Sela

Sela is a rock massif near Tafileh reached by a stairway cut into the cliff, with cisterns, rock-cut rooms and a levelled summit that made it a refuge in the Edomite period. Carved high on the rock is a relief and cuneiform inscription of Nabonidus, the last king of Babylon, from the sixth century BC, one of very few such monuments outside Mesopotamia. The climb is exposed and the relief is hard to see without binoculars.

Highlights

• The rock-cut stairway - the ascent carved into the cliff face.
• The Nabonidus relief - the sixth-century BC Babylonian royal carving and inscription.
• The summit - the levelled rock with cisterns and cut chambers.
• The refuge setting - the massif chosen for how hard it was to attack.

When to go

March to May and October to November are the comfortable months. Summer heat is severe on exposed rock. The path is dangerous when wet.

Good to know

The stairway is steep and exposed with drops and no handrails; this is not for anyone unsteady. The relief is high on the rock and hard to make out. A local guide is worth taking.

Nearby

Tafileh is nearby, and Dana Biosphere Reserve is south.