Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The site is accessible by minibus from Karak, 16km to the south, but is best visited on a
15-minute stop en route between Madaba and Karak.
SLEEPING & EATING IN WADI MUJIB
There's nowhere between Madaba and Karak to stay or eat, except one outpost, high on the southern wall of Wadi
Mujib. The strategically placed
Trajan Rest House & Restaurant
( 079 5903302; tra-
jan_resthouse@yahoo.com; bed in shared room JD5, with breakfast JD10)
is perched like an eyrie on the canyon
rim, and is mainly visited for its restaurant - a cavernous grotto of Bedouin artefacts, with hand-loomed rugs and
cushions, and benches at the long trestle tables. Every day the hospitable owner, Mr Awad, and his family prepare
an
open buffet
(JD10; 11.30am-4.30pm)
. Mostly intended for tour groups, the generous buffet includes local
dishes of spicy meatballs and herb chicken. The 'emergency' accommodation here is intended solely for those who
get stuck and is basic to say the least, with curtains for doors. The views from the canyon rim on a morning walk are
spectacular. For those hitching along the highway, you may find your best bet for a ride across Wadi Mujib is from
this establishment.
Karak
03 / POP 28,000 / ELEV 1000M
The ancient Crusader stronghold of Karak (or Kerak) lies within the walls of the old city
and is one of the highlights of Jordan. The fortified castle that dominates the town was a
place of legend in the battles between the Crusaders (Franks) and the Islamic armies of
Saladin (Salah ad-Din). Now among one of the most famous Crusader castles, the castle at
Karak was just one in a long line built by the Crusaders, stretching from Aqaba in the
south to Turkey in the north.
Often ignored by travellers speeding south towards Petra, Karak deserves a detour.
History
Karak lies on the ancient caravan routes between Egypt and Syria, and was used by the
Greeks and Romans. The city is mentioned several times in the Bible as Kir, Kir Moab
and Kir Heres, capital of the Moabites, and later emerges as a Roman provincial town,
Charac Moaba. The city also features in the famous mosaic map in St George's Church in
Madaba.
