Wadi Rum was the shooting place for the Hollywood movie, “The Martian“, and we guess you can see why it was chosen… also been the place for the “Lawrence of the Arabia” shooting!

A few words about Wadi rum

Wadi Rum is a great desert composed of red, yellow, orange and even white colour tones. Huge rocks and mounty surface can be found all over the protected area as well. The desert is located in south Jordan, only a few minutes away from Aqaba city!

T.E Lawrence of Arabia and S.F. Hussein based their headquarters at Wadi Rum desert during the Arab revolt  against the Ottoman in World war I. It also joined the UNESCO world heritage site list under both the natural and cultural significance categories!

The locals and authentic inhabitants of Wadi Rum are called Bedouins and they have an extremely interesting lifestyle which derives from ancient history of Jordan. They live in a small village while some of them own tents and camps for the visitors and travellers (find out more details below for cheap overnight and the most amazing way to experience Wadi rum).

wadi rum desert jordan

Useful info before visiting Wadi Rum

• To enter Wadi Rum area you must buy tickets at Visitors Center, which will cost you 5 jod per person.
• To reach the tents you need some local guide to take you there (you can hire a 4×4 vehicle together with driver and/or guide), the tents are several kilometres away where you can not go by your own vehicle which has to be parked at the parking area just after you have passed  Visitors center.
• The prices of the onsite bargain can be much higher than the other alternative which is to pre book prior arrival, of your staying and your touring, as we did.
• Desert at night is quite cold so get suitable clothes either you are staying in a camp or under the stars!
  
• Wadi Rum is a natural reserve so  dont expect any restaurants (there is one at the visitors center but its not inside the main desert area) just indulge your senses to local traditional food.

Activities and experiences in Wadi Rum

1. Overnight in a Bedouin tent  (choose among a simple or a luxury tent or even sleep under the stars depending on your budget and mood).
2. Try local traditional Bedouin food.
3. Desert Safari jeep tour
4. Endless hiking in a unique scenery with unlimited trails and choices to create the itinerary that suits you best (you can choose from half a day tour up to multiday staying which includes hiking every day and overnighting at different places in the desert, even in the white one, which needs more days to be explored than the red one).
5. Ride on camels or horses (we did not tried it as you already know, but its up to you).
6. Trekking in canyons and finding oasis.
7. Sandboarding (cool, isnt it?)
   
8. Walking tours

Our experience in Wadi Rum

To those of you who decide to explore Wadi rum we recommend our friend Salem, local Bedouin, raised in this unique desert, ready to show you around the most beautiful places of Wadi Rum!

Why Choose Salem

1. Firstly, because he’s a local Bedouin, which means he knows the area better than anyone, and he owns tents, which also means that you book directly from him.
2. Secondly, we have a personal experience that is totally positive and thus he is highly recommended by us.
3. Last but not least because you can have the itinerary that suits you better. Just share your input info with Salem eg. traveling days, arrival time, number of travelers, budget etc. and he ll prepare the most exciting itinerary for you including the overnight staying at his camp!

Itinerary ideas in Wadi rum

The itineraries you could try are countless, so we just mention some of them and of course you can adapt them accordingly!

• Experience Half day safari tour and a mini hiking (you can include walking tour, camel riding etc.)
  
• Walking Tour in Desert (also can adapt any other activities you wish)
  
• Experience One day safari tour and hiking trails (same here)
  
• Experience multiday Safari Tours and hiking trails to white and red desert including overnight sleeping at different spots (this must be the ultimate experience while talking about deserts and its certainly an experience we ll come back again to join!)
  

Extra hint: in summer prices are lower!

wadi rum desert jordan

Itinerary example of the sites you can ask Salem to plan for you

From Wadi Rum your guide will first go by jeep to visit Lawrence Spring. Then you will go to see the map then the sand dunes, a large area of sand dunes accumulating on the mountains. It’s fun to climb then race. You will have about half an hour in this area to climb and explore the sand dunes, and then you will go to see the ancient inscriptions. After seeing the inscriptions left by the old commercial caravans, you will travel to see the house of Lawrence and then you will go to see the famous mushroom stone, which is named because of the composition of natural rocks formed over many years and then we will stop for lunch after that you will go to the adventure of Mahama Canyon.

wadi rum desert jordan

A self-guided trail will be dropped on one side and collected at the other end, followed by the Umm Fruth Bridge (about 20 meters high), one of the favorite crowds, allowing you to enjoy fun and fun. Then you will go to see the Little Rock Bridge and then you will go to see Mount Khazali Canyon, a tour between the walls of the valley decorated with ancient rock inscriptions and paintings by the Nabataean people and the Samoud where you can walk inside to see the inscriptions.

You end up in the camp, where you can enjoy the stunning sunsets. After sunset, you will enjoy a delicious Bedouin meal

The overnight stay in the desert

Your overnight stay is perfectly safe in a wonderful and incredibly peaceful part of the desert away from the whole world and other camp tents. The tents are comfortable, have beds and everything necessary to keep you warm during evening. There is a large tent overlooking the desert where you will enjoy your breakfast and dinner and of course communal toilets and showers. If you wish so, Salem can provide you with brand new sleeping bags as well.

Always keep in mind that we are talking about desert, so what is worth there is experiencing a real taste of the desert, beyond the ordinary!

Take a look at our photos, read our adventures in Jordan, get inspired and get ready! It is a very exciting and unforgettable experience and hiking  will make it even more adventurous. Prices are low, considering that staying at tents prices start at 10€!  Prices for the tour are very affordable as well regarding for what they offer and include!

Salem: My name is Salem. I was born in the desert. All my life, I grew up in the village of Wadi Rum and in the desert. The red and white sand dunes were my playground. I have been working in tourism since a very young age and I love my sharing what it is like to live in the desert. I always want tourists to feel home and to really experience the bedouin lifestyle. This is why I created wadi rum fun tours with the help of my bedouin family, to help you have a real and unforgettable experience in the Protected Wadi Rum desert of Jordan.

Contact Salem directly, mention NONSTOPTRAVELLERS and let him help you prepare properly or with us to give you some more inspiration about iconic Wadi Rum desert!

wadi rum

The post DISCOVER THE ICONIC WADI RUM DESERT IN JORDAN appeared first on Nonstoptravellers.

But why is Jordan so famous? Petra, Wadi Rum, Dead Sea, Amman and Aqaba are the strongest highlights of the country! But let’s go find out our trip in details, information about visa, transportation, cost and sightseeing!

Jordan roadtrip petra

A few words about Jordan

The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan or simply Jordan is a state of the Middle East. It borders Syria to the north, Iraq to the northeast, Saudi Arabia to the east and south, and Israel and the West Bank (the Jordan, an area occupied before 1967 and occupied by Israel) to the West. It shares with Israel the coastlines of the Gulf of Aqaba and the Dead Sea. The main religion of Jordan is Islam and the main (official) Arabic language.

Travel itinerary in Jordan

Itinerary in few lines

• Airport Alia Airport – Petra 203 km (2.38 ‘)
• Petra – Wadi Rum 112 km (1.46 ‘)
• Wadi Rum – Dead Sea 295 km (4 hours)
• Dead Sea – Amman 65 km (1 hour)
• Amman – Airport

Jordan roadtrip petra wadi rum

Jordan itinerary

Day One

On first day we landed at Queen Alia Airport in Amman on a low-cost flight (see costs below), the other option is to land at Aqaba Airport so you will follow the opposite program of ours! We had already rented a car so our vehicle was waiting for us outside the airport. After we completed the standard procedures we departed to Petra and to the village of Wadi Musa. The journey time is around 2.40 hours.

At Wadi Musa we found easily our accommodation’s location which was very central and had many restaurants nearby and was only a 4 minute drive away from the entrance of Petra! There is also the option to stay right next to Petra’s entrance and walk just for 4 minutes. There is also the option to stay at the entrance of the village in order to enjoy the view of the whole area but prices are higher there of course! After we ate at Beit Al Barakah and we got some traditional sweets from the bakery we headed to Petra to enjoy the evening show Petra by Night candles show. For our experience there and useful information read more here.

Day two

Second day, waking up and departing towards Petra! In 4 minutes we were in front of the entrance next to the museum. The size of the whole area is huge so get ready for a lot of walking, hiking and even climbing! Overall we stayed there for 9 hours and that is only beacuse we had to depart to the Wadi rum. Read all the information you need to explore Petra with a special map, times and prices in our Petra blog post. Lunch time at Beit Al Barakah and departure to Wadi Rum.

Extra Tip Before leaving the village, stop and enjoy the panoramic view of the area where the # ? Petra sigh is.

After a couple of hours driving and a fantastic ride full of used tires on the roadside, countless trucks, sandstorms and desert views we arrived at Wadi Rum Visitors Center where you have to get tickets and then enter the site either with a guide who you find on the spot or with your vehicle if you have arranged a local driver to be waiting inside for you. Having seen the prices (see below) and from personal experience we can tell you that prices are lower if you pre book eg. Via Internet, as we did, rather that get a guuide over there. Salem, was waiting for us, a Bedouin born in the village of Wadi Rum, owner of Bedouin tents for rent and organizer of experiences and hiking in the desert. We were tranferred to our tents (you cannot go on your own, either ways have to book a tour guide).

Jordan roadtrip petra

Day three

The night before, as well as the morning we experienced in the desert was a magic time for us! We had experienced a similar experience in the Monument Valley desert  in the country of Navajo but the scenery here was also truly unreal, like a storyline from Mars. Morning found us waking up with a flock of camels that were all around our tent!

Read all you need to know about entering, staying and organizing experiences at Wadi Rum here!

We spent half the day exploring the desert, climbing hills of sand, feeding camels, hiking in canyons, sipping tea with Bedouins and eating in the middle of nowhere, lunch!

We said goodbye to Salem and Wadi rum (we will definitely return there though) and started our trip to Amman. The route is just uncomparable as it includes villages, towns, deserts, fields, mountain, countless camels, solar parks and of course the Dead Sea on the Jordan side this time (the side of Israel has been explored on our previous journey). After about 5 hours a stop at the Dead Sea for a  quick dive we arrived in Amman (attention while driving).

Day four

Awakening in the capital of Jordan, Amman, and waiting for the friend and old classmate in Thessaloniki city, Sofian, who offered to meet and take us around in his city! Those of you who don’t have Sofian can easily move around with Uber, almost all routes cost about 1.5 dollars, while going to the airport depending on where you are, of course, will cost you about $20 (price from West Amman to the Alia airport). After seeing the points of interest that we outlined below our friend, transferred us to the airport for our departure.

Things to do in Amman

First of all, you cannot imagine how many hills this city has! For food and coffee visit Rainbow Street and Jabal Al Lweibdeh. Amman is the capital of Jordan, and its a quite modern and prosperous city!

Tourist attractions in Amman:

• King Abdullah Mosque
• Amman Citadel
• King Hussein Mosque
• Jordanian Museum
• The Royal Automobile Museum
• Jordan Archaeological Museum
• Jordan Museum of Popular traditions
• Jordan river  and baptism site (few miles from Amman)

How much does a trip to Jordan cost? Prices per person

• Air Tickets €10 Roundtrip
• Car Rental €70 (3 days)
• Food €30
• Accommodation €50 (3 days)
• Visa Jordan Pass 75 JOD
• Candle Show 17 JOD
• Souvenirs €5

Is it safe to travel to Jordan?

Having traveled to various countries that may not be considered as safe ones as others, and except the fact that special attention must be payed during driving (it has many roundabouts) we can confidently say that especially in tourist places there is no sense or even suspicion of fear. The residents are completely familiar with the tourists!

Jordan roadtrip petra

Transports in Jordan

For the transportation we rented a car but there are certainly other options such as public transportation or taxis or organized tours. You can find more information here, but for example taking a taxi from the airport to Petra costs over 80 dollars per vehicle.

Do you need a visa for Jordan?

Yes! The first option is to get a visa at the airport (40 jod) while the other option is to pre buy a Jordan pass with which you have free entry to various attractions including Petra, comes out in 3 editions and is issued online (does not replace the visa just comes out cheaper and waves your visa fees). For the Jordan Pass click here, and for the sights included click here!

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