KINGS WAY
The King’s Highway Jordan:
Jordan is a very small country and there are not many roads. If you wish to travel from Amman to Petra, you have 2 options. The fast and direct Desert Highway 15 to Petra or the scenic King’s Highway 35 from Amman to Petra.
The King’s Highway is one of two routes that run from Amman to Petra. The King’s Highway starts in Northern Jordan near the town of Irbid and runs north to south to the town of Wadi Musa (the gateway to Petra). On the map, the King’s Highway is marked with number 35. After Wadi Musa, the King’s Highway continues for a few more kilometers before it merges with Highway 47 to Aqaba.
History of the King’s Highway Jordan
The route of the King’s Highway in Jordan is over 5,000 years old and has been used as a trading route in ancient times. It was used by the Nabataeans to trade and the Roman emperor Trajan dubbed the route the Via Trajana Nova. The Romans not only used the route for trade, but also for military purposes.
With the rise of Christianity in the Byzantine time, many Christian pilgrims followed the route to visit Mt. Nebo where Moses saw the promised land and the baptism site of Jesus in the Jordan River. Until the 16th century, Muslims used the King’s Highways as their main route from Heliopolis (Egypt) through Jordan to Damascus, ending in Resafa (modern-day Syria) where the route merged with another ancient route to Mecca.
Nowadays, the King’s Highway is perfect for people who like driving in Jordan and want to see more of the country and visit many historic sights along the route.
The Desert Highway is perfect for people who have little time and want to go quickly from Amman to Petra. The regional buses from Amman to Petra follow this route as do many tours from Amman.
When you have a little more time (allow all day to be safe) and want to see interesting historic sights you’ll not find in Amman, then the King’s Highway would be your best choice. The King’s Highway from Amman to Petra is 249 km (154 miles) long. This is only slightly longer than the Desert Highway but because of the scenic nature of the route, the winding roads, steep climbs, and descents, it will take you much longer.
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