The Monastery

"Once you've reached Qasr al-Bint and the old Roman entry arch, you will see a number of locals with huge herds of donkeys. This is the sign that you found the start of the trail to the Monastery. The Monastery trail is a right of passage for first time visitors to Petra. Leading up a mountain to a secluded façade dating back to (probably) the 1st century CE, you get an amazing opportunity to experience the mountainous landscape that kept Petra so well guarded. Once you reach the façade you will be in for a treat - while not as famous as the Treasury, the Monastery is actually Petra's largest façade, with all the bells and whistles of its peer in the center of the city. The Monastery - as the name suggests - became a Christian monastery once Christianity spread to Petra during the Byzantine years. From the Monastery, you can continue to hike uphill to the highest point in Petra. The views of the desert and cliffs are stunning, and perhaps more impressively, you cannot see a single façade from the peak. There are a few cafés in the area if you need a drink or rest. I would suggest all first time visitors to Petra visit the Monastery. However, it is more demanding than visiting the main site (despite being surrounded by cliffs, the main portions of the site are quite flat). If you cannot hike one way, both ways, or you just want something different, hire a donkey to take you up. A local will guide you with the donkey so no real riding skills necessary. While not necessarily as smooth as a horse, these donkeys are quite efficient and help make the climb easy and quick. You will need to barter to get the best prices; the logical price is 5 JD per direction, but they will try to extort you for more."

"It is not a challenging walk up and there are plenty of shady spots to stop and have a rest or an orange and pomegranet fresh juice. We motivated the kids to climb without stoping and then they could have a fizzy drink or ice-cream at the first viewpoint on the way down. There is always the Jordanian ferrari (aka donkey) but the donkey's did not sound happy going up and I would not be putting my kids on one! There are also refreshments here."

"Differen than the famous Treasurey, this spiritual site was constructed in 3 B.C. as a monumental Nabataean tomb. WARNING - There are a LOT of steps to take to reach this site."