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A journey through the Siq, the Treasury, and the Monastery reveals the breathtaking scale and hidden history of the Nabatean world

While the Kingdom of Jordan has many treasures and stunning landscapes, if you ask me personally, the real jewel in their crown is Petra. Home to an ancient lost city that became popular nearly 200 years post its discovery and a land that traces back to a civilization as old as time. The rose-coloured cliffs that seem like a regular mountain range when you first see it, is actually home to a hidden city inhabited by the ancient Nabateans nearly 2000 years ago. I spent nearly a week exploring the Kingdom of Jordan and can safely say I wish I spent more time enjoying the hidden wonders of Petra.

Day 1 - The Siq and The Treasury

If you watched Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, you’ll be familiar with Petra’s iconic Treasury ( Al Khazneh). A tall structure carved out of a mountain with majestic pillars and a roof making it not only a UNESCO World Heritage Site but also one of the 7 Wonders of the world. To get to the treasury however, is not as straightforward as it may seem. To enter the old city, one walks first through the Petra visitor centre where you can buy your ticket and also souvenirs from one of the many shops. Then the journey to the old city begins with a walk through the Siq (Al Siq) – a 2 kilometre long walk that snakes through a canyon with bends and turns treating you to some incredible views of the valley. A good tour guide (and I highly recommend you get on for this) will stop along the way to show you ancient carvings, remains of sculptors and even petroglyphs from the Nabateans showcasing how they lived here. The Siq is so narrow with twists and turns and the mountain meandering into narrow pathways making it impossible for any foreign army to invade with their full force and hence leaving the ancient city hidden for so many years.

As you walk through the canyon, sunlight streams down the narrow passage lighting it up at every turn with different colours and hues of this deep red sandstone presenting picture perfect stops at every corner. It’s what the kids call an “instagramable spot’ and it’s so beautiful it really does warrant your time and effort into making memories with many photographs.As the pathway comes to an end suddenly through the cliffs, you’ll catch your first real glimmer of the Treasury (Al Khazneh) which is a moment you will never forget. For anyone dreaming of visiting Petra the first initial glimpse of the Treasury makes your heart skip a beat. As you walk up further the canyon moves aside to reveal the Treasury in all her glory. Standing tall through the test of time, this unique structure has been filmed in numerous times but nothing really prepares you for when you see it with your own eyes.