaeologists can’t agree on. Was it a senate hall, the royal court or a place of worship? If you still have energy, drop by the neighbouring Winged Lion Temple before heading up to the 5th-century Byzantine Church. With its three-aisled basilica and cross-shaped baptismal font, it stands out from the archaeological park’s older structures.

Last up is Petra’s largest monument, the Monastery, a Nabataean tomb built in the 3rd century BCE. Once visitors have seen it all, they’re tasked with trekking back the way they came or getting help from a four-legged friend. Camel owners charge about US$30 (HK$230) per camel, but the final price depends on one’s bargaining skills.

After a long day of walking, pamper yourself with a long, hot bath at the Petra Marriott Hotel and grab dinner at its al fresco Bedouin Tent restaurant. There could be no better place to watch the sun set over the valley than from the comfort of the restaurant’s floor cushions. Regional food and drink plus live traditional music complete the experience.

After getting a taste of “one of the most beautiful cities known to mankind”, you’ll understand why it was named among the Seven New Wonders of the World in 2007 alongside Rome’s Colosseum and India’s Taj Mahal.

After Petra, the next adventure lies in the otherworldly landscapes of Wadi Rum. You almost feel like you’re riding into a scene from Star Wars as you rattle off into “The Valley of the Moon” on a 4×4 (or a horse, Indiana Jones style, as you wish). Although hiking and horseback riding will immerse you in the raw surrounds of the wadi (valley), one of the most authentic experiences is to visit a Bedouin camp, where you can break bread with the locals and even stick around to stargaze. You’ll never see stars as you see them in the desert.

From there, head to the Dead Sea to float around; it’s impossible to sink here due to the high concentration of salt in the water. You might notice the temperature get warmer as you descend to the lowest point on Earth – 400m below sea level at the surface, and 728m at its deepest point.

The Jordan River and the Red Sea are other water bodies of biblical proportions, and they’re especially convenient because you can enter Israel through them.

Up north, the extensive Greco-Roman ruins of Jerash are the main attraction with their Hippodrome and Temple of Artemis. The archaeological site (second only to Petra in Jordan) is followed by the capital Amman with its famous citadel, as well as Mount Nebo, from which Moses viewed the “Promised Land”. Aqaba in the south is the gateway to the Red Sea, with ferries running to Egypt.

At Aqaba, our tour guide took us to the giant flagpole at the port, which at 130m is the sixth tallest free-standing flagpole in the world. Atop, flapping in the wind, was not the flag of Jordan but the one flown during the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire in 1916.

One might wonder what caused the Jordanians to erect what was once the world’s largest unsupported flagpole (until 2008), as no official explanation was ever given. Later on, smoking shisha on Eilat’s beachfront in Israel, we could see the flag fluttering and glinting at us from across the border. Apparently, you can see that flag from at least three different countries – as far as Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.

If you’re the sort of traveller who leaves home just to find another version of it elsewhere, don’t come to Jordan. But if you’re open to being transported into another time, another life and another world, then by all means, the wadi awaits.

Text: Julienne C. Raboca
Photos: Lightfoot Travel, Julienne C. Raboca, iStock