A Complete Guide to Desert Castles Loop in Jordan
Road tripping along the Desert Castles Loop is one of the best things to do while in Jordan. Visit the fortress of Azraq Castle, Qusayr Amra that features stunning frescoes, and a roadside inn Qasr Kharana on a day trip from Amman. Including tips on how to get there, what to expect, and where to stay.
Desert Castles Loop in Jordan includes three fascinating desert castles.
Known for their architecture and decoration, Qasr Azraq is a famous ancient fortress, Qasr Kharana might have been a caravanserai, and finally, Qusayr Amra has famous frescoes and Islamic paintings. Qusayr Amra is also one of the four UNESCO sites in Jordan.
When we were planning our Jordan travel itinerary, we pretty much knew what places we wanted to visit and which places we need to skip as we had only eight days for this country.
We were not sure if desert castles deserve a place on our packed Jordan itinerary.
As we don't mind to change our plans and always keep our travel itinerary flexible, we left this slot in our itinerary open and chose to make the decision during the trip.
Very soon, we learned along the way, that Jordan is full of surprises. And we are not talking only about the well-known places such as the Lost City of Petra or Wadi Rum that are famous around the world but also about places we've never heard about before our trip such as Mukawir or city of Salt.
To get back to the point, we think that Desert Castles Loop is another gem in this amazing country.
This day trip was quite memorable for us for several reasons, as we experienced a (minor) dust storm, and a (heavy) rain in one day, gave a lift to a hitchhiker/caretaker and had an opportunity to visit the desert castles almost without tourists.
Simply put, this was an exciting adventure and one of the best short road trips we've ever done.
This blog post about desert castles in Jordan includes all the information you need to know before you go.
Also, it is a disambiguation for separate posts about each of the castle we visited, so make sure you check out those posts too!
DESERT CASTLES LOOP IN JORDAN
Desert Castles Loop is best explored on a day trip from Amman, Jerash, or Madaba.
We started our day early in the morning in Jerash, explored the Jerash Ruins, and drove around the loop in the afternoon. We didn't return back to Jerash, as it would make a little sense, instead we headed to the capital city of Jordan, Amman.
If you are in Amman, and you've already visited Jerash, consider doing the loop in the morning, and arrive in Madaba before lunch, where you will have plenty of time for all those historical attractions that Madaba is famous for.
These are just a few ideas to consider, as you have many options here, and it really depends on your Jordan itinerary.
DESERT CASTLES LOOP - IS IT WORTH IT?
One of the most difficult tasks when creating a new itinerary is usually deciding which places are worth it and which are not.
You might want to ask yourself a few questions first.
Do you like visiting UNESCO sites? How about driving most of the time across the flat and monotonous desert? Are you a fan of T.E. Lawrence, or is this the first time you've heard this name?
Are there other places, for example, along the King's Highway such as Karak Castle or Umm ar-Rasas that you would prefer visiting over desert castles when short on time?
Choosing which places to skip can be quite challenging. Keep in mind that what worked for us might not work for you.
In the end, we really enjoyed our trip to these Umayyad Qusur (aka desert castles), and we were glad, that we've put Desert Castles Loop in our travel itinerary.
However, if you are really really short on time, and deciding whether desert castles are worth a 5 hours detour, then you might find some better alternatives in Jordan.
HOW MUCH TIME FOR DESERT CASTLES LOOP
To see all three desert castles, you will need at least 4-5 hours when driving from and back to Amman.
Add another hour and a half if you are not coming back, and your next destination is Madaba or Jerash.
From the top of my head, we spent about 45 minutes in Qasr Azraq (we spent half the time reading information from the guidebook), 20-30 minutes in Qusayr Amra (there is also a small museum for 10 minutes), and around 20 minutes in Qasr al-Kharanah.
AZRAQ CASTLE
Of the three desert castles, Azraq Castle is a desert castle in the true sense of the term. At least what was left from the building. For us, this ancient fortress was closest to what we expected from the phrase 'desert castle'.
This was also my favorite desert castle, Lucie preferred Qusayr Amra for its beautiful paintings though.
Also known as Qasr Azraq, this ancient walled fortress was used for military purposes by Romans.
Nowadays, this site is mostly famous in the western world due to its connection with T.E. Lawrence who based himself there for several cold winter months during the Arab Revolt (1917-1918) against the Ottoman Turks.
But there are more reasons why to visit Azraq Castle.
The fortress with more than 80 meters long walls was built of the black basalt as early as the 4th century and rebuilt in the 13th century. In the middle of the courtyard, a quite small mosque was constructed during the Umayyad times.
There are huge double-wing doors at the entrance, which are quite easily movable despite their size and weight. Each wing weight at least one ton.
In the west wall, you will find another huge door, but this time, made of a single mass of stone. There is a prison in the northwest, an ancient altar, and a well on the northeast side.
Speaking of which, Azraq has a strategic position as it was built at the only fresh water source in this vast desert.
Despite the photos you might have seen, Qasr Azraq is located directly in the Azraq town, so it lacks the feel of remoteness (although the town itself is quite remote).
QUSAYR AMRA
From the three desert castles you can visit along the way, Qusayr Amra is the most valuable one.
This desert castle (also known as Quseir Amra or Qasr Amra) hides a big surprise that you probably wouldn't guess to find in this remote place in the middle of the desert.
On the walls of this ancient castle, you will find many paintings, murals and also frescoes, some of them being more than 1300 years old.
The most famous fresco in Qusayr Amra is a Painting of the Six Kings, though it's been badly damaged and even though the meaning of this artwork is still unclear, it is historically significant.
In fact, we had even trouble to recognize it, as a big part of the fresco is missing. Look at your right side, once you enter the structure.
The fresco is in the lower-left corner on the wall. But other paintings are interesting as well, and they mostly depict scenes of daily life, like hunters, rulers, and figures of zodiac.
For this reason, Qusayr Amra is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and one of the most unique places in Jordan.
There is a small yet informative museum at the entrance to Qusayr Amra, make sure you visit it first before the desert castle, especially if you have arrived there without a guide.
When we arrived at Qusayr Amra, there was only a local caretaker, who lent us the keys from the castle. This desert castle was much bigger in its heyday, and used as a place of retreat, and was re-discovered in 1898 by a Czech explorer Alois Musil.
A proper irrigation system provided water for the bathhouse, which is quite extraordinary considering where this place is located.
One of the theories is that Qusayr Amra was a symbol of the caliph's power and served mainly to impress the visitors.
QASR KHARANA
Qasr Kharana, Kharaneh or Qasr al-Kharanah, has many different spelling variants. We prefer to use Qast Kharana, but when doing research, you might find it under different names, for example when using Google Maps.
Considering the location, Qasr Kharana is quite impressive.
It's also one of the most mysterious desert castles, as the purpose of this castle is yet to be discovered. Today, many scholars believe, that Qasr Kharana was not a fortress, but an inn. The way this castle was built suggests that it wasn't used for military purposes, but served as a roadside resting place for travelers and caravans.
The stone structure has square sides (35m long) and may have been built as early as 8th century AD based on evidence of a graffito in one of the upper rooms.
This structure is in great condition as it has been restored, and you can easily walk up to its second floor.
When we arrived at this castle, it was raining and the site was closed. Luckily, we met the caretaker on the side of the road, who let us in in exchange for a lift.
This will be your last (or first) stop on the Desert Castles Loop.
HOW TO GET THERE
To make everything easier, we will assume that you will start and finish your trip in Amman. In total, Desert Castles Loop is roughly 230 kilometers long.
From Jerash to Amman via Desert Castles Loop, the journey is 300 kilometers long, which is similar to the distance if you are driving from Madaba to Desert Castles Loop via Amman, which would make the journey 330 kilometers long.
You have two options on how to get to Desert Castles. The first option is by car, and that's what we opted for.
Driving in Jordan is fine, and we highly recommend you to rent a car for getting around Jordan.
The Azraq Highway, on which two of the three desert castles are located, is an old abandoned road in a poor state. That's the road on the southern side of the loop.
The northern part of the loop is served by a modern Zarqa Highway that connects not only the capital city with the town of Azraq but also with Saudi Arabia and Iraq.
On the way, you will be passing by one of the largest refugee camps in the country, the Azraq Refugee Camp, and the sight of hundreds of white dots (temporary houses) in the desert is not very comfortable.
If you don't want to drive in a foreign country with somewhat random road rules, consider this Half-Day Tour to Umayyad Desert Castles from Amman that will allow you to safely explore all must-visit Desert Castles with a private guide.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
DESERT CASTLES ENTRANCE FEE
All three Desert Castles are included in the Jordan Pass. Otherwise, you have to pay 1 JD at each site.
Jordan Pass is a great thing to have when visiting Jordan, don't forget to check out our article Jordan Pass: Is It Worth It?
In a nutshell, Jordan Pass includes Jordan Visa and the steep entrance fee to Petra, which makes it worth the money.
DESERT CASTLES OPENING HOURS
There are two seasons when it comes to opening hours for desert castles in Jordan. In summer, from 8 AM to 6 PM from May to September, during the winter, which lasts from October to April these sites close at 4 PM.
We explored the Desert Castles Loop at the beginning of March, and we met only a handful of tourists along the way.
When deciding when to visit Jordan, you might find this post on best time to visit Jordan useful.
WHERE TO STAY
There are actually very few places to stay on the Desert Castle Loop.
In our opinion, it's better to visit desert castles on a half-day trip from either Amman or cities near the capital such as Jerash or Madaba.
As we have already mentioned, we stayed in Jerash, visited the ruins in the morning, drove around the Castle Loop in the afternoon, and then arrived in Amman, where we spent the night in a lovely small hotel near the city center.
Both hotels in Jerash and Amman were really good (for the price), so we are not afraid to include them in the list of best hotels for Desert Castle Loop.
Check out our favorite picks for the best hotels when traveling to this part of Jordan.
Azraq | Azraq Oasis - Azraq is not exciting city, and there is not much to do except for the Azraq Castle. This private villa allows you to stay as close as possible to the desert castles. Azraq Oasis offers comfortable and clean rooms, lovely staff, an outdoor pool, a great breakfast, and a beautiful garden. Probably the best place to get away from the crowds.
Amman | Gallery Guest House - We stayed in this hotel for a couple of days, and really enjoyed clean, air-conditioned, and quiet rooms, lovely breakfast, and helpful staff. This hotel is located a walking distance to Amman Citadel, super popular Hashem Restaurant, or Rainbow Street. Great value for money. Free parking on the street in front of the hotel.
Jerash | Full Panorama To Archaeological Site Jerash - Family guesthouse located in a quiet residential area with nice modern rooms, welcoming host, and great location next to Jerash Ruins. Parking is available on the street in front of the hotel.
Madaba | Mosaic City Hotel - Great location, friendly atmosphere, tasty breakfast, and helpful staff are the main features in this hotel. It is worth it to ask for a room with a balcony facing the garden.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
