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Voykit pocket guide · Jordan
Kerak
الكرك
Stop for the Crusader castle on the King's Highway: 2–3 hours plus lunch, or one night if you are driving south to Petra.
Kerak is a hill town on the King's Highway, 124 km south of Amman, built around a Crusader castle that Saladin took in 1188. Almost everyone comes for the castle and the view over the valley, then moves on. One night is enough unless you add Wadi Bin Hammad or El-Lejjun. It sits between Madaba and Petra, so it fits a southbound drive rather than a base.
- Country
- Jordan
- Local name
- الكرك
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot, dry), Dec–Feb (cold nights, rain)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- JOD
- Money
- Jordanian dinar (JOD) is divided into 1,000 fils (or 100 piastres); one dinar is a high-value note.
- Daily spend
- Budget 25–40 JD excl. bed · Mid 40–70 JD excl. bed · High 70 JD+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Zain, Orange and Umniah sell tourist SIMs at Queen Alia arrivals; passport registration is required.
- Emergency
- Police, ambulance and fire 911
- Plugs
- Types C, D, F, G, J · 230 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin plugs fit most sockets; UK three-pin (G) is common in newer hotels. Bring a universal adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Round up or 5–10% if no service charge; many mid-range places add 10%.; Taxi / Careem: Round up to the next half or whole dinar.; Guide, half day: JOD 5–10 per person.; Driver, full day: JOD 10–20.; Wadi Rum camp staff and jeep driver: JOD 5–10 per group, per day.; Hotel porter: JOD 1 per bag.
- Water
- Treated at source but stored in rooftop tanks; drink bottled or filtered. Water is scarce — short showers help.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, malls and restaurants; squat toilets at some bus stations. A hose replaces paper in many places. Petra has toilet blocks along the main trail.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea in the old city | 1–2 JD |
| Falafel or shawarma sandwich | 1.5–3 JD |
| Sit-down lunch, mezze and grill | 8–15 JD |
| Citadel of Kerak entry | 1 JD (free with Jordan Pass) |
| Minibus Amman → Kerak | 2.25 JD |
| Minibus Kerak → Aqaba | 1.75 JD |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | 8–15 JD |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AMM · Queen Alia International (Amman)
- About 2 h by car south on the Desert Highway or King's Highway; no direct bus to Kerak.
Typical fares
- Minibus Amman (South Bus Station) → Kerak
- about 2.25 JD, 2 h, leaves when full (check)
- Minibus Kerak → Aqaba
- about 1.75 JD, roughly hourly, passes Madaba and Ma'an (check)
- Taxi, bus station → castle
- about 2 JD
Get around
The old city is compact and steep: walk between the castle, the souq and the cafés. Shared taxis cover the 5 km between the old city and the King's Highway for about 2 JD. If you drive, park where you find space and walk up; many streets are one-way and narrow.The old city is compact and steep: walk between the castle, the souq and the cafés. Shared taxis cover the 3.1 mi between the old city and the King's Highway for about 2 JD. If you drive, park where you find space and walk up; many streets are one-way and narrow.
See and do
Known for
- Citadel of Kerak (Qasr)
- Crusader castle tunnels
- King's Highway stop
- Wadi Bin Hammad
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Wadi Bin Hammad | Taxi or car, 31 km northwest of Kerak; not on the highwayTaxi or car, 19 mi northwest of Kerak; not on the highway | About 1 h each way |
| El-Lejjun (Lajjun) | Car or taxi, 20 km east of KerakCar or taxi, 12 mi east of Kerak | About 40 min each way |
| Mu'tah | Car or taxi, 15 km south on the highwayCar or taxi, 9.3 mi south on the highway | About 25 min each way |
| Madaba | Minibus or car north on the King's Highway | About 1.5–2 h |
| Petra | Minibus or car south via Ma'an | About 2.5–3 h |
Sleep
- Old city / castle area
- Walk to the castle gate in minutes; cafés and the souq on the same hill. Best for one night without a car.
- King's Highway strip
- Hotels and the main bus station; 5 km from the old city, so you need a taxi or a car.Hotels and the main bus station; 3.1 mi from the old city, so you need a taxi or a car.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | مرحباmarhaba |
| Thank you | شكراshukran |
| How much is it? | قديش؟qaddesh |
| The castle, please | القلعة لو سمحتal-qal'a law samaht |
| Where is the bus station? | وين المحطة؟wen al-mahatta |
| No, thank you | لا شكراla shukran |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Salam alaykum or marhaba; handshake between men; wait for a woman to offer her hand; avoid: Kissing or hugging someone of the other sex in greeting
- Hospitality: Accept tea or coffee; eat a little when invited; avoid: Refusing all food and drink outright
- Right hand: Eat, pass things and pay with the right hand; avoid: Using the left hand to offer food
- Feet: Keep soles on the ground when sitting; avoid: Pointing the soles of your feet at people
- Mosques: Covered arms and legs, headscarf for women, shoes off; avoid: Entering during prayer times unless invited
- Dress in town: Long trousers or skirts, shirts with sleeves; avoid: Shorts and swimwear away from resorts
- Photography: Ask first, especially with women and Bedouin families; avoid: Photographing police, soldiers or checkpoints
- Politics: Listen; opinions on Palestine run deep; avoid: Joking about the King or the royal family
Scams and watch-outs
- Three bus stations serve different directions: ask locally which one goes to Madaba, Petra or Aqaba before you buy a ticket.
- Minibuses leave when full, not on a timetable; morning departures are more reliable.
- Castle tunnels and stairways are uneven and unlit in places: bring a torch and wear grippy shoes.
- Summer afternoons are hot and there is little shade on the castle hill.
Kerak is a small, calm town and the castle area is fine by day. The real risks are steep unlit castle stairs, fast driving on the King's Highway, and summer heat; women report some staring in the souq, not aggression.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Kerak yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Citadel of Kerak (Qasr)
- Crusader castle tunnels
- King's Highway stop
- Wadi Bin Hammad
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Visit Jordan — official tourism site: www.visitjordan.com/
- Wikivoyage: Kerak, revision 5309942 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5309942
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Kerakالكرك
إلى هذا العنوان لو سمحت
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, ambulance and fire911
No embassies in Kerak; they are in Amman. Register your trip with your embassy before travelling south.
Carry small notes: 1 JD and 5 JD are what you need for the castle, taxis and snacks.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/kerak). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.