UMm Qays Archeological Site
UMm Qays Archeological Site
4.5
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
61 reviews
Excellent
33
Very good
25
Average
3
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Paul H
Stafford, VA44 contributions
Jun 2023
If you are looking for a great view of the Sea of Galilee and are unable to travel to the Holy Land, look no further. Umm Qais offers outstanding views of the Sea of Galilee, as well as ancient ruins. I highly recommend visiting Umm Qais to anyone visiting Jordan.
Written 28 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LaNyonsaise
West Midlands, UK890 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
Having a two week trip gave time to explore Jordan at a leisurely pace and to include Umm Qais, a 2.hour drive from Jerash. It was certainly worth the journey. Tourists were thin on the ground and the only coach in the car park was for a party of elderly Jordanian men and women who were enjoying a picnic.
The contrast between Jerash and Umm Qais is striking. Firstly, Umm Qais is built from dark basalt which, together with the general air of abandonment, gives a somewhat lonely atmosphere. The buildings have had comparatively little restoration after earthquakes damaged the site at various times in history. Recent excavations were not in evidence, perhaps because this is a turbulent region close to Syria, Israel, Lebanon and the disputed Golan Heights which are separated from Jordan by a demilitarised zone.
It’s a large site with layers of history including Roman, Greek and Ottoman era antiquities as well as twentieth century occupation evidenced by the presence of a school, now the restaurant. From the terrace of the restaurant you will be rewarded with great views over the Sea of Galilee towards Tiberias, the Golan heights and Syria.
The contrast between Jerash and Umm Qais is striking. Firstly, Umm Qais is built from dark basalt which, together with the general air of abandonment, gives a somewhat lonely atmosphere. The buildings have had comparatively little restoration after earthquakes damaged the site at various times in history. Recent excavations were not in evidence, perhaps because this is a turbulent region close to Syria, Israel, Lebanon and the disputed Golan Heights which are separated from Jordan by a demilitarised zone.
It’s a large site with layers of history including Roman, Greek and Ottoman era antiquities as well as twentieth century occupation evidenced by the presence of a school, now the restaurant. From the terrace of the restaurant you will be rewarded with great views over the Sea of Galilee towards Tiberias, the Golan heights and Syria.
Written 14 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris Y
St. Albans, UK264 contributions
Apr 2023
The ruined castle and archeological site were not very busy when we arrived on a Friday morning The ticket office was to the right of the large car park and a couple of local guides were available, if required. The site was larger than we had imagined with fabulous views if Lake Tiberius (aka The Sea of Galilee or Kinneret) and the Syrian border country. The amphitheatre complemented the ones at Jerash although this one had been damaged during the conflicts with Israel in the 1960-70s. A temple with columns still in place was notable. The place was very peaceful and worth visiting if time permits. The site is not strenuous to get around and there are a small number of stalls selling trinkets, food and drink nearby.
Written 18 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
PETER H
Reno, NV174 contributions
Dec 2022
The chariot wheel tracks in the ancient street were awesome. A lot of ruins here, many not excavated. If a reasonably clear day, great views of noteworthy landmarks. JordanPass accepted no problem. The underground mausoleum was great!
In a water is wet observation, the local "guides" lurking about are NOT to be used or trusted. Local "guide" Amjad will rip you off like a true scam artist. Your "free" one hour tour keeps getting dragged out and further away, and of course not free at the end. Also - You do NOT want a guided to "Jesus's Cave".
Worth the trip, go see it!
In a water is wet observation, the local "guides" lurking about are NOT to be used or trusted. Local "guide" Amjad will rip you off like a true scam artist. Your "free" one hour tour keeps getting dragged out and further away, and of course not free at the end. Also - You do NOT want a guided to "Jesus's Cave".
Worth the trip, go see it!
Written 29 December 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
aurorita_del_peru
Singapore, Singapore77 contributions
Oct 2022 • Family
The site is interesting with Roman ruins. It is still in progress of being maintained, but it is nice to walk around there is a splendid view on Tiberia lake and neighbouring countries, especially at sunset
Written 31 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
GeneralShamu
New York City, NY1,058 contributions
Sep 2022
Lovely castle and Roman ruins, including a remarkably well maintained Roman street from well over a thousand years ago. Total time needed here is two hours and do hire a guide (with a lanyard to ensure it's a certified/registered tour guide). There is also a lovely restaurant you can stop by after visiting this area to have a snack while overlooking the ruins, Jordan Valley and the Sea of Galilei.
Written 7 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
banstead
Kirkby Lonsdale, UK435 contributions
Nov 2021
We had this included in our tour after a stay in Ajloun. We knew very little about it before we started to read, but its definitely worth a visit. Its similar to Jerash but nowhere near as renovated or busy. There were about 8 other tourists there when we visited. We didn't take a guide and the Bradt guidebook we had gave us plenty of details.
The views over Lake Tiberius and beyond to Palestine and Syria were spectacular.
Looking back I'd have liked to have stayed a night close by so we could have stayed longer, but we had to get down the Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea that day (before dark), so an hour or so allowed us to get a sense of the place.
There's a lot of digs still going on.
The views over Lake Tiberius and beyond to Palestine and Syria were spectacular.
Looking back I'd have liked to have stayed a night close by so we could have stayed longer, but we had to get down the Jordan Valley to the Dead Sea that day (before dark), so an hour or so allowed us to get a sense of the place.
There's a lot of digs still going on.
Written 7 December 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nick
Nottingham, UK236 contributions
Oct 2021 • Couples
I found this site to be quite interesting, though for the 2 hours it takes to get to it from Amman, it wouldn't only be worth it if it's on your route, or if you're doing a full day tour to include Ajulun Castle and Jerash as we did.
We had a guide for all of this whom could explain the site to us which was very good. I feel without a guide, you'd walk around in 20 minutes and be done.
We had a guide for all of this whom could explain the site to us which was very good. I feel without a guide, you'd walk around in 20 minutes and be done.
Written 3 October 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
abroadwithashley
Minneapolis, MN1,440 contributions
Apr 2021
This is a very large site with very little to actually do within the walls. Most places are occupied and were closed during our visit. The amphitheater was the highlight, but the best shot of it is on the road in from the west (outside the site itself). There are a few more things to see - museum & pillars - but none were standouts. We wouldn’t recommend that you make the trek from Amman just for Umm Qais, but if you’re driving around the north taking in some of the other sites, then it’s probably worth the stop.
Written 11 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LegalRover
Jordan6,246 contributions
Oct 2019
Historic Umm Qais (not the town where locals reside) is the ancient city of Gadara; known as one of the most brilliant ancient Greco-Roman cities of the Decapolis. Gadara was known as the center of Greek culture in the region during Hellenic and Roman periods. It also has biblical significance in that it is the spot where Jesus performed the Miracle of the Gadarene Swine (cast out the devil from 2 mad men into a herd of pigs).
On a clear day, there are beautiful views of the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Golan Heights, Palestine/Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.
The site houses Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine ruins with ongoing excavations. There is a small museum where the Greek statues and Christian mosaics outside are more impressive than the small artifacts inside. Many of the structures were built using black basalt versus the natural-colored stone primarily used in Jerash. Umm Qais highlights include the amphitheater, mausoleum, and the series of old tunnels found by the main gate. If you choose to go through the latter you may end up with a few scrapes.
While Umm Qais is smaller and less visited than Jerash, it complements what you will see in Jerash. I would recommend visiting Umm Qais, Ajloun Castle, and Jerash (in that order) from Amman. All 3 sites can be covered in 1 day. Umm Qais is about 2 hours from Amman and Jerash is less than 1 hour. Also, the Acropolis showcases a nice contrast between the black basalt columns and the natural-colored stone columns. You can walk along the colonnaded street (miniature version of the one in Jerash).
Additionally, Umm Qais was the end point of a 170 km long water supply system called the Canal of the Pharaoh (Qanat Fir’aun); 106 km ran underground. This was the longest water supply system tunnel of ancient times. You can see a portion of it hewn out of the rock below the Acropolis.
The Umm Qais site ruins have not been preserved as well as some of the other sites in Jordan like Jerash but considering it suffered bombardment during the 1967 Six-Day War, I guess it’s held up pretty well.
There are 2 trails you can choose to take to walk around the grounds. The first is the Acropolis Trail. It covers mainly the external perimeter and takes about 1.5 hours. The second is the Village Trail which cuts through the old village which is a handful of small empty stone structures. This trail takes about 30 minutes. I recommend doing the Acropolis Trail.
There is a nice restaurant where you can sit outside with gorgeous views. If you want something on the less expensive side, there is a café on the grounds.
Umm Qais is covered under the Jordan Pass. Otherwise, it costs 5 JD per person. Guides can be hired from 10 – 20 JD. I don’t recommend hiring one if you read up on the site before-hand but hiring a guide for a few JD to point out the different locations on the horizon (while standing up by the restaurant) is worth it.
On a clear day, there are beautiful views of the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Golan Heights, Palestine/Israel, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.
The site houses Hellenistic, Roman, and Byzantine ruins with ongoing excavations. There is a small museum where the Greek statues and Christian mosaics outside are more impressive than the small artifacts inside. Many of the structures were built using black basalt versus the natural-colored stone primarily used in Jerash. Umm Qais highlights include the amphitheater, mausoleum, and the series of old tunnels found by the main gate. If you choose to go through the latter you may end up with a few scrapes.
While Umm Qais is smaller and less visited than Jerash, it complements what you will see in Jerash. I would recommend visiting Umm Qais, Ajloun Castle, and Jerash (in that order) from Amman. All 3 sites can be covered in 1 day. Umm Qais is about 2 hours from Amman and Jerash is less than 1 hour. Also, the Acropolis showcases a nice contrast between the black basalt columns and the natural-colored stone columns. You can walk along the colonnaded street (miniature version of the one in Jerash).
Additionally, Umm Qais was the end point of a 170 km long water supply system called the Canal of the Pharaoh (Qanat Fir’aun); 106 km ran underground. This was the longest water supply system tunnel of ancient times. You can see a portion of it hewn out of the rock below the Acropolis.
The Umm Qais site ruins have not been preserved as well as some of the other sites in Jordan like Jerash but considering it suffered bombardment during the 1967 Six-Day War, I guess it’s held up pretty well.
There are 2 trails you can choose to take to walk around the grounds. The first is the Acropolis Trail. It covers mainly the external perimeter and takes about 1.5 hours. The second is the Village Trail which cuts through the old village which is a handful of small empty stone structures. This trail takes about 30 minutes. I recommend doing the Acropolis Trail.
There is a nice restaurant where you can sit outside with gorgeous views. If you want something on the less expensive side, there is a café on the grounds.
Umm Qais is covered under the Jordan Pass. Otherwise, it costs 5 JD per person. Guides can be hired from 10 – 20 JD. I don’t recommend hiring one if you read up on the site before-hand but hiring a guide for a few JD to point out the different locations on the horizon (while standing up by the restaurant) is worth it.
Written 3 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Frequently Asked Questions about UMm Qays Archeological Site
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience UMm Qays Archeological Site:
- Day trip Jerash, Ajloun ands Umm Qais From Amman (From ₹ 16,663.89)
- Private Guided Umm Quais and Jerash tour with lunch (From ₹ 18,663.56)
- Jerash, Ajloun, and Umm Quais Full-Day Tour (From ₹ 7,290.45)
- Full Day Umm Qais - Jerash - Ajloun Private Tour From Amman (From ₹ 7,497.92)
- Jerash, Ajloun & Umm Qais Private tour (From ₹ 22,412.93)
- Hotels near UMm Qays Archeological Site:
- (0.54 km) Beit Al Baraka
- (0.59 km) Umm Qais Hotel
- (9.09 km) מעגן עדן
- (14.40 km) Lakeside Terrace
- (15.33 km) Sea Of Galilee - Genghis Khan In The Golan
- Restaurants near UMm Qays Archeological Site:
- (0.04 km) Umm Qais Resthouse
- (0.52 km) Fortuna Cafe & Outdoors
- (0.96 km) Yamama Umm Qais
- (11.06 km) Restaurant 1910
- (11.26 km) Rutenberg Restaurant