50+ Photos To Inspire You To Visit Wadi Rum Desert In Jordan

Is Wadi Rum Desert in Jordan worth visiting? You bet, it is! One of the main Jordan attractions and the unique ecosystem has a lot of reasons to draw you in. The barren desert landscape, red rocks carved by the winds, thousands of stars and years of the history embedded in the land – all make for a unique excursion. Have a look at a few of the photos from Wadi Rum in Jordan, that I had a very hard time choosing (there are just too many!) which will hopefully inspire you to visit this beautiful place.

Photos to inspire you to visit Wadi Rum Desert

When we visited Jordan, one of the places that I was looking forward to the most was Wadi Rum. I pictured red sand dunes and dramatic rocks with the vast open plane. And, surprise, surprise, that’s what I found. And more.

Wadi Rum Protected Area in Jordan, part of the UNESCO Heritage Sites List, is a very special place. Located in the south of the country, it has been inhabited for thousands of years by the nomadic Bedouin tribes. The freedom of the local people with the human and natural history that shaped the surrounding area give the Wadi Rum a distinctive atmosphere. It’s also a wonderful place for photographers, adventure seekers, and camping lovers! Whenever you travel, make sure to put Wadi Rum on your Jordan itinerary.

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Nights in the desert

Nights in the desert start with the sunset that paints the whole landscape red. The colour of the rocks becomes deeper and more intensive, and the sky matches the ground. After the sun sets behind the mountains, the dark night crawls in. Millions of stars sparkle in the sky brightening up the deserted landscape and leading the way in the dark. Those are the same stars that Bedouins used for navigation in the desert.  You can sit on the soft sand, listening to the void, almost touching the night in front of you.

Wadi Rum Camping

Camping in Wadi Rum is the best way of experiencing the area. You can set up your own tent or use the traditional Bedouin tents located in the different parts of the desert. In the morning, you will get welcomed by the sun rising over the sand – a different spectacle every day.

Wadi Rum hiking and the highest mountain in Jordan

There is plenty of opportunities for Wadi Rum hiking in the desert. My favorite hike was the one to top of Jabal Umm Ad Dami – the highest mountain in Jordan. The mountain towers to the height of 1854 m and offers the views stretching out to Saudi Arabia and the Red Sea.

The surreal landscape

Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon, is full of surreal rock formations, towering hills, sweeping red sand dunes, and sandstone arches or bridges. You can visit them with a Wadi Rum jeep tour or travelling through the desert with your own car or on foot. The red coloured rocks are beautifully carved by erosion and many are 30 million years old. This part of Jordan is the most dramatic in terms of landscape. The valleys and gorges smoothed by wind and water, the sand dunes, the striking granite, and sandstone formation, and clear night skies create the landscape out of this world.

The camels in Wadi Rum

The camels in Wadi Rum are the natural part of the desert. Riding the camels has always been the traditional way for the Bedouins to move around the desert. The animals used to play an important part in Bedouins life – providing them with a mean of transport, food, and milk. Bedouins believe that camel’s milk has medicinal purposes. Nowadays, some of the Bedouins still own camels but mainly use them for tourists. When you visit Wadi Rum you will have an opportunity to ride the camel. However, always make sure that the animals are well treated and by riding them you are not compromising their well being.

The camels do add the magical touch to the landscape with their humps moving slightly when they walk towards the sunset and their funny faces snuffing for the food when they see a person nearby.

Useful info

Where to stay in Wadi Rum?

We stayed in the traditional Bedouin camp – Wadi Rum Green Desert Camp – for two nights. The friendly, quiet atmosphere, ideal for relaxing evenings after adventure-filled activities in the desert, delicious food and the nicest Bedouins it’s what describes that place. You can book the Wadi Rum camp here. 

What to take for Wadi Rum?

Pack for Wadi Rum:

• Water bottle – to keep your water cold or hot. Check the prices and models here.
• Suncream
• Sunglasses
• Biodegradable wet wipes
• Camera and tripod – I use Fuji X-E1 and Samyang 12mm, Manfrotto tripod, which I used to capture photos in this post.
• A hat
• A scarf – to blend in you can try this type of scarf

In winter take:

• Sleeping bag –  goose down sleeping bag, or a vegan option from Marmot
• Thermal underwear – merino wool top and bottoms, woolen socks.

Would you like to visit Wadi Rum in Jordan? Which place would you like to see the most? Have you ever been? Let me know in the comments!

Read more about Jordan:

Jordan 10 days itinerary

Hiking in Wadi Rum – the highest mountain in Jordan Jabal Umm Ad Dami

Visit Petra – most amazing views in Petra and how to get to the viewpoints

Camping in Wadi Rum

The Best Hotels In Jordan – Full Guide On Where To Stay In Jordan

Dana Biosphere Reserve – Jordan’s hiking paradise

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