The Ultimate Guide To Wadi Rum: What To Expect At Jordan’s Desert
Read on to learn all the info about visiting Wadi Rum!
Wadi Rum is without doubt one of the must-visit destinations in Jordan, and having the right guide for this magnificent location is equally important.
With sweeping vistas, dramatic rock formations and a seemingly endless desert landscape, Wadi Rum is a truly breathtaking area.
I was fortunate to spend two days exploring Wadi Rum during my trip to Jordan in September 2025, and was honestly blown away by the sheer scale, vastness and awe-inspiring beauty of the place.
Knowing what exactly to expect in Wadi Rum is crucial to having the best experience there. In this blog post, I’ve created the ultimate guide, listing everything you need to know about Jordan’s incredible desert valley.
Plan Your Trip With My Recommended Resources:
🚆Bus or Train: Bookaway is a great resource for tickets
🏨 Accommodation: I always use Booking.com
🚙 Rental Car: Discover Cars has the best car rental prices
❤️ Travel Insurance: I recommend using Visitors Coverage
✈️ Flights: Kiwi.com has the best prices on flights
📱eSIM: Airalo has a fantastic range of eSIMs
The Ultimate Guide To Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum was undoubtedly the highlight of my 10-day trip to Jordan. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the most awe-inspiring places I’ve ever visited and is simply unmissable when visiting Jordan.
Also known as ‘the Valley of the Moon’, Wadi Rum is over 74,000 hectares and has been inhabited for over 12,000 years.
It’s no surprise that it is one of Jordan’s main tourist attractions (second only to Petra), with tourists visiting throughout each year to enjoy various activities, which we’ll go into detail about next.
Things To Do At Wadi Rum
Let’s take a look at some of the fun activities you can do on your visit to Wadi Rum:
Go On A Jeep Tour
As Wadi Rum is such a huge area, a jeep tour is a must if you want to really appreciate the scale of the place and all that it has to offer.
There are several jeep tours available online, ranging from 2-hour to 10-hour tours and even overnight tours where you can sleep under the stars.
I’ll explain what to expect on the jeep tour later in the blog, detailing several interesting places you’ll visit.
I took a 10-hour jeep tour during my second day at Wadi Rum and had such an amazing time. Spending the whole day exploring as much of Wadi Rum as possible was truly worthwhile and very memorable.
Enjoy A Train Re-enactment Ride
On certain days of the week, there is an incredible train re-enactment ride in Wadi Rum, which I thoroughly recommend.
Known as ‘Journey Through 1916‘, this train ride re-enacts the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire in 1916.
I took the train on my first day in Wadi Rum and found it to be a fun, exhilarating experience. As if a train ride through Wadi Rum wasn’t impressive enough, watching the re-enactment take place was a real thrill-ride.
My only disappointment was that the ride was soon at an end, lasting just around 30 minutes. But like most activities at Wadi Rum, it was certainly memorable and a lot of fun.
👉 Pro-Tip: You can book a free ticket for the Journey Through 1916 train ride when you buy your Jordan Pass online prior to your trip to Jordan.
The Jordan Pass allows you free entry to several of the country’s main tourist attractions, including Petra and Wadi Rum.
It also covers the cost of your visa, so I highly recommend buying a pass if you want to save time and money.
Experience Stargazing
As Wadi Rum is such a sprawling desert, there is no light pollution, making it the perfect place for stargazing. At Wadi Rum, there is a camp that offers an expert stargazing experience at night.
I went star-gazing at Rum Sky camp and spent a fascinating evening learning about the many stars and constellations that were visible in the night sky.
The evening includes a short 20-minute presentation, followed by an outdoor demonstration of what you can see above you with a green laser and five large telescopes that you get to look through.
The whole evening lasts about 1-2 hours and is a must-do for anyone curious about space and stars – I loved it!
Go on a Camel Trek in the Desert
Camel rides are a common thing at Wadi Rum, and are a fun, unique way to travel throughout the desert just as the locals do.
There are various camel treks available, ranging from a 4-hour tour to a full-day camel trek and an overnight camel trek.
Sleep Under the Stars at a Bedouin Camp
Experiencing an authentic camp with local Bedouins and sleeping under the majestic night sky is another unforgettable experience you can do at Wadi Rum.
With camping equipment included and a campfire dinner prepared by Bedouin hosts, this is an amazing chance to learn and appreciate local customs.
Spending a night out under the stars and then enjoying a memorable sunrise the following morning is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Stay At a Luxury Bubble Camp
There are a couple of accommodation options at Wadi Rum. If you’re on a budget, you can stay at a normal Bedouin campsite, which offers basic tent rooms and facilities.
A more unique option is to stay at one of the many luxury bubble camps scattered throughout the site. These camps offer uniquely dome-shaped bubble tents, which are the definition of glamping!
Although staying in a bubble tent is more expensive , it is another once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and promises a memorable stay in Wadi Rum.
I stayed at a bubble camp when I visited Wadi Rum, but chose a traditional tent rather than a bubble tent, and was more than happy with my accommodation.
What To Expect On A Jeep Tour At Wadi Rum
So, where exactly do you visit on a jeep tour in Wadi Rum, and what do you get to see? Here’s a breakdown of all the places I visited during my 10-hour jeep tour:
Lawrence’s Spring
This was the first stop on my jeep tour and involves a natural spring and a water source for the many camels you’ll see here.
There is also the option of climbing to a rather rocky mountain to see the spring’s source, I decided to skip this part of the tour as the terrain looked quite treacherous.
Khazali Canyon
This is a fascinating canyon where you can walk between two split mountains and discover ancient petroglyphs and carvings that date back thousands of years to Nabatean and Thamudic times.
Al Ramal Red Sand Dune
Known as the most famous sand dune in the area, this very reddish sand dune leads to jaw-dropping panoramic vistas of Wadi Rum, which are simply out of this world.
This is why so many Hollywood productions have filmed in Wadi Rum over the years, including The Martian, Dune, Star Wars, Transformers, John Wick 3, and, of course, Lawrence of Arabia.
Little Rock Bridge
This stunning rock formation is another famous stop on the jeep tour, and it is possible to walk on top of the bridge-like formation for a photograph. It’s a relatively easy climb up to this rock formation, so it is suitable for all ages.
Lawrence’s House
This is the most important historical site in Wadi Rum; the home of TE Lawrence during the Arab Revolt in 1916.
Built in another secluded spot in Wadi Rum, there is not much left of the actual home apart from rubble. But the surrounding views are incredible nonetheless, and it’s another spot worth visiting.
Um Frouth Rock Arch
This is another spectacular bridge-like rock formation, but it is much higher and more difficult to climb compared to Little Rock Bridge.
For this location, it is advised to climb if you’re in good physical condition, but the views from the top are worth the challenge.
Mushroom Rock
This is another uniquely shaped rock formation at Wadi Rum that has to be seen to be believed. This rock does indeed resemble that of a mushroom, making for a fun photo opportunity.
Go Sandboarding
It is possible go sandboarding at Wadi Rum during the jeep tour, and I definitely recommend doing it if you’re adventurous.
Although the climb to the top of the sand dune where the sandboarding takes place is arduous to say the least, coming down on the board is a blast! I loved it, despite falling off my sandboard towards the bottom of the sand dune.
Um Sabatah Sunset
Finally, at the end of the day, you’ll get to see a magical sunset at Um Sabatah, which is another spot in Wadi Rum with spectacular views.
This was the perfect end to my jeep tour, which I absolutely loved, and I appreciated the Bedouin tea I was offered as I watched the sun disappear behind the mountain landscape.
How To Get To Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum is situated in southern Jordan, just a short 1-hour drive from the beach city of Aqaba, and a couple of hours’ drive south from Petra and 4-5 hours’ drive from the capital city, Amman, which in itself is worth visiting for 1 day.
👉 Pro Tip: There are cheap buses (tickets cost £12) leaving Petra to Wadi Rum daily, but they leave at 6am and 6:30am, so it’s quite an early start.
I decided to catch a taxi from Petra instead, which cost £30, but I left Petra at a more convenient time. This is a better option in my opinion, if you don’t mind spending a little bit more money.
When you reach Wadi Rum, you’ll want to head to the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre in order to pay the entrance fee. It only costs 5 Jordanian Dinars for a day visit and 10 dinars for an overnight stay.
If you have a Jordan Pass, however, it’s free to enter, just show your pass at the visitor centre. My taxi actually drove straight to my Luxury Camp by mistake, and I completely bypassed the visitor centre.
Wadi Rum Guide FAQs
Still unsure about visiting Wadi Rum? Allow me to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about this uniquely special destination:
How many days should you spend at Wadi Rum?
I would recommend spending two full days in Wadi Rum, which is how many days I spent.
This gave me enough time for the ‘Journey Through 1916’ train journey on my first day, go stargazing at night and go on a 10-hour jeep tour the following day.
In my opinion, one day isn’t enough time to fully visit Wadi Rum. You would only have time for a short jeep ride and not much else. Spending the night at Wadi Rum and seeing the amazing night sky is well worth it.
What is the best time to visit Wadi Rum?
The spring and autumn months are the best times of the year to visit Wadi Rum, as temperatures are moderate and not too hot.
The summer months in Wadi Rum can be extremely hot, while temperatures can plummet during the night throughout the winter months.
I visited Wadi Rum at the end of September 2025, and temperatures were around 30 degrees Celsius. I would recommend March/April or October/November for ideal weather conditions.
Can you explore Wadi Rum on your own?
You can, in theory, explore Wadi Rum on your own if you have a sturdy four-wheel drive vehicle, but I definitely would not recommend it.
You would have to stick to specific routes. Wadi Rum is vast, making it easy to get lost in no time. Visiting the area with a guide on a tour is realistically the only option.
Conclusion: The Ultimate Wadi Rum Guide
So that concludes my ultimate guide to Wadi Rum, which for me was the most incredible place I visited during my trip to Jordan.
With breathtaking scenery and awesome activities, it is honestly an unmissable place to include in your Jordan itinerary.
Whether you want to go on the thrilling train re-enactment ride or spend a day on an unforgettable jeep tour, there is so much to do.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my guide to Wadi Rum and are now fully prepared to experience one of the most exhilarating, incredible destinations in the Middle East.
➡️ Planning your trip? Here are my favourite resources:
🏨 Accommodation: I recommend using Booking.com
🚙 Rental Car: Use Discover Cars for the best car rental prices
❤️ Travel Insurance: I recommend using Visitors Coverage
✈️ Flights: Use Kiwi.com for the best prices on flights
