There is very little to add to what has already been said about Petra. It is simply one of the most wondrous places I will have ever seen in my life. I will mainly focus on logistical notes in this review.

The half-built, half-carved into rock city is spread over a huge site. My visit in November of 2019 lasted just around five hours, which allowed me to hit most of the key highlights without lingering anywhere for too long. I had to leave aside some of the farthest points in Petra, most notably the outlying Monastery.

Even those people who are aware that Ancient Petra is approached via a narrow gorge, may not realize how long that walk is. From the modern visitor center at the edge of the present-day town, it is over two kilometers through the valley and then the gorge, which varies in width from a few dozen meters to just over 10 feet, before you reach the mind-blowing sight of Al-Khazneh at the end of it. You can make part of the way on a horse (technically, free of charge, but tipping is strongly expected) and another part in a horse-pulled carriage (separate fee), but walking the distance is the only way to really appreciate its magnificence. The ground, by the way, is rather uneven, which makes the carriage ride a visibly bouncing affair; nonetheless, people of limited mobility and not only them sometimes choose riding over walking.

At the site, donkeys are used as taxis for hire. The cost is negligible, so those with tired legs can take advantage of a ride. There are also camels for hire at the Treasury - more as an activity than a mode of transporting yourself around the site.

Stepping inside carved openings or caves may be one of the most visually disappointing sides of Petra. There are no majestic caves of wonders, as movies would lead you to believe. Each interior space is usually a bare hall with few distinguishing features. Wooden ceilings offer a splash of color in some. Exterior views always trump the interior ones in Petra.

At the prime elevated viewpoint over the Treasury, there is a guy selling hot tea for a dinar. He is positioned at the entry point to the rocky platform, and you can't help but feel that he collects the entry fee, with tea included in that. He is quite in your face, and I observed people deciding not to climb the last few meters in order to avoid paying the guy. Upon reflection, I came to think that if you climb to the platform while ignoring the tea vendor, you can still enjoy the view. He is there to sell his tea, nothing else, he is simply very good at making it appear compulsory.

I visited Petra with a group tour that originated in Tel Aviv. My customized itinerary allowed me to join the group in the morning in Aqaba, a Jordanian city on the Red Sea literally next to Eilat. We reached Petra before noon and spent a couple of hours with a guide walking through the gorge and then around the main central points of the archaeological site. I then had under three hours on my own to explore Petra a bit more (as well as to make it back through the gorge and beyond to the meeting point for the next leg of my tour). That was barely enough time to get a taste. A two-day visit is a lot more appropriate for an in-depth exploration; it also affords you an opportunity to see Petra at night, something that I will be looking forward to when I make it back here.