Ajloun
Jordan · 1100 m
Description
Ajloun (عجلون) sits in the green, pine-covered hills of northern Jordan, a landscape that surprises most first-time visitors to the country. Its centrepiece is Ajloun Castle, known in Arabic as Qal'at ar-Rabad, built in 1184 by a commander of Saladin's to watch the Crusader strongholds to the west and guard the local iron mines. The castle keeps its drawbridge, vaulted galleries and arrow slits, and from the top towers the view runs across the Jordan Valley to the hills beyond. Just north of the town the Ajloun Forest Reserve protects one of the last stands of evergreen oak, wild pistachio and strawberry tree in the region. Its marked trails are busiest in spring, when wildflowers cover the slopes, and the reserve runs simple cabins and a soap-making workshop staffed by local women.
Length of stay
Recommended length of stay: 1 to 2 days (optimal 1 day)
Travel season
Best time to visit: April – May or October
- Jan
- Feb
- Mar
- Apr
- May
- Jun
- Jul
- Aug
- Sep
- Oct
- Nov
- Dec
Highlights
- Ajloun Castle (Qal'at ar-Rabad)
- Ajloun Forest Reserve
- Ajloun Cable Car (Telefrik Ajloun)
- Ajloun Castle Museum
- Tell Mar Elias (Elijah's Hill)
- Great Ajloun Mosque
- Roe Deer Trail
- Soap House (Orjan)
- Soap House Trail
- Roe Deer Enclosure
- Prophet's Trail
- Rockrose Trail
- Biscuit House (Orjan)
- Calligraphy House (Rasoun)
- Orjan Village Trail
- Ajloun Castle Trail
- Our Lady of the Mount Church (Anjara)(Day trip)