We used credit cards in Israel and and Jordan. Cathy you won’t want to buy from vendors on the way to Petra. Anything they sell can be bought elsewhere and won’t be covered in dust
Cathy - If you are referring to 'vendors' meaning the small bazaar outside the entrance to Petra, then I don't know. I didn't attempt to purchase anything there. Tauck had pre-arranged with one of the vendors to provide us with a choice of head wraps (for the men) and shawls for the women. They also provided a lesson on how to put the head wrap on.
Inside Petra both the stop to get fresh squeezed pomegranate juice, the lunch, the camel ride, and the horse drawn carriage ride were paid for by Tauck.
We spent very little time at that bazaar - zero time on the way in and perhaps 30 minutes upon exit (to pick out the head wrap and get the demonstration on how to put it on). After that we walked to the Petra museum and then back to the Movenpick hotel. Both were very short walks.
Smiling Sam
8:55AM
Cathy - If you are referring to 'vendors' meaning the small bazaar outside the entrance to Petra, then I don't know. I didn't attempt to purchase anything there. Tauck had pre-arranged with one of the vendors to provide us with a choice of head wraps (for the men) and shawls for the women. They also provided a lesson on how to put the head wrap on. . . . .
We spent very little time at that bazaar - zero time on the way in and perhaps 30 minutes upon exit (to pick out the head wrap and get the demonstration on how to put it on). After that we walked to the Petra museum and then back to the Movenpick hotel. Both were very short walks.
The stall/shop near the entrance that is used by Tauck is run by Hosni(?) Tauck has had a long-running association with him and paid for some of his schooling. He is the one who provides the head wraps and also golf carts if you need it. (Unfortunately, because I didn't know what time I would actually be back in at the Treasury after my back-to-back treks to the Monastery and High Place of Sacrifice, I didn't make prior arrangements with him. I really could have used a cart back to the entrance!!!
Hosni accepted plastic but I am not sure many others did, especially those in the outer Siq or throughout the archaeological site, though there is cell service in all but the deepest wadis. One exception (among others?) is the stall run by Raami the son of Marguerite van Geldermalsen the Kiwi nurse who wrote "I Married a Bedouin" and lived in a Petra cave with her husband for six years. Her husband died quite awhile ago, but she and her son sell silver items and autographed copies of the book fairly recently. In a YouTube video and stills shot at their stall a few years ago the VISA and MC logos are clearly visible. Their stall shows up on Google maps if you zoom in and is located a little past the Nabatean Theater, near the side trail to the Royal Tombs.
We were in Israel and Jordan last May (not with Tauck) and were able to use US Dollars in all souvenir shops (bring small bills). In Petra, vendors accept US Dollars (prices were even displayed in US dollars). The Jordanian people are VERY friendly and welcoming.
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No matter where we travel, our preference is to always carry a small amount of local currency for incidentals.
We used credit cards in Israel and and Jordan. Cathy you won’t want to buy from vendors on the way to Petra. Anything they sell can be bought elsewhere and won’t be covered in dust
Ah. at the end of where the stalls are, go round the bend and there is a cafe where we had lunch with Tauck. You will be able to get drinks there.
Cathy - If you are referring to 'vendors' meaning the small bazaar outside the entrance to Petra, then I don't know. I didn't attempt to purchase anything there. Tauck had pre-arranged with one of the vendors to provide us with a choice of head wraps (for the men) and shawls for the women. They also provided a lesson on how to put the head wrap on.
Inside Petra both the stop to get fresh squeezed pomegranate juice, the lunch, the camel ride, and the horse drawn carriage ride were paid for by Tauck.
We spent very little time at that bazaar - zero time on the way in and perhaps 30 minutes upon exit (to pick out the head wrap and get the demonstration on how to put it on). After that we walked to the Petra museum and then back to the Movenpick hotel. Both were very short walks.
The stall/shop near the entrance that is used by Tauck is run by Hosni(?) Tauck has had a long-running association with him and paid for some of his schooling. He is the one who provides the head wraps and also golf carts if you need it. (Unfortunately, because I didn't know what time I would actually be back in at the Treasury after my back-to-back treks to the Monastery and High Place of Sacrifice, I didn't make prior arrangements with him. I really could have used a cart back to the entrance!!!
Hosni accepted plastic but I am not sure many others did, especially those in the outer Siq or throughout the archaeological site, though there is cell service in all but the deepest wadis. One exception (among others?) is the stall run by Raami the son of Marguerite van Geldermalsen the Kiwi nurse who wrote "I Married a Bedouin" and lived in a Petra cave with her husband for six years. Her husband died quite awhile ago, but she and her son sell silver items and autographed copies of the book fairly recently. In a YouTube video and stills shot at their stall a few years ago the VISA and MC logos are clearly visible. Their stall shows up on Google maps if you zoom in and is located a little past the Nabatean Theater, near the side trail to the Royal Tombs.
We were in Israel and Jordan last May (not with Tauck) and were able to use US Dollars in all souvenir shops (bring small bills). In Petra, vendors accept US Dollars (prices were even displayed in US dollars). The Jordanian people are VERY friendly and welcoming.
Israel has just declared war against Hamas. I can't believe any tours in the near future will proceed.