Start your tour with a pick up from your centrally located Amman hotel. Relax in your private, air-conditioned vehicle and travel out of the city and into the desert plains of eastern Jordan. The region is speckled with 7th and 8th-century castles, many within a 15-minute drive of each other, that was originally built by the Caliphs of the Umayyad dynasty as rural retreats and hunting lodges. Hear tales about this powerful dynasty, the first Muslim rulers of the Arab kingdom, including fascinating snippets about their extravagance and debauchery. As you travel, feel free to tell your driver if there’s a castle you want to see more of or another castle you’d like to visit, at your own expense. After about 1-hour on the road, pull up at UNESCO-listed Qasr Amra, one of east Jordan’s most famous castles. Once a hunting palace of the Umayyads, this splendidly restored edifice is graced with 8th-century fresco showing decadent scenes of nude women, wine and parties. Continue to Qasr Al -Kharana, an imperious 2-level fortress standing in a huge plain. Thought to have been built on Roman foundations, this evocative castle exudes intrigue and displays a rich array of Mesopotamian, Arabic, and Greek architectural influences. Finally, head for Qasr Al-Azraq, originally a Umayyad hunting retreat and once used as a headquarters by T.E. Lawrence, the 20th-century British soldier, and Arab Revolt leader perhaps more famously known as Lawrence of Arabia. Wander around the sun-burnished courtyards, towers, and mosque and learn how Lawrence based his operations here from 1917 to 1918. After exploring here, relax on your ride back to Amman where your experience finishes with a hotel drop off. Upgrade your tour to include an accompanied licensed guide from Amman to be with you for the visit of the 3 marvelous desert castles.