Kerak and Ma'an governorates, southern Jordan · Jordan
Two Crusader fortresses on the King's Highway, one dark and vaulted and lived in by a town, the other a ruined hilltop looking over an orchard valley.
Photo: Berthold Werner · CC BY 3.0
In the 12th century, the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem controlled the King's Highway, an ancient road along the top of the Transjordan plateau that linked Damascus with the Red Sea. To hold it, they built a chain of castles. Two of the largest, Kerak and Shobak, survive in remarkably good condition, and both are now reachable on a day's drive between Amman and Petra.
Shobak, called Montreal by its builders, was founded by King Baldwin I in 1115 on a hill above a valley of orchards. Kerak, the Crac des Moabites, was built in the 1140s on a spur above the town of the same name, and it became the base of the notorious Reynald of Châtillon, who raided caravans and provoked Saladin. Saladin took Kerak after a siege in 1188, and Shobak fell the following year.
The castles were later held by the Ayyubids and the Mamluks, and Kerak remained a strong point into the Ottoman period. Neither is as polished as a European castle, but both are large, atmospheric and far less visited than Petra, and Kerak in particular rewards a couple of hours of exploring.
Why visit
These are two of the best medieval castles in the region, and they sit on a road most visitors are already driving.
Long vaulted halls, stables and passages, some lit by narrow slits, run through the castle's lower levels. You can walk through them, and it feels like a real fortress.
Sitting on a lone hilltop above a green valley, Shobak is a beautiful ruin, with a long view and few visitors.
The King's Highway crosses high plateaus, gorges and small towns that most people miss on the Desert Highway.
Both castles lie along the route from Amman to Petra, and they turn a transfer day into a day of sightseeing.
Kerak is a proud, welcoming town, and mansaf here is regarded as the national dish at its best.
Main attractions
Kerak takes two to three hours, Shobak one to two. Both are on the King's Highway.
A large fortress on a spur, with high walls, towers and a maze of vaulted passages. It has Crusader, Ayyubid and Mamluk phases, and you can climb to the roof for views over the town and the Dead Sea.
Tip Bring a torch for the underground galleries, and stay on the marked paths.
A small museum inside the castle complex, with finds from the site and the region, including Nabataean and Roman pieces.
Tip Combine it with the castle.
A hilltop town with a mostly Muslim population and an old and significant Christian minority, and a lively market and old streets around the castle.
Tip Have lunch in town, and try the local mansaf.
The ruined fortress of Montreal, founded in 1115 and rebuilt by the Mamluks, with a chapel, a large tower and an unusual passage that descends through the rock to a spring.
Tip Go with a torch and try the spiral stairway to the spring, which is 375 steps down.
The ancient route between the two castles crosses green hills, olive groves and dramatic gorges, including the deep Wadi Mujib and Wadi Hasa.
Tip Drive it by day, and stop at the viewpoints.
The road drops and climbs across deep river canyons with spectacular views. Wadi Mujib is best known for its reserve and hiking.
Tip Pull over at the marked viewpoints and take photographs.
Markets and small villages along the road sell fruit, herbs, honey and bread.
Tip Stop for tea and snacks.
Things to do
These are easy to do on a driving day, and they help make the most of the route.
Walk through the castle's vaulted passages, stables and kitchens with a torch or a phone light. It is atmospheric and you can go for hours.
Tip Watch your head, and take care on uneven floors.
Kerak is the home of mansaf, and a lunch here is a good way to try it. Local restaurants serve it in generous portions.
Tip Ask for a portion to share.
Kerak's ramparts and towers offer wide views over the town and the countryside, and on a clear day the Dead Sea.
Tip Go in the late afternoon for the best light.
A stepped tunnel cut into the hill leads to a spring beneath the castle, which supplied the garrison with water. It is a strange and memorable descent.
Tip Only go if you are comfortable in dark, enclosed spaces.
Kerak in the morning, lunch in town, Shobak in the afternoon, and Petra or Dana in the evening. It makes a full day.
Tip Start early, and plan for the road to take longer than expected.
The reserve's Siq trail is a short drive from Kerak, and combines with the castles.
Tip Book in advance, and check the season.
Local food
Kerak is proud of its food, and it is regarded as the source of the best mansaf in Jordan. Elsewhere on the route, simple cafés and roadside restaurants dominate.
Lamb in a sauce of dried yoghurt, over rice and bread, often with pine nuts. Kerak claims to make the best version, and locals take it seriously.
Where to try it Traditional restaurants in Kerak, particularly at lunchtime.
Meat and vegetables cooked in a pit oven. It is more common at camps than restaurants but available by arrangement.
Where to try it Ask locally and book ahead.
The staple lunch, and good in every town.
Where to try it Stalls and small cafés on the main street.
Local bakeries sell round loaves, and shops sell white cheese and olives.
Where to try it Bakeries in Kerak and the villages.
Wild thyme, sage and honey are sold in roadside stalls in the highlands.
Where to try it Stalls on the King's Highway.
Offered generously, and always welcome.
Where to try it Everywhere.
Accommodation
Most visitors visit the castles as a stop and stay in Amman, Madaba, Dana or Petra. A few small hotels in Kerak and Shobak offer a simple overnight stay.
Transport
Both castles lie on the King's Highway. A car or a driver is the practical way to see them.
Both castles are on foot once you arrive. The towns are small.
When to go
The castles are at about 900 m and are comfortable in spring and autumn. Summers are hot and winters are cold and wet, with occasional snow at Kerak.
Green hills, warm days and clear views. The best time to drive the King's Highway.
Hot, but the highland setting is cooler than the desert. Visit in the morning.
Warm and clear, with good light and few visitors.
Cold, wet and sometimes snowy. The castles are quiet and atmospheric, though roads may be affected.
Worth planning around: Days of heavy rain or snow, when the King's Highway can be treacherous.
Itinerary
Kerak in the morning, lunch in town and Shobak in the afternoon, ending at Petra or Dana. Assumes a driver or hire car from Amman or Madaba.
Crusader history and mountain scenery.
Travel tips
These are easy sites, and a few habits help.
FAQ
Kerak is larger, more complete and more interesting to explore, with vaulted galleries you can walk through. Shobak is more ruined, but its setting is beautiful and it is quieter. If you have time for only one, choose Kerak.
Two to three hours at Kerak and one to two at Shobak, plus driving and lunch. Together they make a full day.
Yes, both are on the list of included sites. Check the current terms.
Yes, and many visitors do. Kerak is about two hours from Petra by the King's Highway, and Shobak is only 30 minutes away.
The Crusaders, in the 12th century. Shobak was founded by King Baldwin I in 1115, and Kerak was built in the 1140s. Both were captured by Saladin in the 1180s and later expanded by the Mamluks.
Yes. It is a friendly town that receives visitors regularly. Dress modestly, and check current travel advice as usual.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Kerak and Shobak, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Ma'an Governorate, southern Jordan, Jordan
The Nabataean capital that the desert hid from the West for centuries, with tombs, temples, a theatre and a colonnaded street cut from the sandstone of a hidden valley.
Don't miss The Monastery — an 800-step climb to a rock-cut facade almost as large as the Treasury, with a fraction of the crowd.
Explore Destination — PetraTafilah Governorate, southern Jordan, Jordan
A protected reserve of mountains, canyons and desert with an Ottoman-era village, a range of wildlife and Jordan's best walking.
Don't miss The Dana–Feynan trail, a one-way descent of about 16 km through changing landscapes to an eco-lodge lit only by candles and solar power.
Explore Destination — Dana Biosphere ReserveMadaba Governorate, central Jordan, Jordan
A small Christian-majority town famous for Byzantine floor mosaics, and a nearby mountain that has drawn pilgrims for centuries.
Don't miss The Madaba Map, a Byzantine floor mosaic showing Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and the view from Mount Nebo across the Jordan Valley.
Explore Destination — Madaba & Mount NeboRead next
Food
Eating well abroad is mostly a matter of knowing when meals happen, how the menu is structured and which dish belongs to the place you are standing in. This covers all three for the five countries in this guide, plus the signals that separate a restaurant that feeds locals from one that feeds coaches.
Where to go
The most visited place in a country is rarely its best, and it is almost never its best value. This is a method for finding the destinations that do not make the postcards — and a set of examples from five of the 50 countries on this site.
Advertisement
