August 2025
There’s something about a road trip in Jordan…
…the interplay between the familiar and the unexpected, the balance of the everyday and the extraordinary along the way. I’m convinced that going for a long, meandering drive with no particular destination in mind is one of the best ways to experience this country, so of course, it’s one of my very favorite things to do. Driving connects me with Jordan in a way that few other activities do, as if I’m etching myself into its ancient paths like so many travelers before me, mile by mile.
Sunset descent overlooking the Dead Sea and West Bank (Palestine).
I love how, on any given day, even the most routine routes can offer up something curious or fascinating or adorable.
The roadside coffee stand fashioned in the shape of a larger-than-life mug comes to mind. Or a truck laden with the most precious kind of cargo: a camel, eyes closed, fur tousled by the breeze. Or most recently, a small village named Al Mansaf (pictured right) presumably in honor of Jordan’s national rice and lamb dish?!
... to name just a few.
I marvel at the fact that some of the most extraordinary roads and vistas in the world can be found just beyond the reach of Amman’s congested traffic. One of my favorite roads happens to be one of the very oldest roads in the world, the King’s Highway, a vital ancient trade route connecting Mesopotamia with the continent of Africa.
On my first weekend back to Jordan after two weeks spent with family in the US this August, all I wanted to do was drive. So we stocked up on snacks - thus begins any truly great Jordanian roadtrip - and made our way west towards the sunset, venturing about an hour and a half outside of Amman to one of my favorite places: the ancient fort of Mukawer (pictured left'; also known as Machaerus). These amazing ruins stand sentry on one of the highest hills overlooking the heart of the Dead Sea, and are beautifully illuminated at night.
A little ancient history lesson on Mukawer: after being destroyed by the Romans in 57 BCE, the fortress was rebuilt by King Herod and served as a focal point for resistance against Roman rule of the region… and it is also said to be the site of the infamous execution of John the Baptist.
Continuing on from Mukawer, the road sweeps downward in a curling ribbon toward the Dead Sea. In fact, the first time I found myself on this road is a perfect example of one of those “road trip surprises” I extolled at the beginning of this piece. After taking an innocent turn off the Dead Sea Highway, we suddenly found ourselves switchbacking up over 1500 meters, knuckles quite literally white, clutching the steering wheel, and taking what little comfort we could in the fact that we were driving up this steep road, and not down it. This time around, we got up the courage to test our breaks on the descent from the heights of Mukawer, and were rewarded with jaw-dropping sunset views of these ancient hills and even the sea itself bathed in the pastels of the sky. It was a beautiful welcome back to Jordan.
