Middle East - Anthony Ham [311]
Kir Heres Restaurant ( 2355595; Al-Qala’a St; mains JD5-7; 9am-10pm; ) This wonderful, award-winning restaurant is a surprise find. The chef (and owner) is from Karak and has a passion for food. There are ostrich steaks prepared with local herbs (JD7), and vegetarians can choose from dishes like fried haloumi (JD2.250) and fresh mushrooms with garlic and thyme (JD2.250). Don’t be alarmed by the smart striped tablecloths: the fare is extremely good value for money. Try the local wine (JD3 per glass) in the upper gallery at lunchtime and you can forget about visiting the castle afterwards!
King’s Castle Restaurant ( 2396070; lunch buffet JD10; noon-4pm) The daily buffet here is popular with day-tripping tour groups. With pleasant outdoor seating, castle views and over 20 salads to choose from, it’s easy to understand why.
Al-Motaz Sweets ( 2353388; An-Nuzha St; 8am-10pm; ) This Arabic pastry shop is a must for those with a sweet tooth. The Al-Shubba supermarket on Al-Mujamma Street is ideal for stocking up on supplies for the next leg of the King’s Highway.
Getting There & Away
From the bus/minibus station at the bottom of the hill just south of town, reasonably regular minibuses go to Amman’s Wahadat station (JD1, two hours) via the Desert Hwy. Minibuses also run fairly frequently to Tafila (750 fils, one hour), the best place for connections to Qadsiyya (for Dana Nature Reserve) and Shobak. To Wadi Musa (for Petra), take a minibus to Ma’an (JD2, two hours) and change there. Minibuses to Aqaba (JD2.500, three hours) run about four times a day, mostly in the morning.
TAFILA
03 / pop 80,000
Tafila is a busy transport junction and you may have to change transport here. Minibuses run frequently from Karak (750 fils, one hour) across the dramatic gorge of Wadi Hasa. There are also direct minibuses to/from the Wahadat station in Amman (JD2, 2½ hours) via the Desert Hwy, Aqaba (JD1.500, 2½ hours) via the Dead Sea Hwy, Ma’an (JD1.100, one hour) via the Desert Hwy, and down the King’s Hwy to Shobak and Qadsiyya (for Dana Nature Reserve; JD1, 30 minutes).
DANA NATURE RESERVE
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The RSCN-run Dana Nature Reserve (adult/student JD6/3; free admission for guests staying in RSCN accommodation) is one of Jordan’s hidden gems and its most impressive ecotourism project. The gateway to the reserve is the charming 15th-century stone village of Dana, which clings to a precipice overlooking the valley and commands exceptional views. It’s a great place to spend a few days hiking and relaxing. Most of the reserve is only accessible on foot.
The reserve is the largest in Jordan and includes a variety of terrain, from sandstone cliffs over 1500m high near Dana to a low point of 50m below sea level in Wadi Araba. Sheltered within the red-rock escarpments are protected valleys that are home to a surprisingly diverse ecosystem. About 600 species of plants (ranging from citrus trees and juniper, to desert acacias and date palms), 180 species of birds and over 45 species of mammals (of which 25 are endangered), including ibex, mountain gazelle, sand cat, red fox and wolf, thrive in the reserve. The reserve is also home to almost 100 archaeological sites including the 6000-year-old copper mines of Khirbet Feinan.
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A WARDEN’S TALE
Malik Al-Nanah was born and brought up nearby in the village of Qadsiyya and has been working at Dana Nature Reserve for three years. He loves the reserve and told us more about it.
What was your first day here like?
The driver who brought me here congratulated me for getting the job, scolded me for throwing out an empty carton of juice and swerved to avoid a rock martin chick in the road. I knew then that I had a lot to learn.
Who visits the reserve?
All sorts, but there’s been a change in