Add dates

Things to do in Umm Qais

Our most recommended things to do in Umm Qais

From Amman: Jerash, Ajloun Castle or Umm Qais Private Tour

1. From Amman: Jerash, Ajloun Castle or Umm Qais Private Tour

Choose from a tour from a private tour from Amman to Jerash, Ajloun Castle, and Umm Qais, a private tour from Amman to Jerash, a private tour from Amman to Jerash and Aljoun Castle, or a private tour from Amman to Jerash and Umm Qais. Start with pickup from your hotel in Amman and travel towards your next destination in an air-conditioned car or van. Pick a tour with the option to visit the ancient city of Jerash and explore the city which was a rich a prosperous Greek and Roman settlement. Wander down the Colonnaded Street, and discover a well-preserved Roman amphitheater, the Temple of Artemis, the Forum, Oval plaza, and Hadrian’s Arch. Select a tour to Ajloun and visit Ajloun Castle, a 12th-century fortress built by Saladin from the Ayyubid dynasty. View its Arab-Islamic military architecture, which guarded the major passages into northwest Jordan. Discover its towers, chambers, galleries, and staircases that form part of the town. Admire the beautiful scenery that surrounds the hills. Climb the tower and take in the fantastic views of the Jordan Valley and the Dead Sea. Opt for a tour to Umm Qais and visit one of the most stunning Greco-Roman cities in the region. Learn about the ruins of the Decapolis city of Gadara, now known as Umm Qais. Take in the breathtaking views of Jordan, Syria, Israel, and Palestine.  Finally, reconvene with your driver and return to Amman, where your tour ends with a drop-off at any central location of your choosing.

From Amman: Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea 3-Day Tour

2. From Amman: Petra, Wadi Rum and Dead Sea 3-Day Tour

Discover the highlights of Jordan on a 3-day trip with a driver-guide from Amman. Marvel at the monuments of the rock-carved city of Petra, witness the sunset over the Dead Sea and experience Bedouin life at a camp in Wadi Rum. After pickup from your hotel in Amman, Visit Mount Nebo, and Madaba city Churches, then travel along the desert highway toward Petra. Stop at the Dana Reserve and marvel at the beautiful scenery. Continue to Shobak Castle, visit Little Petra, and admire the cut-out rock tombs. Be dropped off at your 3-star hotel in Wadi Mousa for your overnight stay. Spend the day at Petra and marvel at this well-preserved archaeological city. Take your time to explore this architectural feat before heading to Wadi Rum, where you will spend the night in a Bedouin camp. Explore the valley on a Jeep safari and admire the stunning landscapes. Then depart for a Dead Sea beach, passing through the Great Rift Valley to Aqaba City. Arrive in time to watch the sunset at the Dead Sea. Return to Amman in the evening.

Amman Airport: Private Transfer to/from Dead Sea Hotels

3. Amman Airport: Private Transfer to/from Dead Sea Hotels

Enjoy a hassle-free transfer to or from Amman Queen Alia International Airport with this private transfer service. Meet your driver at Amman Queen Alia International Airport, and then relax on the journey to your Dead Sea hotel or vice versa. Travel in a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle in the company of a driver that is available 24/7 365 days of the year. Relax with a stress-free meet-and-greet service to or from Amman Queen Alia International Airport. Enjoy comfortable seats with generous leg room, air conditioning, and Wi-Fi.

Private North Tour to Jerash, Ajloun, &Umm Qais from Amman

4. Private North Tour to Jerash, Ajloun, &Umm Qais from Amman

Begin your private tour with a pick up from your central Amman hotel, and travel by comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle to Jerash with your own private English-Speaking Driver who doubles up as your guide. Wander among the original temples, theaters, plazas, paths, and colonnaded streets, all enclosed within the remaining city walls. Within the city walls have been found the remains of settlements dating from the Bronze Age, the Iron Age, the Hellenistic, Roman, Byzantine, Umayyad, and Abbasid periods; indicating human occupation at this location for more than 2,500 years. A local English-Speaking Guide will be included for your classic 2 hours visit of this Roman Decapolis City of Jerash. This ancient city was one of the most prosperous in the Roman Empire, and was covered by sand for centuries until its remnants were discovered in 1806. Head through the ancient city gate and walk around the well-preserved ruins as your guide tells you tales about the city in its heyday. See its arches, theaters, and elegant colonnaded street. Snap photos of the stunning Oval Plaza, the Temples of Zeus and Artemis, as well as the intriguing egg-shaped public square framed by standing columns. Having explored here, continue to the 12th-century Castle of Ajloun, built in the time of Saladin to defend against Crusader armies. Head inside this semi-intact hilltop fortress, roam the rambling corridors and staircases. See the murder holes used by the invaders, and admire the stunning views over the lush hills of the Jordan Valley from the towers. Finally, venture northward through Jordan’s green landscapes to the village of Umm Qais, overlooking the ruins of another Roman Decapolis city known as “Gadara”. Soak up the views from here over the Sea of Galilee and Golan Heights to explore the Greco-Roman ruins, including the amphitheater, crumbled mausoleum, basilica terrace, as well as other theaters and treasures. Then, visit the town’s museum to admire some of the precious artifacts recovered from the site, including mosaics and marble statues. Then, reconvene with your vehicle and relax on your long ride back to Amman where your trip ends with a hotel drop-off.

Amman Queen Alia Airport: Transfer to/from Petra

5. Amman Queen Alia Airport: Transfer to/from Petra

A personal driver will be tracking your flight to/from the Queen Alia International Airport so as to accommodate for delays or early arrivals. Pickup from both your hotel in Petra and the airport will be adjusted according to any changes in your flight's schedule.  Simply look for your professional driver with a name card in the arrivals hall or your hotel lobby. Upon meeting, they will assist your with your luggage and make sure you feel comfortable. Hop in a modern, full-sized vehicle stocked with complimentary mineral water and equipped with Wi-Fi. Transfer directly to your hotel in Petra, or from your hotel in Petra directly to the airport in Ammam.  The service operates 24/7, so this luxurious experience is available at any time of the day, any day of the week. Take the stress out of your visit to Jordan, skip annoying taxi lines, and travel in style and comfort.

From Amman: Jerash, Umm Qais, and Jesus' Cave Private Trip

6. From Amman: Jerash, Umm Qais, and Jesus' Cave Private Trip

Explore some of Jordan’s historical treasures on this full-day private tour to Jerash, Um Qais, and Jesus’ Cave from Amman. Discover the ruins in Jerash, known to be one of the Middle East’s best-preserved Greco-Roman cities.  Jerash is a Bronze Age settlement where you can find the Temple of Artemis, the Forum, the oval plaza, as well as Hadrian’s Arch. Learn about the city and how it rose as a Greek federation and thrived through the Muslim and Christian rule until its demise following the Crusades. Afterwards, head towards Um Qais, one of the most astounding Greco-Roman cities. Discover the ruins of the Decapolis city of Gadara, which is now known as Um Qais. This place is stunning because of the juxtaposition between the Roman ruins and the abandoned Ottoman-era village. Check out the extraordinary vantage point which provides views of three countries: Jordan, Syria, and the Israel and Palestinian Territories. According to the Bible, it is where Jesus performed the miracle of the Gadarene swine. Later, head towards Prophet Jesus’ Cave, three miles south from Um Qais. The citizens there believe that Jesus resided in this cave during his travels to Umm Qais in order to release its people from paganism. Get dropped off back at your hotel in Amman to conclude the tour.

2- Day Petra Overnight Tour From Amman

7. 2- Day Petra Overnight Tour From Amman

Day 1- Petra – Dana Natural reserve: You will be picked up from  Amman at 8 am, passing through the desert highway toward Wadi Mousa (Petra) and stopping at different places on the way. You will visit Dana natural reserve area and view the amazing scenery of the reserve. Next, you will see Shobak Castle (Crusader castle - known as Montreal as well), and then visit Little Petra. Finally, you will be dropped off at your hotel in Wadi Mousa city at 4 pm for a relaxing overnight stay.  Day 2- Guided Exploration: The next day you will be picked up from your hotel at 7 am, and head out for a guided day tour in Petra. You will have 9 hours of exploring time inside Petra itself; many people choose to visit the treasury, monastery, the high area of Sacrifice and sites in between. You will be picked back up at 4 pm at your original departure point, and driven to your original hotel, concluding the tour. Petra name came from the Latin word ‘petrae’ ,meaning ‘rock’, lies in a great rift valley east of Wadi Araba in Jordan about 80 kilometers south of the Dead Sea – 260Km to the south – South-west of Amman – Jordan Capital. It came into prominence in the late first BCE (BC) through the success of the spice trade. The city was the principal city of ancient Nabataea and was famous above all for two things: its trade and its hydraulic engineering systems. It was locally autonomous until the reign of Trajan, but it flourished under Roman rule. The town grew up around its Colonnaded. Following the flow of the Wadi Musa, the city-center was laid out on either sides of the Colonnaded Street on an elongated plan between the theater in the east and the Qasr al-Bint in the west. The quarries were probably opened in this period, and there followed virtually continuous building through the first and the second centuries CE.

Jerash and Umm Qais Private Tour from Amman

8. Jerash and Umm Qais Private Tour from Amman

In the morning, be picked up from your accommodation in Amman. A close second to Petra on the list of favorite destinations in Jordan is the ancient city of Jerash, which boasts an unbroken chain of human occupation dating back more than 6,500 years. Jerash lies on a plain surrounded by hilly wooded areas and fertile basins. Conquered by General Pompey in 63 BC, it came under Roman rule and was one of the ten great Roman cities of the Decapolis League. Then drive north to the great site of Gadara “Umm Qais” where the miracle of the swine’s occurred. Enjoy a great view of the Sea of Galilee, Mount Tabor and Golan Heights. Afterwards you will be taken back to your hotel in Amman where you will be dropped off at around 5 pm. 

Private Arrival Transfer: Amman Airport to Aqaba Hotels

9. Private Arrival Transfer: Amman Airport to Aqaba Hotels

Enjoy a hassle-free transfer between Queen Alia International Airport and your accommodation in Aqaba. Meet your driver and relax on your journey to your hotel. These comfortable, air-conditioned vehicles are staffed by friendly and professional drivers who speak English. Begin your leisure or business trip the right way. Relax with a stress-free meet and greet service. You will be picked up from Amman Airport or from your Aqaba hotel for your private transfer. Enjoy the ride with comfortable seats with generous leg room and onboard Wi-Fi.

Other Sightseeing Options in Umm Qais

Want to discover all there is to do in Umm Qais? Click here for a full list.

What people are saying about Umm Qais

Overall rating

4.8 / 5

based on 171 reviews

We had an amazing experience with Murad. He was friendly, accommodating, organized, and a very good driver. Murad shared stories and history with us as we drove through the country, and his recommendations in places were all very good. We were worried our 3 day feel would feel like too many activities with no rest, but this itinerary is very well-crafted, with big activities but also rest time. We made such good time that we were even able to snorkel in the Red Sea before taking a dip in the dead sea! I wouldn't change a single thing. Absolutely recommend.

Great trip up in North Jordan, our driver was very flexible and let us allocate our time among the three sites as we wanted to. Seeing Umm Qais was extraordinary as it doesn't get discussed as much, but offered a wealth of sights and ancient history. Our route was great. I recommend travelers to bring snacks or a packed lunch, as there is no specific lunch spot so you'd have to use up your time (and money) at Jerash if you want to sit down to eat.

Muito satisfeito

Was a great experience. Colder in February than we expected, so take that into consideration when planning a similar trip. We were in Petra for one day. It was too short, plan on at least two if not three days.

It was fantastic tour, our drivers has explained everything to us and gave good information about the places as well.

Friendly driver, wonderful sites. A lovely day we all very much enjoyed.