The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities organized a media tour last Wednesday to the Azraq district, in cooperation with the Jordanian Press Association, with the participation of journalists from various media organizations.
اضافة اعلان
The tour comes as part of the ministry’s efforts to highlight areas of historical and natural significance and to acquaint the media with the unique tourism components of the Azraq region and the improvements in its services and tourism offerings.
Northern Azraq Village’s recognition as one of the Best Tourism Villages by the UN Tourism Organization for 2025 played a key role in drawing attention to the area. This followed the Cabinet’s decision to include Azraq within the national comprehensive development plan. Azraq is considered one of the most important tourist destinations in Zarqa Governorate due to its archaeological sites, natural attractions, and nature reserves.
Major Tourist and Archaeological Sites in the Azraq District
Among the most notable sites are Qasr Amra—inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List—Azraq Castle, and the area’s nature reserves. The management and operation of these reserves fall under the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), which oversees two key reserves:
Shaumari Wildlife Reserve, now home to rare Middle Eastern animals such as ostriches, gazelles, and wild asses.
Azraq Wetland Reserve, one of the best places in Jordan for observing local and migratory birds.
Azraq Castle
Azraq was named after the bluish color of its waters. Historically, it was a lush oasis in the heart of the desert, with numerous fresh-water springs and pools reflecting the clear blue sky. Its abundant water made it an essential stopover for migratory birds traveling between Asia and Africa, as well as a habitat for wildlife. These features encouraged human settlement in the area since ancient times.
Among the most significant archaeological discoveries in Azraq is the oldest human skeleton found in Jordan at Ain al-Qaysiyya, dating back 20,000 years. Additionally, flint tools discovered at Ain al-Asad and Al-Aoura date back nearly half a million years.
Azraq Wetland Reserve
The Azraq Oasis is considered one of Jordan’s most important historical settlement areas due to its rich water sources and diverse wildlife and migratory birds. However, the oasis dried up due to excessive pumping from the Azraq groundwater basin.
In 1978, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature established the Azraq Wetland Reserve to preserve this unique oasis. With international support, a major restoration project began in 1994 to rehabilitate a significant part of the wetland. Today, the RSCN has successfully revived the oasis and protected a globally endangered fish species found nowhere else in the world: the Azraq Killifish (known locally as al-Samk al-Sarhani).
The reserve has become a safe haven for migratory birds and one of the world’s most important bird migration stations. It also maintains high biodiversity and features a visitor center, interpretive hall, and walking trails that allow guests to enjoy the natural landscape and observe migratory birds during their seasonal journeys.
Shaumari Wildlife Reserve
Shaumari Wildlife Reserve is Jordan’s first nature reserve, established by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature in 1975. It was created to protect some of the rarest animal species in the region, including the Arabian oryx, onager (Asian wild ass), goitered gazelle, and sand gazelle (Gazella marica).
Today, the reserve spans 22 km² and serves as a key breeding center for locally endangered species.
