Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum: what to seewhat to do and other practical information
Together with Petra, Wadi Rum it is probably the most magnetistic destination in Jordanthe one that attracts the most tourists every year. And no wonder: it is a portion of desert that offers everything a traveler can expect: golden sand dunesrock formations of spectacular beautyservices for adventure activities and much more. On this page we tell you in depth what to see in Wadi Rumwhat is its historyhow to get here andmost importantly: what to do in Wadi Rum to enjoy an unforgettable experience.
Table of Contents
Where is Wadi Rum and what is its climate
Wadi Rum is a protected nature reserve located in southern Jordanwithin the territory of the Aqaba governorate. In factthat is the most important city in its surroundingsabout 60 km from what is considered its ‘gateway’: Shakaria. Howeverits central point is considered the village of Wadi Rumoften written as Wadi Rum Villageabout 70 km from Aqaba and where the paved road ends. About 7 km before reaching that town is the Visitor Centera mustwhere tickets are also taken.
It has an area of about 720 km2 (72,000 hectares)so its space is really large and unfathomable on foot. The translation of its name in Aramaic is “high valley” or “elevated valley”which helps us understand one of its geographical characteristics: its high altitudeat about 1,600 meters above sea level. Its highest point is Jbel um ad Damiat more than 1,850 meters above sea level.
Thistogether with its latitudeits very low rainfall regime and other conditions such as its great insolationleaves us with a typical desert climate: really scorching temperatures during the day in the warm monthsto descend sharply at nightbecoming absolutely freezing in winter. Thereforein summer it is essential to have adequate protection against the sun and heat (watersunscreensunglassesetc.) and in winter it is essential to have thermal clothing and coatincluding gloves and hat.
Howeverthere is one particular feature worth highlighting: the existence of siqs or rocky canyons creates shaded areasin some cases throughout the dayfunctioning as authentic microclimatic islands where you can rest from the heat and enjoy the viewas they allow the emergence of an almost miraculous flora of shrubs and trees that seem to grow directly from the rock.
A bit of history
Although today it seems a really hostile place for lifewhere only the courage of the Bedouin people makes them surviveWadi Rum It was actually a much more human-friendly place from an environmental and climate point of view. And proof of this is the rich history behind it.
Millennia agoit was an area rich in springs and wellsand in fact the Greeks and Romans spoke of its pine forestsvineyards and olive grovesnow disappeared but which allow the visitor to get an idea of how different the landscape was here.
But the best signnever better saidof the civilizations that lived here or paraded are their petroglyphs (drawings engraved on the stone) and inscriptions on the rock. It is estimated that there are about 30,000some of which are most fascinating. The first tribes to do so probably came from Arabiaknown as Zamudiswho made inscriptions in the Zamudic languageand the Nabataeans took the baton: this peoplewho had their ‘capital’ in Petraleft here testimonies of their worship of divinities such as Dushara and Allat.
There are also numerous burial mounds in Wadi Rumindicating that this was not simply a place of passagebut that there were permanent and stable settlements. In additionthe importance of hunting in this nature reserve is demonstratedas well as the extraction of minerals in the time of King Solomonfor example.
With the passage of centuries and the sharpening of its extreme climatethis place came under the management of the Bedouin tribesthe only ones that have proven capable of surviving in such a harsh environment. They always did it with their nomadic lifealthough today they have opted for a more stable and sedentary wayas evidenced by the establishment of some families in the village of Wadi Rum.
Lawrence of Arabia and the Arab Rebellion
But without a doubtWadi Rum is so famous today thanks to the ‘promo’ of one of the most successful films in Hollywood: Lawrence of Arabia. The film narrates the participation of Thomas Edward Lawrence in the Arab Rebellion of 1917a key character in that historical episode for Jordanalthough he may have been disproportionately exalted to take advantage of his media and tourist pull.
Be that as it maythis British archaeologistwriter and soldier soon joined the cause promoted by King Hussein bin Aliwhose great aspiration was to create an Arab state independent of the Ottoman Empire. He fought in the armies of Emir Faysal and felt one more (and dressed as such) of that epic that is considered the germ of the later Arab state of Jordan.
His great contribution wasin factthe book The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. : although it is an autobiographyit served to make known in the West the ins and outs of the Arab Rebellion. And in some passages of the work are described places of Wadi Rumwho have helped forever unite the name of Thomas Edward Lawrence with this nature reserve.
What to see in Wadi Rum
Contrary to what you might thinkthere is a lot to see in Wadi Rum. Despite being a desertthe rich history of this place means that there are also corners worth visiting from an archaeologicalartistic and ethnological point of view. Not surprisinglythis place was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2011.
Most things to see in Wadi Rum They are naturalespecially geologicalas they are like whimsical formations in granite and sandstone. But there are also man-made ‘works’ worth dwelling on. We group them according to their theme:
- Rock bridges: they are one of the most recurrent postcardsso you can not miss in this list of things to see in Wadi Rum. They have been created by differential wind erosionwhich acts differently in granite and sandstone. The most famous are the Little Rockthe um Fruth andabove allthe Burdah bridgesince its ‘arch’ is about 80 meters above the ground.
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Siqs
or cannons: as we saidWadi Rum has a wide variety of
siqs
and rocky canyonswhich can be explored on foot or by camel in a pleasant way thanks to its shade and its greater sensation of freshness in summer. These are the most important:
- Khazali Canyon: is a fissure that goes into the Jbel Khazali. It has a length of about 150 meterswith great wealth of petroglyphs (ostrichesa woman in childbirthetc.)
- Makharas Canyon: Goes Deep into the Seven Pillars of Wisdom
- Barrah Canyon: one of the longestas it has a length of about 5 km
- Khazareh Canyon: Enters the Jbel um Al Ishirn
- Rakhabat Canyoninside the same mountain (Jbel um Al Ishirn)
- um Tawaqi Canyon: famousamong other reasonsfor recent rock-cut portraits of Lawrence of Arabia and other characters of the Arab Rebellion
- Dunes: when someone thinks of the desertespecially a desert as iconic as Wadi Rumhe usually visualizes in his mind large expanses of dunesthat is‘seas’ of fine golden sand that take the form of hills or mounds according to the whims of the wind. In Wadi Rumto be honestit is not the most common landscapebut there is no shortage of them either. We can highlight those that are created on the Jbel um Ulaydiyyaof a reddish color. It forms a natural slope that can be climbed on foot
- Archaeological sites and petroglyphs: they are testimonies of the passage and settlement of men from different eras in Wadi Rum. They often concentrate on the ‘friendlier’ parts of the reservesuch as its canyonsbut there are also other signs of ancient human life elsewhere. These include:
- Petroglyphs of Jbel um Al Ishrinon the western face. They represent animalsbut there is also Kufic script
- Alameleh petroglyphs: they are among the most striking and best preservedwith hunting scenescamel caravans and Nabataean inscriptions
- Nabataean temple: located on a hill around the village of Wadi Rum. It is believed that it could have been built in the first centuries BC-I ADand would be dedicated to the goddess Allat. It may seem like another archaeological sitein which you have to have some imagination to understand what it wasbut its importance lies in the fact that it demonstrates the existence of a permanent Nabataean settlement.
- Lawrence’s House: although theoretically inhabited by Lawrencelittle remains of the buildingwhich was built on the ruins of an earlier Nabataean construction
- Museums and visitable spaces: there is nothing more to see than Wadi Rum It is a place very little modified by manwhere modern constructions are practically testimonialvery small. Howeverthere are some small spaces to interpret the environmentwhich are worth visiting. Especially:
- Visitor Center Museum: This visitor welcome space features a small museum that tells the human and environmental history of Wadi Rumwith information panels and an explanatory video in a screening room
- Train station locomotives: time seems to have stopped on these railswhich were part of the only line of the Hijaz railwayan Ottoman project of the early twentieth century. The locomotives and wagons that rest here were restored only to be exhibited to visitorswho can enter them and take some vintage photos.
- Mountains and viewpoints: scattered throughout the reserve are spectacular mountains that rise towering over the plain. Climbing to its summits or to strategic points halfway up the slope has a prize: the panoramic views of the surroundings. Highlight:
- Seven Pillars of Wisdom: probably the most iconic mountain in the reserveas its proximity to the Visitor Center makes everyone see it. In additionits unique shapein what looks like a seven-part accordion bellowsearned it the name of Seven Pillars of Wisdomin honor of the book written by T.E. Lawrencekey to publicizing this place in the West.
- Jbel Rum: rises more than 1,750 meters above sea level and receives this name because it rises above the main population of the reserve. It is very popular with climbers
- Jbel um Al Ishrin: very close to the Seven Pillars of Wisdomit attracts attention because it seems to have 20 domes or domes of rock
- Jbel Qatar: on its slopes are some of the best viewpoints from which to see Wadi Rumespecially during sunset
- Fountains and springs: finding water in such an arid place always produces a special feeling. In two points of the reserve you can live this emotion:
- Ain Shalaaleh or Lawrence Lookoutwhich owes its name to an evocative description of the British archaeologist and military
- Ain Abu Aineh: is a channeled natural source that has been used for thousands of yearsand still today gives water to camels and other Bedouin animals
Things to do in the Wadi Rum Desert
As you can imaginethere is not only a lot to see in Wadi Rum: there is also a lot What to do. Wadi Rum It is a space with an extraordinary variety of experiences to make you feel in harmony with this overwhelming but welcoming space at the same time.
Some proposals require a special physical formsince they are adventure sportsbut in other cases they are suitable for all types of travelers. This is a list of proposals what to do in Wadi Rumvery popular among its visitors.
- 4×4 excursions and motor vehicles: it is the fastest way to move from one place to another in the reserve. But at the same timeit is an experience in itselfespecially if it is vehicles associated with the adrenaline of speed and off-roadsuch as quads
- Camel excursions: it is not exactly a fast meansbut it is the most traditional of allas it has been (and still is) used by the Bedouins since time immemorial. It is a good option to move around the reserve without fatiguealthough a route of more than 4 hours can be somewhat uncomfortable
- Horseback riding: another option to move in a sustainable and traditional way around Wadi Rum. Howeverit is required to have some experience in horse riding
- Hiking trails: despite probably being the slowest and most tiring optionit is the best to reach the most remote corners of Wadi Rum. Howeverit is advisable to be well equipped and be farsightedespecially on very hot days. It is also advisable to have a guide to help with orientationcalculation of times and places what to see in Wadi Rum
- Climbing: The almost perfect and vertical walls are a challenge (and a dream) for the most traveled climbers. It is advisable to have expert monitors who indicate which are the routes to travel. You can also practice a less technical modality: scramblingalthough it is advisable not to underestimate the danger of promotions
- Hot Air Balloons: Wadi Rum is one of the few places where you can take a balloon ride in Jordan. And besidesit’s probably the best place to do it. Observing the immensity of the desert and the capricious geological formations are an activity difficult to forget. Walks usually last 2 hours
- Meditation experiences: Few places are as inspiring in the world as a desert. And Wadi Rum It brings it all together for a complete meditation experience. Hand in hand with monitors specialized in spiritual exercisesparticipants absorb the energy of the environmentwhere silence reigns and the stillness necessary to find oneself
- Camping in Bedouin tents: anywhere else in the worldstaying overnight is simply a physiological procedure necessary to rest. But in Wadi Rum It is another attraction of the tripsince it allows the traveler to feel like a Bedouin more. The experience is more enriching ifin additiontraditional Bedouin activities are carried out: tea and typical desert foodmusic performancesetc.
- Stargazing: Thanks to virtually zero light pollution and almost always cloud-clear skiesstargazing is one of the best things to do in Wadi Rum
How to get to Wadi Rum
Tourism has put Wadi Rum on the front pageso it is easy to get here with private transport from other parts of the countrydespite the very small number of inhabitants who live in this place and its surroundings.
For those who want to get to Wadi Rum as soon as possible from another countrythe fastest is to fly to Aqaba: this Jordanian city located on the shores of the Red Sea has its own international airportmainly with charter and seasonal flightsand is about 75 km from Wadi Rum Villagewhich is about an hour’s drive. Aqababy the waycan also be reached by boat: by private catamarans from Taba and by ferry from Nuweibaboth cities in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
Many more air routesespecially regular onesoffer the Queen Alia International Airport of Ammanalthough its distance from this nature reserve is much greater: almost 300 kmwhich is about 3 and a half hours by road. This is a list of placesdistances and routes that will serve as an orientation if you are going to schedule your trip on your own:
- Aqaba: 70 km1 hour
- Wadi Musa (Petra): 115 km2 hours
- Shobak: 150 km2 hours
- Karak: 260 km3 hours and 15 minutes
- Madaba: 300 km3 hours and 45 minutes
- Dead Sea (Swemeh): 340 km4 hours
- Amman: 320 km4 hours
- Jerash: 360 km4 and a half hours
- East Desert Castles: 400 km4 and a half hours
As far as public transport is concernedthe only viable option is the bus: JETT includes Wadi Rum in its route networkconnecting it with Petra (Wadi Musa) and Aqaba. Beyond thatan independent traveler can only arrange a taxi from Aqaba.
Minibuses leaving Aqaba and heading north on the Desert Road and King’s Roads do not usually reach the heart of the Wadi Rum reservebut simply stop at the Rashidiyah junction.
As we have said beforethere is a train station in Wadi Rumbut the trains that are parked there are only locomotives and museum cars: they do not transport passengersthey do not even move to carry goods.
Other practical information
In Wadi Rum There is a modern visitor center that is multifaceted: here you can buy the ticket to access the nature reservereceive informationarrange excursionsmanage accommodation in the reservehire guideseat in its restaurantbuy local crafts in its shop or visit its museumwhich includes a small cinema where a documentary is projected. It also has public toilets.
A few kilometers before reaching this pointin Shakariais the police station that serves the area. Meanwhilethe nearest petrol station is outside the perimeter of the nature reserveon the road linking Shakaria to Disah.
Plan your trip to the Wadi Rum Desert
