An Unforgettable Night In The Wadi Rum Desert

The Wadi Rum Desert, also known as the Valley of the Moon, is one of the most beautiful deserts on the planet. The sandstone formations and unusual environment have attracted many filmmakers and you may have seen the desert on the movie screen in films such as Star Wars, Transformers, The Martian or Red Planet. 

On a day trip to the desert you can visit several interesting sites, enjoy tea with the Bedouins and spend the evening watching the sunset at one of the Bedouin camps.

HOW TO GET TO WADI RUM

You’ll probably head into the desert by car after visiting the rock city of Petra or from the Red Sea town of Aqaba. 

From the rock town of Petra or Wadi Musa, only one bus leaves daily at 6:00 am directly to Wadi Rum. You must book a seat on this bus at least one or two days in advance at the reception of your hotel. The bus will then pick you up directly from your hotel at 6:00 am. Pay the driver 10 JOD and in about 2.5 hours you will be at the main gate to Wadi Rum. 

Here a car from your pre-booked accommodation will be waiting to take you to the village, where you can decide what to do next (see below).

If you are coming from Aqaba, you have two options. The first is a taxi, which costs 25 JOD and will get you to the desert in less than an hour. The second option is a public bus that leaves from the bus station, which is opposite the police station. The buses leave several times a day but do not have a fixed schedule. We recommend asking one of the drivers at this station the day before departure. The bus ride costs 3 JOD and takes about an hour.

ACCOMMODATION

The accommodation was a big surprise for us. You can stay right in the village, from where you can take various excursions into the desert, but for a truly authentic experience we recommend staying in one of the camps right in the desert. 

Most camps offer half-board accommodation simply because they are right in the middle of the desert where there are no other dining options. These camps also organise trips into the desert and often the combination of the trip, accommodation and transport from the village to the campsite is presented as a package.

Red Desert Camp

From our own experience we can definitely recommend Red Desert Camp. The tents are really comfortable, the camp has newly built communal bathrooms and a large dining room with electricity.

The camp is oriented to the west, so the evenings are really breathtaking. The Bedouins here will cook you their traditional dinner. It is prepared in the hot sand and free tea and water is available at all time. Accommodation is offered at www.booking.com for 4 JOD for two with half board but don’t let the price fool you. We’ll tell you below why this is, and what the actual cost of your stay is.

If you would like to pre-book a desert excursion or find out more details about the services offered, contact them on WhatsApp at +962 779 535 275 or +962 778 791 824.

“Before sunset we went up just a few meters above the campsite and watched the sunset until dusk. At night we went to the same place to watch the stars. At this place the whole world just stops. You realize what a beautiful place this planet gives us and how little it takes to be happy.”

ONE NIGHT IN WADI RUM

We will tell you accordind to us the most ideal option that you are able to organize even for a short trip in Jordan. 

First of all, book the accommodation mentioned above. Take the bus from Wadi Musa at 6:00 am, if you are coming from Aqaba, just leave around 7:30 am. When you arrival in Wadi Rum someone from the camp will be waiting at the gate. He takes you to the Wadi Rume Village. From there you can basically start your day trip into the desert right away. The person from the camp will offer you several excursion options.

DAY TRIP

The day trip costs 65 JOD and includes lunch with the local Bedouin. The trip lasts from 9am to 5pm and you will visit the most interesting places in the desert. All day you will ride on the back of a jeep, you will put your luggage inside with the driver. At 5pm you will arrive at the campsite. After a short rest you will enjoy the sunset, a delicious dinner and if you wish a hookah.

HALF-DAY TRIP

But you don’t necessarily have to go on a day trip. You can choose, for example, only 2 to 5 hour trips. For example in 5 hours you can visit all the most interesting places but lunch is not included. In this case you will pay 50 JOD per person. 

The important thing is that if you choose one of the packages, it includes accommodation and meals at the campsite. In this case, you will not pay even the aforementioned 4 JOD for accommodation. If you decide not to use the package, arrange the trip with someone else, or just want to spend the night at the campsite without the trip, you will pay for both accommodation and transport to the campsite, etc.

So in the end you will always pay something extra compared to the quoted price for accommodation. As far as entrance fees are concerned, in Wadi Rum you also use the Jordan Pass. Without it, you would have to pay an entrance fee of 5 JOD.

TIPS for visiting the WADI RUM

If you choose the option we recommend (1 day/1 night), buy enough water and possibly food for a full day in the desert. For example at Wadi Musa or Wadi Rum Village. You will not be able to buy any refreshments once you leave the village for the desert. You will only stop at Bedouin for tea. It is delicious but it probably won’t be enough to last you all day.

WATCH OUT in WADI RUM

The Wadi Rum desert lies at an altitude of around 1,000 metres. Even though it is a desert you have to know that especially in the winter months it can be freezing at night. Even in summer it’s not exactly warm at night so pack some warmer clothes in your backpack.

Don’t forget to read some of the tips we recommend before your trip to Jordan and what to do in Amman.

We hope you like Wadi Rum!

See you soon!