The Desert Castles In one day one can visit east of Amman all or just a selection of the desert castles (Qasr Al-Hallabat Qasr Kharanah Qasr Mushatta Qasr Amra) built or reconstructed by the Omayyad Caliphs Built as hunting lodges retreats of pleasure and bastions to protect the caravans they are well preserved with frescoes and vaulted rooms and reveal features of dancing women and the animals of the desert Do not expect to find a lot of facilities in the desert but you can consider to spend the night in tents Madaba Definitely the most interesting and picturesque way to travel to the south of Jordan is via the Kings Highway where one also finds the mosaic-filled city of Madaba Its chief attraction is a wonderfully vivid Byzantine mosaic map of Palestine, showing Jerusalem and other holy sites decorating the floor of the contemporary Greek Orthodox church of St George Made with two million pieces of colored stone, this mosaic is definitely a masterpiece but one should not forget that countless mosaics from the Vth till the VIIth centuries are scattered throughout the churches and houses of Madaba. Mont Nebo Just a bit further down the Kings Highway, one can find the presumed site of Moses death and burial place A magnificent panorama of Palestine is before you and the springs are located on the place where Moses is said to have struck the rock to bring forth water A small square church later expanded into a basilica and a large cluster of monastic buildings are the result of sixty years of excavations.   Amman Petra Dead Sea Aqaba Desert Castles Kerak Slide Show