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Qasr Amra 1
Qasr Al-Mushatta 2
Qasr Azraq 3
Qasr Kharana 4
Qasr Azraq 5

Best of Desert Castles Private Full-Day Tour

By Ancient Jordan
10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
Free cancellation available
Price is P 11,657 per traveler* *Get a lower price by selecting multiple travelers
See tickets

Features

  • Free cancellation available
  • 8h
  • Mobile voucher
  • Instant confirmation
  • Selective hotel pickup

Overview

This private tour offers a comfortable and in-depth exploration of Jordan’s remarkable Umayyad Desert Castles, far from the usual tourist routes. Travelling in a luxury vehicle from Amman, you will visit several of the most fascinating early Islamic monuments in a single day, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site Qusayr Amra, the mysterious desert fortress Qasr Kharana, and the historic oasis stronghold of Qasr Azraq.

Unlike standard group tours, this experience is fully private and flexible, allowing you to explore each site at your own pace while learning about the fascinating history, architecture, and desert culture of the Umayyad period. With personalised attention, comfortable transport, and thoughtfully planned stops, the tour offers a deeper and more relaxed way to discover one of Jordan’s most intriguing historical landscapes.

Activity location

  • Qasr AlMushatta
    • Amman, Amman Governorate, Jordan

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • Qasr AlMushatta
    • Amman, Amman Governorate, Jordan

Check availability

Best of Desert Castles Private Full-Day Tour

  • Activity duration is 8 hours8h
    8h
  • English

Pickup included

Language options: English
Starting time: 8:00
Price details
P 11,657.45 x 1 TravelerP 11,657.45
Total
Price is P 11,657.45
Until Tue, Jun 30

What's included, what's not

  • What's includedWhat's included
    Bottled water, soft drinks, snacks
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Entrance fees
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Coffee/tea (on request)
  • What's includedWhat's included
    WiFi, Phone charger
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Private luxury transfer
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Professional on-site (local) guide, if avaliable. The price for their services usually $5 - $15
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Personal expenses
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Lunch

Know before you book

  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Activity itinerary

Amman Governorate (Pass by)

Your tour begins with pickup from your hotel or residence in Amman, where we will have a brief introduction and tour overview. If you wish, we can make a quick stop at Starbucks to pick up your favourite coffee before leaving the city. We then begin our journey into Jordan’s eastern desert in a comfortable luxury vehicle equipped with Wi-Fi and phone chargers. Relax during the drive while enjoying your coffee and selected snacks. Complimentary bottled water and soft drinks are also provided throughout the tour.

Qasr AlMushatta

  • 30m
  • Admission ticket included
Our first stop is the remarkable Qasr Al‑Mushatta, one of the largest and most ambitious palaces built during the Umayyad period. Dating to the 8th century, the palace is famous for its extraordinary decorative stone façade, which combines Byzantine, Persian, and classical influences. Intricate carvings of vines, acanthus leaves, animals, and geometric patterns reveal the impressive craftsmanship of Umayyad artisans. Although the palace was never fully completed, its monumental scale suggests it was intended to host large gatherings of the Umayyad court.

Qasr al-Kharrana

  • 30m
  • Admission ticket included
Continuing east along Highway 40, we arrive at the mysterious desert fortress of Qasr Kharana. Built in the early 8th century during the reign of the Umayyad Caliph Al‑Walid I, this square two-storey structure measures about 35 meters on each side and contains dozens of rooms arranged around a central courtyard. Despite its fortress-like appearance, the building likely served as a meeting place, caravan station, or residence for travelers and officials. Inside, several rooms still preserve original decorative details.

Quseir Amra

  • 40m
  • Admission ticket included
Next we visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site Qusayr Amra, one of the most famous and best-preserved Umayyad monuments. This small desert palace is celebrated for its extraordinary frescoes covering the walls and ceilings. The paintings depict royal hunting scenes, musicians, zodiac symbols, and even portraits of rulers from different parts of the world. The complex also includes a bathhouse with cold, warm, and hot rooms, as well as an ingenious water system that once supplied the baths. After exploring the site, you may enjoy a short coffee or tea break at the nearby Bedouin tent beside the visitor center.

Qsar Al-Azraq

  • 40m
  • Admission ticket included
Our journey continues to the impressive basalt fortress of Qasr Azraq, located near the historic oasis town of Azraq. Originally used by the Romans for military purposes, the castle later became an important strategic base controlling the desert trade routes. During the Arab Revolt of 1917–1918, it served as headquarters for T. E. Lawrence, whose experiences here were later described in his famous book Seven Pillars of Wisdom. You will have the opportunity to explore the fortress and see the room where Lawrence stayed.

Hammam AlSarah

  • 20m
  • Admission ticket included
A short drive brings us to the beautifully restored bath complex of Hammam As‑Sarah. Built during the Umayyad period, likely under the reign of Caliph Al-Walid I, this elegant limestone structure functioned as a royal bathhouse similar to the one at Qusayr Amra. The complex includes an audience hall, a bath suite, and an advanced water supply system. Despite its relatively small size, the building provides a fascinating insight into early Islamic architecture and daily life.

Qasr Al-Hallabat

  • 40m
Our final stop is the impressive complex of Qasr Al‑Hallabat. Originally built as a Roman fort protecting the important trade route known as the Via Nova Trajana, the site was later transformed by the Umayyads into a large palace complex with defensive walls, towers, a mosque, and residential quarters. Today visitors can admire beautifully restored stone structures, intricate mosaics, and early Islamic architectural details that illustrate the transition from Roman to Islamic culture in the region.

Amman (Pass by)

After a full day exploring the Desert Castles and the dramatic landscapes of Jordan’s eastern desert, we will drive you comfortably back to Amman and drop you off at your hotel or residence. You will return with a deeper understanding of the Umayyad period and unforgettable impressions of these remarkable desert monuments.

Location

Activity location

  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIES
    Qasr AlMushatta
    • Amman, Amman Governorate, Jordan

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • PEOPLEPEOPLE
    Qasr AlMushatta
    • Amman, Amman Governorate, Jordan

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