Ajloun, Jordan
The Ajloun Forest Reserve is a nature reserve located in the Ajloun Governorate in north-west Jordan. Established by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature in 1988 in the area around the village of Umm Al-Yanabi, it comprises an area of 13 square kilometres (5 sq mi). The reserve is houses a captive breeding programme for the locally extinct roe deer and has been declared an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International. There are also a number of hiking trails for tourists.
The Ajloun Forest Reserve protects 13 square kilometres of the Ajloun hills in north-western Jordan, established by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) in 1988 to save one of the last Mediterranean forests in a country where woodland covers only 1% of the land. Evergreen oak, carob, terebinth and strawberry trees dominate, and the black iris, Jordan's national flower, grows here. The reserve shelters wild boar, stone marten, red fox, golden jackal, striped hyena, wolf and the Persian squirrel, and the RSCN runs a captive breeding programme for the locally extinct roe deer, now numbering about twelve animals. It is recognised as an Important Bird Area and was declared a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 2025. The reserve is best known for its walking trails through forest and villages: the short Roe Deer Trail (about 2 km in under an hour, self-guided and included in the entry fee), the Rasoun Trail (6–7 km in two to three hours) past ancient ruins and the Eagle Marah viewpoint, and the Rock Rose Trail (8 km in three to four hours) with views over the Jordan Valley, Palestine and Syria. The RSCN offers 38 cabins and tented lodges for overnight stays all year round and supports women's enterprises in the surrounding villages, such as the Soap House and the Biscuit House, which sell their products to visitors. Next to the reserve lies Tell Mar Elias, believed to be the birthplace of the Prophet Ilyas (Elijah), with two ancient churches.
Spring (March–May) is best, when the forest flowers and the black iris blooms, and autumn for mild weather; winter is wet and the reserve may see snow. Book cabins and the longer trails in advance through the RSCN, since the medium trails require a local guide. Day entry fees differ for Jordanians, residents and foreigners and stood at 25 JOD for non-Jordanians in the official 2025 rates, and cabin prices vary by type. Combine it with Ajloun Castle (minutes away by car) and Jerash in one day; food in the reserve comes from a local halal kitchen, and the mosques of the surrounding villages are close by.
Hours and prices change — check before you go. Source: en.wikipedia.org
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