Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mukawir road for a spectacular detour. Alternatively, you can make a longer but equally
stunning drive via Karak (
Click here
)
.
South Along the King's Highway
There is no public transport linking Madaba with Karak along the King's Highway as
scaling the banks of Wadi Mujib on a regular basis costs more in vehicle maintenance
than it earns in fares. If you wish to go this way you must take a minibus to Dhiban (450
fils, 45 minutes) and then charter a taxi to cross Wadi Mujib to Ariha (if you can find one)
and wait for an onward minibus to Karak. From Karak, minibuses run to Tafila, where
you can find transport for Qadsiyya (access to Dana). Public transport south of Qadsiyya
is infrequent, so you may need to take a minibus to Ma'an and then another to Wadi Musa
(Petra).
A much easier option is to take the daily service organised by the Mariam Hotel. Leav-
ing at 10am, it goes to Petra (arriving around 6pm), with stops at Wadi Mujib for photos,
and an hour in Karak. You can get off at Dana, but you may have to pay the full fare. The
service requires a minimum of three people (the hotel will link you with other passengers
staying at the hotel) and a maximum of four, and costs JD54 per taxi. The Black Iris Hotel
offers a similar service for JD18 per person for a minimum of three people. Other hotels
offer similar deals though with less frequency. A normal taxi fare for this service is
around JD90 per car.
MA'AN NOT AMMAN!
If you're brave enough to try travelling by public transport in the region, be careful how you pronounce the trans-
port hub of Ma'an. If you don't get your gutturals worked out, you may just find yourself heading back to the capital
- no laughing matter if you've just spent a day of your trip trying to edge along the King's Highway.
To/From Mukawir
From the local bus station in Madaba, minibuses go to Mukawir (for Machaerus castle;
JD1, one hour) several times a day (not Fridays). The last minibus leaves at around 5pm.
The service isn't wholly reliable - it will only run if there are enough passengers. A taxi
costs JD20 with one hour of waiting time.
See
Click here
for details of getting to and from Mt Nebo.
