Qasr Azraq: Visiting the Best Desert Castle in Jordan
Qasr Azraq is the best Desert Castle in Jordan. Learn more about our road trip to this ancient fortress located on the Desert Castle Loop. Including tips on getting to Qasr al-Azraq from Amman, what to expect, and where to stay.
Hands down, Qasr Azraq is the best Desert Castle in Jordan. At least if you imagine under the phrase 'Desert Castle' an ancient stone-walled fortress located in the eastern part of the country.
Even though Azraq Castle is nowadays encompassed by the same name town about 90 minutes drive from Amman, the capital city of Jordan, it's worth a visit.
All three Desert Castles we visited in Jordan on the famous Desert Castle Loop were very different, and that might be for some a big reason to visit them. Al Azraq reminds you of ancient times, Qusayr Amra has stunning frescoes and Islamic paintings, and the mysterious Qasr Kharana has been beautifully restored.
Furthermore, Qasr Azraq has a long and rich history. At first, Nabataean people lived in the area, then the Romans arrived and built a structure that served as foundations for further development by Byzantine and Umayyad. In the 13th century, the structure underwent a major development and was redesigned into a current form.
Ottoman Turks stationed a garrison there three centuries later, and in 1917, the famous T.E. Lawrence made a headquarters here during the Arab Revolt. Nowadays, Qasr Azraq is a popular tourist stop on a day trip from Amman.
If you are still undecided whether the Desert Castle Loop is worth including in your Jordan travel itinerary, we might have some answers in this travel guide for you.
A TRIP TO QASR AZRAQ
We started our day early in Jerash, where we explored the famous Jerash Ruins the entire morning. After typical (and quite filling) shawarma lunch, we departed Jerash and made our way towards Azraq.
Somewhere before Zarqa, the weather has entirely changed.
From a mix of warm blue sky and dark cloudy day with cold air in the morning to something we have never seen before. Although the weather forecast on the iPhone warned us with a strange symbol of dust, something that never occurs here in Prague, we were not quite ready for what happened next.
As we passed Zarqa, the world has suddenly turned in washed beige.
The wind became stronger and stronger with every kilometer closer to Azraq. This weather, that reminded a dust storm, brought another element into play.
Especially in Zarqa, it looked more like a rubbish storm, as the plastic litter and other stuff were flying all over the place.
Once on the highway, there was no difference between the sky and the earth anymore.
The Zarqa Highway was almost deserted except for intermittent freight trucks transporting cargo to or from Saudi Arabia or Iraq. One could say that if it weren't for the omnipresent wind with strong gusts and the monochromatic scenery, the drive was quite uneventful.
However, approximately 30 kilometers before Azraq, we passed several signs with 'no photos' warnings.
And then we saw the Azraq Refugee Camp. We quickly googled some basic info about it and found out that currently, more than thirty-five thousand refugees mostly from Syria are living there. Although the numbers are not everything, the first sight of this refugee camp is upsetting.
The white dots, a temporary shelter for thousands of people, are covering the horizon, and even from the highway and through a window of a car, this refugee camp makes us feel quite uneasy.
With our minds still on the refugee camp, we finally arrived in Azraq.
On the intersection with a massive road sign Iraq (to the left) and Saudi Arabia (to the right), we turned left and shortly arrived at Azraq Castle.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM QASR AZRAQ
Azraq Castle is located directly in Azraq Town. Azraq is a small and remote town in the northeastern part of Jordan, and the reason, why this settlement was built in this place is simple.
In this area, you will find the only permanent source of fresh water in this desert (roughly 12,000 square kilometers).
They say that Azraq is a dusty town, but given today's circumstances, this was truer than ever.
We left the car on a small parking lot in front of Azraq Castle and headed for the entrance. With our first steps towards the castle, it started to rain.
We put on rain jackets, and entered the complex.
A group of six or eight tourists was leaving Qasr Azraq, so we had the place just for ourselves. With a guidebook in our hands, we tried to find shelter inside the remnants of the castle.
Sheltered from the dust and rain, we read about the part of the castle we were just standing at, and then ran to another roofed place.
And what are the things you shouldn't miss at Qasr Azraq?
The entrance itself is pretty impressive, there is a massive stone door in the west wall, a rectangular mosque in the middle of the courtyard, and you can also climb the tower near the entrance.
There were some warning signs scattered around the castle, so stay to designated areas.
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As we were about to leave, we realized that we are kind of stuck in the castle.
The huge two-winged doors made from massive stones were closed, and it required some effort to open them. As each wing of these must weigh at least a ton, we were surprised, that we could open them at all.
We hurried through the intensifying rain into the car with eyes and mouths full of dust and headed to Qusayr Amra.
Unlike Qasr Kharana or Qusayr Amra, Qasr Azraq has no informative panels, so you are left with your imagination.
To get at least some basic sense of this place, get a Jordan Lonely Planet.
It's not helpful only at this site, but help you understand other places without interpretative signs.
This informative guidebook is also helpful in other top places in Jordan such as Petra, Mukawir, Karak Castle, or Umm ar-Rasas, which are all located along the iconic King's Highway.
Otherwise, you will need an English speaking guide. More about it in the next section of this article.
QASR AZRAQ ENTRANCE FEE
Desert Castles are included in the Jordan Pass, and Azraq Castle is no exception to this fact.
Otherwise, the entrance fee to Azraq Castle is 1 JD.
However, there was no one to whom we could show the Jordan Pass when we arrived at Qasr Azraq, and the caretakers we met later on didn't require any proof of Jordan Pass either. It seems as they are not that strict in the off-season, or it was just a coincidence.
We purchased the Jordan Pass back home and strongly recommend you to do the same.
HOW TO GET TO QASR AZRAQ
Qasr al-Azraq is located approximately 115 kilometers from Amman.
Getting to Qasr Azraq from Amman is pretty straightforward. There are two roads leading to Qasr Azraq, both are almost equally long. Regardless of your choice which route you will take first, these roads create an oval shape loop, and you will drive along both of them.
For your upcoming Jordan road trip, we highly recommend to rent a car.
At least that's what we did.
A rental car will allow you to visit all the places you put in your itinerary at your own pace, and it's a very economical way to get around Jordan, especially if you are traveling as a couple, family or in a group of friends.
We drove to Qasr Azraq from Jerash, so we drove to Zarqa first, and from there took the northern road.
Zarqa Highway is a safe modern road, pretty wide, and in great condition.
The southern road alias Al Azraq Highway has seen better days, and we think that we are quite forgiving when we say this.
Or it might have been just the heavy rain but driving on this road was not fun at all, and the uneven surface combined with water made driving quite hazardous.
Otherwise, driving in Jordan was mostly fine.
If driving in a foreign country with somewhat loose road rules, consider this Half-Day Tour to Umayyad Desert Castles from Amman that will allow you to safely explore all must-visit Desert Castles with a private guide.
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
There are actually very few places to stay on the Desert Castle Loop.
In our opinion, it's better to visit desert castles on a day trip from either Amman or cities near the capital such as Jerash or Madaba.
As we have already mentioned, we stayed in Jerash, visited the ruins in the morning, drove around the Castle Loop in the afternoon, and then arrived in Amman, where we spent the night in a lovely small hotel near the city center.
Both hotels were really good for the price, so we've included them in the list of best hotels for Desert Castle Loop.
Check out our favorite picks for the best hotels when traveling to this part of Jordan.
Azraq | Azraq Oasis - Azraq is not exciting city, and there is not much to do except for the Azraq Castle. This private villa allows you to stay as close as possible to the desert castles. Azraq Oasis offers comfortable and clean rooms, lovely staff, an outdoor pool, a great breakfast, and a beautiful garden. Probably the best place to get away from the crowds.
Amman | Gallery Guest House - We stayed in this hotel for a couple of days, and really enjoyed clean, air-conditioned, and quiet rooms, lovely breakfast, and helpful staff. This hotel is located a walking distance to Amman Citadel, super popular Hashem Restaurant, or Rainbow Street. Great value for money. Free parking on the street in front of the hotel.
Jerash | Full Panorama To Archaeological Site Jerash - Family guesthouse located in a quiet residential area with nice modern rooms, welcoming host, and great location next to Jerash Ruins. Parking is available on the street in front of the hotel.
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.
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.
