Any good Jordan trip either starts or ends with a visit to the Wadi Rum National Park. Along with tourist magnets like Petra and Jerash, there is simply no way you come out to Jordan and not visit Wadi Rum. 

In this article, we will share with you what you need to know to plan your trip to the Wad Rum Protected Area. In 2023, we visited the desert ourselves and stayed with the Bedouin for three whole weeks. Throughout our stay, we collected all insider info you can find nowhere else and we are finally sharing it with you today. 

Key Takeaways 

• Wadi Rum National Park in southern Jordan offers unique desert landscapes, rich history, and Bedouin culture. To us, it’s a must-visit in Jordan.
• Plan to stay at least two nights in the desert to fully experience activities like jeep tours, camel rides, hiking, and stargazing under clear skies.
• Choose accommodation based on your budget: traditional Bedouin camps for authenticity, luxury camps for comfort, or bubble hotels for a unique experience.
• Prepare for desert conditions by packing sun protection, long loose clothing, and arranging entry permits or the Jordan Pass in advance to avoid delays. (Psst, the Jordan Pass gets you in for free.)

Headed to Wadi Rum? This is Where to Stay 

Wrap up planning for your Wadi Rum trip by booking your dessert camp. To spare you some of the research, we have selected three camps in Wadi Rum at three different price points: 

Budget	Wadi Rum Travel Camp	from $ 14 per night	Click for more info.
Comfort	Desert Guide Camp	from $ 40 per night	Click for more info.
Luxury	Memories Aicha Luxury Camp	from $ 211 per night	Click for more info.

An Introduction to the Wadi Rum National Park 

The Wadi Rum National Park, better known as the Wadi Rum Protected Area, is a wadi and desert located in southern Jordan near the Saudi Arabian border. It covers about 720 square kilometers, making it the largest wadi in Jordan.

Literally translating to “Valley of the High Places”, the Wadi Rum desert is mostly known as the “Valley of the Moon”, thank to its sandstone cliffs and eroded rock formations that give off an otherworldly impression. Similarly, it has been nicknamed “Mars on Earth” thanks to its arid conditions and red sand. 

Whatever the name, the Wadi Rum Desert has been inhabited for thousands of years and is now home to a number of Bedouin tribes, most notably the Al-Zalabiah. In recent times, the Wadi Rum Desert rose to popularity as a tourist site, in part thanks to its use a a filming location for Hollywood movies. 

In 1997, the Wadi Rum Desert was formalised as the Wadi Rum Protected Area. In 2011, the Wadi Rum Protected Area was officially labelled a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of seven such sites in Jordan along with the Lost City of Petra. 

What Is So Special about Wadi Rum?

More recently, the Wadi Rum Desert saw a huge surge in popularity in the years before the Covid-19 pandemic and became even more popular after travel restrictions were lifted again. We travelled to Wadi Rum in 2023, spending three weeks living in the desert with the Bedouins. 

During our adventure in Wadi Rum, we found five reasons why it should make your Jordan itinerary, too: 

1. It is truly unique. As a traveller, you might not be impressed by places claiming to be unique. That’s what every tourist attraction claims to be, after all. But how many places with red sand and otherworldly stone formations have you seen in your life? We doubt many. 
2. It is culturally rich. In an environment where nobody is supposed to live, the Bedouin people have developed a unique, nomadic way of life. As a visitor, you can stay overnight in a traditional-style Bedouin tent and learn how they made a living in the desert against all odds. 
3. It has tons of history. Somewhat surprisingly, the Bedouin people are not the only ones that have called Wadi Rum home. The earliest humans traces are as old as 12,000 years, the builders of Petra, the Nabataeans, left their traces, plus the story of Lawrence of Arabia took place here, too.
4. It is worth the shot. The viral bubble hotels of Jordan are all located in the Wadi Rum Desert. If you are looking for a unique hotel experience and an unforgettable shot, Wadi Rum is your place to go. You can trust the Hollywood studios that film in Wadi Rum on this one. 
5. It can be super-affordable. If faraway camps, bubble hotels and jeep tours sound rather expensive to you, we have great news. The Wadi Rum National Park can absolutely be done on a budget. We are speaking from experience here. More on that later. 

What to Do in a Day in the Wadi Rum Desert? 

Okay, cool. The Wadi Rum Desert is a must-see site in Jordan and a fixed post on any Jordan itinerary. It naturally, culturally and historically rich. But what exactly is there to do in Wadi Rum? 

Learn About Wadi Rum’s History at Al-Khazali Canyon 

Typically one of the first stops of any Wadi Rum Jeep Tour, Al-Khazali Canyon is both symbolic for Wadi Rum’s stark natural contrasts and its long history. For one, the canyon serves as an oasis of life, allowing flora such as wild figs to flourish and storing fresh water for local wildlife. 

But more impressively, Al-Khazali Canyon also bares some of the earliest traces of human life in the Wadi Rum desert. Ancient petroglyphs on the canyon wall depict scenes of daily life in the desert, most impressively a woman giving birth in a squatting stance. 

Step into the Footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia 

The is a big chance that the first thing that comes to your mind when thinking about the Wadi Rum Desert is Lawrence of Arabia. After all, it was the 1962 movie ‘Lawrence of Arabia’ that first put this dusty strip of land on the map. 

Not only a Hollywood phenomenon, T. E. Lawrence, a British army officer turned freedom fighter, played a significant role in the First Arab Revolt, leading attacks against the Ottomans, including an infamous attack on the Hijaz Railways that passed by Wadi Rum. Today, you can relive this railways attack as part of a historical reenactment, Lawrence Spring and Lawrence House, both of which are tied to the Brit. 

Discover Wadi Rum’s Rock Bridges on a Jeep Tour 

Besides its characteristic red sand, which is caused by oxidation, Wadi Rum is know for its unique stone formations. These stone formations are the results of the thousands of years of wind erosion. Today, the heavily eroded sandstone lets your imagination run wild and see anything from mushrooms, to faces and chickens in the stone. 

Perhaps most famously, Wadi Rum features several so-called rock bridges. These are natural stones arches that were caused by the erosion of lower levels of sandstone rock, leaving behind natural stone bridges. On some of them, like Umm Frouth Bridge, you can walk and take pictures. The largest one, Burdah Rock Bridge even offers a challenging hike and scramble. 

Revisit Filming Locations of Hollywood Blockbusters 

The filming of Lawrence of Arabia in the Wadi Rum Desert was only a small hint for what was to come to the Wadi Rum Desert in the 21st century. In recent years, the desert featured ad a filming location in dozens of Hollywood movies. 

Some of the movies where the Wadi Rum Desert was the most recognisable are Dune, The Martian, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, John Wick 4 and the old Aladdin movie. If you want to feel like walking on Mars, ask your guide to take you to some of the Martian filming locations and spend a night in the famous Martian bubble tents. 

Summit Jordan’s Highest Peak, Jabal Um Ad Dami

Pop culture and movies aside, Wadi Rum is also a great destination for outdoor enthusiasts. Dotted throughout the Wadi Rum Desert, you can find plenty of rock climbing routes, day hikes to Burdah Rock Bridge and Jebel Al Hash and a summit hike to Jordan’s highest peak, Jabal Umm Ad Dami. This mountain measures at 1,854 meters above sea level and offers views from Saudi Arabia to the Dead Sea.

If you can’t get enough of hiking, you can even embark on a multi-day hike along the Wadi Rum trail, taking you far beyond what the average tourist gets to see in the Wadi Rum Protected Area. And, don’t worry. You’ll be in good hands. Bedouins are master hikers and climbers, having trained in this unforgiving terrain since birth. 

5 Things to Do Before You Visit Wadi Rum 

Visiting Wadi Rum isn’t quite like visiting any other place in the Middle East. It’s in the desert after all. And it’s off the grid, which means little phone signal, fresh water brought by trucks, electricity delivered by solar panels and, most of all, the relentless desert sun. Prep right with these 5 tips: 

• When to Visit: Your Wadi Rum experience can vary drastically according to the season you decide to visit in. For a combination of less tourists and a favourable climate, try to come towards the end of spring or the beginning of fall. For more insight, check out our Wadi Rum climate guide.
• What to Pack: When visiting Wadi Rum, there is no way around bring long, loose clothing to protect your skin from the sun, a hat and sunscreen. Also, you might want to consider bringing along a shemagh, a head scarf, to withstand the desert sun like a real Bedouin. 
• How Much to Pay: Owing to the fact this is a protected area, you have to pay an entrance fee at the Wadi Rum Visitor Center. The entrance fee for foreign adults is set at 5 JODs, children enter for free. 4×4 vehicles pay another 25 JODs to drive in the desert, others cannot enter the desert. 
• How to Avoid Paying: Everybody loves to save a few dollars, or dinars, here and there, right? To avoid paying the Wadi Rum entrance fee, you can simply buy the Jordan Pass before arriving to Jordan. This pass covers your entry visa fee, plus the entrance fee to Wadi Rum, Petra and more. And yes, it’s worth it.
• Where to Go: Once you have paid the entrance fee or presented your Jordan Pass, you will head to the Wadi Rum Rest House in Wadi Rum Village. There, you will find a free, supervised parking lot for visitors. Let your hosts know in advance, when you will arrive, to ensure a smooth pickup. 

Where to Stay Overnight in Wadi Rum? 

For your stay in the Wadi Rum Valley, you can generally choose between three kinds of accommodation: bubble hotels, luxury camps and traditional Bedouin camps. As the prices can vary a lot between each type of camp, we’ll give you a quick rundown of each: 

Bubble Hotels 

If you have looked up Wadi Rum on Instagram or TikTok, you will have already seen the bubble tents of Wadi Rum. Resembling something you might expect to find on the Moon or Mars, these transparent half-domes are perfect for you, if you are coming to Wadi Rum for the Hollywood lore. 

From the inside, these Martian tents offer incredible views of the surrounding desert landscape, all while keeping your head cool with the A/C. Additionally, they feature private bathrooms, terrace and all-inclusive meals. For a luxurious getaway, these tents are perfect. Generally though, we believe it’s not a must to pay up to $ 200 per night for your stay in Wadi Rum. 

The 3 Best Bubble Hotels in the Wadi Rum Desert 

Reliving Hollywood blockbusters in a Wadi Rum bubble tent? Pick one of these three camps in Wadi Rum: 

Sun City Camp	starting from $ 205 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Memories Aicha Luxury Camp	starting from $ 211 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel	starting from $ 323 per night	Click here for availability & rates.

Luxury Camps 

Bubble tents are great and all, but they are by far not perfect. In peak summer, for example, they can get quite hot despite the A/C. Plus, many of the benefits of a bubble tent, you can also get in a considerably cheaper luxury camp. 

In a typical luxury camp in Wadi Rum, you will have whole tent with an en-suite bathroom and a private terrace to yourself, while staying true to the Bedouin aesthetic. On the outside, the tent rock the famous black goat-hair fabric, while blending in modern elements and amenities on the inside. If you’re travelling as a family or simply looking for more comfort, these tents are you way to go. 

The 3 Best Luxury Camps in the Wadi Rum Desert 

Craving some comfort after a long day of exploring? Stay overnight in one of these luxury camps in Wadi Rum: 

Desert Magic Camp & Resort	starting from $ 27 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Desert Guide Camp	starting from $ 40 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Memories Aicha Luxury Camp	starting from $ 211 per night	Click here for availability & rates.

Traditional Bedouin Camps 

Sometimes less is more. And in our opinion, the Wadi Rum desert is one of those instances. Staying in a traditional Bedouin camp will give you a much better impression of what life in the Wadi Rum desert was like, plus you’ll get to know your Bedouin hosts much better. 

We stayed in the Desert Guide Camp and loved it very much, not only for the authenticity, but also for the location and the price. Tucked away under towering cliffs, the Desert Guide Camp stays cool in the morning until 11 PM, long after you are already headed out of camp for your tour. In the evenings, you’ll also get to see stunning sunsets not far from the camp – all that for just $ 10 per night. 

The 3 Best Traditional Bedouin Camps in the Wadi Rum Desert

Looking to learn more about Bedouin life in the Wadi Rum Desert? Stay in one of these traditional Bedouin camps: 

Wadi Rum Travel Camp	starting from $ 14 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Desert Bird Camp	starting from $ 19 per night	Click here for availability & rates.
Desert Guide Camp	starting from $ 40 per night	Click here for availability & rates.

What Is it Like to Stay in a Bedouin Camp? Our Experience 

For our stay in the Wadi Rum National Park, we opted for the Desert Guide Camp. In fact, we volunteered there for a full three weeks. And what can we say? We’d do it again in a heartbeat. 

The Desert Guide Camp in Wadi Rum lies right in the heart of the desert, much further from Wadi Rum Village than many other, better-known camps. Thanks to the shade of the mountainside, this camp offers cool mornings and wind-free nights, perfect for stargazing. 

As for the camp itself, it stays true to the original Bedouin aesthetic, while making sure that you still get all the comfort you’d expect from a hotel stay. The traditional tents we stayed in are equipped with beds, electricity and plug outlets. There is a clean, communal bathhouse, a fire pit, a communal tent and a dinner tent. All guests have a buffet dinner and breakfast included, even those paying $ 10. Do note though that you are expected to pay for a tour in exchange for the insanely cheap overnight stay.

All amenities aside though, the hosts were the true highlight of the camp. Run by Hussein, Eid and Zayed, three brothers of the Al-Zalabiah family, this camp gives you are real, unfiltered glimpse of Bedouin culture, something that a polished luxury camp could never. 

The Bottom Line 

What else is there to say, really? If you weren’t convinced before, you should be convinced now that the Wadi Rum National Park should absolutely be part of your Jordan itinerary. 

No matter, if you are planning your trip after reading T. E. Lawrence’s Seven Pillars of Wisdom, hoping to revisit some filming locations out of Dune or The Martian, curious about Bedouin culture and life in the desert, or simply itching to see the natural beauty of Southern Jordan, you will find what you seek in Wadi Rum. 

Frequently Asked Questions