Wadi Rum
I chose to visit Wadi rum as a day trip as it is only a 40 minute drive from Wadi Musa and, while this was an incredible day, on reflection this was a big mistake. Wadi Rum is a huge protected area of vast desert scattered with mountains, arches and chasms which is impossible to see as an excursion but perfect for a one night stopover.
Where to stay
There are plenty of options when it comes to deciding where and what type of accommodation you want to stay in with more and more to chose form every year. With that being said choosing to visit sooner rather than later may turn out to be a good call as the area could lose some of its appeal as more tourists begin to find out about the destination.
The main choice is whether to stay in a more traditional style bedouin camp with local people or in a more luxurious camp with the ‘bubble tents’. This will depends greatly on what you want to get out of the experience be it luxury stargazing from the comfort of your bed or a communal dinner eating traditionally cooked food around a campfire.
Wherever you chose to stay make sure you are in contact with them before hand so that they can meet you in rum village and guide you right from the start.
Guided Tours
Most tours around the Wadi rum area cover the same 10 or so attractions but vary in the length of time you spend at each, what time of the day they take you and which order you go around. Make sure to have a think about what interests you most and speak with your guide to see what they can do to accommodate your requests. In general the longer the tour you book the more flexible your guide will be when it comes to what they will take you to. Some of the highlights are:
Natural archways – there are several such archways you can see with the most accessible being the little arch as this is the closest to Rum village and easiest to climb. The most impressive arch in my opinion is the Um Frouth arch but seeing this will require a longer tour as it is further form Rum village
Lawrence Spring and house – popularised because of their history and inclusion in the film Lawrence of Arabia these are some of the busiest sights in Wadi Rum but honestly quite underwhelming
Khazali canyon – A very narrow natural canyon close to Rum village with ancient petroglyphs inscribed on its walls. the canyon is impressive but not traversable for the vast majority of people
Abu Khashaba Canyon – A far grander canyon which allows visitors to trek through from one side all the way to the other. This canyon is a must see in Wadi Rum
Jabal Umm Ad Dami – The highest peak in Jordan is located in the south of Wadi Rum and offers spectacular views across Jordan and Saudi Arabia from sun rise to sunset.
