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The King of Jordan Highway is one of those great routes that are enjoyed as a
roadtrip
: in a private vehicle to visit surprising places and landscapes at the desired pace, with stops to photograph the surroundings along the way and visit the most unique spaces, both from the natural, historical and religious point of view. In this section we gather all the destinations in the King’s Road that Jordan Exclusive includes in its circuits, as well as giving you information of interest so that you get an idea of what awaits you on this fascinating route.
Called King’s Road, in Jordan It is known to one of its main axes of North-South communication. It is also known as Kings Highway, in English, although in reality it is not a highway, since in most of its layout it only has one lane in each direction, as a national highway.
It runs through the so-called Highlands of Jordan, a large plateau of tectonic origin: between them and the ‘lowlands’ of the Dead Sea to the west there are more than 1,000 meters of unevenness in some points.
In the central sector of these Highlands there is an abrupt interruption: Wadi al Mujib, a large rocky canyon in which the King’s Road It must adopt a sinuous route to save this geographical feature. The good thing for the traveler is that there are panoramic viewpoints from which to contemplate this spectacular canyon, with the Mujib Dam at the bottom of the depression.
The King’s Road It is steeped in history, as it follows the route of the great caravan and commercial route that connected Syria with Arabia and Egypt. Therefore, it has been used over the centuries by all the important civilizations that have settled in the region. From the Israelites, commanded by the prophet Moses from Egypt, to the Arabs in their conquering process in the seventh century, without forgetting the crusaders who managed to take control of the Holy Land in the twelfth century or the Muslims who triumphed in its defense.
The weather you’ll find on Jordan’s King’s Highway It will depend a lot on the time of year you travel. There are several conditions that come into play here: a very low rainfall regime, clear skies that cause great sunshine, a high altitude and a rocky and desert terrain.
With all this, it can be said that:
Although rainfall is scarce, extreme caution should be exercised on rainy days, as well as in the following days: the rocky terrain causes water runoff to occur abruptly, generating floods. This can be dangerous in certain natural areas where the slopes are very pronounced, especially in places where canyoning is practiced.
There are several destinations of maximum interest that are located at the foot or near the King’s Road. And Jordan Exclusive integrates them all in the circuits around the country. These are the highlights.
World famous for its Byzantine mosaics, it is probably the most Christian city in Jordan, as evidenced by its ancient and modern churches. Of all of them we can highlight that of San Jorge, which preserves the oldest map (in the form of a mosaic on the ground) of the Holy Land, a fascinating rarity that is worth visiting. In addition, it has archaeological parks and a lively town centre, all a stone’s throw from Amman’s Queen Alia International Airport.
Although the King’s Road it does not pass exactly here, it is located near it (about 10 km), so it is worth ‘deviating’ to reach this place full of religious symbolism: it is the hill from which Moses saw the Promised Land, and also where he died. Today you can visit a Byzantine basilica and other spaces that give context to the visit, almost all of them related to this prophet and the first centuries of Christianity.
In Shobak, all the prominence goes to its castle. And rightly so: it is a large enclosure from which the entire surrounding area is dominated. Despite being in ruins, it allows visitors to travel back in time to enter the time of the Crusaders of the twelfth century: they built it, but it fell at the hands of the Muslim troops of Saladin, to whom numerous references are also made in the enclosure. Without a doubt, an interesting stop before arriving in Petra, or as an excursion from it.
Karak and its castle have many parallels with the fortress of Shobak. Its time of construction, its views towards the surroundings… Its state of conservation is even better, with spaces where you can really imagine the most convulsive episodes of its history, such as the siege to which it was subjected by Saladin, a local idol. Dungeons, Mamluk palace or extraordinary viewpoints are some of its most outstanding attractions.
In addition to the cultural visits that can be made in the destinations indicated above, there are many activities that can be done in the King’s Road. Jordan Exclusive can organize experiences in the middle of nature for those who have enough time, for example:
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Travel agency and DMC specialists in private and tailor-made travel to Jordan
Mandala Tours, S.L, NIF: B51037471
License: C.I.AN-187782-2
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