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Your trip to Zarqa & Eastern Desert

Combine Zarqa’s everyday city life with an eastern-desert journey through Umayyad castles, Azraq and wildlife reserves.

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Suggested day-by-day route

Draft route, not a timed booking. Published visiting hours are linked below; confirm seasonal changes. Open driving directions for current travel estimates before choosing each day's stops.

Day 1

  1. 1
    Zarqa City

    Busy streets and neighbourhood markets reveal the everyday life of this major Jordanian city.

    Opening hours not verified — confirm visitor access before arrival.

  2. 2
    King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz City Park

    An urban green space offers a break from city streets; check current facilities locally.

    Opening hours not verified — confirm visitor access before arrival.

    Driving time from previous stop
  3. 3
    Desert Castles

    Plan an eastern-desert circuit through early Islamic architecture and varied desert landscapes.

    Opening hours not verified — confirm visitor access before arrival.

    Driving time from previous stop
  4. 4
    Qasr Amra

    A UNESCO-listed Umayyad bathhouse is renowned for its surviving wall paintings.

    Opening hours not verified — confirm visitor access before arrival.

    Driving time from previous stop

Day 2

  1. 1
    Qasr Kharana

    A compact desert monument displays striking early Islamic stone architecture.

    Opening hours not verified — confirm visitor access before arrival.

  2. 2
    Qasr Al-Azraq

    A black-basalt fortress tells stories of the oasis’s strategic desert location.

    Opening hours not verified — confirm visitor access before arrival.

    Driving time from previous stop
  3. 3
    Azraq Wetland Reserve

    Managed wetland habitats and walking routes introduce the oasis’s fragile ecology.

    Opening hours not confirmed — reserve visitor access with RSCN. Hours source

    Driving time from previous stop
  4. 4
    Shaumari Wildlife Reserve

    A conservation reserve offers insight into desert wildlife; visits follow operator arrangements.

    Gate hours not confirmed — safari and trail visits require reservation confirmation. Hours source

    Driving time from previous stop

Day 3

  1. 1
    Azraq Oasis

    Discover the oasis community and the history of water in Jordan’s eastern desert.

    Opening hours not verified — confirm visitor access before arrival.

  2. 2
    Qasr Al-Hallabat

    Palace and settlement remains illustrate a site transformed across Roman and Islamic periods.

    Opening hours not verified — confirm visitor access before arrival.

    Driving time from previous stop
  3. 3
    Hammam As-Sarah

    Historic bathhouse remains near Hallabat reveal early Islamic bathing architecture.

    Opening hours not verified — confirm visitor access before arrival.

    Driving time from previous stop
  4. 4
    Zarqa & Eastern Desert cafés & restaurants

    Pause for local cooking, traditional sweets or coffee; choose venues locally and confirm menus and dietary needs.

    Opening hours not verified — confirm visitor access before arrival.

    Driving time from previous stop

Day 4

  1. 1
    Shopping & local products

    Browse local markets and shopping areas. Ask about available milk, cheese, labneh, olive oil and regional goods; availability varies by shop and season.

    Opening hours not verified — confirm visitor access before arrival.

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Agencies serving this destination

Independent operators with public contacts, not Rehla-affiliated agencies. Offices are in Amman; coverage may be a nearby sight rather than the city centre. Confirm dates, prices and current licensing directly. Contact details checked 19 October 2026.