Umm Ratam Trail

Trail overview

Enjoy a breathtaking journey on the Umm Rattam Trail, stretching approximately 12 km from Siq al-Barid to the Umm Rattam caravan station and Roman Gardens. This scenic trail takes you through the Neolithic village of Al-Bayda, continuing past Wadi Ghurab, Ras Slaysel, and Wadi Sahir al-Baqar. It starts in a large agricultural area with terraced walls and dams. As you progress through Wadi Slaysel, you'll encounter Ras Slaysel, renowned for its stunning views over Wadi Araba, Wadi Marwan, Jabal Härun, and the Dayr plateau. The descent from Ras Slaysel to the valley bottom is steep and challenging but offers impressive vistas of lush, mountainous landscapes.

You can choose to navigate the rugged Wadi al-Muzayri'a or take the northern route, Al-Hammad, as indicated on the map. Afterwards, follow the Nabataean aqueduct alongside the wadi until you reach the remarkable Umm Rattam caravan station and Roman Gardens. Please check in with the Visitor Center beforehand for trail details.

For the best experience, start early in the morning to avoid the heat, bring plenty of water, wear appropriate footwear, and pack some snacks.

Trail Details

Starting Point: Bayda/Siq al Barid

Endpoint: Wadi Araba/Umm Ratam

Category: Heritage/Environmental/Geological

Distance: 11.6 Km/15223 Steps

Calories Burn: 609 Calories

Duration: 4.30 - 4.45 Hours/Non-stop

Grade: Moderate/Difficult

Tour: One-way

Siq al-Barid, Bayda

Explore Siq al-Barid: Petra’s Northern Gateway

Located in Petra's northern suburb, Siq al-Barid served as a crucial resting place for trade caravans traveling between southern Arabia and Gaza. Caravans would stop here to rest, eat, and conduct business in the comfortable, shaded areas provided.

Often called ‘Little Petra,’ Siq al-Barid features a natural cleft in the rock, similar to the main Siq but on a smaller scale, which forms the entrance to the area. This gated complex includes a network of cisterns and dams, along with dining halls and intricately carved facades. These amenities catered to the needs of traders, with the cisterns providing essential water and Bayda being a hub of agricultural production.

The site also boasts several tricliniums or dining halls, which may have been used for welcoming visitors and conducting ritual feasts. The practice of organized feasting was well-documented by the ancient writer Strabo, who described how the Nabataeans would host communal meals with musical entertainment. Excavations have uncovered pottery statues representing musicians, which likely replicate the performances at these feasts and provide insight into the instruments used at the time.

Bayda Neolithic Village

Step Back in Time at Bayda Neolithic Village 

Located just 7 kilometers north of the Petra Visitor Center, Bayda Neolithic Village is one of Jordan's oldest settlements, dating back to the early Neolithic Period (8500–5500 B.C.). The site was meticulously excavated by D. Kirkbride from the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem over seven seasons between 1957 and 1968, with a final season in 1983.

During the 10th to 9th millennia BC, the Natufian people established a seasonal camp at Bayda, using locally sourced flint for their weapons and tools. The site reveals significant architectural development through six distinct phases. Early structures included circular houses with stone walls and a central wooden post supporting a roof made of wood, reeds, and clay. These early homes still show visible postholes and grooves. Later, rectangular houses with plastered interiors emerged, reflecting advances in construction techniques.

Nearby, a small area features basins, standing stones, and paved enclosures, believed to have served as a sanctuary. The inhabitants of Bayda engaged in hunting, gathering wild plants, and also cultivating barley and wheat while keeping goats and sheep.

Explore Bayda Neolithic Village to uncover the rich history and evolution of one of the region's earliest communities.

The Pond Temple

An Ancient Nabataean Sanctuary

Nestled 450 meters below Räs Slaysil, the Pond Temple is a significant Nabataean site at a crucial crossroads of ancient caravan routes. Based on the masonry, architectural fragments, and pottery discovered outside the compound, it is clear that this site was once a prominent temple complex. The name "Pond Temple" is derived from the large pond at the foot of the precipice, which was integral to the temple's function and location.

The complex, located at Saheer al-Baqar, includes an array of structures such as peristyles, stairs, and a Roman-style house with hypocausts, all ingeniously adapted to the challenging terrain. A well-constructed road paved with durable igneous stone leads from near Räs Slaysil down to the temple, indicating its importance in connecting Petra with various regions, including the Mediterranean and Syria.

The Pond Temple was likely constructed due to its excellent water supply, with water sourced from a spring and seasonal runoff. This sacred site reflects the Nabataeans' reverence for water as a divine element. Despite its destruction, possibly by an earthquake in the 3rd or 4th century AD, the Pond Temple remains a testament to the Nabataeans' architectural and religious ingenuity.

The area around the Pond Temple is lush with diverse plant life. Common vegetation includes the willow (Salix acmophylla) and tamarisk (Tamarix species), thriving in the wet, rocky environment. In the shaded, moist rocks, you can find the maidenhair fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris), the sea dandelion (Sonchus maritimus), and the water pimpernel (Samolus valerandi). On sunny slopes, hardy shrubs and trees such as the fig (Ficus pseudosycomorus) and date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) add to the site's natural beauty.

Qubur Iyal `Awwad

Qubur Iyal `Awwad, located east of Qasr Umm Rattām in Wadi Araba, is a significant ancient cemetery. Known locally as Maqām Qubur (Rjūd) Iyal `Awwad or Maqbarat Dar Umm Dayeh, this large cemetery sits on a flat hill. Most graves are marked by oval stone linings oriented east-west, with upright boulders at the head and foot of each grave. Noteworthy are three circular stone cairns adorned with wooden sticks and pieces of cloth, suggesting ancestor veneration.

Local Bedouins believe that the cemetery contains the graves of devout Ammarin tribe members buried long ago. Visitors come to seek blessings and spiritual connection.

The site features undressed brown and white limestone, along with chert and sandstone boulders, arranged in irregular circles without mortar. Ashy spots, traces of burnt incense, and stone platforms resembling altars in front of some graves indicate ongoing ritual practices.

The Caravan Station at Umm Rattam

The Caravan Station at Umm Rattam, dating from the Nabataean period and later reused in the Roman era, is strategically located on a platform between two branches of the Wadi Musa Brook. The site features a prominent square tower standing 13 meters tall and a large water reservoir on the northern side, measuring 14.5 by 13.5 meters. This reservoir is fed by a 9.3 km long aqueduct, which channels water from Ayn as-Siyyagh in Petra to Umm Rattam, ensuring a reliable water supply for the station and the surrounding agricultural terraces. The aqueduct highlights advanced Nabataean engineering in water management. The caravan station itself is built from well-cut ashlars of hard sandstone, likely sourced from the southern region. The reservoir includes steps in the northeast corner, indicating a depth of at least 2.35 meters and a capacity of around 330 cubic meters. This fortified complex, along with the adjacent Roman Gardens terraced area, illustrates the strategic and agricultural significance of Umm Rattam from the Nabataean to the Roman periods.

Bir Madhkur

A Key Site on the Ancient Incense Route

Located 12 km northwest of Petra in the Wadi Araba foothills, Bir Madhkur is a historically significant site on the Petra-Gaza trade route. Active during the Nabataean, Roman, Byzantine, and Early Islamic periods, the site features a prominent Late Roman/Early Byzantine fort, which may have been built over an earlier Nabataean structure. Key highlights include this fort, a bath complex, caravanserai, a civilian settlement, and surrounding cemeteries.

Bir Madhkur was a vital caravan station on the famed Incense Route, linking Petra with the Mediterranean port of Gaza. It served as a bustling hub where traders, soldiers, and local communities interacted. The site’s rich history and strategic location underscore its importance in ancient trade and cultural exchanges.

Visitors can arrange overnight stays in the area through licensed tour operators. Additionally, a road connects the site to the main route between Aqaba, the Dead Sea, and Amman, enhancing accessibility.