Things to do in Karak and Shobak

Karak Castle, level by level

Enter over the moat bridge, then explore the upper court (Crusader chapel, Mamluk keep), the long vaulted galleries and kitchens, and the lower court with the museum. The western walls give the best views.

Karak old town

Ottoman-era houses, a lively market street and bakeries; try karaki mansaf, a regional speciality made with jameed (dried yogurt) from Karak.

Shobak

Walk the circuit of walls, see the Crusader chapel and Mamluk inscriptions, and the rock-cut stair tunnel (with care).

On the way

Between Karak and Shobak the highway passes Tafileh and the turn-off for Dana. North of Karak, the descent into Wadi Mujib is one of the great road views.

Mu'tah and the Battle of Mu'tah

South of Karak, the town of Mu'tah gave its name to the first battle between Muslim and Byzantine forces in AD 629. Shrines of the Prophet's companions who fell there, including Ja'far ibn Abi Talib, stand at nearby al-Mazar al-Janubi.

Tafileh and the highlands

Between Karak and Shobak, the road crosses the deep Wadi Hasa and climbs through Tafileh, a market town of terraces and fig trees. Wadi Hasa itself is a wild canyon hike for experienced groups with a guide.

Tips for exploring the castles

• Bring a torch: Karak's lower galleries and Shobak's stair tunnel are dark.
• Wear shoes with good grip; stones are polished and uneven.
• Watch children near unfenced drops on the walls.
• Allow time for the view: both castles look out over the Rift Valley.

How long each stop takes

Stories behind the stones

Karak's most notorious lord, Raynald of Châtillon, attacked caravans and even sent ships into the Red Sea, provoking Saladin's sieges of the 1180s. During one of them a wedding was taking place inside the castle; tradition says the bride's mother sent food out to Saladin, who in return ordered his engines not to target the tower where the couple stayed. At Shobak, look for the stair tunnel that runs down through the rock to a spring, which let the defenders draw water during sieges — one reason the castle held out for so long after Hattin.

A King's Highway castle day

• 8 AM: leave Madaba; stop at the Wadi Mujib canyon viewpoints.
• 10:30 AM: Karak Castle and museum.
• 12:30 PM: lunch in Karak old town.
• 2 PM: south through Wadi Hasa and Tafileh; Dana viewpoint.
• 4 PM: Shobak Castle in the late light.
• 5:30 PM: arrive in Wadi Musa (Petra).

In winter, start earlier: daylight ends around 5:30 PM local time and the highway is best avoided after dark.

Karak's museum and the Mamluk keep

Inside the castle, the Karak Archaeological Museum displays finds from the Karak plateau from prehistory through the Moabite, Nabataean, Roman, Byzantine, Crusader and Mamluk periods, with clear panels that help make sense of the maze outside. Above it, the Mamluk keep on the south side is the strongest part of the castle; from its top the view stretches west towards the Dead Sea and, on clear days, to the hills beyond.