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Voykit pocket guide · Jordan
Mafraq
Skip Mafraq as a destination: use it only as a transit stop or to visit Umm el-Jimal ruins. Half a day is enough.
Mafraq is a crossroads town 70 km north-east of Amman, historically a Hejaz Railway junction. Today it is a service centre with one major sight — the Nabataean-Roman ruins of Umm el-Jimal — and the Zaatari refugee camp. Most travellers pass through on the way to the Eastern Desert castles or Syria (border closed). A half-day stop covers the ruins; the town itself has little to offer tourists.
- Country
- Jordan
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (very hot), Dec–Feb (cold and wet)
- Stay
- 0 nights
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 JD 15–25 · Mid JD 30–50 · High JD 60+ (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Zain, Orange and Umniah sell tourist SIMs at Queen Alia arrivals; passport registration is required.
- Emergency
- Police 911 · Fire and ambulance 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.
Get in
By air
- AMM · Queen Alia International Airport
- About 1 h 15 min drive south via Highway 15
Typical fares
- Taxi Mafraq → Umm el-Jimal
- about JD 10–15, 20 min
- Taxi Mafraq → Amman
- about JD 25–35, 1 h
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Taxi or private car is the only practical option. The town is small enough to walk between the few sights, but Umm el-Jimal is 15 km (9.3 mi) east — you need a car or arranged driver.Taxi or private car is the only practical option. The town is small enough to walk between the few sights, but Umm el-Jimal is 9.3 mi (15 km) east — you need a car or arranged driver.
See and do
Known for
- Umm el-Jimal ruins
- Hejaz Railway history
- Zaatari refugee camp
- Crossroads location
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Umm el-Jimal | Taxi from Mafraq centre, about 20 min | About 30 min |
| Qasr Amra | Car via Desert Highway, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
| Amman | Car or bus via Highway 15, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- City centre (Army Street area)
- A few basic hotels and the Azraq Desert Hotel; limited options, book ahead.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | مرحباmarhaba |
| Thank you | شكراshukran |
| How much? | كم؟kam? |
| Where is Umm el-Jimal? | أين أم الجمال؟ayn umm al-jimal? |
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
- Zaatari camp visits require pre-arrangement through an NGO; do not go without permission.
- No train service despite the historic station; the Hejaz Railway is defunct.
- Limited dining and accommodation; plan to eat and sleep in Amman or along the Eastern Desert loop.
Mafraq is generally safe, but the area near the Syrian border (north-east) is off-limits to tourists. Do not approach the Zaatari camp without prior arrangement. Petty crime is low; watch your belongings in crowded markets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Mafraq yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Umm el-Jimal ruins
- Hejaz Railway history
- Zaatari refugee camp
- Crossroads location
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Mafraq, revision 5325153 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5325153
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/mafraq). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.