Wadi Rum: Practical Travel Guide
Wadi Rum desert is one of the top attractions and best places in Jordan. In this travel guide, we will share with you more about our one-day jeep tour adventure, one night in a bedouin camp, and we also share tips on the best things to see in Wadi Rum, top things to do, where to stay, what to eat, how to get there, when to visit, or what to pack.
Wadi Rum, a famous desert in the southern part of Jordan, is a place you cannot miss when traveling around this Middle Eastern country.
Jordan has five UNESCO-listed sites, and Wadi Rum is one of them, thanks to its natural and cultural richness. And even though for many travelers the main reason to travel to Jordan is the Lost city of Petra, after visiting Wadi Rum, we think that those two places should rank equally high.
We left Wadi Musa early in the morning, on the way stopped at Little Petra.
And then there was a two-hour drive ahead of us to a kingdom of red sand, sandstone mountains towering above the desert floor, and strange rock formations weathered in million years by elements such as scorching sun and winds (and only a bit of rain).
But that was not all.
When the day was over and the darkness covered the desert, we were witnesses of an incredible starry sky, which together with sitting around the fire and listening to the stories of bedouins, will be embedded in our minds forever.
To be honest, we think that the experience of Wadi Rum would not be complete without spending a night in a bedouin camp.
When creating your Jordan itinerary, make sure you have enough time for the desert.
The day before arrival in the desert, we once again followed the iconic King’s Highway.
Then we turned onto Desert Highway and arrived in Wadi Rum around 11 AM. We left Wadi Rum the next day before 9 AM, so then we had enough time to drive around the Dead Sea, city of Salt, and spend a night in Jerash in the northern part of Jordan.
Before visiting Wadi Rum, we were uncertain about many things.
We were not sure how to book the jeep tour (at that time we were not interested in camel ride or hiking, but that is for sure an option), we did not know where to sleep in Wadi Rum, we were a bit anxious how the night in a bedouin camp would be like.
Well, many thoughts were roaming in our heads.
But in the end, the day and night we spent in the desert were absolutely perfect.
There was no stress, everything flowed naturally, and we did not have to worry about anything.
Our only responsibility was to make sure that we have enough spare batteries and memory cards for our camera, as the landscape was so unreal, and there were so many best things to see we wanted to capture.
If you are looking for complete information on how to visit Wadi Rum, you've come to the right place.
In this travel guide, we will share with you our experience, accompanied with practical tips and photos.
ARRIVAL IN WADI RUM
First, if you've already made a reservation for a campsite before your arrival, we recommend you to buy a sim card at the airport because it is necessary to stay in touch with the campsite owner and overall we think you will find it handy during your travels in Jordan.
Only this way you will be able to communicate with him all the details like your arrival time and where you will meet.
Of course, you can arrange all of that from your home country, but things change, and for your peace of mind, it is better to reconfirm that someone is expecting you a few hours before your arrival.
Before you will have the opportunity to explore Wadi Rum, it is necessary to stop at Visitors Center, the gateway to the protected area. It is a large complex only a few kilometers before the village.
Here you must park your car, go inside, and pay the entrance fee.
ENTRANCE FEE
Wadi Rum ticket costs 5 JD per person but is waived in case you have the Jordan Pass.
We believe you've already heard about the Jordan Pass and why it is worth it to buy it, but if not, read our post dedicated on Jordan Pass.
Once we showed the proof of payment, we had to go to a police office by the entrance, where we wrote down our details.
Be ready that you will be many times asked if you have a booking in a camp, if you have a tour arranged, or if you wish to arrange one.
But once you say the name of your camp (we think it is much better to make a reservation beforehand than try to figure out what to do on spot), no one will persuade you to stay somewhere else. But if you haven’t made any booking, you will for sure be able to arrange everything here in the Visitors Center.
We made a reservation in Joy of Life, and it seemed that everyone around knew this place and the owner Eid.
After all the paperwork in the Visitors Center, we had to drive another 6 kilometers to Wadi Rum village. Here we parked our car at Wadi Rum Rest House, which is basically a large parking lot on the right side of the road.
Here we were met by the owner of our campsite (and we believe you will meet here yours too as also the tours start here), and the incredible day was about to begin.
Also, when visiting Wadi Rum, do not forget to have enough cash with you.
It is not possible to pay by credit card, especially in the more basic campsites, and we even met a desperate traveler who was trying to exchange money from Euros to Jordanian Dinars.
There is no ATM in Wadi Rum Village.
HISTORY OF WADI RUM
Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon, has been inhabited since prehistoric times.
Even though the conditions in the desert are rough, rock paintings, petroglyphs, and inscriptions prove that many cultures throughout the centuries chose Wadi Rum as their home.
Nomadic tribes were wandering around the desert (Nabateans made their footprint here as well) until just recently when the hard life conditions and enticements of the modern world led to a depopulation of the desert.
Fortunately, some bedouins still decided to stay in the desert, and although their lives are nowadays dependent on tourism, they still live very similarly like their ancestors.
Our driver confessed that he sleeps under the stars every day because when he sleeps inside the building he feels like being imprisoned.
Wadi Rum, the same as other sites in Jordan, for example, Azraq Castle, is known because of its connection with a British officer T.E. Lawrence alias Lawrence of Arabia, who passed through the desert several times, and mentioned his experience in his diary.
Nowadays, thanks to its unusual, Moon-like landscape, Wadi Rum serves as a famous film location for Hollywood movies such as Alladin, The Martian, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, or the all-time classic, Lawrence of Arabia.
Some parts of Wadi Rum reminded us a bit of the Atacama Desert in Chile, only on a much smaller scale.
BEST THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN WADI RUM
Even though from the distance Wadi Rum looks like a barren area, driving around is actually much more fun than you would have thought, and there are quite many highlights every traveler should put on an itinerary.
You can arrive in Wadi Rum with a list of the best things you would like to see, or like us, let your driver to show you around.
We believe that most of the guides have similar itineraries for a one-day jeep tour, and it is in their best interest to introduce you to the top attractions and the most wonderful natural formations.
We believe that the best things to see and do in Wadi Rum deserve a separate post, and we will write about it someday in the near future, but here we would like to shortly describe our day in the desert.
Once we turned off from Desert Highway to Wadi Rum Road, the landscape became more and more picturesque.
SEVEN PILLARS OF WISDOM
Before we reached the Visitors Center, it was impossible not to notice an imposing rock formation called Seven Pillars of Wisdom. We took a couple of photos and carried on.
Then we jumped on a jeep in Wadi Rum Village and everything we saw from now on was not in our hands.
LAWRENCE SPRING
The first stop was Lawrence Spring, approximately two kilometers from the village. This place is important because of the water source running from the spring on the top of mountain.
We climbed to the spring, but rather than the water, we admired the views from the top.
Back on the desert floor is also a huge rock with inscriptions that revealed to everyone who was passing by that water can be found here.
RED SAND DUNE
Then we continued to Red Sand Dune. As the name suggests, there is a very photogenic sand dune (it is actually cool how the sand has a different color in every part of the desert) we could climb.
KHAZALI CANYON
The next stop was Khazali Canyon. It is a narrow canyon with many inscriptions on both sides, it is quite interesting that you will find here inscriptions from different times.
The canyon is really not wide, and it was the only place where we met more travelers and where we did not feel comfortable because there was not that much space for that many people.
LITTLE BRIDGE
Then our guide took us to Little Bridge. Little Bridge is one of the top attractions in the Wadi Rum desert. It is very photogenic, and the views from the top are stunning.
We were quite surprised that it is allowed to stand on the bridge as it could collapse, but it is how it is.
LAWRENCE HOUSE
We continued to yet another place which reminds the presence of Lawrence of Arabia, the Lawrence House.
Even though there is not much left from the house, and it is rather a pile of rocks, this site is important for the history of Jordan.
MUSHROOM ROCK
It was almost lunchtime, and meanwhile our guide was preparing the food, we went to an unusual structure standing in the middle of the desert, which is for its shape called Mushroom Rock.
We came back to our jeep just in time for lunch. We were really hungry already, but it did not influence the fact that the food was simply delicious.
We ate everything on the plate, relaxed in the shade, and had time to get to know our guide a little bit better.
BURDAH ROCK BRIDGE
After the rest, we continued on our tour. The next site, we could see only in distance, was Burdah Rock Bridge. It is a natural formation high on the top of the mountain.
It is even possible to climb to that bridge but to do that, you need to join a different tour since it would take you several hours. For us, it was enough to see it through our telephoto lens.
BARRAH CANYON
As we still had a bit more time, we walked for a while in Barrah Canyon, and then drank a mint tea in a bedouin tent.
ABU KHASHABA CANYON
The next stop was Abu Khashaba Canyon. We were left on the one side of the canyon, had to walk on the sandy floor to the other side of the canyon, where our driver waited for us. It was fun.
UM FROTH ROCK BRIDGE
And the last highlight on this trip was Um Froth Rock Bridge. Again, this formation is wonderful, and rightfully it is one of the most photographed sites in Wadi Rum.
We did not climb on the bridge, as we did not find it necessary, so we only waited for a moment we could take a photo without people.
SUNSET WATCHING
And then it was time for the sunset. There are many sunset viewpoints in Wadi Rum from where it is possible to watch the sun go down.
It seems that every guide has a favorite place, which was great as there were not that many people on our sunset spot.
Then it was time to go to the camp.
TRADITIONAL FOOD ZAR
We unpacked our things in the tent, dressed in a bit warmer clothes, and went for dinner. It was a buffet, and again, we were amazed at how delicious food we were served here in the desert.
We could taste the traditional food Zarb, which is cooked in the ground.
After dinner, we sat around the fire, drank tea, and had a nice conversation with bedouins and fellow travelers.
STARGAZING
But even after the dark Wadi Rum still had one more highlight in its sleeve. The desert is famous for stargazing because the air here is not polluted and there are almost no artificial lights.
Well, during our visit it was a bit cloudy, so the sky was not that bright, but it was also a full moon, which meant the desert looked almost like it was a day. That was pretty impressive.
Well, this was, in a nutshell, our day in Wadi Rum. When we look at it retrospectively, we would not change a thing.
HOW MANY DAYS FOR WADI RUM
Even though it is possible to visit Wadi Rum for a half-day, we think one day and one night in the desert is the bare minimum for the beauty to soak in. We arrived in Wadi Rum village at 11 AM, because we wanted to join the one-day tour.
You can arrive even later, depending on your itinerary, but your driver will have to skip some spots.
Everything also depends on the season, if you are traveling around Jordan in summer, your day will be much longer than in the winter.
Based on our experience, one full-day tour followed by a night in a bedouin camp is the perfect amount of time to see the best things and top attractions in Wadi Rum.
Had we stayed longer, we would have opted for a hike, for example to Jabal Umm ad Dami, the highest mountain in Jordan.
In general, the one-day jeep tour is pretty standardized, you will see the best, but you will follow the same route as thousands of travelers before you.
If you are seeking for something unusual, for an adventure, and you do not want to meet many other people along the route, just specify your requirements and budget to the guides, and they will gladly take you off the beaten path.
Not only avid hikers but also mountain climbers usually decide to stay in Wadi Rum longer, usually between two and three nights.
CAMPING IN WADI RUM - HOW TO CHOOSE A BEDOUIN CAMP
Probably the hardest task, when planning a trip to Wadi Rum, is deciding on where to stay. First, you need to define your requirements, then it will be much easier to find the best bedouin camp which will suit your needs.
What was most important for us?
We wanted to sleep in a camp which will not be surrounded by other campsites, a camp far away from Wadi Rum Village as we wanted to photograph the night sky without artificial lights, and also, we wanted to experience an authentic atmosphere.
As budget travelers, when traveling, we usually do not seek for luxury, but the good price/quality ratio. Most of the times, we are more than happy with clean and cheap place to stay.
Even though there are many new modern luxurious campsites in the desert, we somehow do not know why we should sleep in one of the most unique landscapes in the world famous for locals known for their nomadic way of life, surrounded by similar services we have back home.
Simply put, a trip to Wadi Rum is also a cultural experience.
Of course, we believe that sleeping in one of those fancy bubble tents and eating from golden plates will be amazing, but we are probably not the target audience.
If you are, and you can afford to stay in one of those, that's perfect and completely fine, you will for sure enjoy Wadi Rum the same way we did, this is only our personal point of view.
And unlike the big bubble resorts, the basic bedouin camp sites are locally owned, and you have a chance to support the local community.
Another important thing to consider is the fact, that the campsite will most likely arrange the tour for you.
We think it is expected, that the camp owner will meet you in the village, assign you a guide for the day, who will take you around the desert, and then bring you to the campsite, where you will spend a night, and then will drive you back to the village the next morning.
Therefore, when you are reading campsites reviews, always read between the lines, and find out how was the tour and the guide.
WHERE TO STAY IN WADI RUM
As we've already mentioned, Wadi Rum is a large area with an even larger number of options on where to stay.
Now when you already know what you are looking for, and you have set your budget, it is time to make the reservation. After you make the booking, someone from the camp will get in touch with you (usually via WhatsApp), and you will discuss all the details regarding the pickup time or arranging the tour.
We've handpicked three best campsites in Wadi Rum for every traveler. One more tip.
You can find camps in Wadi Rum for as little as $4, but you will have to pay for the food separately. We are pretty confident that eventually, you'll pay the same amount as we did together with the tour.
Budget | Joy of Life - This is where we stayed, and can recommend this place to everyone. Tents were comfortable, toilets and showers very sparkling clean and new, the location was amazing the same as our guide and the food. If you are a budget traveler, this is the campsite where you want to stay.
Mid-range | Beyond Wadi Rum Camp - Great service and location just near the Little Bridge are the main highlights here. As in most of the camps, you can enjoy here the authentic atmosphere and the insight in the bedouin life.
Luxury | Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel - The photos of this campsite are truly impressive. If you are looking for an unusual place to stay in the desert, this is one of the best options.
HOW MUCH COSTS A TRIP TO WADI RUM
Well, we will not lie to you, the trip to Wadi Rum was more expensive than we had expected, but it was worth every penny.
How much you will spend really depends on what type of accommodation you prefer.
For us, the most important thing was to see as much as possible in the desert, so we were seeking a well-rated jeep tour, and an authentic campsite, where we would have a decent level of comfort and cleanliness.
All of that we found in Joy of Life Campground, but we believe most of the camps in Wadi Rum are more than satisfactory, at least based on the reviews we could find online.
If you are seeking luxury in the desert, you will pay a similar amount you would pay for a five-star hotel in any European city.
Except for the accommodation which included breakfast and dinner, we paid for the jeep tour. The rate for the jeep tour varies depending on the number of people.
If you are a solo traveler, you will pay 80 JD, a group of 2-4 people will pay 50 JD each, and the price lowers if you are traveling in a larger group. Of course, this is only a guide price, at the time of our research. We are not sure if you can wait for other guests to turn up to lower the rate.
We arrived in Wadi Rum, the jeep tour was arranged only for two of us, and later in the evening, we met other people in the camp, all of them had their own driver.
If you are traveling as a couple, like us, be ready to pay anything between 130 - 170 JD for accommodation, food, and tour, in a standard package.
If you plan on doing a multi-day hike, mountain climbing, or you want to ride a camel, it is necessary to agree on the price, which will be, of course, higher.
HOW TO GET TO WADI RUM
Wadi Rum is one of the top destinations in Jordan, but again, we were glad we decided to rent a car here.
As we were on a strict schedule (we had only eight days in the country), getting to Wadi Rum would simply take us too much time, but the good news is, it is possible to get to the village by public transport.
But first things first.
In the morning we left Wadi Musa and joined again road 35, alias King's Highway.
Then the highway merged into Desert Highway, a quite new road, which leads to Aqaba. Then, just past the settlement Rashidiyah, we turned left to Wadi Rum road, which led us straight to the Visitors Center.
The drive was quite scenic, and it started to be even more picturesque closer we got to the desert, as we could see the change in the landscape with our very own eyes.
If you do not have a car, do not worry.
You can take a JETT bus from Amman to Aqaba, and from Aqaba take another bus to Wadi Rum. There is only one daily, so it is better to be at the bus terminal a bit ahead.
Supposedly there is a private bus from Petra to Wadi Rum. Usually, it runs in the season when the demand is high, and you should ask in your hotel for reserving the seat.
Another alternative is either hiring a driver, from either Aqaba or Petra (it is a surprisingly common option), or you can book a tour.
If you do not plan on driving at all and do not want to rely on public transport either, you can book a seat on a tour from Amman, which includes other sites such as Petra and the Dead Sea.
Wadi Rum is so popular, that it is also often visited from Israel, from Tel Aviv, Eilat, or Jerusalem.
Of course, you can also book a tour to Wadi Rum from Aqaba.
CAN I DRIVE MY CAR IN WADI RUM
Is it possible to drive own car in Wadi Rum? Although it is not forbidden, it is definitely not recommended.
First of all, you would need a 4x4 drive. The tarmac ends in Wadi Rum Village, and from there, it' only sand and gravel. You should also check if your rental company even allows you to drive in the desert.
Also, there is an extra fee (35 JD) for entering Wadi Rum protected area by a rental car.
Secondly, it might be hard to navigate in the desert, you might miss some of the best attractions, and we also think that the reason to travel in Wadi Rum is to interact with local people living in the desert, which is almost impossible if you would be driving around yourself.
If you decide to self-drive in Wadi Rum, we believe you should be able to drive in sand, and navigation skills will come handy here unless you do not want to accidentally cross borders to a nearby Saudi Arabia.
Here you'll find more information on driving in Jordan in general.
THE BEST TIME TO VISIT WADI RUM
Wadi Rum is an all-year-round destination, but there are a few things you should consider before booking your trip.
We've written a full blog post on the best time to visit Jordan, where you can find more information for planning your trip to Jordan in general.
Wadi Rum is an extreme place. Not only it is vast, but the water here is also limited altogether with shade, and the severe weather conditions can impact your day.
Winter
First of all, it is good to know that in winter it is really cold in the desert, especially at night, but it is nothing which should put you off visiting the country between December and February, you only need to come well-prepared.
It does not rain often in Wadi Rum, on average it is only around twenty days a year, but you should also be prepared for this possibility. Most of the rain falls in winter (sometimes it can even snow).
Spring
Spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) are the most popular times to visit Wadi Rum. It is hot during the day, but it is a dry heat, which is better manageable than when it is humid.
The temperature at night is pleasant, not that cold, not that warm. But it can seem that the nights are colder because the temperature drops fast right after the sun goes down.
Summer
Summer brings heat and sometimes also wind which swirls dust and sand, and can cause sandstorms.
Autumn
If you want to avoid crowds, we recommend you to visit Wadi Rum either in the winter, in March, or then later in September or October.
We visited Wadi Rum at the beginning of March, and the conditions were nearly perfect. Yes, it was hot during the day, but nothing we could not deal with, and the evening was colder, but we were ready for that and brought jackets with us.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
WHAT TO PACK FOR WADI RUM
When packing for visiting Wadi Rum, you should not keep in mind only the weather, but culture as well. But the truth to be told, both go hand in hand here in the desert.
Jordan is mostly a Muslim country, and it is advised to wear loose and long-sleeved clothes, which is actually very practical here in the desert, where you need to protect yourself from harsh sun, wind, and sand.
No matter the season, you should have a sarong to cover your head, sunglasses because of the sun and to protect your eyesight from dust, and sunscreen.
If you plan on doing a jeep tour or ride a camel, wearing regular sneakers is alright, for longer day-hikes or mountain climbing, pack hiking shoes. And be prepared to have sand everywhere.
When we think of Wadi Rum, we think of layers. Based on our experience, wear long travel pants or loose trousers (even when it is too hot - first, you will prevent sunburn, and second it is respectful to bedouins), t-shirt (with short or long sleeve), comfortable socks, and a windbreaker.
It gets cold in the evening when you will be waiting for the sunset or later at night, we even used our down jackets.
For the day in the desert, you will need a comfortable daypack.
As we were picked up in Wadi Rum Village, then went on a tour straight away, and arrived in the camp after sunset, we had all the time all our stuff on the backseats of our jeep, so when necessary we could put on any clothes we wanted.
But if you are setting off for a tour from a camp, pack into your daypack extra layers, just in case.
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK IN WADI RUM
We think that the best decision we could make before visiting Wadi Rum was that we made a reservation at a campsite where breakfast and dinner were included in the rate.
Then lunch was included in our jeep tour, altogether with unlimited water, therefore, we did not need to worry about the usual stuff such as where to eat, how much liters of water to bring, or how much is the food going to cost.
Everything was clear from the very beginning. During the day we saw a few bedouin stalls near the top attractions, where you can buy refreshments.
We only sat there for a while, ordered a tea, and the payment then was in the form of donation, we decided to pay 1 JD for the tea, same as we paid in Petra.
Even though we think it is better to reserve a campsite with the half board to avoid any confusion, it does not matter that your camp does not offer it, we only think it is better to clarify beforehand how much the food is going to cost you.
We were a bit worried that we would be charged more for dinner than it would be worth it.
The most important thing in the desert is water. Just in case we brought four liters of water with us, but the guide from Joy of Life had more water in his car for us, than we could ever drink.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
