Wadi Rum is a dramatic desert landscape with
beautiful rock formations in Jordan's south.
Visitors can enjoy a Jeep tour to astonishing rock
bridges or enjoy silence and pure nature during a
hike or on back of a camel. A wonderful experience
is to spend a night under the starry sky in the wadi.
Wadi Rum is the largest wadi in Jordan, and has been
inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric
times, including the Nabateans leaving their mark in
the form of rock inscriptions and temples. Still
several Bedouin tribes with a semi-nomadic lifestyle
inhabit Rum. The village of Wadi Rum is the
headquarter of the Desert Patrol.
Wadi Rum is popular abroad due to the British
officer T. E. Lawrence, who based his operations
here during the Arab Revolt of 1917–18. The movie
"Lawrence of Arabia" was partly filmed here. In the
1980s one of the impressive rock formations in Wadi
Rum was named "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" in
memory of Lawrence's book. Famous landmarks are also
the rock bridges Burdah and Um Frouth, the Khazali
Canyon with its rock inscriptions and a large sand
dune area.
The easiest way to discover the area is by a 4x4
Jeep tour, lasting from two to eight hours. Other
options are camel and horse riding, trekking and
climbing. You finde here Jabal Rum (1754 metres),
the second highest peak, and close to the Saudi
border Jabal Um Adaami with 1840 meters, the highest
peak in Jordan. Popular are overnights in Bedouin
styled tents, to get a glimpse of nomadic life and
to spend anight under the outstanding desert sky in
Wadi Rum or the neighbouring area Disi.
No matter what your choice is always remember Wadi
Rum is a desert, with high temperatures in summer
and various temperatures between daytime and night.
So for camping always keep in mind warmer clothes. |