Home > Amman > Private Tour: Full-Day Islamic Desert Castles and Ajloun Castle Trip from Amman
USD $106.00
Private Tour: Full-Day Islamic Desert Castles and Ajloun Castle Trip from Amman
Amman, Jordan
This 10-hour tour visits several Islamic medieval castles and a number of fortresses with fresco art and zodiac dome. Explore Qasr Amra from the Umayyads era, Qasr Kharaneh, Umayyed fortress built and completed in 710 AD, and Qaser Azraq where Lawrence of Arabia had his headquarters. Travel to Ajlun to visit the yet another medieval castle built by the Muslims during the 12th century in the time of Saladin for defensive purposes during the crusades.
You will be picked up in early morning from your Amman for a visit to UNESCO World Heritage sites. On the agenda are three magnificent castles that represent history in all its glorious detail, a symbol of early Islamic art and architecture.
Visit historic Al-Azrak Castle, built from black basalt in the center of the Al-A zrak oasis just 100 Kilometers east of Amman. Then, visit the old Umayyad Amara Castle. This rare architectural masterpiece is set in the heart of the desert, and is most notable for the frescoes on the inside walls and the dome of the palace. The frescoes covering the hot water bath ceiling look like a piece of the sky where the towers heavenly plotted show great skill and tell countless stories of the life as it was during the 8th century.
The last stop in the area is at Kharaneh Castle, one of the best-preserved Umayyad monuments, built in a square shape for defense prepossess. It is also possible that some of these structures, like Qasrr Amra, Kharaneh and Mshash, served as resting places for high government officials on their way to Hejaz.
Continue to the city of Ajlun and pay a visit to the medieval castle of Ajlun, built by the Muslims during the 12th century in the time of Saladin for defensive purposes during the crusaders. Enjoy the beautiful scenery and green north fields from its unique towers. There are two theories for the name of Ajlun - either (iron) as there was iron material in the area or because it was built on top of a monastery after the priest name.
After discovering all the sites you will be transported back to Amman.
This is a long day. There are 4 sites you visit. The first was probably a tavern, the next was a hunting lodge with amazing paintings on the wall. Although called castles they were not. The third site was a fort partly used by Lawrence of Arabia. It is then a long drive over to Ajloun castle, but this is an amazing castle right on the top of a hill. It has excellent views and an interesting small museum inside. As with Jordan you can have a guide picked up locally at each site. There are plenty of notice boards so this is not essential. If you do not want a guide they are not pushy about it and you can go round at your pace. My driver was friendly and let you have as long as you wanted in each place. Water was provided and is needed. If you want lunch you can ask the driver to pick a place, but it is not compulsory and I saw more by not having lunch which I felt was better.
Review by: nezza, August 2016
I loved this tour. There was just our guide and us which was fabulous._br/_ I loved everything about this day and the opportunity to travel east and then north west and the variety of castles we saw. _br/_ A wonderful snapshot of Jordan!
Review by: jeanine a. h, March 2016
So enjoyable and off the beaten path. Driver/ guide excellent!
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