Jordan has a wonderfully diverse countryside. The landscape changes as you move from north to south, each area has a uniqueness and beauty. Mixed in are geographical wonders like Wadi Mujib, Wadi Rum and the Dead Sea. (Click on the link to see more images.) The north has rolling hills, with orchards of fruit trees and olive trees, the areas looks a lot like central Italy. In the Jordan River Valley a large variety of vegetables are grown in the fertile soil. The central area gives way to soft rolling fields where wheat and grains dominate the landscape. Where the south is desert, only where there is irrigation do you see anything growing.

The Kings Highway, translated from an old Hebrew term means ” the main road”, it runs north and south connecting all of these areas. Most of our tour was along this road. As we traveled south along the road we got a chance to see the changing landscape and the small towns and villages of rural Jordan along the way.

After traveling for several hours we stopped in the town of Al Kerak, which was the capital of the biblical kingdom of Moab. We spent an hour wondering around Kerak Castle one of the largest and best preserved of the Crusader castles in the region. Built in the 1140s, it is perched atop a rocky spur with sheer cliffs on three sides and a deep moat protecting it on the four side.

Another hours south was Shobak Castle. It is also perched on the rocky side of a conical shaped mountain,  4,265 ft above sea level. Not as well preserved as Kerak Castle, Shobak Castle is more remote and less frequent by tourists but its barren surrounds are breathtaking. It was built around 1115s. Please see the picture below.

view of Kerak Castle

view of the countryside from the Kerak Castle

there are seven levels in the castle

view of the castle and countryside

view

there are many underground passageways

with a flashlight you can wonder around for hours

view of a walkway

light at the end of the tunnel

another view

M.E. enjoying the view

the view

looking to the town of Kerak

the town of Shobak below

looking across the valley

Shobak Castle

view from the castle

zoom in of goats grazing

camels too

inside the castle

remaining arches

remaining arches

M.E.

another view

view