Things to do in Madaba Jordan + Day Trips

I was staying at the Rumman hotel and they can arrange a pick up from anywhere in Amman and take you to the hotel  Additionally, they can organise day trips to;

• Desert Castles of Jordan
• Dead Sea
• Roman City of Jerash
• Petra
• Wadi Rum

As a matter of fact, whichever Madaba hotel you choose, they should offer day trips to the things to see in Jordan.

Things to do in Madaba Jordan

Madaba is a peaceful city to stay with a variety of restaurants and souvenir shops all within walking distance.  However, if you’re staying a the Rumman hotel, it’s worth checking out their restaurant.  To be honest, Madaba is short on things to do other than shop and eat.  However, what it does offer is make a good base in Jordan for day trips to the more famous points of interest of Jordan.

I organised a private car and driver through the Rumman hotel for a very low price.  I took private day trips to Amman, Jerash, Desert Castles of Jordan, Dead Sea and Petra.  If there are a few of you, this private trip will be excellent value and probably cheaper than a tour.

Jerash – Roman Amphitheater

On the outskirts of Amman in Jerash you’ll find the Roman city of Gerasa, which for me was more impressive than the Colosseum in Rome.  Gerasa is a huge site and it will take a few hours to appreciate the whole city.  Gerasa dates back over 5000 years to long before the era of the Roman Empire.  You are free to explore all over the northern theater and if it’s not too hot you can take a few moments to sit down and appreciate the history of the structure.  At the top of the northern theater you’ll get a great landscape shot of Gerasa and Jerash (below).

Jerash – Oval Roman Forum

The oval forum and cardo maximus of Gerasa is a view to behold, it is considered to be the best preserved Roman city in the region.  Whilst walking the cardo maximus you are exposed to the hot sun, don’t forget you’ll need sunscreen, water and a hat.  You’ll pass plenty of street vendors at the entrance selling these necessary items.

Desert Castles of Jordan – Qasr Kharana Desert Castle

In Eastern Jordan, close to the Saudi Arabia border is the Qasr Kharana desert castle.  Such a simple, yet beautiful castle and the fact that it’s located in the middle of the desert makes it extra special.  It was built in the 8th century and is one of the earliest examples of Islamic architecture.  I found Qasr Kharana to be the most interesting and beautiful of the desert castles.

Desert Castles of Jordan – Quseir Amra Desert Castle (UNESCO Site)

The Quseir Amra desert castle is a UNESCO world heritage site which dates back to the 8th century.  This is the most famous of the desert castles but what destroyed.  What you’ll visit is not actually the castle but a royal retreat.

Desert Castles of Jordan – Qasr Azraq Desert Castle

The Qasr Azraq desert castle is a fortress located outside the city of Azraq.  The fortress was built here because there is a nearby oasis, the only water source for 10,000 square kilometers.  What impresses most people about this fortress is that Lawrence of Arabia used this as his desert headquarters in the winter of 1917.  In addition, you can visit the office of Lawrence of Arabia near the entrance to the fortress.

Dead Sea – Jordan

On the drive from Amman to Petra there are a choice of routes, the Kings highway or the Dead Sea highway.  I recommend persuading your driver to take the Dead Sea highway as you’ll be rewarded with amazing views of the Dead Sea.  I’m sure you can persuade the driver to stop at some points along the Dead Sea route too, these guys are very keen for tips.  It takes about 3 hours to reach Petra, add another hour if you take the Dead Sea route.

Petra

Most people visit Petra to view the famous Treasury (above).  But what is Petra?  Petra is in fact an ancient city over 2000 years old.  For this reason, there is much more to see than the famous Treasury.  Other points of interest of Petra include, Siq, Ad Deir and as a matter of fact, there’s a huge city to explore.  Read about my day trip to Petra Jordan.  Did I mention, the ancient city of Petra is a UNESCO site?  In addition, it’s one of the new seven wonders of the world.  Other wonders of the world include the Colosseum in Rome, Christ the Redeemer in Rio Brazil and the Great Wall of China near Beijing.

How to get from Madaba to Petra

I organised a day trip to Petra through the Rumman hotel in Madaba which is excellent value.  In fact, many cities in Jordan, Egypt and Israel offer day trips to Petra.  I recommend this site to check which trips are available from the city you’ll be visiting.  Enjoy Petra!

Petra