Kerak

Kerak (also spelt Karak, Arabic al-Kerak) is a small, Arab city (population 170,000) in southern Jordan.



Understand
It has a significant Christian population. Kerak is on the King's Highway, 124 km south of the capital Amman, and is the site of a magnificently-situated Crusader castle, now an evocative ruin on the skyline above the city.

In biblical times Kerak was the capital of the Moab Kingdom. Later it was ruled by the Nabataeans, after which the Romans took over. Under the Byzantines it was used as the seat of a bishopric. Left abandoned until 1140, when the crusaders acknowledged its strategic meaning and built a mighty fortress here. Only 50 years later it was conquered by the Arabs.

Get in
There are three bus stations in Kerak. is near the castle, and the is in the south-eastern part of the city about 5 km from the old city. Ask someone local which one to use for the surrounding area, or to get to Madaba or Petra.

Minibuses Aqaba (1.75 JD) run roughly hourly. These also pass through Madaba and Ma'an (for Petra).

From Amman, mini-buses leave from the South Bus Station (Mujemma Al-Janoob) when full (2.25 JD, 2 hr, Oct 2018). They arrive at the station below the castle. A taxi up to the castle (al-Qasr) will cost 2 JD. It is a 20-min walk back down to the bus station. It is easy to see the castle on a day trip from Amman.

Get around
Between the old city and the rest of the city local (shared) taxis should be used for around 2 JD.

By car, the roads in town are narrow and usually one-way, but the town is compact, so you can park wherever you find space and walk to the castle.

Eat & drink
Many medium-priced restaurants with local and partly international cuisine can be found around the castle. From there into the old city, restaurants get less expensive.

Kerak is most famous for the Jordan national dish mansaf, which you should definitely try. It is rice with lamb or chicken meat served with a sauce made from special yoghurt called jameed.



Go next

 * – a village on the way to Dana Reserve or Petra, respective, might be worth a visit for its authenticity.
 * – great nature reserve famous for its impressive canyons. Read more here. Limited access in winter.
 * Dead Sea – besides Petra the most famous tourist attraction in Jordan.
 * Madaba – known as the 'City of Mosaics' is famous for its Byzantine and Umayyad mosaics, especially a large Byzantine-era mosaic map of Palestine and the Nile delta at St. George Church.
 * Dana Nature Reserve – stay in a local village within the Nature Reserve, and enjoy unforgettable hiking in an offshoot of the Great Rift.
 * Petra – The most famous sight in Jordan.