Wadi Rum - stupendous cliffs and slanted ladders of hazy fires

Wadi Rum is a dramatic desert landscape with beautiful rock formations in Jordan's south. Visitors can enjoy a Jeep tour to astonishing rock bridges or enjoy silence and pure nature during a hike or on back of a camel. A wonderful experience is to spend a night under the starry sky in the wadi.

Wadi Rum is the largest wadi in Jordan, and has been inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric times, including the Nabateans leaving their mark in the form of rock inscriptions and temples. Still several Bedouin tribes with a semi-nomadic lifestyle inhabit Rum. The village of Wadi Rum is the headquarter of the Desert Patrol.

Wadi Rum is popular abroad due to the British officer T. E. Lawrence, who based his operations here during the Arab Revolt of 1917–18. The movie "Lawrence of Arabia" was partly filmed here. In the 1980s one of the impressive rock formations in Wadi Rum was named "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" in memory of Lawrence's book. Famous landmarks are also the rock bridges Burdah and Um Frouth, the Khazali Canyon with its rock inscriptions and a large sand dune area.

The easiest way to discover the area is by a 4x4 Jeep tour, lasting from two to eight hours. Other options are camel and horse riding, trekking and climbing. You find here Jabal Rum (1754 metres), the second highest peak, and close to the Saudi border Jabal Um Adaami with 1840 meters, the highest peak in Jordan. Popular are overnights in Bedouin styled tents, to get a glimpse of nomadic life and to spend a night under the outstanding desert sky in Wadi Rum or the neighboring area Disi.

No matter what your choice is always remember Wadi Rum is a desert, with high temperatures in summer and various temperatures between daytime and night. So for camping always keep in mind warmer clothes.