Aqaba Governorate, southern Jordan · Jordan
A red-sand valley of sandstone towers, rock bridges and Bedouin camps, where the sky at night is the main attraction.
Photo: Peter Chisholm · CC0
Wadi Rum, also called the Valley of the Moon, is a protected desert in the far south of Jordan. Its floor is deep red sand, and its walls are sandstone and granite cliffs that rise 500 metres or more, weathered into arches, bridges and canyons. It was inscribed as a UNESCO mixed cultural and natural site in 2011.
The area has been inhabited for thousands of years, and rock carvings and inscriptions from the Thamudic and Nabataean periods survive along the valleys. Its modern fame comes from T. E. Lawrence, who used it as a base during the Arab Revolt of 1917–18 and wrote about it in Seven Pillars of Wisdom, and from a long list of films shot here, including Lawrence of Arabia and, more recently, The Martian and Dune.
Today the desert is home to Bedouin communities who run the camps and jeep tours, which are the main way to visit. It is touristy in the best sense: there is a real infrastructure, the guides are usually local, and the scenery is large enough to absorb hundreds of visitors without feeling crowded.
Why visit
Wadi Rum is not a place you look at from a car window. It is a place to spend a night.
Sandstone mountains rise straight out of flat red sand, and the valleys are so wide that you can drive for an hour without leaving the scenery.
With almost no light pollution, the Milky Way is visible for much of the year, and a clear night here is one of the best places for stargazing in the region.
Local families run the camps and tours, and you eat what they eat: tea, bread and a dinner from a sand oven. The hospitality is part of the experience.
Jeep tours, camel rides, guided canyon scrambles, rock-bridge climbs and even hot-air balloon flights at sunrise, in the right conditions.
A little under two hours from Petra and about an hour from Aqaba, so it fits easily into the classic loop.
Main attractions
Most tours combine several of these in a half-day or full-day jeep circuit. Ask what your route includes before you book.
A tall sandstone massif with seven rounded towers, named after T. E. Lawrence's book, though the book has no connection to this particular rock. It is visible from the village and a standard photo stop.
Tip Light is best in the early morning or late afternoon.
A natural spring on the flank of Jabal Umm Ishrin, said to have been used by Lawrence. There is a short climb to a good view over the desert and the village.
Tip The climb takes about 20 minutes. The water is not safe to drink.
A narrow slot in the rock with ancient Nabataean and Thamudic carvings on the walls, and standing water after rain. It is short, easy and well worth the walk.
Tip Go early or late, as it is in shade for only part of the day.
A natural arch about 80 m above the desert floor, the highest in Wadi Rum. It is reached by a guided scramble over sandstone, and it is a highlight for confident walkers.
Tip Guides are essential. The route includes steep sections, so wear sturdy shoes.
A photogenic rock bridge, low enough to climb onto with a scramble, that is on the standard jeep circuit. Nearby Um Ishrin is one of the highest peaks in the area.
Tip Ask your guide to time the stop for the best light.
A steep dune of red sand that visitors climb for the view and roll or slide down for fun. It is a fixture of every half-day tour.
Tip Bring a scarf for the wind and take off your shoes for the climb.
The entry point for the protected area, where you buy tickets, meet your guide and find basic supplies. The village of Rum has a few shops and cafés.
Tip Your Jordan Pass includes entry to the area, but not the jeep tour.
Things to do
The desert is designed for slow travel, and the best experiences involve a guide and a bit of time.
Local guides run half-day, full-day and multi-day tours in 4x4 pickups, covering the main sights and some quieter valleys. Fixed prices per vehicle are posted at the visitor centre.
Tip A full day gives a comfortable amount of time and a much better sense of the desert.
Camps range from basic goat-hair tents with shared bathrooms to 'bubble' domes and private cabins. Dinner is usually zarb, and the night sky is the point of staying.
Tip Winter nights are near freezing, so check heating and blankets. Camps in the desert proper are quieter than ones close to the village.
The sand turns orange and pink and the shadows lengthen. Guides know the best viewpoints, and it is worth timing your day around them.
Tip Climb a rock in the late afternoon and stay for the colours.
A camel trek is a slower way to see the desert, from a one-hour ride to a multi-day trek. It is a genuine Bedouin form of transport, and a fun way to spend a morning.
Tip Book through your camp or the visitor centre, and expect sore legs after a long ride.
Wadi Rum has world-class sandstone climbing and scrambling, from easy walks to multi-pitch routes led by local guides.
Tip Only go with an experienced guide.
Balloon flights operate at sunrise in suitable weather and give a view over the whole valley. They are an expensive treat and dependent on wind.
Tip Book in advance and have a backup plan if the weather turns.
Local food
Food in Wadi Rum is Bedouin cooking, based on meat, rice, bread and tea, and it is eaten in camps. You are unlikely to eat anywhere else.
A whole meal of chicken or lamb with vegetables, cooked in a sealed pit oven in the sand for a couple of hours and dug up before dinner. It is a Bedouin speciality.
Where to try it Most camps serve it as the evening meal; ask in advance.
Flat bread baked in the embers of a fire or on a hot metal dome. It is served with dips and oil.
Where to try it At breakfast in camps, warm from the fire.
Black tea brewed with sage, sugar and sometimes cardamom, poured throughout the day. It is the standard welcome.
Where to try it Everywhere; refusing it once is acceptable, twice is unusual.
Hummus, moutabal, tomato and cucumber salads, and grilled vegetables usually come with the main dish.
Where to try it At camps and the few restaurants in Rum village.
Lamb in a dried-yoghurt sauce, served on rice. It is sometimes on offer if you ask a camp in advance.
Where to try it Ask your camp when you book.
Dates, oranges and bananas are common as a dessert or a snack. Dates are traditional for breaking a fast in Ramadan.
Where to try it At camps and in the shops in Rum village.
Accommodation
Almost everyone sleeps in a camp in the desert, and camps vary more in style than in price. Choose by location and by what is included.
Transport
Wadi Rum is about 60 km from Aqaba and 110 km from Petra. It has no train and limited public transport.
Inside the reserve, you need a local guide and a 4x4 vehicle.
When to go
Wadi Rum is a desert. Spring and autumn are warm by day and cool at night, summer is extremely hot, and winter is cold and can be wet.
Warm, clear days and pleasant evenings. Some wildflowers after winter rain, and the busiest season.
Day temperatures often exceed 38°C and can reach the mid-40s, with no shade. Tours run early morning and late afternoon, and camps are much quieter.
Warm days, cool nights and long, clear evenings. October and November are ideal for stargazing.
Cold at night, sometimes near or below freezing, with occasional rain and even snow. Bring warm clothes and check what your camp provides.
Worth planning around: The middle of the day in summer, and the days after heavy rain, when tracks can be closed.
Itinerary
A jeep circuit on the first day and a night in the desert, followed by a slow morning and a sunrise walk. Assumes an overnight camp.
Meet your guide and see the highlights.
A slow start and an easy drive out.
Travel tips
A few practical points make the difference between a good night in the desert and a great one.
FAQ
One night is the minimum and works well, giving you an afternoon jeep tour, a sunset and a sunrise. Two nights lets you add a camel trek or a guided scramble.
Yes, for most visitors. The scenery is exceptional and the experience of a Bedouin camp is unusual and memorable. It is touristy, but the scale of the landscape absorbs the crowds.
Yes. Jeep tours and guided walks are the only permitted way to explore the interior, and it is easy to get lost. Book at the visitor centre or through your camp.
In winter, temperatures can fall to 0°C or below. Even in spring and autumn, nights are cool. Camps provide blankets, but bring a warm layer.
The Jordan Pass includes entry to the protected area, but not the jeep tour or accommodation. Check the current terms.
Yes, from Aqaba or Petra. You will see the main sights, but you will miss the sunrise, sunset and stars, which are the best part.
Keep exploring
Places that pair well with Wadi Rum, whether you have a few spare days or are building a longer route.
Ma'an Governorate, southern Jordan, Jordan
The Nabataean capital that the desert hid from the West for centuries, with tombs, temples, a theatre and a colonnaded street cut from the sandstone of a hidden valley.
Don't miss The Monastery — an 800-step climb to a rock-cut facade almost as large as the Treasury, with a fraction of the crowd.
Explore Destination — PetraAqaba Governorate, southern Jordan, Jordan
A relaxed Red Sea port city with warm winters, coral reefs, a Mamluk fort and a good base for Wadi Rum and Petra.
Don't miss Diving or snorkelling a coral reef in the morning, and standing in the Wadi Rum desert by the evening.
Explore Destination — AqabaTafilah Governorate, southern Jordan, Jordan
A protected reserve of mountains, canyons and desert with an Ottoman-era village, a range of wildlife and Jordan's best walking.
Don't miss The Dana–Feynan trail, a one-way descent of about 16 km through changing landscapes to an eco-lodge lit only by candles and solar power.
Explore Destination — Dana Biosphere ReserveRead next
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