Hike up to the tomb on Mount Haroun
One of the many hikes in Petra goes all the way up to the top of Jabal Haroun, also mentioned as Mount Hor. It is said that Aron, the brother of Moses, is buried in the white shrine on the top. That’s why some people see it as a sacred site. Here you can read more about that part of history.
IMount Aron is the highest peak in the Petra region, 1350 meters high. It’s a day hike (although some experienced hiking guests did it in half a day). To give you a good impression of this hike, you can read the survey of the B&B guests David and Manou, who climbed all the way up to the tomb! They had a Bedouin guide, Niall, with them to show them the way.
Mount Haroun; a heavenly colorful experience
“In addition to two days in Petra, the hike to Mount Haroun (1350m) was on the program on day three. After strolling through Petra, we were very much looking forward to the hike. We longed for beautiful views and to be one with nature. Our guide Niall was waiting for us at the Treasury inside Petra. From there we hiked along the Colonnaded Street, Qasr al Bint and the Sabra valley before we started walking up the mountain in a relaxed pace.”
“At the beginning of the trip we already had beautiful views of Petra. While hiking, Niall told us all the things we were seeing on the way, pointing to flowers, the colors of the stones and the special lizards. During our trip, we are invited for tea by Bedouins. The hospitality was great.”
“Niall led us to the summit blindly and after two hours we reached the top, many views richer. The top offers beautiful views of the surrounding area. It was very impressive.”
Tomb on Mount Haroun
“The very last meters to the top we climbed – without guide – with a key in our hand. The key we got from Niall, gave us access to the white dome with the tomb of Moses’s brother, prophet Aaron. The white dome can be seen from almost every point around Petra, also from B&B Petra Fig Tree Villa. While we explored the tomb and enjoyed the view, Niall made our lunch which tasted amazing.”
Bedouin make-up
“On our way back, we walked along various colorful rocky walls and saw pink, red, yellow, blue and white rocks. If you rub your fingers with it, you have beautiful ‘eye shadow’, as the locals call it. The sandstone contains a lot of iron oxide, which is what makes the rock so beautiful. Our walk ended in the cave of our guide. We enjoyed the tea and the view, which was absolutely fantastic. Many cups of tea later we said goodbye to Niall and thanked him for this very special, heavenly experience.”
The hike to Mount Haroun
The hike
Mount Haroun is part of the mountainous area around Petra. It’s a dry, rocky and abandoned landscape. There are no signs. If you are not an experienced hiker a guide is strongly advised for walking this tour.
Difficulty
The tour is good for sporty hikers with some (mountain) hiking experience. Your condition must be good.
Length of the hike
The walk takes about 5 to 6 hours in total, starting from the Theater in Petra and finishing on the colonnaded street. That is an average and it includes breaks. A ticket for Petra is needed! Wear a hat and most important, bring enough drinking water with you!
If you like to do the hike to Mount Haroun with a guide, you can send me a message.
More interested in the Back road hike?
If you are not such an experienced hiker, or if you have only one or two days to visit Petra, hiking the Back Road Hike is a good suggestion! It takes you from the Little Petra area, along a nice 2,5 km hike, to the Monastery in Petra. You find all information about this hike, including the transfer options, here.