Some more remarks:
1. Petra is not very close to the southern border crossing at Wadi Araba.
It's a rather long 2-3 hours drive each direction from this southern point.
2. There are day tours offered by various tour organizers in Eilat at a
price that I find quite reasonable, considering especially that it covers
the non-negligible visa costs and the entry costs to the site, and include
full transportation from and to your hotel in Israel all the way to Petra,
lunch at a local resaurant, and a local English speaking guide. It really
does take a full day to do it all. Maybe there are similar tours leaving
from other places in Israel too. It's much, much easier to go with such a
tour than to reach Petra yourself once you cross the border - it saves you
lots of various kinds of headache...
3. Petra is high up in the mountains, at an elevation of about 1500m above
sea level, so temperatures there are actually tolerable in summer, to the
best of my knowledge.
Harel Cain
Wikimania 2011 local team
On Tue, Jul 5, 2011 at 09:49, <dror1975(a)icqmail.com> wrote:
Hi,
Here are two useful links from Jordan Tourism Board:
1.
http://www.visitjordan.com/visitjordan_cms/GeneralInformation/GettingAround…
List of border crossing. My advice: Either go eastwards across the Lower
Galilee from Haifa to Beit Shean, cross the border at Sheikh Hossein Bridge
and continue southward in Jordan, or go southward along the Israeli coast,
then go to Beersheba, then on the road to Eilat cross the border at the Wadi
Araba Crossing (Petra is quite near). Don't use the Allenby/King Hossein
Bridge because it is the main gate from and into the West Bank, which means
three kinds of authorities (Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian), more people
waiting in line, more forms to fill in and more potential headaches.
According to this site, Jordanian visas are issued on the spot at the
crossing. Note - unlike the Israeli authorities, the Jordanian authorities
insist on stamping the passport itself.
2.
http://www.visitjordan.com/default.aspx?tabid=63 - Views of Petra on
that site. It is considered one of the most remarkable sites in the region,
and the most prominent tourist attraction in Jordan. Jordan is
tourist-friendly and quite cheap. Most people can communicate in English.
Please note that August falls on Ramadan, so most people you are going to
meet in Jordan will be fasting during daylight hours. Be considerate. One
more warning - this is August and Petra is in the middle of the desert.
Temperature might rise as high as 40 centigrade. Cars, buses and most rooms
are air-conditioned, but when you walk outside, cover yourself well with
light clothes and drink a lot (but not in front of those who fast).
Dror K
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