Petra REserve
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the secret of Bedouin
Petra
Petra Was the secret of the local Bedouin for hundreds of years until the Swiss explorer Johann Burkhardt ‘rediscovered’ it in 1812. The vast Petra region, covering some 650 square kilometers, 160 square kilometers of which is a national park, contains over 800 individual monuments and it is believed that only one quarter of it has yet been excavated. It remains an eternal tribute to a lost civilization. It has an enormous amount to offer everybody – those interested in archaeology, geology, art, water engineering, agricultural techniques, nature and landscape or just the sheer beauty and majesty of the place.
The Nabateans
Much of Petra’s fascination comes from the coloured crystalline structure sand stones setting on the edge of Wadi Araba…
The Bedouls of Petra
My first encounter with the Bedouls occurred in 1991. I was driving back from a visit to the Museum of Petra when I came across…
" Match me such marvel save in eastern clime, a rose-red city half as old as time "
Dean Burgon
The Victorian poet and traveler
Vegetation & Wild Life
The reserve is home to such rare species and specimens as the Nubian Ibex, the honey badger, wild cats, wolves, and the desert gazelle, as well as junipers, carob and pistachio trees. It also attracts many birds including eagles, buzzards, falcons, sunbirds, bee-eaters and finches.
Wadi Al-Amti is a wonderful spot to go for a few hours hiking with the local Bedouins through our beautiful valleys and gorges.