When searching for Wadi Rum online, they are impossible to miss: the bubble tents. Bubble tents, also known as domes, have become the influencers’ favourite destination in Wadi Rum. And granted, they seem like a great experience. But are they really worth the hype?
In this article, we will dive into Wadi Rum’s booming glamping niche, get to know the best luxury camps in the desert and find out if they are really worth their steep price tag. This is our “Glamping in the Wadi Rum Domes” guide.
Key Takeaways
- Wadi Rum’s Martian Domes offer a luxurious glamping experience with amenities like air conditioning, private bathrooms, and panoramic views of the desert night sky.
- Top glamping options include Sun City Camp, Memories Aicha Luxury Camp, and Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel, each varying in price, design, and guest ratings.
- Visitors can also choose more affordable traditional Bedouin or luxury tents and enjoy activities like jeep tours, camel rides, stargazing, and hiking in the unique desert landscape.
- Wadi Tribe offers all-inclusive desert experiences at a great price point. Book today for a worry-free experience in Wadi Rum.
- Key Takeaways
- What are Martian Domes of Wadi Rum?
- 5 Amenities You Can Expect from a Wadi Rum Dome
- The Best Glamping Hotels in Wadi Rum (2026)
- Alternatives to the Martian Tents of Wadi Rum
- 5 Activities You Can’t Miss Out On While in Wadi Rum
- The Bottom Line
- FAQs
What are Martian Domes of Wadi Rum?
The Wadi Rum desert in the South of Jordan first rose to fame because of its unusual aesthetic. The desert is dominated by red sand dunes and mesmerising rock formations. The red color of the sand is caused by oxidation, while the rock formations are a result of sandstone erosion. This unique mix made Wadi Rum not only a great tourist destination, but also the perfect backdrop for movies, especially such movies with otherworldly setting.
Throughout the years, the Wadi Rum desert has served as a set for multiple blockbuster Hollywood movies. Some of the most recent movies filmed Wadi Rum are ‘Dune’, ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’ and ‘The Martian’.
Eventually, desert camp providers started cashing in on Wadi Rum’s newly-gained role in sci-fi blockbusters and built the now-famous bubble tents or Martian Domes. These dome-shaped tents capture blend the otherworldly flair of those movies with a luxurious glamping experience. The perfect blend, right?
5 Amenities You Can Expect from a Wadi Rum Dome
The Wadi Rum domes are marketed as a glamping experience. In other words, camping but nicer. By now, there is more than a dozen of desert camps offered some variation of bubble tent accommodations. We compiled the most important amenities you can find in all of them.
These are five amenities you can expect to find in a Martian dome in Wadi Rum:
Luxury Tents with Panoramic Views
The Martian domes feature carefully-designed interrupts with high-quality furniture and amenities featuring twin beds and wi-fi. This sets the tone for a luxurious experience and creates the perfect setting for some instagramable photoshoot. The center piece of each bubble tent is the transparent roof offering unobstructed views of the night sky right from the comfort of your bed.
Air Conditioning
A luxurious experience wouldn’t be complete without air conditioning. While this might be a given in other locations, air conditioning units in Wadi Rum are far from the norm. After all, Wadi Rum is pretty much off the grid and all energy consumed has to be generated on-site with solar panels. Therefore, air conditioning is a huge selling point for any luxury tent in Wadi Rum.
En-suite Bathrooms
A similar case could be made for the private bathrooms the luxury tents offer. While traditional Bedouin tents do not have their own bathrooms, but rather access to a communal bathhouse, luxury tents feature their very own en-suite bathrooms equipped with a toilet, a shower and basic amenities to refresh after a long day of desert activities.
Private Terrace
Moreover, most Martian domes also feature their very own private terrace. As the tents can get quite hot in the heights of the Jordanian summer, the private terraces offer respite from daily activities and panoramic views without having to go into the tent altogether. Most terraces also features tables and chairs and cater towards guests’ special requests for tea, coffee and snacks.
Freshly-Cooked Meals
Talking about food and drinks, camps in Wadi Rum take great pride in provided freshly-cooked meals in Bedouin fashion. Bedouin food consists of the famous Zarb, meats and vegetables cooked underground, side dishes, salads, dips and bread served buffet-style. Breakfast and dinner are served in the communal dining area, while lunch is usually prepared and served in the desert during activities.
The Best Glamping Hotels in Wadi Rum (2026)
There is no shortage in providers of Martian tents in Wadi Rum. But which providers are really worth the hype? We evaluated some of Wadi Rum most popular luxury camps and identified the three best prices of Martian domes. For this, we evaluated their amenities, reviews and price tag.
These are the best glamping hotels in Wadi Rum in 2026:
Sun City Camp
Sun City Camp in Wadi Rum is a popular provider of Martian tents in Wadi Rum that stands out with great meals, cleanliness and intentional design. This desert camp features a mixed concepts of traditional Bedouin tents and domes, both intentionally designed and rigorously cleaned. Former guests especially liked the tasty meals and fair prices (around $320/night), earning Sun City Camp an overall rating of 9.2 out of 10 on Booking.com.
Memories Aicha Luxury Camp
The next camp, Memories Aicha Luxury Camp, is not only the most well-known luxury camp in Wadi Rum, but also the best-rated. In fact, most of the bubble tents you can see on Instagram are actually part of Memories Aicha Luxury Camp. Among former guests, this camp stands out with its original, traditional design, high-service level and extensive amenities such as coffee machines in each tent. This comes at a price though. Memories Aicha Luxury Camp clocks in at about $420/night, making it the most expensive desert camp on this list. On Booking.com, the camp is rated 9.4 out of 10.
Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel
While the other camps opt for a mixed setting of traditional tents and bubble tents, the Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel fully leans into the Martian theme. This creates the most authentic Martian experience out of all camps on this list. Other perks of this camp include beautifully designed rooms and private whirlpools on each terrace. According to some reviews, cleanliness and food freshness seem to be lacking, however, earning the camp a modest rating of 8.4 out of 10 on Booking.com. At $310/night, the Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel ranks as the cheapest out of the three hotels presented in this list.
Alternatives to the Martian Tents of Wadi Rum
While glamping hotels in Wadi Rum can be a great experience, their price tag of $200 to $300 per night, is not something every tourist is willing to pay. Fortunately, there are many more affordable alternatives in Wadi Rum.
These are two popular alternatives to the Martian domes of Wadi Rum and their perks:
Luxury Bedouin Tents – Glamping with a Traditional Flair
Luxurious experiences in Wadi Rum not only come in the shape of instagramable domes. Many desert camps also offer luxury tents that emulate the look of traditional Bedouin tents while still offering many of the benefits of a Martian dome. Luxury Bedouin tents offer spacious accommodations with private bathrooms, air conditioning and private terraces. In some cases, they also offer access to pool facilities.
The only thing the Luxury Bedouin tents are missing as compared to the domes are the huge transparent roofs. Bear in mind, however, that you can also enjoy stargazing from your private terrace, effectively offering you the same experience. Most importantly, the classic Luxury tents are much more affordable coming in at $50 to $150 per night.
Traditional Bedouin Tents – Desert Camping for Budget-Travelers
For the most unforgettable Bedouin experience in Wadi Rum, we highly reckoned staying in a traditional Bedouin tent however. These basic tents feature cozy one-room accommodations that offer basic amenities and traditional goat-hair insulation from the heat and the cold. Meals are shared in the communal dining area and toilets and showers are located ion the communal bathhouse.
While the traditional Bedouin tents offer a basic camping experience without many of the luxuries of the other accommodations, they still offer you an unforgettable experience at just $10 to $50 per night. Even when staying in a basic tent in Wadi Rum, you will get to enjoy exhilarating jeep tours and camel rides, free buffets for breakfast and dinner as well as clear views of the night sky for the front of your tent or the communal area.
5 Activities You Can’t Miss Out On While in Wadi Rum
Whether you are staying in a Martian dome, a luxury tent or a basic Bedouin tent, the main draw of Wadi Rum remains its otherworldy landscape. In fact, you will spend much more time on activities than in your rooms, so make sure you get them right.
These are five activities that you cannot miss out on when visiting Wadi Rum:
Going on a Jeep Tour
If you only have time for one activity in Wadi Rum, it has to be a Jeep Tour. Jeep Tours in Wadi Rum are the single-best way of getting to know the desert’s many mysteries. Full Day Jeep Tours, for example, include most of Wadi Rum’s most popular tourist sites from Lawrence’s Spring all the way to the desert’s best sunset spots in the White Desert.
Summiting Wadi Rum’s Highest Mountain
For any adventure seeker staying in Wadi Rum for at least two nights, the summit of Jabal Umm Ad Dami is a must. Jabal Umm Ad Dami is Wadi Rum’s highest peak standing tall at 1,854 meters. From the top, hikers can get a view of the Wadi Rum desert and part of bordering Saudi Arabia. On a good day, you can even look as far as the Jordan River and Palestine.
Going on a Camel Ride
Before jeeps, camels used to be the main mode of transport in Wadi Rum. Today, camels offer a slower, more relaxed way for tourists to get to know the Wadi Rum desert. Book a camel ride for a sunrise loop or make your return to Wadi Rum Village on the back of a camel – just like Lawrence of Arabia during the First Arab Revolt. To learn more about camel rides and ethical concerns, read our in-depth article on camel riding in Wadi Rum.
Exploring Wadi Rum from Above on a Hot Air Balloon Ride
If you have some room in your budget, make sure to ask your camp about Wadi Rum’s hot air balloon rides. Almost daily, balloons rise over the Wadi Rum desert at sunrise to offer some of the most exclusive views of the desert in the most peaceful setting. Out of all experiences, the hot air balloon rides are the most costly at around $200 per person.
Hiking the New Wadi Rum Trail
If you still have a week or so left on your Jordan itinerary, we encourage you to take part in one of Jordan’s newest outdoor activities: the Wadi Rum Trail. The Wadi Rum Trail is a newly inaugurated long-distance hiking trail circling the whole of the Wadi Rum Protected Area. Hikes are led by local Bedouin and take hikers to places of Wadi Rum that are rarely ever seen by outsider. Trekking the whole of the Wadi Rum Trail takes about a week. For more information on the trail and costs, check out our long-form introduction into the Wadi Rum Trail.
The Bottom Line
From Sun City Camp to the Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel, there are many great picks for a Martin experience in Wadi Rum. But while staying in a dome in the desert can be an great experience, we recommend also checking out other options such as traditional luxury tents and base Bedouin tents. After all, you are coming to Wadi Rum to discover its unique nature, history and culture. For this, you’ll hardly need an air-con unit or jacuzzi.
FAQs
What is so special about Wadi Rum?
The Wadi Rum desert is a UNESCO World Heritage featuring red sand dunes and eroded sandstone rock formations. Visitors come to explore it unique nature, history and culture. Recently, it gained attention for its role as a set in sci-fi movies such as ‘The Martian’.
Was Star Wars filmed in Wadi Rum?
Yes, some of the movies of the Star Wars franchise were either filmed in Wadi Rum or used some of its aesthetics to create their visuals. Some Star Wars movies filmed in Wadi Rum include Star Wars: Rogue One and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’.
How much is the balloon ride at Wadi Rum?
Hot air balloon rides over the Wadi Rum desert are considered on of the priciest activities in Wadi Rum. Recently, prices for the rides hovered around $200 per adult, with kids riding at discounted rates.
Was John Wick filmed in Wadi Rum?
Yes, the desert scene in ‘John Wick Chapter 4’ was filmed in the Wadi Rum desert. The red color of the sand and the eroded rock formations in the background give away the location of the set.
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