Attractions
Ajlun
AJLOUN CASTLE
Ajlun Castle, more formally known as Qal’at Ar-Rabad, towers above the green hills of Ajloun and can be seen from many miles away, betraying its strategic purpose as a military watch post that protected the trade routes in the 12th-15th centuries. It was first built in 1184 by one of Saladin’s generals, Izzeddin Usama Mungidh, to repel the Crusader threats to north Jordan (the Crusaders had already occupied south Jordan, from their massive castles at Showbak and Karak, and were driven out of TransJordan in 1188/1189). The Ajlun castle was expanded into its current configuration in 1214.
TAL MAR ELIAS
Associated with the Prophet Elijah, Tall Mar Elias is very close to the ruins of a village known as Listib. It is believed that this place was formerly Tishbi, the home of Elijah, a native of Gilias in Tranjordan (2 Kings 17: I). The fact that this is a religious site is substantiated by the two churches that were built on the Tall (hilltop) at the end of the Byzantine period.
CHURCH OF OUR LADY IN THE MOUNTAIN
In Anjara, in the north of Jordan, there is the Our Lady of the Mountain Church – a rebuilt cave that is venerated as a place where Jesus and his mother Mary passed during their journeys between the Sea of Galilee.
Anjara was designated by the Vatican as a Millenium 2000 pilgrimage site.
AJLOUN FOREST RESERVE
Located in the Ajloun Highlands in the north of Jordan, this beautiful nature reserve consists of 13 km2 of rolling hill country dominated by open woodlands that are home to a diverse collection of plant and animal species. The rich greenery makes Ajloun a popular spot for picnickers and hikers, especially in the spring, when the reserve is coated in a wide variety of wildflowers.
THINGS TO DO/ PLACES TO VISIT
- ROE DEER TRAIL – AJLOUN FOREST RESERVE
- SOAP HOUSE TRAIL – AJLOUN FOREST RESERVE
- ORJAN VILLAGE TRAIL – AJLOUN FOREST RESERVE
- ROCKROSE TRAIL – AJLOUN FOREST RESERVE
- SUMMAGA CAFÉ
- ORJAN SOAP HOUSE AND BISCUIT HOUSE
The Jordan Trail
UMM QAIS TO AJLOUN
In the most northern region of the trail, lush, green hills and canyons carry you to ancient Roman sites, over rolling hills, and through oak forests. The diverse and fertile landscape here with its ancient olive trees and hot springs bursts into bloom every spring, with the trees laden with fresh fruit. The villages here are pioneers of community-based tourism with homestays, home-cooked meals, and handicraft stalls adding a true cultural experience to this beautiful northern corner of Jordan.
Total Length: 80 KM
Days: 6 Hiking days
Main sites in the region:
– Ruins of Roman Decapolis cities at Um Qais and Pella
– Ziglab Dam
– Jesus Cave, Beit Idis Church
– Byzantine monastery ruins at Tel Mar Elias, birthplace of the prophet Elijah
– Community tourism and rural scenery in the al-Ayoun village
– Medieval mountaintop site of Ajloun Castle
AJLOUN TO IRAQ AL-AMEER
This section weaves through farmland and a spattering of rural villages as you leave Ajloun and its hilltop castle behind. The trail crosses the King Talal Dam, before ascending a hilltop following rich farmlands to the village of Rmeimeen with its beautiful church spire and minaret. Winding down through fertile valleys, the trail reaches the town of Fuhais and continues to Iraq Al-Ameer.
Total Length: 74.3 KM
Days: 5 Hiking days
Main sites in the region:
– Khirbet Sarabis and Springs
– King Talal Dam
– Rmeimeen village
– Town of Fuhais
