Karak and Shobak castles

The castles of Oultrejordain

In the 12th century the Crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem pushed east of the Jordan to control the caravan and pilgrim routes between Damascus, Egypt and Arabia. Their lordship of Oultrejordain was guarded by a chain of castles: Montreal (Shobak), founded in 1115, and Kerak (Karak), begun around 1142 by Pagan the Butler. Kerak became infamous under Raynald of Châtillon, whose raids on Muslim caravans helped provoke Saladin's campaigns. After the Battle of Hattin in 1187, Saladin's forces besieged both castles: Kerak surrendered in 1188 and Montreal in 1189.

The Ayyubids and then the Mamluks — notably Sultan Baybars in the 13th century — strengthened them, and much of what you see today is their work. Karak remained an important regional centre in the Ottoman period.

Karak Castle

Perched on a narrow ridge with deep valleys on three sides, Karak is a maze of corridors, barrel-vaulted galleries, kitchens, an oven, a chapel and Mamluk towers. Bring a torch for the dark lower levels. The lower court houses the small Karak Archaeological Museum. From the walls there are views west towards the Dead Sea and, on clear days, the hills of the West Bank.

The old town below the castle has simple restaurants and sweet shops, and the castle is a short walk from the hotels.

Shobak (Montreal)

Shobak rises on an isolated hill above a fertile valley, about 35 km north of Petra. Less restored than Karak, it is atmospheric and often nearly empty: walk the walls, see the remains of two churches and Mamluk inscriptions, and — with a torch and care — explore a long rock-cut stairway leading down to a water source inside the hill. Allow about an hour.

Tickets and practicalities

• Both castles are included in the Jordan Pass; otherwise buy tickets at the gate.
• Opening hours are roughly from 8 AM to late afternoon (shorter in winter); check locally.
• Paths are uneven with steps and drops; supervise children.
• There is little shade at Shobak; Karak's interiors are cool even in summer.

Current advice for Karak

As of November 2026, the UK FCDO reports that a shooting took place at a church in Karak Governorate on 23 October 2026, causing several casualties, and advises following the instructions of the local authorities and monitoring local media. The castle and town remain open to visitors. Check the latest UK FCDO, US State Department or your own government's advice for Jordan before you travel, avoid crowds and keep ID with you for checkpoints.

Getting there

Karak is about 2 hours from Amman via the Desert Highway, or a scenic half-day via Madaba and Wadi Mujib on the King's Highway. Shobak lies just off the King's Highway between Dana and Petra. Public transport is limited — a car or driver is best. See getting to Karak and Shobak.

Karak town

Karak is a regional capital of about a hundred thousand people, built on the hill below the castle. Its old centre has stone houses from the Ottoman period, a busy souk and simple restaurants serving mansaf made with the town's famous jameed. It is a conservative town: dress modestly and expect to be greeted warmly.

A short history of the two castles

1. 1115

   Shobak founded

   King Baldwin I of Jerusalem builds Montréal on its hill above the valley.

2. 1142

   Karak begun

   Pagan the Butler fortifies the Karak ridge, the new centre of Oultrejordain.

3. 1183–84

   Sieges of Karak

   Saladin besieges Karak twice, provoked by raids under Raynald of Châtillon.

4. 1187

   Hattin

   Saladin defeats the Crusader army; Raynald is executed after the battle.

5. 1188–89

   Both castles fall

   Karak and then Shobak surrender to Saladin's forces after long blockades.

6. 13th–14th c.

   Mamluk rebuild

   The Mamluks strengthen both castles; much of what you see is their work.

7. 1840

   Ottoman–Egyptian war

   Karak's walls are damaged by Ibrahim Pasha's forces.

Tickets and time needed

Who should visit

The castles reward travellers who enjoy exploring on their own: dark passages, vaulted halls, staircases and battlements with few barriers and fewer crowds than Petra. Families with older children love them, but watch little ones near the unfenced edges. If you are driving between Amman and Petra, Karak adds about an hour and a half to the trip via the King's Highway and turns a transfer into a sightseeing day; Shobak is an easy morning or afternoon from Petra. Travellers with limited mobility will find both sites difficult, with uneven floors and steep steps.

Where to stay

Karak has a handful of small hotels and guesthouses near the castle; many road-trippers continue to Dana or Petra instead.

Karak or Shobak if you only have time for one?

Choose Karak if you want the bigger, more complete castle with a museum, deep vaulted galleries and an easy stop between Amman and Petra. Choose Shobak if you are already in Petra and want a quiet, half-ruined castle on a dramatic hill, often with nobody else there. Photographers tend to love Shobak's silhouette; families find Karak's passages more exciting. Both are covered by the Jordan Pass.

Plan your visit to Karak & Shobak

• Things to doExploring Karak Castle level by level, its museum and old town, Shobak's walls and…
• ToursReady-made tours rarely focus on Karak and Shobak — here is how to include them via a…
• Getting thereBy car on the King's or Desert Highway, minibuses to Karak, and taxis from Petra to…
• Where to stayGuesthouses and small hotels near Karak Castle, and better-equipped bases in Dana,…
• When to goHighland weather at Karak and Shobak through the year — cool summers, cold winters with…