Wadi Rum — Valley of the Moon
The Valley of the Moon — Jordan's Desert Wilderness
T. E. Lawrence called it 'vast, echoing and God-like', and a century later no better description of Wadi Rum has been written. This 720-square-kilometer protected wilderness in Jordan's far south is a landscape of sandstone mountains rising sheer from red sand valleys, natural rock arches, hidden canyons inscribed with 2,500-year-old Thamudic petroglyphs, and a silence so deep it feels physical. UNESCO listed it as a mixed natural-cultural World Heritage Site in 2011, recognizing both its geology and the 12,000 years of human history written on its walls.
The classic way to explore is by 4x4 with a Bedouin driver, bouncing between landmarks — Lawrence Spring, the great red dune, Khazali Canyon, Um Fruth rock bridge — with stops for sweet sage tea in goat-hair tents. Camel treks trace the slower, older rhythm of the desert, and by night the show moves overhead: with virtually zero light pollution, Wadi Rum offers some of the clearest stargazing on the planet. Sleeping at a desert camp, whether an authentic Bedouin tent or a luxury bubble dome, is for many travelers the single best night of their Jordan trip.
Hollywood agrees that nowhere on Earth looks quite like it: Lawrence of Arabia, The Martian, Dune and Star Wars were all filmed among these dunes.
Photo Gallery
How to Visit
Wadi Rum lies 4 hours south of Amman and 1 hour from Aqaba or Petra. Entry is via the Visitor Centre, and the protected area can only be explored with local Bedouin drivers — which is exactly what our private tours arrange, along with hotel pickup, lunch and sunset timing. Combine it with Petra on our 2-day tour, with an overnight camp stay under the stars.
