Reserve and Trails Guide | Map

Oasis Reborn

azraq wetland reserve

Azraq Wetland ReserveAzraq has long been an important settlement in Jordan’s remote Eastern Desert. In fact, archaeologists say that it was one of the first sites of settlement after humans migrated out of Africa. Today, the area is home to the Bedouin, Arab Druze, and Chechens. During the Great Arab Revolt, the nearby Azraq Castle was an important headquarters for T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and his Arab counterpart, Sharif Hussein bin Ali.Unfortunately, over the past decades, the wetlands have suffered from an environmental disaster due to overuse of water from the Azraq Basin. Water levels have steadily dropped, resulting in extreme depletion and erosion of massive areas of invaluable wetland. By 1993, the oasis’ ecological value wasvirtually destroyed.In 1978, The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) established the Azraq Wetland Reserve to conserve this unique oasis. In 1994, with international support, RSCN began a rescue effort to restore a significant portion of the wetland. Today, many of Azraq’s birds are returning and special boardwalks and bird hides have been constructed to enable visitors to safely observe and enjoy them.

Staying in Azraq Wetland ReserveOpen year-round, the AzraqLodge is a short distance fromthe Azraq Wetland Reserve.Originally a Britishmilitary field hospital, the building was later transformed into the current lodge. There are sixteenfully-equipped 1940's style

rooms with views of the distant mud and sand flats of the Azraq Basin. The kitchen and restaurant are under the management of a a local Chechen family, providing a variety of authentic Chechen food and delights.

Azraq Handicrafts from NatureMake sure to visit the six handicraft workshops, all of which are located in Azraq Lodge:

Azraq Educational Toys WorkshopWho said learning can’t be fun? At the Educational Toys Workshop, women create a wide selection of toys which both adults and children can enjoy while simultaneously learning. Our version of Wild Monopoly is a family favorite!

Azraq Recycling WorkshopWe produce a wide range of recycled material for you and your business so that you can show how much you care about the world in which we live.

Azraq Ostrich Egg Design WorkshopThe women of Azraq hand paint beautiful designs on infertile ostrich eggs, using special carving and dotting techniques.

Azraq Silkscreen Printing WorkshopSilkscreen printing is a stencil method of print making in which a design is imposed on a screen of silk, with blank areas coated with an imper-meable substance, and ink is forced through the silk onto the printing surface. This is our way of customizing your gifts one-by-one.

Azraq Packaging WorkshopWe make our handmade products stand out by using our handmade packaging, created using recycled products. With no restrictions on shape or size, we will create the best package to fit your gift.

Azraq Tailor WorkshopFor the hip, conscience, adventurers of today we have

just the right combination of products. Whether a camera bag or a water bottle holder, Azraq bags are handmade, durable, and have our famous RSCN icons from nature to deliver our message of helping nature and helping people. The ladies at the workshop are also especially good at producing customized messenger bags for workshops and other special events.

Activities

Marsh Trail(year-round)Guided and self-guidedGrade: EasyDistance: 1.5 kmTime: 30 minutes9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.(winter); 9:00 a.m. -6:00 p.m. (summer)Trail DescriptionThis easy walking trail gives you an excellent introduction to the Azraq Wetland Reserve. The boardwalk leads you through dry and wet areas to a viewing platform overlooking the artesian pools that once released millions of cubic meters of water into the marshland. After leaving the platform, the trail takes you over an ancient black basalt wall, most likely constructed by an Umayyad Caliph. The trail then leads to a bird hide made of local mud brick where you can observe the migratory birds and perhaps catch a glimpse of the water buffalo. Follow the trail back to the Visitor Center, passing yet another part of the ancient basalt wall.

Azraq Bus Tour (year-round)Guided onlyGrade: EasyDistance on foot: 2 kmDistance by bus: 7 kmTime: 2-3 hoursStarting time: 8:30 a.m.Group size: 3-7 peopleTrail DescriptionThis is an easy way to explore the desert castles around the Azraq Reserve. From the Azraq Lodge, our shuttle bus will take you to the nearby Azraq Castle, which was used as a military base by T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) during the Arab Revolt. Next, travel to the Old

Druze village and learn more about the first Druze settlement in the area. From here, the tour continues on foot, hiking 2 kilometers to Ain es-Sil, a farmhouse built by the Umayyad. The bus will be waiting to take you to a local Druze home for tea and a light traditional meal before returning to the Lodge.

Integrated Bus & Hiking Tours

Usakhim Bus Tour (year-round, except during Ramadan)Guided onlyGrade: Easy to ModerateDistance on foot: 5 kmDistance by bus: 40 km Time: 5-6 hoursStarting time: 8:30 a.m.Group size: 3-7 people

Trail DescriptionFrom the Azraq Lodge, ourshuttle bus will take you to adesert entrance to begin your hike to Wadi Usaykhim, where you will view inscrip-tions written by humansthousands of years ago.Continue hiking two kilome-ters to the top of the highestmountain, where theUsakhim fortress stands,

marking the easternmostpoint of the ancient RomanEmpire. Here, the shuttle buswill wait to take you to alocal home for tea and alight traditional meal before returning to the Lodge.

Azraq Mudflat Biking Trail (year-round, except during Ramadan)Guided onlyGrade: DifficultDistance: 30 kmTime: 5-6 hoursGroup size: 3-9 peopleTrail DescriptionThe tour starts from Amra Castle and ends at the Azraq Lodge. The tour passes through the desert area that links Amra Castle and Azraq Lodge and stops by a desert well for snacks and juice, then continues to the local Azraqfarms area to finally reach Azraq Lodge. On the way, visitors will learn about the nature, the history and the people living in the area.

Biking Trails

Azraq Village Biking Trail (year-round, except during Ramadan)Guided onlyDifficulty: Easy to ModerateDistance: 22 kmTime: 4-5 hoursGroup size: 3-9 peopleTrail DescriptionThis tour gives visitors a glimpse into the history and culture of Azraq. Starting at the Azraq Lodge, the trail passes through the Wetlands, the mudflats of al Qa’a and al Madbaa’a, the Old Druze Village, Qasr al- Shaér, the modern Azraq village, and Azraq Castle before ending at a local’s house for tea and a light meal.

At the Nature Cinema in Azraq Lodge, visitors can watch documentaries and movies about nature and history.Azraq Lodge offers a unique experience for visitors by giving them a wonderful chance of seeing the Druze dabkeh (dancing) show and to listen to the original Druze music and even to learn how to dance dabkeh themselves. This activity is available upon request and based on availability.

The Nature ShopBrowse through the Nature Shop and find truly original gifts and souvenirs. This shop contains nature crafts produced by the local people at the reserves.

Other Activities

Nearby Sites- Attraction Points

Azraq Castle This black basalt fort has been in continuous use since Late Roman times. During the Great Arab Revolt, it served as the headquarters for T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) and Sharif Hussein Bin Ali, his Arab counterpart and the current King Abdul-lah's great, great-grandfather.

Qasr Amra (8 km) west of Azraq and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the best preserved monuments in Jordan, its interior walls and ceilings are covered with lively frescoes and two of the rooms are decorated with colorful mosaics.

Qasr al Kharrana, Qasr at Tuba, Qasr al Hallabat (12-30 km) from Azraq. All of these castles have been restored and are in excellent condition.These three desert castles are excellent examples of Islamic architecture during the Umayyad period (661-750 AD).

Militray Airbase

Humret Al Retami

Qa Nemer

Jabal Owained

Azraq Lodge

Azraq South

ReserveBack Gate

Al Qa’a

Al-Madba’ah

Durze Old Village

Qasr al- Shaér

Al’naqeiah

Durze Local house

Azraq Castle

AzraqWetland Reserve

Wadi Al Ritami

Wadi Al Bashreiah

Azraq Lodge

Taril Stops

Tourism Trails

Castle

Visitor Center

Site of Interest

Militray Airbase

Azraq Bus Tour

Azraq Mudflat Biking Trail

Azraq Village Biking Trail

Main Road

Secondary Road

Track

Wadi

Wadi Bed

Open Water

Reserve Boundary

Usakhim Bus Tour

The Reserve Gate

Village

Azraq North

ActivitiesHighlights

Azraq Village Biking TrailGet a glimpse into the history and culture of the Azraq area.

Azraq Mudflat Biking TrailPass through the huge qa'a mudflat area and the Eastern desert.

Usakhim Bus Tour Hike to the Usakhim fortress and see human inscriptions from thousands of years ago.

Azraq Bus Tour See Azraq Castle, visit the Old Druze village, and have brunch at a local home.

Marsh TrailWind your way through the wetlands, catching glimpses of resident and migratory birds.

The gathering point for all of the trails is Azraq Lodge.

We have flexible starting times for the trails.

1.5 0 1.5 30.75 km

Al Marab

Al Dgheileh

Al Asfar

Usakhim Castle

Wadi Usakhim

Marab Hassan

Wadi Al Beeda

Azraq Trails Map

Ain Beida

From Amman, the trip is 100km. Start at 7th Circle. Take the Desert Highway/Airport Road south. 7km from 7th Circle is the Na'ur/King Hussein Bridge/Amman East exit. Take the exit to Amman East and continue for 2km. Turn right at first traffic light. Continue straight to a roundabout. Continue straight for 150m and turn right. Go straight through a traffic light and take the Sahab exit. Continue for 90km and follow the signs for Azraq Wetland Reserve/Azraq Lodge.

5

15

20 0 20 4010

How to Get There

Madaba

Irbid

AjlounJerash

Salt

Balqa’

Balqa’

Amman

Amman

Amman

Zarqa

Azraq Wetland Reserve

About 100 km to Azraq Watland Reserve

AjlounGovernorate Boundaries

International BorderReserve BoundaryMain RoadMain City

IrbidJerashZarqa

MafraqMadabaKarak

km

Hiking TipsHit trails early for the best chance of seeing wildlife and to avoid being exposed to the sun during the hottest part of the day.Stay on trails to avoid injury.To get through a heavy day’s hike, rest at regular intervals and enjoy the views. Don’t overdo it!

WeatherAzraq is characterized by mild winters and hot dry summers. The highest temperatures are in June to September (exceeding 40°C) and the lowest in December to February (average of 9°C). Rainfall is minimal through-out the year, averaging 62 millimeters annually.

What to BringCap, sunscreen, comfortable shoes and clothes, drinking water, snacks, backpack, flashlight, extra clothes, binoculars, ID, wildlife guides, first aid kit.

The Reserve is not responsible for the loss of any valuable belongings.

WildlifeIn Azraq Wetland Reserve, the interaction of three unique habitats results in a rich diversity of wildlife. Tiny waterfleas, Great White Egrets, Baluchistan Gerbils, and even non-native Chechen water buffalo all call Azraq home. As an internationally-recognized area for migratory birds, Azraq hosts hundreds of species each year. Visitors can observe these birds from a rustic brick and mud bird hide in the Reserve. The Azraq Wetland Reserve is the only habitat in the world for the Azraq Killifish, which is the only vertebrate that is endemic to Jordan. Restora-tion work has been done on its habitat, in order to protect the species from extinction. RSCNs efforts have been highly effective in this area, greatly increasing the numbers of killifish in their natural habitat.

(

(

La

Asif(eh)

Mafi MushkilaAywa

Gdaish or AdaishHow much?

Mish fahem(eh)I don't understand

Bidi musaadahI need help

No

I'm sorry

No ProblemYes

Useful Arabic Words

Sabah al Khayr Ahlan wa SahlanWelcome

Sabah al Noor

Masa' al KhayrMasa' al Noor

(male) Shu Ismak?

Shu Ismik?Ismi...

Keef Halak?Keef Halik?

Ana...

Masalama

MarhabaHi

Shukran

Low Samaht

English Word Arabic TranslationArabic Pronunciation

Good eveningResponse

Response

What is your name?

(female)

(female)

My name is...

How are you? (male)

Good morning

I am...

Goodbye

Please

Thank you You're welcomeResponse

(To describe a female, add an 'eh' at the end)

(kwies(eh)fine

• Stay on the trails with the guide and do not wander alone in the Reserve; camp and climb only in official sites.

• Protect all nature; no hunting or collecting of plants, animals, rocks, artifacts, or firewood. Leave things as you find them.

• Avoid damaging trees and shrubs; do not add graffiti anywhere within the reserve.

• Respect nature; keep noise to a minimum, be kind to living creatures.

• Respect the lifestyle of the local people and ask before taking pictures.

• Keep the area clean and deposit your litter in the appropriate place.

• Leave your vehicles in the parking area.

Rules and Regulations

Contact usFor booking and infomration contact Tourism Unit at Wild Jordan Tel: (+962 6) 4616 523 email:tourism@rscn.org.jo or contact Azraq reserve directly at Tel: (+962 5) 3835 017 email:azraqtourism@rscn.org.jowww.rscn.org.jo

wildjordan1 rscnjordan@rscnjordan

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The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature and Wild JordanCreated in 1966 under the patronage of His Majesty the late King Hussein, The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) is a non-governmental organization devoted to the conservation of Jordan's natural environment.

Wild Jordan is the socio-economic development and eco-tourism division of RSCN that is dedicated to developing viable nature-based businesses for those living in and around RSCN’s protected areas while generating support for nature conservation through-out Jordan.

RSCN MembershipBecoming an RSCN Member is great for both you and nature! For information, contact (+962 6) 5337 931 member@rscn.org.jo