A Crossroad in Time and Place
Situated in the North of Jordan, Umm Qais is another city rooted deep in history. Standing on top of one of its hills, visitors can enjoy the breathtaking panoramic views of the sea of Galilee and the Golan heights. The old city, Gadara, dates back to more than 2400 years, when it was one the Roman Empire’s Decapolis, and had a special strategic importance as it was the crossing of numerous trade routes between Palestine and Syria. Umm Qais’ importance continued through history, to become an important financial center for the Ottoman empire, and most recently, one of the most advanced fronts in the six-day war between Arabs and Israelis in 1967.
In the Umm Qais adventure you will traverse through these different times. You will see the Roman city of Gadara rise from the ruins, with its markets and military parades, and you can even go underground to visit the meticulously engineered network of tunnels connected Gadara to other Decapolis cities, extending for hundreds of kilometers.
But right before you conclude the adventure, you will get the rare chance to live history making moments during the 1967 war, as you walk through the Jordanian army tranches at the time, manned with soldiers who had vowed to protect the Northern borders of their country.
But the real joy of the experience is when you become part of it. So, make sure you try shooting like a Roman archer in Umm Qais’ Olympic standards archery field, or indulge with your team in modern warfare experience in the 6-day war themed paint ball park.