Karak Castle: Explore the Famous Crusader Castle in Jordan
Visit with us one of the most famous Crusader castles in the Middle East region. Karak (Kerak or al-Karak) Castle belongs among top attractions in Jordan and is a must-see place along King's Highway. Read our travel guide on visiting Karak Castle, where we share tips on what to see, how to get there, how much things cost, and where to stay.
Karak, also often spelled Kerak, is one of the largest Crusader castles in the Middle East, located in the city of al-Karak, which lies on a tourist route on King's Highway, just between the Amman and the crown jewel of Jordan, Petra, the famous Nabatean city.
Karak is for sure one of the top destinations a traveler can see in Jordan and is worth your time.
The site is open every day, but the opening time varies depending on the season, and the castle closes earlier during the winter season.
We traveled in Jordan the second week of March, which is still considered off-season (tourists usually start flooding the county in April), even though the weather at the beginning of spring is very pleasant.
You can read more about the best time to visit Jordan in our blog post.
So everything was great, only we had to always keep in mind that the sites will be open approximately until 5 PM.
To be honest, traveling along King's Highway took us longer than we had expected because of the wonderful stops along the way, so we arrived in Karak in the late afternoon, and had only a bit more than an hour to explore the place.
As we knew we won't be able to make it to a nearby and less-known Crusader castle Shobak, we stayed at Karak Castle as long as we could, and we were the last ones to leave the site, altogether with the caretaker.
This way we could enjoy the spectacular views from the castle perched atop a hill, thickening crowds, and exploring the dark-lit underground passageways of Karak Castle.
The scenery and the castle is so different from the desert castles such as Qasr Azraq, Qasr Kharana or Qusayr Amra located on the Desert Castle Loop, which we visited later on a trip from Jerash.
At the end of our visit, we were very grateful that our itinerary worked out as it was really packed that day and the information we got from a police officer at Umm ar-Rasas ruins, who told us that the road to Karak might be closed, was not promising.
Later, we found out that something had been happening that day in Karak judging by the increased presence of police forces, multiple armored vehicles, and broken glass on the walkway near the castle.
This situation reminded us of an old article we read about a group of armed militants who attacked police officers in 2016 and then locked themselves in Karak Castle.
Apparently, even though Jordan is considered a safe country, the area around Karak is often an epicenter of unrest.
However, this story should not put you off visiting Karak Castle. On the contrary, by this blog post, we would like to inspire you to include Karak Castle on your Jordan itinerary.
Here, we will share with you tips on what to see, and provide you with up-to-date information on entrance fees, how to get to the castle and where to stay.
HISTORY OF KARAK CASTLE
Even in ancient times was Karak an important destination. Because of its great location on caravan routes between Egypt and Syria, the settlement thrived.
Its importance did not go unnoticed therefore, Karak is mentioned in the Bible, under its past names such as Kir or Charac Moaba.
You will also find Karak on the famous mosaic map in Madaba's Saint George's Church.
The castle on the hill was built in 1142 AD, and thanks to the strategic location, the castle and overall the area became the Crusader center of power as Karak Castle at that time did not serve only for military purposes but also for collecting taxes from caravans heading to Jerusalem.
At the end of the 12th century, Saladin's Muslim armies besieged Karak, and their attempts finally paid off in the mid 13th century, when the castle had fallen. Karak was under the rule of Mamluk Sultan, and this is why you can often read about Karak as about Mamluk castle.
Yet, Karak was still an administrative center for the region, only now under the control of Muslims.
Things were quite stable for a long time until the 19th century, when Karak Castle was besieged again by Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt, and during this time was the castle severely damaged, especially its fortifications.
In the 1880s Muslims forced Christians out of the city, who fled mostly to Madaba, which is today a city with one of the largest Christian communities in Jordan.
Also, new arrivals in Madaba started to build their houses, and thanks to it many beautiful mosaics and Roman remnants were found in the city.
For more information about this city, don’t forget to read our posts on things to do in Madaba and Mount Nebo.
There is one more reason why Karak Castle is a must-visit place in Jordan.
For pop culture and movie fans, Karak Castle was featured in the Hollywood movie the Kingdom of Heaven that was directed by Ridley Scott and starring Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, and Liam Neeson.
VISITING KARAK CASTLE: OUR EXPERIENCE
The arrival to Karak Castle is quite imposing. We were driving through yet another unimpressive Jordanian city and all of a sudden the views opened up, and we could see the famous Crusader castle, Karak.
We drove uphill to the entrance, where we parked our car. The parking is free, and from here the official entrance is only two minutes' walk.
If you are hungry, on the opposite side of the parking lot are several restaurants. We did not have much time, so we headed to the gate, where we were asked for our Jordan Pass, and immediately were let in.
Just behind the gate are guides who will offer you their services for 10 JD.
It is only up to you if you prefer to hear more about the architecture and history from a local. We usually prefer to wander around alone, and also there are quite many information boards in Karak, which we found sufficient.
Karak is a fine example of bland of European, Byzantine, and Arab architectural styles, and even though the site is not in the best conditions, we were pleasantly surprised how some of the structures, and especially the underground parts are well-preserved.
By visiting Karak Castle, we quickly got an idea of how perfect was this place for military purposes as we could see really far from the top of the hill.
We crossed a bridge and entered the complex via Ottoman's Gate. Then, inside the castle we walked freely around, first, we visited the rooms which are above the ground, later we got lost in the maze of underground passageways and underground rooms.
Historians were able to describe the castle quite thoroughly, and thanks to it we could get a sense of how life in a Crusader castle must have looked like.
We walked around stables, barracks, kitchens, and even sites which used to be Crusader church, or Mamluk mosque. We spent most of the time in dimly-lit passages, exploring every nook of Karak Castle, which was actually very pleasant as we could escape the outside heat.
If you plan on traveling King's Highway, we strongly recommend you to visit Karak Castle, this place is truly wonderful, and you will enjoy your time no matter if you are a solo traveler or if you are getting around Jordan with your family.
Karak Castle has a charm for everyone who loves old architecture and the medieval atmosphere.
ENTRANCE FEE
Karak Castle is one of the most visited destinations in Jordan, and the entrance fee costs 2 JD per person. But only in case, you do not have the Jordan Pass.
This site is included in the Jordan Pass, so in case you had purchased it before your trip, which we strongly advise you to do so, your ticket is already covered.
For more information read our post on Jordan Pass.
It is enough to show your pass by the entrance, and you will be immediately let in.
HOW TO GET TO KARAK CASTLE
Karak or Kerak lies midway between Amman and Petra on the famous King's Highway.
Road 50 also connects Karak with both Dead Sea Highway and Desert Highway, but the vast majority of travelers use for getting from Jordan's capital or Madaba to Wadi Musa road number 35 alias King's Highway.
When traveling from Madaba to Petra, we also used road number 35, and on the way to Amman, we drove Dead Sea Highway alias Jordan Valley Highway.
Karak can be easily reached by car. A rental car is actually the most popular way how to get around Jordan, especially if you want to see places which are off the main roads.
Without our rental car, we would, for example, were not be able to visit also Mukawir and Umm ar-Rasas ruins in only one day, when traveling along King's Highway.
Karak is quite a large city, so public transport is available here.
There are infrequent buses from Amman to Karak, and then you can continue your journey to Wadi Musa, but most likely you will have to change the bus in Ma'an.
If you do not have a rental car, another popular option is hiring a driver, or you can opt for yet another alternative and book a tour.
In that case, you can either reserve a private tour from Amman to Petra with a stop in Karak.
If you really want to avoid driving in Jordan for the whole length of stay, you can think of this 5-day Jordan tour, which includes some of the top attractions in Jordan, including Karak.
HOW MUCH TIME DO YOU NEED FOR KARAK CASTLE
Honestly, we were quite surprised by how large the complex of Karak Castle is.
When we were searching for the information about the castle, we always saw photos from the outside but had no idea we can explore a large portion of underground passageways and corridors on our own.
This was a big game-changer and the reason why we, in the end, spent quite a lot of time on this site.
We visited Jordan at the beginning of March, which is still considered as off-season month therefore, the best attractions usually close earlier than in the summer, around 5 PM.
Eventually, we spent approximately an hour and a half in the castle but hadn't it been the closing time we would have spent there probably much longer.
Not that we did not see everything, but we would probably go to see some of the more photogenic places once more.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
WHERE TO STAY
Karak Castle is one of the most popular stops along King's Highway, and it is also one of the few cities where you will be able to find accommodation.
Some travelers, when driving from Madaba to Petra, decide to break the journey right here in Karak. Others, like us, travel the whole stretch of King's Highway in one day.
That's why we slept in Madaba, and then in Wadi Musa alias Petra, but we've also handpicked accommodation in Karak, in case you decide to take it more slowly.
Here are our top hotel pics in Madaba, Karak, and Wadi Musa.
Madaba | Mosaic City Hotel - Great location, friendly atmosphere, tasty breakfast, and helpful staff are the main features in this hotel. It is worth it to ask for a room with a balcony facing the garden.
Karak | The Old House - This relatively cheap and traditional house offers one of the best accommodations in Karak. The location is great, staff friendly, rooms quiet, and it is worth it to pay a bit extra for breakfast.
Petra | Town Season Hotel - This well-rated hotel has beautiful decor, the staff is friendly and the location is also very convenient. This is for sure one of the best pics for visiting Petra the next day.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
