After so many troubles with narrow, steep roads in Jordan, we were unsure where to stop to visit Kerak castle, so we parked on the crossing next to the abandoned amusement park and took the local van to the castle (2 JOD). It was a good parking spot; even traffic police opened a...
The vast Wadi Mujib stretches 70km from the Desert Hwy to the Dead Sea, proudly called the ‘Grand Canyon of Jordan.’ The spectacular canyon is also significant as the historical boundary between the ancient Amorites (to the north) and the Moabites (to the south). Moses is...
We stopped at the Umm Ar Rasas site, which spans the expansive ruins of Kastron Mefaa (mentioned in the Bible as the Roman military outpost of Mephaath). The ruins encompass four churches (including the Church of Lions, with impressive namesake mosaics) and the city walls. Arches rise...
We drove a few kilometers from Madama to Mt Nebo (🎟️ 3 JOD), where Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land, a land he was forbidden to enter. It’s believed that he died at the age of 120 and was later buried in the area, although the exact location of the burial site is the...
Finding some exit from Desert Hwy towards the amiable market town of Madaba was difficult. Even the traffic police officers were unsure how to get off the highway, but we made it. We parked at a friendly gated visitors center, from where it’s an easy 1.5-hour walk to cover all main...
On the way to the north, we made a short stop at Qatrana Castle, located in one of the few towns along the Desert Hwy. It was a former stop on the pilgrim road between Damascus and Mecca. The castle, built in 1531 by the Ottomans, has been nicely restored. But again, it’s slowly...
We were curious, so we followed the brown sign off the main Aqaba Hwy and struggled along the narrow, potholed access road through the seldom-visited Bedouin district of Humayma to a surprisingly large archaeological site. The largely Nabataean site, pressed against the cliffs, includes...
We drove to the Wadi Rum Protected Area (included in Jordan Pass) to the village of Rum, where the paved road ends. And, like in other destinations in Jordan, forget what is written in the books; most establishments also went bankrupt due to COVID-19. So, some private drivers of old pick...
Today, we drove 10 kilometers to Siq Al Barid (Cold Canyon), known as Little Petra (included in Jordan Pass). It was thought to have served as an agricultural center, trading suburb, and resupply post for camel caravans visiting Petra. The surrounding area is picturesque and fun to...
We spend one day exploring ancient Petra, which lies half-hidden in the wind-blown landscape in southern Jordan. It is often deemed one of the most beautiful archaeological sites in the world. Inhabited since prehistoric times, this Nabataean caravan city, situated between the Red Sea and...