Wadi Rum

History

Culture

Maps

Photo Gallery

Flora and Fauna

Weather and Clothing

Dazzling in it's natural beauty, Wadi Rum epitomizes the romance of the desert. With it's "moonscape" of ancient valleys and towering sandstone mountains rising out of the sand, Wadi Rum is also home to several Bedouin tribes who live in scattered camps throughout the area. Climbers attracted to Wadi Rum because of it's sheer granite and sandstone cliffs, while hikers enjoy it's vast empty spaces.

Wadi Rum is the best-known because of it's connection with the enigmatic British officer T.E. Lawrence, during the Great Arab Revolt of 1917-18. Much of David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia was filmed in Wadi Rum. The main route to Wadi Rum, and the small village of Rum, branches east off the Desert Highway about five kilometers south of Quweira and 25 kilometers north of Aqaba. From there the road extends about 35 kilometers through the desert to end at Rum. It is best to take your own car to Rum, as public transport to the village is difficult. The village consists mainly of several hundred Bedouin inhabitants with their goat-hair tents and concrete houses, a school, a few shops and the headquarters of the famous Desert Patrol.

There are several choices available for exploring Wadi Rum. At the Government Rest House, found just inside the village, you can rent out a four-wheel-drive jeep with a Bedouin driver for short or longer day tours of the area. Also available are camels, which you can hire for short excursions or for the desert trip to Aqaba. The only accommodations in Rum are in the Government Rest House, where tents are available.

For those with a bit more time and sense of adventure, the best way to see Wadi Rum is by hiking and camping in it. Indeed, the vast silence and grandeur of the landscape best experienced on foot. All you need for hiking in Wadi Rum is plenty of water (at least 2-3 liters by day), some food, good shoes and a sleeping bag. Those with a four-wheel drive, a map and plenty of fuel can see more of the landscape, while saving their energy for spectacular hikes such as the Rock Bridge of Burdah, one of Wadi Rum's most popular attractions.
True adventurers can test their skills and endurance by climbing Jordan's highest mountain, Jabal Rum. The climb is a grueling and treacherous challenge should be attempted by those of stout heart and indomitable will.