Attractions
Kerak
Whether you approach Karak from the ancient Kings Highway to the east or from the Dead Sea to the west, the striking silhouette of this fortified town and castle will instantly make you understand why the fates of kings and nations were decided here for millennia.
An ancient Crusader stronghold, Karak sits 900m above sea level and lies inside the walls of the old city. The city today is home to around 170,000 people and continues to boast a number of restored 19th century Ottoman buildings, restaurants, places to stay, and the like. But it is undoubtedly Karak Castle that dominates.
KARAK CASTLE
Karak Castle is a dark maze of stone-vaulted halls and endless passageways. The best preserved are underground and can be reached via a massive door (ask at the ticket desk). More imposing than beautiful, the castle is nevertheless an impressive insight into the architectural military genius of the Crusaders.
With some care, you can walk along the crenellated top of the West Front wall and admire the sweeping view. On clear days, you can look across the Dead Sea and see all the way to the Mount of Olives bordering Jerusalem.
KARAK CASTLE PLAZA
Outside the castle, visitors can visit the Castle Plaza, where beautiful 19th century Ottoman administrative buildings have been redesigned to house a tourist center, with restaurants, a crafts center and other facilities grouped around a central plaza
PROPHET NUH’S (NOAH) SHRINE
You can visit Prophet Nuh’s (Noah) shrine in Karak, and his tomb lies close to the city. God sent Noah to his people to warn them of divine punishment if they continued to worship idols, and to build a mighty ark that would withstand the floods to come
THINGS TO DO /PLACES TO VISIT
- MAZAR ISLAMIC MUSEUM
- KARAK ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
The Jordan Trail
THREE WADIS TO KARAK
By this point on the trail you encounter some of the spectacular Dead Sea wadis. First, Wadi Mujib, one of the grandest wadis in Jordan, Fertile farmland with rich red soils and Bedouin tents create a dramatic landscape. The ruins of Majdaline lead you to Wadi Ibin Hammad before descending into Wadi el Tawahin. Finally, Wadi ez Zaiyatin takes you to the imposing crusader castle of Karak, impressively situated to overlook the surrounding landscape.
Total Length: 75 KM
Days: 4 Hiking days
Main sites in the region:
– Wadi Zarqa Ma’in
– Wadi Hidan
– Wadi Mujib
– Ruins of Majdaline
– Karak Castle
Karak to Dana
The crusader landscape continues in this section as you exit Karak, passing the old crusader village of Shehabieh and the abandoned village of Khirbet Ainun. Orchards and olive groves grow abundantly through fertile plains. Crossing another Dead Sea canyon, Wadi Hasa, the landscape becomes a series of towering limestone cliffs and ridges before reaching Edomite ruins at Sela and Ma’tan. After moving on through the deep Wadi Labun, the trail turns to easier terrain as it passes over the next hill to the restored village of Dana, its hotels and campsite resting on the rim of Wadi Dana at the edge of the Dana Biosphere Reserve.
Total Length: 84.5 KM
Days: 5 Hiking days
Main sites in the region:
– Karak Castle
– Khirbet Ainun village
– Tor al Taboun crags
– Wadi Hasa – Burbaita village
– Ma’tan and Buseira and Edomite ruins
– Dana Village and Dana Biosphere Reserve