Gettin' my Indy on took a little patience. From the ticket window, it's about 35 to 40 minutes to the first glimpse of the glorious Al-Khazneh (Treasury) peeking through the rugged walls of the Siq, but it's a pleasant walk. (It's uphill on the way back out, so you may want to consider taking a buggy or horse for the return trip.)

Obelisk Tomb

The first major monument I passed was the Obelisk Tomb. The four obelisks on top are tombs for four people, while the lower area is where visiting family would gather. Eventually I reached the beautiful Siq gorge.

The majestic Siq wound me through the mountain toward the city of stone. This was an amazing place to explore alone, making a low-season visit all the more recommended. Meandering through a channel that is in parts so narrow the sides almost meet, hearing my steps echo and imagining I was the first to ever witness its beauty was one of the most magical experiences in Petra.

Most of the path is paved over, which, while not aesthetically pleasing, is at least less dangerous for those klutzes among us who can't help staring up at the cliff faces in awe. Parts of the original cobblestone path remain, still bearing the track marks of ancient chariots. Along the walls are occasional small niches, where images representing gods were placed. One peaceful kilometer later, Al-Khazneh appeared.

View from the Siq

Al-Khazneh—the Treasury—is the most familiar sight in all of Jordan. The sudden appearance it makes after a 20-minute wander through the Siq is mind-blowing. I can't imagine the shock it would have been to early explorers. It is remarkably well-preserved, as its valley hiding spot protects it from wind, water, and sand. It's also HUGE—the fact that its actual purpose is unknown makes the Nabataeans' effort to build on such a large scale even more fascinating.

I took my hotel's free shuttle, reaching the Treasury by 9am the first day, around 8am the second. The Treasury bathed in warm morning light is a gorgeous sight. Unfortunately, the tour groups come around the same time...and even in low season, every tourist in the country will be right here. Pointing and gawking. Milling around various salespeople. Fanning themselves and complaining loudly about the heat. The Treasury is dangerously close to the hassle zone of central Petra—like a little touch of Egypt in Jordan—although directly in front of the Treasury it's not too bad.

I walked around the surprisingly plain interior. Once you've seen it, you've seen them all. Either all the effort in designing Petra went into ornate façades while rooms were left plain, or else nothing from the original insides survived. There are no inscriptions to indicate whether this truly was a treasury. Evidence that the Nabataeans were a highly literate society and the façade's similarity to the library at Ephesus suggest this possibility. Most likely it was a tomb.

I highly recommend returning to the Treasury around 5 or 6pm. The light both here and throughout the Siq will be unbelievable... the rock simply glows red. This is the best time to take a photo that captures all the detail and colors of both the Siq and the Treasury—my photo was taken in the morning, when the contrast is still too sharp. Unfortunately, I ran out of film late in the first day, and the second day returned too early to see the red light. Lesson learned: bring extra film, always.

Hiking option
It is possible to see the Treasury from a high place, in a challenging hike leading toward the mountain Al Kubtha. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find the correct path in time—I attempted this hike on my second day, which I had to cut short to head to Amman.

The hike began at the steps left of the Palace Tomb. The steps continued for a very long time, but since essentially NO ONE does this hike, the steps were a lovely quiet place to stop in the shade and eat lunch while overlooking the valley. Eventually I reached a very high plateau with stunning views of Petra, but here the steps ended. A dirt trail is then supposed to lead into the ravine and back up again, but I couldn't find this trail. A couple came behind me looking for it after pushing our way through prickly bushes and sliding down steep paths we knew we were lost.

I finally glimpsed the trail after giving up for lack of time. I don't know if it was just the angle that prevented me from seeing it before, but it's definitely not clear. The route is described in Lonely Planet and probably in Rough Guides as well, but I don't think I would have figured it out no matter how it was worded. It's best to either have a Petra-specific book or take a guide—the locals are familiar with this trail. Even without making it back to Al-Khazneh, I was glad I took the hike for the fantastic views over other Petra monuments.

[*NOTE: This hike, if completed, will probably take at least 1 1/2 hours each way. I was told 45 minutes, but this delusional view of time is common throughout the Middle East.]

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