30 Aug Kings Highway & West Bank
The famous King’s Highway Jordan is a beautiful drive worth experiencing. It winds from North to South passing many changing landscapes and points of interest, from Roman ruins, pilgrimage sites, and crusaders castles to the spectacular sceneries of Wadi Mujib. Kings Highway connects the capital Amman to the Nabatean city of Petra.
Places to see along the Highway
Madaba
An ancient town in Jordan, southwest of Amman, known for its 6th-century mosaic map of the Holy Land & which houses a treasure of early Christianity. Back in the 1800s, Christian builders came across the flooring of mosaic, which represents the oldest map of Palestine and provided many historical insights into the region.
Al Hakaya Wax Museum
A cultural museum & mosaic centre depicting Jordan’s past takes you on a journey through history to explore Jordan’s religious, historical and cultural heritage, including the story of Jesus.
Mount Nebo
Approximately 15 minutes drive from Madaba is Mount Nebo is, a sacred mountain located about 710 metres above sea level. As mentioned in the Bible, Mount Nebo Jordan is where Moses saw the Promised Land before his death at the mountain. On a clear day, Jerusalem, Jericho & the Dead Sea can be seen.
Entrance to Mount Nebo costs 2 JD (3 USD), and the easiest way to get to the base of Mount Nebo is to drive from Madaba. From the bottom of the mountain, visitors will have to take a short walk to the top.
Bethany
This is the baptism site of Jesus on the banks of the Jordan River. A sacred place approximately 2 hours and 30 mins’ drive from Mt Nebo. The Baptism Site in the Jordan Valley is an archaeological World Heritage site on the east bank of the Jordan River and is also the Church of St. John the Baptist.
As a child, I read the stories of Jesus, but to be standing here and feeling the water where Jesus was baptized felt very nostalgic.
But what struck us most while standing on the bank of the Jordan River (literally a few yards in front of us on the opposite bank) was ISRAEL.
Two countries so close, yet so far apart!) It is also guarded by the military so that no one can cross the border!
See here for more travel photos of our Day 5 in Jordan.
Karak Castle
Karak Castle is known for its Crusader Castle and later Mamluk Fortress. It is a fine example of the blend of European, Byzantine, and Arab architectural styles located at the southern part of the King’s Highway.
Shobak Castle
In the earlier days, Shobak Castle was called the “Royal Mountain” Montreal or Mons Regalis and was the first Crusader fortress in a line of strongholds in Oultrejourdain, the territory East of the river Jordan.
Little Petra
Approximately 6 km north of the Nabataean capital centre, sits the Siq al-Barid, also known as Little Petra. Siq al-Barid is the Arabic name for Little Petra, which means a cold canyon.
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