Al Karak Travel Guide

  Madaba mosaic of Kerak Castle
by angiebabe
 
  • Madaba mosaic of Kerak Castle
      Madaba mosaic of Kerak Castle
    by angiebabe
  •   Al Karak
    by angiebabe
  •   Al Karak
    by angiebabe
  • the chapel
      the chapel
    by crazyman2
  • some of the modern town is on the castle
      some of the modern town is on the castle
    by crazyman2
 

Explore Al Karak

Things to Do  

Krak des Moabites

Krak des Moabites, Al Karak

 MM212 Says:  Perched on hill that dominates the surrounding arid countryside, Krak des Moabites is the castle that gave Kerak its name. It was built in 1142 AD by Payen le Bouteiller, a Crusader Lord under King Baldwin II of Jerusalem. The site he chose was once an important city in the... 

Turkish Coffee in Kerak

Turkish Coffee in Kerak, Al Karak

 MM212 Says:  Driving from the Dead Sea to Petra in late December 2010, we stopped for a quick Turkish coffee in the centre of Kerak. The friendly gentleman in the attached photo made us our coffee. 

The Castle

The Castle, Al Karak

 crazyman2 Says:  You may decide to wander around the castle.a word of warniing: it is not another Krak de Chevalier in Syria! This site is far smaller because a lot of it has been built on. Much of the modern town perches on the old castle site. As you approach by road stoop your car to take... 

Crusaders in Jordan

Crusaders in Jordan, Al Karak

 flynboxes Says:  This is one of a string of Crusader Castles in the region. While not as impressive as the the Crac Des Chevaliers it should not be missed if you have even the slightest interest in Castles.The Castle itself is literally next to the city but unlike the Crac you won't be... 

Castle Kerak

Castle Kerak, Al Karak

 antistar Says:  Despite what the guides by the entrance may tell you, the castle is not that big. You can get around it in an hour or two, and if you are careful, you won't miss a thing. You certainly won't get lost. There are a lot of nooks and crannies. The important parts are all... 

Passageways, Karak Castle

Passageways, Karak Castle, Al Karak

 Vabate Says:  From the Norther tip, head back in the direction of the Castle ruins. The path leads to an underground passageway, the begining of vaulted rooms, chambers and underground paths.Tip: Take a headlight or flashlight with you to get the best out of your visit. 

Northern End, Karak Castle

Northern End, Karak Castle, Al Karak

 Vabate Says:  After visiting the museum, continue along the old Castle Walls to the Northern tip. Be careful climbing the stairs to the second level. You'll get spectacular views of the valley and surrounding hills of Karak. 

Museum, Karak Castle

Museum, Karak Castle, Al Karak

 Vabate Says:  Just past the entrance gate where you purchased your ticket, a path leads downhill to it's Museum. A large plaza opens up to the entrance way. The staircase and plaza are restored with new stones. Admission is included in the ticket price. The museum covers the history of... 

See Karak Castle

See Karak Castle, Al Karak

 Vabate Says:  Kerak is amidst a bustling little town, at the top of its steep hill. Pass by the many shops heading uphill. There is a large plaza in front and restaurants across from it. Cross the bridge to the castle, over its moat, and enter through the main gate. Purchase your entrance... 

Views from the castle

Views from the castle, Al Karak

 MiguelMV Says:  Up from the castle, if you walk to the upper floors (not necesary to climb up to the top of the walls) you will have great views from the valley and all the surrounding areas. 

The Castle

The Castle, Al Karak

 MiguelMV Says:  The castle or fortress is really big. One can easily find it once you're near Karak, as it is in the top of a hill, dominating the whole town. During the byzantin period, the city was the see of a bishopric. And in the year 1140, the building of the fortress began, under the... 

Lower Court

Lower Court, Al Karak

 Cristian_Uluru Says:  The Lower Court seems to have been principally dedicated to storage and defence. The most impressive feature of the Lower Court are the underground galleries. 

Upper Court

Upper Court, Al Karak

 Cristian_Uluru Says:  At the Upper Court you can find the Mamluk Iwan and Mosque. The south end of the Upper Court is dominated by the Keep. 

Upper Court

Upper Court, Al Karak

 Cristian_Uluru Says:  The castle is built on two levels, corresponding to the Upper and Lower Courts and an Inner Wall separates two courts. The Upper Court contains many of the main buildings of the castle, suche as the Crusader Church... 

Restaurants  

Karak Resthouse: A meal near the castle
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1.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

MiguelMV 232 reviews

Situated very close to the entrance of the fortress in Al Karak. This restaurant offers a buffet lunch for 9 dinars (drinks not included). The buffet was not the best that we had during our days in Jordan, but was still ok. If the weather is good, you can take a sit outside, and have lunch with the views of the fortress' walls.

Written Jan 22, 2006

Related to:
 Archeology
 Arts and Culture
 Historical Travel

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Transportation  

Getting Here

Getting Here, Al Karak

 antistar Says:  By bus or taxi there are two ways into Kerak, via the Desert Highway or the King's Highway. The Desert Highway is faster, but it's flat and boring. The King's Highway is spectacular. Many people use the castle as an hours stop-over on the way to Petra. It's about 2 hours on... 

Bus to Karak Castle

Bus to Karak Castle, Al Karak

 Vabate Says:  The Crusader Castle lies midway between Amman and Petra, the entrance ticket is 1JD. To get there, drive or take a bus from Amman from Wahadat Bus Station downtown.From Aqaba via the Dead Sea, go to the small bus station in the City Centre (next to a Mosque). Start your... 

Warnings and Dangers  

Big Ants!
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3.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

antistar 2432 reviews
That's a big coin!

The coin in the picture is big. Bigger than a 2 euro coin, the biggest European coin. The ant is big. About as big as an Australian meat ant. And probably a couple of centimeters long. They are all over the castle. I sat down for a while before I noticed I was surrounded by them. Thankfully, despite my instant feelings of itchiness, they didn't appear to have entered my clothing.

Written Feb 4, 2007

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Its got a bit of History

Its got a bit of  History, Al Karak

 freya_heaven Says:  The Karak fortress was refortified and strengthened in the 13th century, But in a later earthquake 3 of the new towers collapsed.In the 1880's thousands of Turkish troups were stationed in Karak due to infighting between the local Christians and Muslims. Many of the Local... 

Karak Museum

Karak Museum, Al Karak

 freya_heaven Says:  I think the only othe Crusader castle I have been to is Nimrods in the Golen Heights. Apparently you could always see one Crusader castle from the other. The line Crusader castles in this area streched from Aqaba in the South all the way up to Turkey.There is also a small... 

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Explore Deeper into Al Karak
cairwan hotel: unique castle veiw
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West Front
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East Front
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Outer walls
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Crusader buildings
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Construction
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Al Karak castle
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From the other side
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Impressive Landscape
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the Church
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The wall
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The Undergrounds
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The Castle of Crac
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The New Hotel: Only For Backpackers!
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Karak Crusader Castle
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Bus and Taxi
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Head for Heights!
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Karak Windows
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Map of Al Karak