Jordan Day 3: Kings Highway with Madaba, Mt. Nebo and Kerak

On the morning of day three we checked out of our hotel in Amman and took off to explore the King's Highway, which was once part of the ancient Silk Road. We then visited the Christian Town of Madaba, "The City of Mosaics," and also made a short stop to visit Mount Nebo. We then drove through many scenic overlooks along the King's Highway including the Wadi Al Mujib, a deep valley holding one of Jordan 's most breathtaking views. We finished the day with a visit to the castle at Kerak with its diverse history covering the Byzantine to the Mamluk period.

Mt. Nebo . . .


The sight where it is thought that Moses saw the vision of the promised land. He is also thought to have died and then buried in this area. Right now the Moses Memorial Church is under works so there was not much to see.


But there were some pretty great views!


This overlook around the backside of Mt. Nebo (AKA Mt. Nemo according to Trevon) emphasises how small this region is with Israel visible (better on a clear day) in the distance.

Madaba . . .


A Christian town, Madaba boasts some of the worlds most incredible ancient mosaics.


Here in St. George's Church lies the grand mosaic map. Discovered in the 1800's this 6th century map depicts the major biblical sights from the Middle East. It's amazing how much of this has survived the ages.











Wadi Al Mujib . . .


The whole day was filled with spectacular views as we drove, but nothing could compare to Wadi Al Mujib. It is considered the Grand Canyon of the Middle East, and for good reason. As we approached our driver told us all to close our eyes and then when we arrived told us to open them. Wow!














Wildflowers only grace the Jordanian countryside for a short period each year.




Our ride for the week

Kerak . . .


Arrivng in Kerak we found the town to be typical of much of the rest of Jordan.




At Kerak castle . . .

















Views on the road from Kerak to . . .









. . . next stop, Petra!