The truly intrepid, equipped with a torch, can descend the 350 steps under the castle to the well that allowed the Crusaders to hold out for two years before it fell to Saladin in 1189 AD.

It is more of an adventure to explore, wandering around ornately decorated towers, past crumbling churches and underneath vaulted passageways. With fewer visitors than Kerak and still in need of restoration, Shawbak is in some ways a more rewarding stop on the King's Highway.

The reserve is home to a variety of wildlife, incredible canyon scenery, ancient copper mines, and local villages such as Dana village, which has been inhabited since around 4000 BC. It is made up of a system of wadis and mountains, which extend from the top of the rift valley down to the desert lowlands of Wadi Araba.

Dana Nature ReserveĪlso managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), the Dana Nature Reserve covers over 300 square kilometres. In 1812, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt tricked his way into the site, and almost immediately other visitors began to follow.Ī couple of days here will give you time to see two of its most iconic structures, the Treasury and Monastery, and also allow for some time to explore further afield. Kerak Castle Things to see on the King's Highway Petraīuilt by the Nabataeans, who grew rich through their control of the frankincense trade routes through Arabia, Petra fell into obscurity about a thousand years ago, while its existence - and location - were kept a closely guarded secret by the local Bedouin.

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