Camping in Wadi Rum - a trip to Mars

Even though Jordan is a small country, and most parts of it are deserted, but it has for sure some places and sites that you cannot see on other countries, In fact, most of my long - Jordan Day tours - visitors have noticed the dramatically change from one place to another , like when starting from Amman , around 1000 meters above sea level , with moderate temperature , moving to the dead sea area , where we need to go down for around 1400 meters , and the temperature gets up in less than an hour more than 10c,

driving for couple hours through Jordan valley highway, and gets up once again through unbelievable mountains structure, passing through some of the natural reserves , and keep driving through the desert highway , till we reach finally one of the best places ever in Jordan for relaxing, feeling and watching the beautiful desert nature , I mean Wadi Rum or Rum Valley …

Wadi Rum Camping:

Wadi Rum is my favorite place in Jordan , and camping in Wadi Rum is not just go and camp, choosing the right place to create camp starts even from home and before doing anything else, using of the modern technology like the Internet will save a lot of your time and efforts in finding wright places for camping, and I mean particularly using of Google earth to find some of the spots that normally  takes long time to find it on the ground, preparing camp tools, equipment, away-from-civilization or life-necessity materials like water, food, even wood for fire (the only thing that we won t be able to take with us is the Bathroom ... driving off road through the desert to reach the camp area, preparing the camp area, setting the tents,  setting the campfire and setting area, securing camp perimeter, and a lot of things more than that you need to be aware off … it s not that easy process, but when you start doing it, you will love every piece of it ,,, maybe just like me ….

Find your camp spot:

It s possible for sure to find the good spot by roving in the desert, and moving from a canyon to another, but this is the hard way in my opinion, especially when you will be moving in a wide area like Wadi Rum, and if you are coming from far away area like me, and I was not porn or even lived on that area, then this going to be a tough and time consuming process, unless you will be enjoying roving the area , and for sure this a joyful event, but time always is the line separator and you need to find your site before it gets dark, in order to set your camp while there is some light. Using of a GPS device is highly recommended and it will help a lot for sure, to be more precise on that, you can’t move on a wide area like rum valley without using such device, on all our trips to the valley I used to pick my spot on Google Earth on my ipad, and keep the application open, because there would be no Data signal on the valley but the GPS on the device will be working, so you will be able to know your location and where are you going.

Prepare your camping tools :

Tell someone of your plans – give details of where you are going and when you expect to return, give directions and possible alternative roads that you may take, provide cell phone numbers, vehicle description and license plate numbers,  and provide local authority phone numbers (Local  Police station.) for the county or area that you will be in.

Additional First Aid Tips

• Take a First Aid class and a CPR class – keep current on this information
• Keep supplies in a well marked, durable, waterproof container
• Keep the contents organized
• Know how to use everything in your first aid kit
• Inspect content often, re-supply as needed
• Keep readily available at all times

Wadi Rum : One of the world’s outstanding desert landscapes… situated in the friendly and peaceful nation of Jordan … truly breathtaking scenery and a chance to experience desert life and Bedouin culture, which offers spectacular vistas of towering cliffs and bold rock formations etched by erosion into other-worldly forms.

Lawrence of Arabia was a well-known visitor to the Wadi Rum, and there are a number of sites here associated with him through tradition or historical proof. But generally there is little in the way of construction, or even vegetation, with only the nomadic Bedouins able to scratch an existence out of the red desert sands.

A maze of monolithic rocks capes rise up from the desert floor to heights of 1750 m creating a natural challenge for serious mountaineers’ .Hikers can enjoy the tranquility of the boundless empty spaces and explore the canyons and water holes to discover 4000-year-old rock drawing and the many other spectacular treasures this vast wilderness holds in store

Wadi Rum Activities : Wadi Rum Camping , Rum Jeep Tours , Trekking & Hiking

Location of Wadi Rum :

Wadi Rum lies in the south western corner of Jordan 58 kilometers north of the coastal town of Aqaba. It can be reached easily by main roads from Amman (3.5hrs), Aqaba (1hr) and Petra (1.5hrs). Car-hire and bus tours can be arranged through hotels and travel agents and taxis can be negotiated from Aqaba and Petra. Daily internal air-flights operate between Amman and Aqaba.

Public transport is very limited and information has to be researched. Rum is a protected area covering 720 square kilometers of dramatic desert wilderness in the south of Jordan. Huge mountains of sandstone and granite emerge, sheer-sided, from wide sandy valleys to reach heights of 1700 meters and more. Narrow canyons and fissures cut deep into the mountains and many conceal ancient rock drawings etched by the peoples of the desert over millennia. Bedouin tribes still live among the mountains of Rum and their large goat-hair tents are a special feature of the landscape

Recognizing the unique natural and cultural history of Wadi Rum and the vital importance of tourism to the local economy, the government of Jordan declared Wadi Rum a protected area in 1998. With support from the World Bank they commissioned the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, a national NGO, to prepare conservation and build a team of local people to manage the area. This team is now under the Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority and is pioneering ways to restore and safeguard Rum s sensitive desert habitats from ever-increasing human pressure.

Things to see & Do in Wadi Rum:

You can explore Wadi Rum in several ways: by jeep, by camel, by horse or on foot (hiking) and you can stay overnight in a Bedouin tent and gaze at the amazing panoply of stars.

Jeep tours: Is the quickest way to see the well-known scenic and archaeological sites. There are 19 of these sites of interest and it is possible to visit any combination in a single tour. Tours start from the visitor centre, where you can choose one of 9 tour packages, lasting from 2 hours to full day. Longer trips can be arranged. Most vehicles are pick-up trucks operated by local Bedouin cooperatives. They are characterful and fun but only have modest levels of comfort. Private 4 x 4 vehicles and tour company fleet-vehicles can enter Rum, provided they follow all regulations.

Camel rides: are a popular activity and short trips can be arranged on demand from the visitor centre., which last between 1hr to full day. Overnight trips and long treks are possible on request. A small number of operators offer pre-booked horseback tours.

Wadi rum camps:All our Bedouin Tents are weather proof and will keep you cool in summertime and warm in winter. The goat hair design is unique and will provide you with a very comfortable sleep. All rooms have a bed, mattress, and blanket and are fitted with power points and lights with power from our solar panels. The tents all have one door and a window with amazing views of the surrounding desert. Inside the tent have nice patterns on the walls and ceiling. All tents are located within 100m of the main communal tent where you will eat your meals and hangout with others.

This is a stupendous, timeless place, virtually by humanity and its destructive forces. Here, it is the weather and winds that have carved the imposing,towering skyscrapers, so elegantly described by T.E Lawrence as “ vast , echoing and God-like…”

A visit to the Wadi Rum desert is an experience everyone should have in their lifetime,,