Looking into a trip to the Middle East? Make you sure know where is what, when you plan your route through Jordan.
In this guide we will show you where you can find Wadi Rum on a Jordan map, share with you a Wadi Rum map and introduce you to the most important sites for your Wadi Rum adventure.
Key Takeaways
- Jordan is a small country in the heart of the Middle East, bordering Israel, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia.
- Wadi Rum is located in the far south of Jordan, near the border with Saudi Arabia.
- Wadi Rum lies between the Aqaba province and the Jafr Sub-District in southern Jordan.
- Lawrence’s Spring is a natural spring in Wadi Rum, surrounded by scenic mountains and ancient rock inscriptions.
Table of Contents
Planning a Trip to Wadi Rum? This is Where to Stay in Wadi Rum
Check off your final Jordan preparations and book your stay in the Wadi Rum desert. From budget to luxury, these are 3 of the best hotels in Wadi Rum:
| Budget | Desert Guide Camp | starting from $20 per night | Click for availability and pricing. |
| Value | Shakria Bedouin Life Camp | starting from $28 per night | Click for availability and pricing. |
| Luxury | Memories Aicha Luxury Camp | starting from $211 per night | Click for availability and pricing. |
Jordan on the Map of the Middle East
Jordan is a relatively small country located in the heart of the Middle East. It borders Israel and Palestine in the West, Syria in the North as well as Iraq and Saudi-Arabia in the East and South.
Besides the iconic Jordan river, Jordan has access to two bodies of water: the Dead Sea in the West and the Red Sea in the South on the Gulf of Aqaba. Otherwise, the aride country is mostly covered by deserts such as the Wadi Rum desert.
Jordan stretches approximately 90.000 square kilometres (35,000 square miles) and houses around 11.5 million residents. Most of the Jordanians live in the big cities of the North such as Amman, Irbid and Zarqa.
Places like Wadi Musa (Petra), Aqaba on the Red Sea and the Wadi Rum desert are heavily frequented by domestic and international tourists. Wadi Rum itself is only inhabited by a couple of thousand Bedouins.
Wadi Rum on the Map of Jordan
Wadi Rum is the Arabic word for the “Valley of High Places”. On a map of Jordan, you will find the Wadi Rum Protected Area in the far South.
Wadi Rum is a designated protected area in Southern Jordan, that lays nestled between the Aqaba province, the Saudi-Arabian border and the Jafr Sub-District in the East. It has been recognised by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in the year 2011.
Wadi Rum is reachable from the North via the Jordan Valley Highway and the Desert Highway. You will be heading to Wadi Rum on one of the highways on the map marked in red, if you arrive to Jordan via from Queen Alia International Airport in Amman.
Tourists arriving to Jordan through Aqaba International Airport are a lot closer to Wadi Rum from the get-to. From Aqaba, only another 70 kilometres or one hour by car separate you from Wadi Rum Village, the main hub of the desert area. For detailed transfer information, check out this guide on how to get to Wadi Rum from Aqaba.
The Wadi Rum Protected Area
The Wadi Rum Protected Area in its modern form has existed since its first constitution in 1997. Its management as a protected area is aimed at conserving not only the natural value of the desert, but also its cultural value as a homeland of the Bedouins.
Wadi Rum was first settled well over 10,000 years ago. Up until today, it has been home to a number of distinct civilisations. The Nabataean peoples left some of the most fascinating traces including petroglyphs and inscriptions in the desert. Those same people went on to build the ancient stone city of Petra further North.
Today, the Wadi Rum desert is primarily inhabited by local Bedouin tribes, that used to live in and around Wadi Rum for many centuries. The biggest Bedouin tribe living in the Wadi Rum desert today is the Al-Zalabiah tribe that arrived in the 1980s.
The majority of the Bedouin community has adapted a semi-settled lifestyle and heavily relies on tourism today. While part of the community lives in Wadi Rum villages, other Bedouins offer guided tours, camping, hiking and climbing experiences to hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.
The Most Important Sites on the Wadi Rum Map
Looking at the Wadi Rum map, there is a number of notable places to be aware of on journey down South towards the heart of the Wadi Rum Desert.
These are some of the most important site you need to know when you visit Wadi Rum:
Wadi Rum Visitor Center
Before you can enter the actual Wadi Rum Protected Area, you will have to make a mandatory stop at the so-called Wadi Rum Visitor Center, located right on Wadi Rum Road at the Western edge of the Wadi Rum Desert.
At the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre, you will be asked to pay the entrance fee to the protected area. It is 5 JD per person, with free entrance for kids under 12. If you intend to enter the desert with your private car, another 25 JD will be charged. Note that Jordan Pass owners do not have to pay an extra fee for the entrance to the Wadi Rum desert.
It is also worth noting, that the Wadi Rum Visitor Center is the last place with an ATM before the desert. So, if you are planning to carry cash, make your withdrawals here.
Wadi Rum Village
Once you have arrived to Wadi Rum Village itself, you will most probably be asked by your hosts to meet that at Wadi Rum Rest House. The Wadi Rum Rest House is the official destination of buses and taxis alike. Wadi Rum Rest House provides free parking to every visitor of the Protected Area and serves as a meeting point for tourists and Bedouins.
Do your shopping in Wadi Rum Village as it is the last place to do so. Stock up on drinks and snacks, visit a restaurant for lunch and get your laundry taken care of in a laundry salon before heading deeper into the desert.
Depending on your phone provider and the location of your desert camp, the village will also be the last place with a reliable internet connection. So make sure, to send any texts and complete any Google searches from here.
Wadi Rum Desert Sites
Beyond Wadi Rum Village, you will have the unique opportunity to get to know the wonders of the Wadi Rum desert. One look at the Wadi Rum map will reveal to you, that the numerous sights are sprawled out all throughout the desert.
Therefore, we recommend you book a Full Day Tour of the desert, to make the most of your time there. Desert tours packages usually include the following sights: the Seven Pillars of Wisdom, Nabataean Temple, Lawrence‘s Spring, Al-Khazali Canyon, Small Sand Dune, Small Rock Bridge, Lawrence‘s House, Mushroom Rock, Burdah Rock Bridge, Abu Khashaba Canyon (Short Hike) and Umm Froth Rock Bridge.
Even more sights can be reached via hiking and rock climbing. Embark on one of the many hiking trails, scaling the Burdah Rock Bridge, Jebel Al-Hash or Jordan’s highest mountain, Jebel Umm Ad Dami. To explore parts of the region, that not even every local has seen, consider accepting the challenge of the Wadi Rum Trail.
The Wadi Rum Trail is the longest of the hiking trails in the desert and takes you deep into the desert where only few Bedouins live and camels venture. Completing the Wadi Rum Trail takes about a week and is usually done with the help of a local guide. Due to the local climate, completing this trail is only advised in the spring and after October. For detailed information, check out our Wadi Rum Trail Guide.
Stay in Wadi Rum: Sleep in a Desert Camp
If you are planning to spend the night in Wadi Rum, your best choice is to stay in a traditional-style Bedouin tent. Bedouin tents are available at a number of desert camps and have been build with Bedouin history in mind.
The traditional-style tents offer a refuge from the heat of the day and the cold of the night, while providing for a good night’s sleep. Additionally, Bedouin camps in Wadi Rum offer an interesting glimpse of Bedouin culture, serving Bedouin stable foods such as Zarb and Mansaf and offering presentations of Bedouin music and poetry.
Book accommodation, (group) tours and other activities such as transportation and camel rides, directly with the locals in advance for the best prices or simply book your desert camp in Wadi Rum on any booking website and arrange additional tours upon arrival.
For a budget-friendly stays, check out Desert Guide Camp in Wadi Rum. For more comfort, you can book a luxury tent at Desert Guide Camp, offering more space, air-conditioning, an ensuite bathroom and a private terrace. For a more luxurious Wadi Rum adventure, consider staying at Aicha Memories Luxury Camp, a desert camp with bubble tents.
The Bottom Line
The Wadi Rum desert ist a Protected Area and UNESCO World Heritage Site in Southern Jordan. It his nestled in the far East of the Aqaba province, close to the Jafr Sub-District in the East and the Saudi-Arabian border in the South.
Within the Wad Rum Protected Area, you can find the Wadi Rum Visitor Center, where you will pay your entrance fee, the Wadi Rum Rest House, where you will meet your camp host and a number of famous sites such as Lawrence’s Spring, Al-Kazali Canyon and Umm Frouth Bridge.
Hikers can summit Jordan’s highest mountain in Wadi Rum, Jebel Umm Ad Dami. Rock climbers can find great climbing routes on other mountains in Wadi Rum, such as Jebel Rum. In any case, we are sure that you will find plenty of things to do in Wadi Rum.
Frequently Asked Questions
What country is Wadi Rum Jordan in?
Wadi Rum is located in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Jordan is a country located in the Middle East. On a map, Wadi Rum is located in Southern Jordan. The Wadi Rum desert is nestled between the Aqaba and Jafr Districts as well as the Saudi-Arabian border.
How do I get to Wadi Rum Jordan?
Getting to Wadi Rum from other big cities such as Amman, Petra and Aqaba is possible via several modes of road transport. Consider renting a car for more flexibility, order a taxi for more safety or opt for a bus to save money on transportation costs.
What is the closest town to Wadi Rum?
The closest settlement outside of the Wadi Rum Protected Area is identified on a map as Aqaba. Aqaba is a port city in the shores of the Gulf of Aqaba and a popular destination for diving. Within the Wadi Rum desert, the largest settlement is the so-called Wadi Rum Village.
Is the Wadi Rum in Petra?
While Petra is located close to the modern town of Wadi Musa in the center of Jordan, Wadi Rum is located in the South of Jordan. Looking at the map, however, you will find out that Wadi Rum is easily connected to Petra and vice versa through a desert highway.
What is so special about Wadi Rum?
The combination of mountains and valley, sand and sandstone and history and culture, makes Wadi Rum one of the most unique places in the modern world. The Wadi Rum desert is home to amazing natural sights, historic remnants of millennia and a landscape that has served as a set for many movies.
