This road has been used since ancient times. Roman road milestones used to be found around the Mujib area. The trip starts in Amman and passes through or near Madaba, Al -Karak, Shobak, Petra, and ends in Aqaba. It provides some beautiful scenery, and optional visits to archaeological sites in Al Qasr, Al Rabba, and El Lejun (site of a destroyed Roman camp). An optional visit to Um Al Rassas may be included. Al-Karak Crusaders Castle is awesome. Further south, the site of Mu’ta battle and the shrine tombs of the three Muslim heroes slain during the battle can be visited. From there on one could continue to Petra or double back to Amman during the same day. For either option, a less arduous trip can be provided by sleeping at Al-Karak where a Mansaf or Fatireh could be savored. If an early start from Al-Karak is made on the Desert Highway, all the Umayyad castles on the way back to Amman could be visited as an option. For longer stays in Al-Karak, Wadi Al-Karak and Wadi Ibn Hammad can be interesting for canyoning.
(Click on image for details)