From Amman: Desert Castles of Eastern Jordan Tour Tour Only
ID: GYG208617-324864
Category:
Country: Jordan
Duration:
06:00 hours
Description
Discover three of Jordan’s famous desert castles on this 5-hour trip from Amman. With an informative private driver, learn about these fabled castles, built by the Umayyad rulers during the 7th and 8th centuries.
Start your tour with a pick up from your centrally located Amman hotel. Relax in your private, air-conditioned vehicle and travel out of the city and into the desert plains of eastern Jordan. The region is speckled with 7th and 8th-century castles, many within a 15-minute drive of each other, that was originally built by the Caliphs of the Umayyad dynasty as rural retreats and hunting lodges.
Hear tales about this powerful dynasty, the first Muslim rulers of the Arab kingdom, including fascinating snippets about their extravagance and debauchery. As you travel, feel free to tell your driver if there’s a castle you want to see more of or another castle you’d like to visit, at your own expense. After about 1-hour on the road, pull up at UNESCO-listed Qasr Amra, one of east Jordan’s most famous castles. Once a hunting palace of the Umayyads, this splendidly restored edifice is graced with 8th-century fresco showing decadent scenes of nude women, wine and parties.
Continue to Qasr Al -Kharana, an imperious 2-level fortress standing in a huge plain. Thought to have been built on Roman foundations, this evocative castle exudes intrigue and displays a rich array of Mesopotamian, Arabic, and Greek architectural influences. Finally, head for Qasr Al-Azraq, originally a Umayyad hunting retreat and once used as a headquarters by T.E. Lawrence, the 20th-century British soldier, and Arab Revolt leader perhaps more famously known as Lawrence of Arabia. Wander around the sun-burnished courtyards, towers, and mosque and learn how Lawrence based his operations here from 1917 to 1918. After exploring here, relax on your ride back to Amman where your experience finishes with a hotel drop off. Upgrade your tour to include an accompanied licensed guide from Amman to be with you for the visit of the 3 marvelous desert castles.
Highlights
- Discover three of Jordan’s famous desert castles in this 5-hour trip from Amman
- Hear tales about the first Muslim rulers of the Arab kingdom
- Visit the headquarters of Lawrence of Arabia
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
• Confirmation will be received at the time of booking
• For clients holding a Jordan Pass, the corresponding entrance fees to be refunded at the destination
• Pick up and drop-off from Amman Queen Alia International Airport available by request for a layover day tour
• Local SIM cards and Wi-Fi are available upon request and can be subject to a small additional charge of approximately 20 USD. (Prices subject to change by the communication company)
• Please note most local tourist restaurants in Jordan are non-alcoholic
All areas that customers touch are frequently cleaned
You must keep social distance while in vehicles
The number of visitors is limited to reduce crowds
You are required to bring and wear a mask
You will receive a mandatory temperature check
When should I book?
To guarantee availability book as soon as possible. Early booking is worth consideration especially if you planning the trip during high season like public holidays or weekends.
Cancellations
This excursion you can cancel with no cost up to 48 hours before the start of the trip. If you cancel it after 48 hours or not show up on the excursion you will still be charged the full price of the activity. Being late on pick-up or departure will be considered as not showing up.