In the southern part of Jordan, Wadi Rum is a stretch of desert that captivates with its vibrant colors and ethereal rock formations. Long cherished as an ancient crossroads linked by certain scholars to “Iram of the Pillars” and the Quran’s lost tribe of Ad, Wadi Rum first gained worldwide fame with its portrayal in the classic 1962 film Lawrence of Arabia. Since then, Wadi Rum has become one of Hollywood’s favorite filming locations for sci-fi movies, including 2012’s Prometheus, 2015’s The Martian, Dune – parts one (2021) and two (2024) – and multiple Star Wars films.
Though the Wadi Rum desert is now an official protected area, visitors are welcome to come and explore this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Don’t expect name-brand resorts and touristy stores like Aqaba has, but do prepare to be wowed by the dramatic natural beauty and rich Bedouin culture that make Wadi Rum the ideal place to experience real slices of authentic Jordanian life.
When should I go to Wadi Rum?
For the fewest crowds and lowest prices, January and February are the best months to visit. If you do go during the winter months, prepare for some cold weather, and maybe even some snow at higher elevations near the Saudi Arabia border.
The summer months of June and July typically mark another slow season for Wadi Rum. But if you decide to visit during this time, you’ll likely need to schedule most of your activities early in the morning or during the evening hours, as daytime highs often surge past 100°F (or 37°C).
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The spring months of March and April and the autumn months of September and October tend to provide the best weather for Wadi Rum, but these are also the region’s busiest times of the year. If you’re hoping to hit the “sweet spot” of fewer crowds and nicer weather, aim for the shoulder seasons that occur late in February and during November.
How much time should I spend at Wadi Rum?
If you just want to hit key landmarks like Khazali Siq (Khazali Canyon), Jebel Umm Al Ishrin and the Al Hasany Dunes, an overnight camping trip should provide enough time to reach the places you most want to see. Most visitors opt for a four-wheel drive truck (4WD) tour with a Bedouin driver and guide to cover maximum ground, along with an overnight stay at a Wadi Rum camp, to experience the desert at its most enchanting.
For those seeking a longer adventure and a deeper exploration of Wadi Rum, local Bedouin have recently established the roughly 75-mile (or 120km) Wadi Rum Trail for a more comprehensive and enriching journey. This trail twists through the protected area in a 10-day circuit that covers major highlights from Jebel Rum and Wadi Rum Village in the north to Umm ad-Dami in the south. Visit the Wadi Rum Trail’s website to connect with local Bedouin guides, book a hiking journey, and even plan ahead to ensure all necessary supplies will arrive at camp just before you do.
How do I get to Wadi Rum?
The closest airport to Wadi Rum is King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba. King Hussein has regular flights to and from Jordan’s capital city of Amman, as well as a few direct flights to and from Cairo (Egypt) and Istanbul (Türkiye). From Aqaba, JETT offers a daily bus ride to Wadi Rum, and it’s possible to find some local buses running to Wadi Rum.
If you’re doing a Wadi Rum tour with an official operator, check ahead with your tour operator, as they may include private car transfers or taxi rides between Aqaba and Wadi Rum. If you prefer to drive yourself, you can rent a car at King Hussein Airport and do the roughly hour-long drive from Aqaba to Wadi Rum. (Just make sure to take the turn off the highway at Rashidiya to reach Wadi Rum Visitor Center.)
Getting around in Wadi Rum
Though it’s generally a good idea to do Wadi Rum with an experienced tour guide, it is possible to do it yourself. Dropping in at the Wadi Rum Visitor Center to register your arrival is always advised, and it’s strictly required if camping overnight or exploring in your own 4WD vehicle.
At the Visitor Center, you can check for available tours, from a two-hour journey to Khazali Canyon to a full-day circuit around the protected area. By default, these tend to trace an established pair of loops through the reserve: Operator One follows the central approach to the south, covering Wadi Rum’s core, while Operator Two wraps around the ridge eastward to explore more outlying but similarly stunning terrain.
If you prefer to drive yourself, you will need an all-terrain vehicle, and you will have to register at the Visitor Center. From the Visitor Center, head south to Wadi Rum Village for a (relatively) compact collection of shops and cafes alongside the Wadi Rum Rest House. Around the corner to the right, at the foot of Jebel Rum, are the 2,000-year-old ruins of a Nabatean temple, dedicated to the goddess Allat, or Lat. A trail just south of here climbs through thickets of mint to the oasis of “Lawrence’s Spring,” known to Bedouin as Ain Ash Shallalah.
The tarmac ends just to the south of Wadi Rum Village, but you can venture onward to reach the next set of springs at Ain Abu Aineh, then farther south to the Jebel Khazali monolith. From Jebel Khazali, head east to reach landmarks like the Nabatean ruins at Lawrence’s House, the Little Rock Bridge, Mushroom Rock and Barrah Canyon. From Barrah Canyon, go north to reach the beautiful Makaharas Canyon, the Seven Pillars of Wisdom rock formation made world-famous by Lawrence of Arabia, and the aptly named Sunset Viewing Point. From the Sunset Viewing Point, it’s usually less than a 15-minute drive back to the Visitor Center.
What to look out for in the Wadi Rum Protected Area
Near the southeastern corner of Wadi Rum Protected Area, just beyond Abu Khashaba Canyon, you will find the more remote and impressive Umm Fruth and Burdah Rock Bridges. The former is another quick, straightforward climb, while the latter entails a several-hour hike.
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Further south, you will cross the white sands to reach the rugged Jebel Hash. Continuing still further, Nuqra Canyon overlooks the edge of the reserve, with sweeping views across the desolate Wadi Sabet. In the distance, you’ll make out the crags of Jebel Umm ad-Dami.
Heading towards the northeastern corner of the Protected Area, look out for clusters of indigenous petroglyphs, such as the Anfashieh (or Anfaishiyya) and Alameleh Inscriptions that offer some of the most comprehensive and best-preserved depictions of Thamudic and Nabataean life (including camel caravans and hunting feats). Back at the Wadi Rum Visitor Center, don’t skip the museum: It does a great job of providing context on the history and natural environment of Wadi Rum, usually within a 30-minute visit.
Top things to do in Wadi Rum
Explore Wadi Rum Village
Wadi Rum Village has the area’s central cluster of shops and restaurants. It’s the perfect launchpad to reach the towering sandstone and granite mountain at Jebel Rum. In addition, the village places you close to key landmarks like the Anfashieh Inscriptions and Lawrence’s Spring.
Stargazing
The desert’s high altitude, clear skies and low light pollution make it especially ideal for gazing up at the cosmos. Indeed, a night in Wadi Rum often tops lists of travelers’ most cherished memories in Jordan – whether camping in an air-conditioned pod, a classic Rum camp or the most basic of bivouacs: simply spreading a mat on the sand.
Planning tip: For the best stargazing conditions visit in July, August and September. The Perseid meteor shower typically peaks around mid-August, and Wadi Rum is a phenomenal place to catch it.
Hiking
The Protected Area has plenty of excellent hikes to choose from, some within easy striking distance of the Visitor Center and Wadi Rum Village. From the Visitor Center, the unguided loop through Makharas Canyon takes roughly 2½ hours. From the village, the scramble through Rakhabat Canyon (known among Bedouin as Um Ejil) is a half-day affair that rounds the southern tip of Umm Ishrin on the easy return across sand. Further afield is the easy half-hour walk through Abu Khashabah Canyon, and just further southeast the moderate, three-hour climb to Jebel Burdah provides eye-watering vistas over the Khor al Ajram.
Another classic route is the two-hour walk through Barrah Canyon to the north, a three-mile corridor cutting through the heartland of Rum in the shadows of pyramid-shaped peaks. Jebel Rum, beloved by climbers, also boasts a number of hiking and scrambling routes, among the best a challenging, full-day circumambulation of its southern half. Deep in the silent south is a further pair of easier yet rewarding hikes: Jebel Hash near the Protected Area’s edge, and Umm ad-Dami near the Saudi border.
Planning tip: While you can probably do the short hikes around Wadi Rum Village on your own, it’s always a good idea to go with a guide if you’re planning hiking excursions into more challenging terrain like Rakhabat Canyon and the Jebel Burdah Rock Bridge. Even if you decide to stick to easier routes that don’t require a guide, you need to stop at the Visitor Center and register before you hit the trail.
Camel trekking
There’s no more time-honored nor sustainable way to experience the rhythms of the desert than by camel. Camels remain a fixture of Bedouin life and most Bedouin families have at least one camel.
Like 4WD trips, camel excursions can be arranged in advance or at the Visitor Center, where per-person pricing is listed for various distances covered – from the walk to Ain Abu Aineh (listed as Lawrence’s Spring; JD10 (US$14) for two hours to the overnight trek to the foot of Jebel Burdah (for JD60 ( US$85). It’s well worth covering the cost of an additional camel for your guide so that you can steer your own camel rather than having it led.
Rock climbing
Since antiquity, Wadi Rum’s residents have managed to scale its sheer cliff faces in pursuit of ibex or medicinal plants. These days, modern climbers come equipped with ropes and carabiners to reach the top of Wadi Rum’s wondrous rock formations and enjoy the views from above.
With its sheer eastern face conveniently rising just behind the village, Jebel Rum is among the area’s most outstanding and conveniently located climbs. In part, its approaches trace the Thamudic Way, one of the oldest trails in the world, and it’s typically combined with a bivouac near the summit prior to a multi-pitch abseiling descent. Other excellent climbs not to miss are found on the slopes of Jebel Burdah, Jebel Barrah, Khazali Siq and Umm Ishrin.
Planning tip: Book ahead to secure the services of the area’s most experienced guides, the IFMGA-qualified crew at Wadi Rum Jordan Guide.
What to know about camps in Wadi Rum
In the past, the Wadi Rum Protected Area had a few rustic campsites for the most adventurous explorers to rough it out in the open desert. These days, you can still opt for a more classic, Bedouin-style camp comprising a huddle of cubic, two- to four-person tents, each furnished with basic beds and linen, along with a separate block of shared toilets and showers fitted with solar-powered heaters. A night at one of these starts around JD26 (US$36) per person and includes breakfast. Usually, they will also serve a traditional Bedouin dinner – typically zarb (or Jordanian-style barbeque) cooked under the sand and served in a large, common tent. Return transport from the village is generally included as well.
If you prefer more creature comforts, Wadi Rum also has a growing inventory of luxury glamping options. While they’re not a perfect match for the posh contemporary resorts of Aqaba, these Wadi Rum luxury glamping sites do offer larger tents with full en-suite bathrooms (including showers), queen or king-size beds, individual air conditioning units, and sometimes even coffee machines and teapots inside. All this luxury doesn’t come cheap – think JD142 (US$200) per night minimum – but the extra cost might be worth it if you want to do a Wadi Rum overnight stay and enjoy the stay in your tent.
Top planning tips
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The Wadi Rum Visitor Center’s ATM is your last chance for withdrawing cash. Vendors prefer to be paid in Jordanian dinars.
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Provided it’s not too hot, cold or rainy, opt for bench-seating in the back of your 4WD, then hold tight for a bumpy yet very scenic ride. Once you’re ready to leave the 4WD tracks behind, take a hike in the lonely silence of a siq (canyon) or on a windswept summit.
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To catch the most striking colors and beat the worst of the heat, get an early morning start on any hikes or other physically demanding activities. This way, you can enjoy an afternoon rest during the hottest hours of the day, then set out again when the temperature starts to cool down.
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Make sure to book tours and camps that are actually based in Wadi Rum, as some “Wadi Rum” tours arranged elsewhere in Jordan might have you stay at a camp outside the protected area in Diseh and provide little time (if any) to explore within the protected area.
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No matter where you stay at Wadi Rum, always make sure to dress modestly and show respect for local Bedouin customs and culture.
Nearby attractions
The desert north of Diseh
Dozens of Bedouin camps are nestled in the crags surrounding the town of Diseh on all sides, from the northeastern fringes of the Protected Area to the foot of Jebel Armud across the sands to the north. These offer a range of bases for exploring this spectacular swathe of desert. You can start by heading north of Shakriyeh, a village about six miles west of Diseh, where a worthy answer to Wadi Rum’s Mushroom Rock marks the entrance to a valley embellished with inscriptions. Tracing the honeycomb cliffs of Abu Rashrasha will bring you to the Valley of Colors, where a summit of sand around the ridge to the east offers panoramic views.
Remotely set about five miles north of the Valley of Colors is the area’s gem: Jebel Kharazeh (not to be confused with Kharazeh Canyon inside the Wadi Rum Protected Area), where a pair of giant, but scalable, natural rock bridges arch over the desert floor. More petroglyphs speckle the elephantine ramps that burrow into the sands of the Hisma here, while there’s a third and smaller arch nearby, as well as the ruins of a Nabatean cistern.
Hejaz Railway
Among Diseh’s unique activities is a bout of time travel aboard a refurbished Hejaz Railway train. During the Great Arab Revolt of 1916, Prince Faisal’s forces launched dozens of explosive raids to sever this line, a vital link for Turkish communications and supplies. Nowadays, semi-weekly re-enactments (usually on Sundays and Wednesdays) arranged by the Jordan Heritage Revival Company revive the old locomotive for an hour. The passengers sit among armed and uniformed Ottoman soldiers, nervously eyeing the hills for lurking rebels poised for an ambush.
The desert from above in a hot-air balloon
An utterly rousing perspective of Southern Jordan’s otherworldly desert landscape is one from the basket of a hot-air balloon. Pick-up from Wadi Rum Village or the Visitor Center is generally an hour and a half before sunrise, but rest assured that, weather permitting, you’ll be amply rewarded for the early rise. Whisked to the launch site, you’ll watch with coffee or tea in hand as a gas jet flame lights the sky. After the safety instruction, you’ll lift off the sand to be greeted with a sunrise view that you won’t soon forget.
This article was adapted from Lonely Planet’s Jordan guidebook, published in December 2024.
