If you are looking for something special in Jordan, take a road trip to Umm Al-Jimal. This site is very different from popular places like Petra or Jerash. It’s quiet, calm, and full of old black stone buildings that tell a long story. You won’t find crowds here. Instead, you’ll walk through an open-air museum that once held life, trade, and prayers. Our blog will guide you through everything you need to explore Umm Al-Jimal, from renting a car to the best driving routes and what you’ll see at the ruins.
Driving to Umm Al-Jimal from Amman takes about 1 hour and 10 minutes. The distance is around 75 kilometers, and the nearest major town is Mafraq. Since there are no direct public buses to the site, renting a car in Jordan is the most reliable and flexible option for this trip.
From Amman, you will pass through Al-Kuroum Street, continuing through Al-Sharif Hussein Street and Istiqlal Street. Merge onto Al-Urdon Street and take the exit toward Al Zarqa. From there, follow Al-Shahid Street and Army Street. Then, merge onto the Damascus Highway heading north. After about 10 kilometers, continue on Route 15 and stay on the same road as it becomes Route 45M. Follow the signs and make your final turns through local roads until you reach Umm Al-Jimal.
Before you begin your journey, book your car online in advance. This lets you choose your pickup location, vehicle type, and rental period ahead of time. Most travelers pick up their cars in Amman at the airport or the city center.
To rent a car in Jordan, you must be at least 21 years old, though some companies may ask for a minimum age of 25 for certain vehicle types. You must show a valid driver’s license from your home country. If your license is not in English or Arabic, it's better to also carry an International Driving Permit. A passport and a credit card under your name are usually required for the booking. Most rental cars include basic insurance, but you can add extra coverage for peace of mind during your road trip to Umm Al-Jimal.
A compact sedan or mid-size car is enough for this route. The roads are paved and in good condition to the site. But if you plan to visit other desert areas after visiting Umm Al-Jimal ruins, consider renting a small SUV for better clearance. Ensure the vehicle has working air conditioning, and check the spare tire and jack before leaving. A GPS or a mobile phone with offline maps will help you stay on track while driving to Umm Al-Jimal.
Visiting Umm Al-Jimal is not like walking through a modern museum. There are no fences, entry tickets, or long lines. The ruins are spread across an open area, and you can walk at your own pace. Most of the ground is flat, but you’ll want to wear sturdy shoes because the paths are unpaved and rocky. The site is about 1 kilometer long and half a kilometer wide. You can spend at least 2 hours to see the main parts.
Start your visit at the southern entrance, where the Roman barracks are. From there, it’s easy to follow the old streets northward toward the main churches and private houses. There are a few small signs, but not every building is labeled. You’ll see many tall structures, with doorways, stairs, and arches made of thick black basalt.
Some buildings, like the Double Church or the sheikh’s house, are easily recognizable. Others may look like piles of stone until you step closer and see their shape. There are no shops or facilities on-site, so bring your water and sun protection.
Umm Al-Jimal is not just ruins scattered in the desert. It’s an ancient town where you can walk through homes, climb stairs, and read carvings left by people centuries ago. Every corner has something built with black basalt. Here’s what you’ll discover as you explore this quiet but powerful city of stone.
The Roman barracks stand near the main entrance and were once used to protect the trade route between Syria and central Jordan. This strong structure includes thick black stone walls and lookout towers, which were added in later years. A small Byzantine chapel was built next to it in the 5th century. Inside, you can still see carvings of Gabriel, Raphael, Michael, and Uriel, showing how Roman military space became a Christian holy site over time.
The Double Church is easy to spot because of its two semicircular naves. It was used during the Byzantine era and still shows the altar's curved ceiling beams and base. Just north of it is the Numerianos Church. Though partly ruined, you can still see where the stone pillars stood. These two churches tell the story of Umm Al-Jimal’s time as a religious center, with many churches built side by side.
One of the oldest places on site is the Nabataean temple. The roof is gone, but the altar stone in the middle still stands. This part of the town is harder to recognize as a temple. However, it shows how worship and trade shaped early Umm Al-Jimal. Nearby, you’ll also find smaller shrines and decorated stones, some carved with Nabataean and Greek letters still visible today.
The Sheikh’s house is easy to find. It has a large courtyard, black basalt stables, and carved doors made from solid stone. Stairways lead up to the upper floors. You can see a rounded window and a vaulted basement wall from the outside. Nearby is House XVII, built with corbelled ceilings and pillars that show it belonged to a wealthy family. These homes prove that Umm Al-Jimal was not just a military town, but also a place where families lived and raised animals.
House XIII started as a stable for sheep and goats but was later used by the Druze who returned to the site in the early 20th century. Inside, a stone ventilation screen separates the living area from the animal space, showing how people adapted old buildings for daily life.
Nearby, the cathedral from 556 AD lies in ruins but still holds its shape, with parts of the entrance stone carved with the names of Roman rulers. To the southwest, the praetorium, or military command center, shows Roman design with a triple doorway and wide rooms, proving the town’s role in controlling trade and defense.
Umm Al-Jimal sits in a dry part of Jordan called the Hauran Plateau. There’s not much rain, but ancient people found ways to collect and store water. They built a water system with canals and reservoirs that brought water from far away into the city. This water was saved in underground tanks and used for homes, animals, and farming. Some of these old cisterns still hold water during rainy months.
The people also built homes that stayed cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The thick basalt walls worked like insulation. Ceilings were built using a method called corbelling, which strengthened rooms without wood. Stairs were often built into the walls, and small windows kept the heat out. Many of these smart building ideas are still used in desert homes today.
These were not just poor farmers. Some families were wealthy. You’ll see signs of that in big homes with columns, decorated doorways, and carved walls. There are also inscriptions in several old languages, including Greek, Latin, Arabic, and Nabataean. These tell us about trade, religion, and the people who lived here. Some messages are carved above the doors, showing who owned the house.
Over time, Umm Al-Jimal changed hands many times. It started as a Nabataean stop for camel caravans. The name itself means “Mother of Camels.” Then the Romans built forts here to guard the route between Damascus and the south. Later, the Byzantines added churches and made the town a religious center. The town grew until an earthquake in the year 747 caused significant damage. People left, and for hundreds of years, the site stayed empty.
In the early 20th century, local Bedouin and Druze tribes returned and lived among the ruins. They used the buildings for shelter and added their names above the doorways. These Arabic carvings still exist today and tell another part of the story. Archaeologists now study both the ancient town and the modern marks left by recent families.
Today, the basalt ruins in Jordan are protected. Umm Al-Jimal became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2024. Experts work to keep it safe, clean, and open to visitors. You can walk freely through the site during daylight hours. There are no gates or crowds, just the quiet stones that have stood for centuries.
A road trip to Umm Al-Jimal is a deep look into history. You’ll see how people survived in a desert with little water. You’ll walk into stone homes built 1,500 years ago. And you’ll understand how one town saw the rise and fall of empires while still standing firm in the quiet desert. The calm here gives you time to explore, take photos, and imagine life before modern times.
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