History & archaeology
Ajloun Castle
Qal’at ar-Rabad was built in 1184 by one of Saladin’s generals to watch the roads between Damascus and the Jordan Valley. Its towers, vaulted halls and rooftop still command the whole highland.
Details
Ajloun, Jordan
Your neighbour on the mountain
Jar Al Jabal is the restaurant facing Ajloun Castle, and your local help desk for everything worth seeing in Ajloun.
On the castle hill today
- Jar Al JabalFeatured partner
Every day 9:30 to 21:00. Fridays until 22:00.
Usually 8:00 to 18:00 in summer, from May to the end of August, and 8:00 to 16:00 the rest of the year. Open every day.
11:00 to 16:30 in winter (1 November to 30 April) and 11:00 to 17:30 in summer (1 May to 31 October).
Based on the hours we hold. Confirm before you travel.
What to see
Four reasons people drive north
Start with these. Each page tells you what it costs, when it opens and how sure we are.
Cable car & viewsOfficial operator
Ajloun Cable Car
A 2.5 km glide over the forest from beside the castle
Details
Forests & trailsOfficial operator
Ajloun Forest Reserve
Evergreen oak forest, guided trails and ziplines
Details
Byzantine churches on the hill of the Prophet Elijah
The restaurant
A table with the castle in the window
A baladi breakfast in the morning, charcoal grills and sajiyeh later in the day, on a terrace across the valley from the castle.
- Open every day from 9:30
- Terrace facing Ajloun Castle
- Families and groups welcome
- Parking on site
Ajloun Castle visitor centre, opposite Ajloun Castle, Ajloun, Jordan
Jar Al Jabal publishes this guide.
Ready-made days
Half a day or the whole one
Written by people who work on the castle hill. Every plan leaves time to sit down and eat.
Half a day · 3 stops
Castle, cable car and lunch
The classic Ajloun morning. Everything is within a few minutes of each other on the castle hill, so you spend your time looking, not driving.
Ajloun Castle → Ajloun Cable Car → Jar Al Jabal
See the itinerary
A full day · 5 stops
Ajloun in a day
History in the morning, a long lunch, then mosaics and forest in the afternoon. A full day that never feels rushed.
Ajloun Castle → Ajloun Cable Car → Jar Al Jabal → Tell Mar Elias → Ajloun Forest Reserve
See the itinerary
A full day · 4 stops
Ajloun with children
Short stops, room to run and a ride through the air. Planned around small legs and regular snacks.
Ajloun Castle → Ajloun Cable Car → Jar Al Jabal → Ajloun Forest Reserve
See the itinerary
Before you set out
Plan your visit
The practical answers, with their sources.
Getting to Ajloun
Ajloun is about 75 km north-west of Amman. Most visitors drive or come with a driver; a regular public bus now runs from Amman as well.
DetailsTickets and booking
Buy from the operator. We link only to official sellers and do not sell tickets ourselves.
DetailsWeather and seasons
Spring, from March to May, is the green season, when the hills are covered in wildflowers. Summer days are warm and dry with cool evenings. Autumn brings the olive harvest. Winter is cold and wet and can bring snow, fog and road closures.
DetailsTravelling with children
The cable car has a children’s play area and under-3s ride free. The Roe Deer Trail in the reserve takes under an hour. Ziplines and rope courses there are for participants over 120 cm and between 40 and 110 kg.
DetailsFind your way
Everything on one map
Castle, cable car, forest, churches and places to eat, with directions to each. Pick the stops you want and open the route in Google Maps.
Browse the guide
Jar Al Jabal
- Ajloun Castle330 m
- Ajloun Cable Car460 m
- Ajloun Forest Reserve6.6 km
- Tell Mar Elias3.8 km
- Great Ajloun Mosque2.3 km
- Our Lady of the Mountain, Anjara3.1 km
(straight line)