Wadi Rum (The Valley of the Moon), depicted as Mars in several Hollywood feature films, is a Jordanian jaw-dropping location. Home to nomadic Bedouin tribes, Wadi Rum is a a quiet getaway of stars, sand, and sun. Once inhabited by the Nabataeans of prehistoric times, Wadi Rum allows you to get lost in large landscapes and horizon lines.
Day 5
After leaving Petra in the morning, we drove to Wadi Rum (some 1.5h away). We spent the afternoon chilling in our camp and enjoying the gorgeous sunset views from a lookout.
Day 6
We left our camp early in the morning and headed to Shamil’s friend’s camp, where our jeep was waiting for us. After having some traditional tea, we set off for the jeep tour for the whole day. Although you can hike trails or ride camels or horses, we decided our option was the easiest and quickest way to explore the desert. Besides, we enjoyed so much being in the open-topped jeep. This said, watch out the strong sand and wind!
We started the tour of Wadi Rum at the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. This rock formation is a famous landmark named after the book by T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia).
We then headed to see the Anfashieh inscriptions of animals, humans, and camel caravans and climbed the Burdah and Um Frouth rock bridges, which are spectacular natural rock arches with great views. We also stopped for a tea at a Bedouin camp next to some ruins that are said to have been Lawrence of Arabia’s house in Wadi Rum.
After that, it was time to keep exploring the surreal desert landscapes. We saw a beautiful rock tree and wide camels and drove to Lawrence´s spring where Lawrence reputedly washed during the Arab Revolt. There are inscriptions on nearby rocks and a huge dune that took us forever to climb.
To wrap up the day tour in Wadi Rum, we drove to a great spot to watch the sunset and take incredible pictures. See by yourself!
Day 7
After digesting all the beauty from the day before in Wadi Rum, we stopped in the abandoned Hejaz railway station on our way to Aqaba. This railway once ran from Damascus to Medina, through the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia.
Trip details
Accommodation:
Beit Ali Lodge Camp. We enjoyed so much staying at this place, where we booked a lovely Bedouin house. The downside was that the heating didn’t work and it got really cold at night. This camp also had a gorgeous communal area where we had our meals every day, including fresh bread from the oven.
Transportation:
Our driver Shamil got us a deal with a friend of his who drove us around Wadi Rum.
Prep information:
This website includes a wide array of tips to plan your visit to the fascinating site of Wadi Rum.
