Wadi Rum - Jordan. Wadi Rum desert in Jordan and Martian landscapes

There is a place on earth that has not been touched by civilization or time - this is the place of Wadi Rum. Under the influence of natural forces, that is, winds, sun and rain, a unique landscape was formed here

Wadi Rum: an untouched wonder

Wadi Rum has the most beautiful natural arches, wells, canyons and of course unique rocks that are not similar in the whole world; they are unique natural attractions of Jordan. It will be comfortable here for those tourists who are fond of rock climbing and generally prefer active view recreation, and for those who love history. On some of the rocks of Wadi Rum there are drawings that are almost three thousand years old. Everyone also knows that UNESCO has included Wadi Rum as a World Heritage Site.

Way to Wadi Rum

It is not difficult to get to Wadi Rum from Amman. The entire journey by car can take from four to six hours. You can also easily get to Wadi Rum from Aqaba. From here the path is even shorter, you can get there in an hour or even faster. But before you leave, you can take a walk on the spot. After all, the sights of Aqaba are no worse than in Wadi Rum. Traveling from Aqaba to Wadi Rum in a comfortable minibus, you will have the opportunity to see other sights of Jordan along the way, as this country is rich in irreplaceable pearls ancient architecture and the frescoes of the rock cities are impressive.

Climatic features of Wadi Rum

One of the features of the climate in Wadi Rum is a sharp change in temperature, which occurs due to frequent winds that move cyclones during the day. This means that you better take with you not only light summer clothes, but also very warm and comfortable ones, because if you are lucky and do not get caught in the rain or strong wind, then you will definitely not be hot in the evening. The reason is the huge difference between daytime and evening temperatures. For example, if you visit Jordan attractions in July, then be prepared for 32 degrees during the day, and 13 degrees in the evening and at night.

Unforgettable vacation

If you want to observe and get to know the sights of Aqaba and Wadi Rum up close, then a flight to hot-air balloon or a visit to the amazing Mamluk fort. Or, if you want to join in the festivities, then head here and visit the Seven Pillars of Wisdom. After all, festivals are held here every year that will surprise you with their traditions. And for detailed information, know that when you visit Wadi Rum, you will be surprised not only by the sights of Jordan, but also by first-class service in Aqaba hotels, as well as very affordable prices.

Wadi Rum desert on the map of Aqaba

There is a place on earth that has not been touched by civilization or time - this is the place of Wadi Rum. Under the influence of natural forces, that is, winds, sun and rain, a unique landscape was formed here

Wadi Rum: an untouched wonder

Wadi Rum has the most beautiful natural arches, wells, canyons and of course unique rocks that are not similar in the whole world, they are unique..." />

Quite spontaneously, we managed to implement two independent trips at once - first to meet New Year in Ukraine, and immediately after that, arrange a difficult search for warm sun in the Middle East. I have already started telling you about Ukraine, and in the near future, of course, I will continue. And today is the time to show you something interesting from the second part of our New Year's trip. And my first story is about the Jordanian desert Wadi Rum, one of most beautiful places on earth and, at the same time, one of the brightest impressions from our Middle East trip. This is one of my best photo reports. Enjoy!

The Wadi Rum desert is considered one of the most beautiful in the world. It is not surprising that such a title attracts Hollywood directors - some scenes of “Star Wars”, “Transformers” and “Prometheus” were filmed here, so a creeping feeling of déjà vu while walking through the local canyons and plains is guaranteed. This love of cinematic geniuses is no coincidence - the incredible colors of the desert along with its unusual geological formations are truly amazing!

This place is purely touristic, which, surprisingly, does not detract from its value. At the entrance to the desert there is a tourist center, around which a crowd of enterprising Bedouins always hangs out, vying with each other to offer themselves as guides. Since there is nothing to do here without a guide with a good jeep, and I didn’t want to rely on luck at all, I contacted Mehedi from Russia, a local Bedouin who organizes desert safari and has an amazing amount of good reviews on various tourism resources.

Mehedi warned me in advance not to listen to the Bedouins near the tourist center under any circumstances - they would use any tricks to lure me into their network. Indeed, as soon as I got out of the car and headed to the ticket office to pay for our stay in the desert, I was surrounded by a crowd of Arabs who began vying with each other to offer me their services. One of them even said that he was Mehedi, saying that he had been waiting for me here since early morning. Having fought off the annoying would-be entrepreneurs, we moved on to the place of our meeting with Mehedi.

He himself could not meet us; his brother, Auvdekh, acted as a guide (oh, I hope I wrote his name correctly in Russian). At first, when we saw the car in which we were to go into the desert, we were horrified. The twenty-six-year-old Toyota, at first glance, had great difficulty falling under the definition of “car.” It turned out that this miracle drives, and even quite well. So what if the windshield is decorated with a web of cracks, because of which you can’t see anything, and there’s no trace of the side glass? Well, one more detail - the wipers, for example, don’t work. The downshift works with great reluctance. There are no brakes... But who will you scare with this? Let's hit the road!

The weather was as bad as it gets in these parts. I was also lucky that it didn’t fall asleep with snow.

Heavy gray clouds rushed directly above our heads at breakneck speed, sometimes opening small gaps that were instantly filled with bright sunlight.

At these moments the desert was transformed, filling bright colors and contrasting shadows.

All around us there were beautiful landscapes stretching beyond the horizon, and if it weren’t for the thick clouds that constantly hid the sunlight from us, both of my memory cards would have been filled with photographs at the very beginning of the safari.

These places are inextricably linked with Lawrence of Arabia, a British officer who played an important role in the Arab revolt in 1916-1920.

But we came here not for history, but for natural beauty, and we will enjoy it.

Khazali Canyon. In the old days, this place was used by the Bedouins for recreation. During the summer months, the air in the desert easily heats up to fifty degrees Celsius and the only place where you can hide from the killing heat - narrow canyons that keep you pleasantly cool.

We have never been able to understand the happiness of the Bedouins. The air temperature did not want to rise above five degrees Celsius, so both in the desert and in the gorge it was cold and dank.

The canyon is certainly beautiful.

Not far from the entrance you can find ancient petroglyphs. Scientists claim that they are several thousand years old, although, in truth, all this is more like an initiative of local inhabitants, designed for gullible tourists.

Periodically, the sky became completely overcast and thousands of falling drops of water began to drum on the loose sand. The surrounding landscapes were again transformed beyond recognition. In addition to the rain, gusts of cold wind flew from behind the mountains, painfully whipping us in the face with a mixture of water and sand.

Most of the desert is rocky, but in some places you can find real sand dunes. The right photo shows petroglyphs from the Nabatean period located near the dunes.

Ruins of an old Nabataean house. It is believed that the building was used by Lawrence of Arabia as an ammunition depot.

Another one opens from the house beautiful view to the desert.

Periodically there are Bedouin tents. Most of them work with tourists.

In some places, entire towns of tents have been set up where visitors can spend the night.

As I wrote above, the Wadi Rum desert is famous for its natural formations - canyons and arches.

Another arch. Those who are especially crazy can climb to its top.

Self-portrait. The shadow at the top of the arch is me.

The views from the top are gorgeous.

By the end of the day the weather began to improve. We even had hope that the coming day, which we were going to spend in Petra, would delight us with the warm Jordanian sun. We did not yet suspect that literally in a few hours we would be making our way through a mountain pass in ten-centimeter snow, and our only companion for an hour would be a merciless snowstorm. But all this was ahead, and for now we rejoiced at the unexpected rays of sunshine gently enveloping the sandy roads of the desert.

Of course, Wadi Rum looks most beautiful in the sun. Especially when time gradually begins to creep towards sunset.

Just look at how bright the colors are.

At the beginning of the day, I was frankly worried that the weather was letting us down. Indeed, to get caught in the rain in the desert, you need to have some kind of paranormal luck. By evening, I realized that on the contrary, we were lucky - we were among the chosen few who managed to see Wadi Rum in rain or shine.

The range of colors varies depending on the area from bright yellow to dark burgundy.

See for yourself how beautiful it is!

When we were completely frozen, Auvdekh took out from somewhere in the bins a huge piece of polyethylene, which was supposed to replace the missing window. By the way, it turned out rather clumsily - the polyethylene constantly fell off, so Auvdekh had no choice but to constantly hold it with one hand. Service!

Chick. And how natural it is!

This photo, in my opinion, turned out well - almost like a finished poster for an adventure film!

Frozen but happy, we headed back to tourist center. Along the way, we stopped at one of the Bedouin camps, where Auvdeh wanted to visit his Bedouin friends, and we were accidentally shown an unattainable level of local hospitality - when I approached the flaring fire, the Bedouins sincerely apologized that they did not have time to light it before our arrival and with me there won't be a chance to warm up for a couple of minutes...

By the way, fires were the only thing that allowed us to stay warm during our walk. And then, of course, hot tea, to which the Bedouins add a set of herbs unknown to me. It turns out quite cloying, but damn, delicious!

In general, despite the terrible weather, we liked everything. The following photograph conveys the fullness of emotions. On the left is Annuir, on the right is Auvdeh. Well, as Mehedi later told me: “Insha Allah, one day in the future you may be able to come here again.” Let's hope!

They gathered in Jordan to see Petra - business card Jordan, " pink city", carved into the rocks, which is two and a half thousand years old(!). Having looked through guidebooks and scouring the Internet, I realized that there is still a lot to see there - for example, the Wadi Rum desert. For the trip, we decided to rent a car upon arrival in Amman airport. All hotels along the route were booked in Moscow through booking.com (we can safely recommend all hotels). The route was as follows: we flew to Amman and drove to Madaba in a rented car (this is 30 km from Amman), where we stayed for 3 nights (Mosaic City hotel), from where we went to Mount Nebo (from where Moses saw the “promised land”), Jerash (an ancient Roman city 100 km north of Amman, perfectly preserved, which is 2000 years old), Dead Sea, hot springs , well, we saw Madaba itself (the city of mosaics). Then we moved to Petra, where we stayed for two nights. And then to the Red Sea with one night in Wadi Rum.
The first impression of the country was - (to say the banality) this is NOT EUROPE :) What were these dozens of people at the airport in white Muslim clothes, heading to Mecca for the Hajj! And we are among them. Although later, traveling around the country, we realized that it IS POSSIBLE! be adherents of different religions and remain human in relation to each other.
At five o'clock on our first morning on Jordanian soil, we woke up from a strange singing that spread over Madaba and was repeated by a dozen loudspeakers. It was the local muezzin's call to prayer. And this song sounded for so long and so mournfully beautiful that we fell asleep to it...
Mount Sky. Unfortunately, the “promised land flowing with milk and honey” disappeared from us in the haze: (And with good visibility, they say, you can even see the golden dome of the Jerusalem mosque... I wonder if there are such lucky ones:)...
Jerash is huge in area. It took us about four hours to examine it rather briefly. There is a forum, a hippodrome, an amphitheater, temples of Zeus and Artemis, and the remains of the foundations of Byzantine churches with mosaic floors from the 6th century AD. - Many things. The weather at this time of year is quite comfortable (I can’t stand the heat well), the sun is hot, but the cool wind and clouds help. The main thing is to cover your head :)
At the Dead Sea we stopped for a few hours at a paid beach with showers, changing rooms, a cafe and a fresh water pool. We lay down and sat like floats in the oily, dead water, smeared ourselves with healing mud - in general, we improved our health in every possible way, let’s hope:)
There are two springs in Hammamat Main. Water temperature in the source from big waterfall- 40-45 degrees (and in the cave behind the waterfall there is a sauna), but the spring with a smaller waterfall - well, VERY hot water, over 50 for sure!, you won’t get in right away, you need to get used to it, well, you won’t swim for long, you’ll jump out like you’ve been scalded (in the literal sense of the word :))
We walked through the streets of Madaba. The city has several churches (St. George, the Holy Apostles, John the Baptist), an Archaeological Park, where mosaics that are one and a half thousand years old are literally underfoot, as the Jordanian guide demonstrated: he simply picked up the rocky soil where I stamped my foot - and Here you go, something dazzling turquoise appeared from the sand - a mosaic!!!
From Madaba to Petra we drove along the picturesque Royal Road through the huge Wadi Mujib canyon.
Just as we were leaving the canyon, we stopped to take another look at this beauty and ended up in the network of Sami, the owner of a roadside cafe. We were fed a breakfast of scrambled eggs with vegetable stew (I even wrote down the recipe, and Sami poured me a bunch of some seasonings), were given delicious coffee with cardamom, gifted with some trinkets - in general, we were embraced by all kinds of hospitality (which did not go unrewarded: )). Sami’s special pride is a fully functioning toilet with a stunning view of the canyon :)) By the way, Sami asked to find him a Russian wife, he even gave him his e-mail. We promised :)
In Petra (or rather, in Wadi Musa - that’s the name of the town at the entrance to Petra) we stayed for 2 nights at the Petra Moon Hotel to spend the whole day in Petra: through the Siq gorge we went to the Treasury (or Treasury), examined the so-called. The lower city with the tombs and caves of the Nabateans and along the rocky road we went up to the monastery.
Then - the Wadi Rum desert with one overnight stay, and 5 nights on the Red Sea at the Tala Bay resort (a few km from Aqaba) in a rented apartment with a personal, one might say, swimming pool. On the resort territory there is a grocery store, several restaurants, souvenir shops, surfing, etc., as well as 3 hotels: Radisson Blu Tala Bay Resort Moevenpick Resort Tala Bay and Marina Plaza. Moevenpick Resort Tala Bay has a luxurious area with outdoor swimming pools with Jacuzzi connected by channels. Non-hotel guests can use all this splendor for money (10 dinars).
Those who are not fans of snorkeling (that's me :)) can look at the fish by going to sea on an interesting craft (see photo). It was not possible to photograph the fish - the photographic equipment was not the same, but something interesting was captured in the frame :))
Returning to the airport (Golden Tulip Airport Amman Hotel) along the Desert Highway, we went to one of the “desert palaces” of Qasr Amr (70 km east of Amman) of the Umayyad dynasty (early Islam, 7th-8th centuries AD) . The frescoes of the palace have been fairly damaged by time and people (more precisely, barbarians) and are now being restored, but they still make a strong impression.
Because I didn’t find any reviews about Wadi Rum on the site, so I decided to tell you about it (in the sense of the desert) in more detail.
Wadi Rum is located approximately 50 km north of Aqaba. Sand dunes of white, yellow-orange and red colors and high cliffs sandstone and granite create a very unusual landscape. We stayed overnight at Bedouin Lifestyle Camp. Excellent location right in a protected area, civil toilets, showers with hot(!) water, tents with beds - quite comfortable. Very welcoming and friendly hosts, a delicious dinner (and very unusually prepared) with Bedouin songs, dances and games around the fire - it was fun! An overnight stay, including breakfast, cost us 25 dinars (1 dinar is approximately equal to 1 Euro). Dinner and desert tours - for an additional fee, depending on the set of attractions:) The desert tour (in a local jeep) is long, the landscapes are breathtaking (see photo) Several stops along the way - in canyons (large and small), drinking tea among the Bedouins, cave drawings, source from drinking water, two “bridges” (easy to climb on them :) The last couple of kilometers you can ride camels, it’s fun :) In principle, you can do everything in a day and go to spend the night by the sea (Aqaba is nearby), but we wanted to see the sunset and the night sky of the desert , and it was worth it. I would also like to say something about Big Bridge. The climb up it is difficult, difficult, downright risky in places, and takes about an hour and a half. The last 10 meters are a sheer cliff, which for an unathletic person may be insurmountable without at least a rope (which our guide did not have). So, if you are not a fan of rock climbing, I think it’s not worth climbing there :)
Summary: the country is VERY interesting to travel to. The trip turned out to be a FANTASTIC experience! Jordanians are friendly and friendly (excessive importunity, perhaps, only in Petra: I can hear it - “...van din-a-ar...”). English - almost everywhere - is a means of communication. There is a lot of garbage in the habitats of the indigenous population, but the hotel areas are licked clean! The local population does not drink alcohol AT ALL (they smoke hookah), BUT! alcohol is sold everywhere and in large quantities (by the way, local wine is very good). The food is wonderful (we still can’t forget the taste of lamb on ribs...:) In general, go to Jordan - you won’t regret it!

Price: $135.00

The price of the excursion (for example) is presented for 1 person, with the condition that 2 people travel from Amman. More detailed prices for the excursion are below in the table.

Jordan, individual excursion with a guide in Russian. Excursion duration 1 day.

A sandy desert with a smooth surface of golden-pink sand with hills, rocks and dunes suddenly appearing out of nowhere. The Wadi Rum desert is interesting because here you can have fun for every taste. There is extreme entertainment (cliff climbing up to 1750 meters high, unexplored gorges and the Khazali Canyon) and quiet relaxation away from the hustle and bustle (a camel ride, an evening around a Bedouin fire, admiring the desert sunset). Only a few Bedouin settlements live in the desert, which will show tourists all the most interesting and unusual things.

What is interesting about an excursion to the unknown desert of Wadi Rum? Attraction number 1 in Jordan. This excursion includes a 2-hour jeep tour. The second name of the desert, which is popular among the common people, is “lunar desert” and it’s not for nothing that people came here to film episodes from “Star Wars” and others. When you get into the desert, the first thing that will greet you is multi-colored hills, growing as if from flat ground. They look like giants or titans protecting the peace of tourists and desert residents. It is especially beautiful when tourists come here in the spring, when they find picturesque meadows of poppies, black iris and red anemone.

Bedouin camp in Wadi Rum, it's favorite place vacationers. After driving through the desert, it is always pleasant to enjoy an oasis where tourists will be offered national dishes and music. For those who want to stay overnight in the desert, the camp has equipped rooms for overnight stays. ATVs are always available for those interested.

In the desert Wadi Rum is home to a breeding base for Beisa antelopes, a native animal. They're watching this a unique place people from the Royal Conservation Society. It is important to note that this project is supported by donations from tourists, from environmentalists, and from the sale of souvenirs. Therefore, by coming to the Wadi Rum desert, you are helping us preserve this reserve.

Some ruins located in the desert are definitely worth seeing. For example, old Nabataean house, possibly in which Lawres of Arabia stored his ammunition.

Wadi Rum is famous for its natural arches, which were formed by winds and rain, with sandstone sculptures resembling various bizarre shapes and canyons where you can walk or squeeze through.

Located tent city, where tourists can come and relax. There is a restaurant where you can eat and for those who want to eat souls. Entire territory tent camp is guarded and takes care of your luggage or belongings.

• More about the excursion
• Weather in Jordan
• Location on the map

What will be included in the price of a tour of the Wadi Rum desert (Jordan)

· Service personal guide Russian speaking

· Transfer, including transportation costs, fuel

· Two-hour jeep tour of Wadi Rum $50

What will not be included in the price of the excursion to Wadi Rum (Jordan)

· Entrance tickets are $8 per person.

· Nutrition

· Additional entertainment (camel, horses, quad bikes)

Cap or Panama hat, sunglasses

· Drinking water at least 2 litres.

Warm clothes for an evening walk

· Camera

How to Dress for a Desert Tour (Jordan)

· Comfortable clothes for you, any

· Shoes, comfortable, without heels

Excursion schedule Wadi Rum Desert all day (Jordan):

Cost for excursions Wadi Rum Desert (Jordan):

Tourist safety in Jordan.

Visitors and residents of Jordan should not be afraid of their stay in the country. The country's authorities actively monitor security and order in all regions of Jordan. The population is considered Arab-Bedouin; you will notice such qualities as respect for tourists and guests of the country after a safe landing at Amman airport. Especially everything tourist places and the routes are quite safe for tourists and guests. Every year the income from tourism industry supports the national income of the country of Jordan, so the attitude towards people from all countries, local population correct and helpful. The Kingdom of Jordan is considered the friendliest country to its neighbors. Here reigns the monarchy of a beloved king, who is valued and treated with respect. When coming on an excursion to Jordan, rest assured for your safety.

When is the best time to come travel and book a tour of Jordan, air temperature in the desert. For those who want to spend a day or several in the desert Wadi Rumah, it's worth bringing warm clothes. The differences in daytime and evening temperatures here range from +32 to +4 degrees. In the summer months, the difference will be from +36 to + 19 at night. The most best months When to visit the Wadi Rum desert: March, April, September, October, November. In summer it will of course be hotter, up to +42, but this will not cancel excursion visits to the desert.

Planning your holiday to Jordan, check out all the Jordan tours we have to offer. We have all Russian-speaking guides and operators. If you want to visit something special and you didn’t find it on our website excursion tour, write to us. We will help you organize an excursion along the new route. Our workers, selecting individual tour in Jordan will satisfy your wishes as much as possible, because it is your right to pay only for what is interesting to you. We can offer price for individual excursions cheaper than tour operators for group excursions, because we offer excursions without intermediaries.

Location of Wadi Rum Desert (Jordan): 200 km from Amman

Traveling to Wadi Rum you find yourself in another world. A huge space of beauty untouched by time. Wadi Rum is one of the main attractions of Jordan. Being the most unique desert in the world, it lies 320 km southwest of Amman, 120 km south of Petra and just 68 km north of Aqaba. On the vast territory of the desert, pink sheer cliffs, sands and majestic stones change each other in a realm of peaceful silence.
Wadi Rum is best known for the name of the British officer Lawrence, who appeared during the great Arab revolt of 1917-1918. Wadi Rum is also often used as a natural setting for feature films, for example: “Lawrence of Arabia”, “Indiana Jones”, “Transformers”, etc.

Throughout this unearthly landscape there are traces of human presence since ancient times. The names of ancient travelers can be seen scratched on the rocks and stones.

The Wadi Rum valley is located 900-1000 meters from sea level, where sandy cliffs also rise another 500-550 meters. Among them, the highest and second highest in all of Jordan is Jabal Ram.

There are many ways to explore the Wadi Rum desert. For lovers of extreme sensations, climbing to heights of more than 1700m and traveling through many narrow canyons with natural obstacles along the way. And for lovers of a calm and sophisticated holiday in the spring, during the rainy season, Wadi Rum appears in a completely new way, covered with more than 2000 species of plants and a wonderful variety of flowers, such as: Red anemones, poppies and black iris, which is national flower Jordan.

Wadi Rum awakens romantic feelings, as here you can find several Bedouin settlements scattered throughout the nomadic territory of this desert friendly people, who are always happy to treat you to strong coffee, mint tea with the addition of various healing and aromatic herbs, sitting by the fire under starry sky, giving an unforgettable feeling of freedom, satisfaction, tenderness and greatness of the universe surrounding us. Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum is an ideal place for hiking, mountaineering and trekking. Traveling in off-road vehicles over sand dunes and stone bridges, flying in a hot air balloon, multi-day camel treks from Aqaba to Wadi Rum and back - this is what awaits you in Jordan. Wadi Rum

The Wadi Rum Desert Patrol wears the most colorful uniform in the entire Middle East. A long khaki-colored “dish-dash” robe is intercepted by a bright red bandolier, there is a dagger on the belt, a rifle in the hands, and a traditional red and white Jordanian Bedouin scarf (skufiya) on the head.