What are the best things to do in Wadi Rum?
You don’t want to miss one of the top attractions in all of Jordan, and I am not talking about Petra! Wadi Rum, aka Valley of the Moon, is the largest river valley in Jordan, known for its beautiful scenic Arabian desert backdrop. It is special for so many reasons, and one of the reasons is that it looks a lot like another planet! With its red-colored rock formations and monstrous sand dunes, it does resemble a lot like Mars.
I have been dreaming of going to Jordan for a long time. I’ve done extensive research about traveling to Jordan for many years and Wadi Rum was a high priority of mine. As a solo female traveler and with my background in journalism, I take a lot of time to research each location before I even get to the country and everyone I knew who had gone to Jordan said: DON’T MISS WADI RUM!
In fact, many movies like The Martian, Lawrence of Arabia and the Star Wars movies have been filmed at Wadi Rum for its Martian-like backdrop. You can even visit the exact spot where certain scenes of Star Wars were filmed which is one of the many fun things to do in Wadi Rum! Not to mention, the colors of the Wadi Rum landscapes are a combination of bright orange, red and yellow tints, making it a very photogenic place to visit.
15 Best Things to Do in Wadi Rum
One of the best experiences and probably the most popular thing to do in Wadi Rum is staying in a Bedouin camp. While staying at a camp, you get to see the Bedouin way of life, which for me was such an unforgettable experience! Bedouins locals will shuttle you around Wadi Rum, providing you with camel rides, hiking tours and delicious meals. Your camps can range from simple tents to luxury Martian domes. In addition, all of them provide you with delicious Zarb food with a night time of stargazing!
Although you are in a desert, it’s only 2 hours away from Petra and there are plenty of unique things to do in Wadi Rum.
1. 4 x 4 Jeep Tour
One of my favorite things to do in Wadi Rum are the 4 x 4 jeep tours! Your camp will be able to provide a tour and it is a definitely must-do activity in Wadi Rum! You will spend 4 hours on the back of the jeep, with the wind in your hair and the sun on your face. Your jeep will take you on a full tour of Wadi Rum, stopping by some famous rock archs and beautiful scenery for photos. Lastly, check out the places where Star Wars and the Martian was filmed!
⭐ BOOK MY WADI RUM JEEP TOUR EXPERIENCE HERE: Wadi Rum Full Day Jeep Tour ⭐
2. Sunset camel ride
The sunset and sunrises in Wadi Rum are not to be missed! Also doing it on a camel is even better! One of my favorite things that I did was a sunset camel ride, as it was quiet and peaceful to watch the sun go down in the middle of the vast desert. Nevertheless, don’t forget to wear some layers for when the sun goes down as it can get quite chilly quickly.
3. Sunrise camel ride
Even if you did the sunset camel ride, the sunrise camel ride is also worth doing! Make sure you dress warmly since it does get windy. You’ll see the difference between sunset and sunrise and how unforgettable both are!
4. Drink Tea with a bedouin
Bedouin tea is made with black tea, water and sugar but it does taste a little different than American black tea. The bedouins add herbs like sage, cinnamon mint or thyme in the tea. It will taste lovely next to the fire pit at your camp or off stargazing at night. Your camp will definitely serve you this at breakfast or night time.
5. Visit Um Frouth Rock Arch
The Um Frouth Rock Arch is a very popular area as the rock is very eye-catching while being massive in size. You can even climb to the top of the arch. There are many photo ops in this area with many tourists around. You may need some scrambling skills to get to the higher areas, as it is a little intimidating. It is probably one of the more popular things to do in Wadi Rum.
6. Watch Your Bedouin Camp Make Traditional Zarb Food underground
Who knew food buried in sand could be so delicious? Zarb is a Bedouin style of cooking where they bury the veggies and meat in an oven in the ground, covered in sand. The bedouins cook it for several hours so that the meat and veggies can soak up in the juices! Typical Zarb meal will be marinated lamb, sheep or chicken, salad and rice. Your camp will most likely be using this technique to cook your dinners. Ask your local Bedouin camp to let you see the unrevealing of the food when it’s time to take it out of the ground!
7. See ancient petroglyphs at Khazali Canyon
This canyon is one of the most unique things to do in Wadi Rum as it shows some of the oldest petroglyphs in history! The petroglyphs show ancient pictures of humans and animals going back to the Thamudic period. The canyon walls have carvings of camels, mountains, goats, humans, pairs of feet, and horses. If you look closely, the inscriptions are in Nabataean, Ismaic and Thamudic and are in great condition since the canyon is hidden from nature’s elements like rain and winds.
The canyon has a narrow crack passage that once you squeeze through, you will be able to see the ancient petroglyphs and inscriptions on the walls. If you see the picture of two bare feet, that meant to show locations of where travelers can get access to drinking water. The canyon is located 6km south of Wadi Rum Village at the northern end of Jebel Khazali.
8. Ride a Hot Air Balloon
See the beautiful red rocks up in the sky! Not surprisingly, one of the desert camps I recommend will arrange a ride for you, or there are other companies who will help you ride a hot air balloon over the desert! They are usually about 50 minutes to an hour ride in the balloon. One of the most gorgeous things to do at Wadi Rum!
9. Rock Climb
The beautiful rock formation of Wadi Rum can now be experienced by all on a rope. Unfortunately, you can’t just randomly show up and climb any mountain so book a reputable climbing company to help you up the mountain. This company will take you up! Considering all the unique things to do in Wadi Rum, this is a more epic and athletic opportunity to experience the texture of the sandstone in your hands.
10. Stargazing from your Bedouin camp
Out of all the unique things to do in Wadi Rum, stargazing is NOT TO BE MISSED! Because the desert has an altitude of over 3000 feet, it has clear skies with barely any light pollution. These are the constellations you can see from Wadi Rum: Orion with the three-star belt, Taurus for its V-shape- star, Gemini, Canis Major with Sirius, which is the bright star in the sky. And the famous Ursa Major which has Big Dipper!
You can also hire an astronomy tour guide and they will help you identify each of the stars and constellations! You can grab a cup of Bedouin tea and cozy up in your Martian bubble and gaze at the constellation.
11. Visit Lawrence’s Spring
Wadi Rum was the headquarters of British Colonel T.E. Lawrence, who fought against the Ottomon Empire for the Arabs during World War I. T.E. Lawrence, also known as the Lawrence of Arabia, made Wadi Rum his home during this time and even wrote a book called the Seven PiIlars of Wisdom. This book was an autobiographical account of his time as a military advisor.
The book described the Spring as, “In front of us a path, pale with use, zigzagged up the cliff-plinth…From between [the] trees, in hidden crannies of the rock, issued strange cries; the echoes, turned into music, of the voices of the Arabs watering camels at the springs which there flowed out three hundred feet above ground”. This spring became an important area for water source for people traveling between Syria and Arabia. You may even notice the smell of mint from the trees!
12. Go Sandboarding
Sandboarding is basically snowboarding but in the sand! It is usually too hot during high noon for sandboarding, but later in the afternoon or early evening should be better temps for Sandboarding. Your Bedouin camp can set it up for you if they run activities, or any tour guide in Wadi Rum can include some of the activities and trips l like Lawrence’s Spring with Sandboarding together.
13. Check out Mushroom Rock
This is exactly as it sounds — a photo-op with a rock shaped like a mushroom! Also the rock can also protect you from the heat of the hot sun during the day as a cool resting spot.
14. Go to the Star Wars film location and take an exact photo of the scene
Our tour guide took us to the filming location and then we voted on who had the best acting pose. I think I got second! Haha. There is a specific area of Wadi Rum where you can get an exact replica of the location of the new Star War movie with Ray. Take a funny photo in the exact pose!
15. Stay in a Martian Bubble
A truly once-in-a-lifetime sleeping experience, staying in a Martian bubble is one of coolest things to do in Wadi Rum! You have to stay in a Bedouin camp when you are there, but you can choose to stay in one of the luxury domes instead of a tent. The bubbles are a unique thing to do in Wadi Rum because the wall and roof of your room is clear and you can see the stars in full color. It is so quiet, peaceful and a magical experience! It feels like you are sleeping outside except with a nice warm bubble around you! Do you feel like you are staying on Mars? Or space?
Where to Stay in Wadi Rum
In Wadi Rum, you are basically staying at Bedouin camps of different varieties. A lot of it will be down to your personal finances and preference. Do you want a luxury camp? Or a mid-tier camp? Luxury camps are often the space-like looking bubbles that you can see the stars directly from your bedroom at night. Or you can stay in a regular camp which may look either like a tent or a motel room style.
The camp you book will provide transportation to come pick you up from the visitor center or Wadi Rum village. You are not allowed to drive into Wadi Rum yourself because only the local bedouins can chaperone you around. Most of the camps will have activities like camel rides, jeep tours, or even hikes for you to book when you book your accommodation.
Lastly, all of the camps will have running water toilets and beds for you. They will probably be roasting a traditional Zarb meal for you underground as well.
📍Budget Option: Wadi Rum Full Day Jeep Tour + Overnight. This is a one-stop shop where you get a full day tour, camping in private tents and food!
📍 Mid-Range Option: Shaheen Camp Wadi Rum. You have a choice of Mountain Views tents or bubbles, with breakfast & dinner included.
📍Luxury Option: Memories Aicha Luxury Camp. You will stay in the most beautiful glass-shaped bubble domes of them all! They also provide luxury tents.
FAQs
How much time do you need in Wadi Rum?
I would say an average of 2 nights would probably get you the most out of Wadi Rum. For instance, this is a sample Itinerary:
Day 1: Do a 4 x 4 jeep ride that stops by Um Frouth Arch and other main rock formations. Then go on a Sunset camel ride on arrival night with stargazing after Zarb dinner. Day 2: Wake up to do the camel sunrise ride, then spend the day hiking the canyon and see Lawrence’s spring. Day 3: Wake up and depart!
I think two nights will be perfectly enough to do most of the things on the list above. I think you can get hot air balloon rides in other countries – the most important is the landscape, sunrise/sunsets, jeep tours, petroglyphs and get the bedouin food and camp experience! It depends if you are a big hiker and want another day to do all the hikes and scrambles up the mountains.
How do I spend a day in Wadi Rum?
If you only have one day and night, you can do 4 x 4 jeep tour (which will take 4 hours), you’ll see the major rocks and arches, then do the lovely sunset camel ride, have Zarb dinner with stargazing, wake up and do a camel sunrise ride before departing.
When is the best time of year to visit Wadi rum?
April is one of the best months to visit as the weather can be a combination of a warm spring day with a breezy cool Fall-like crisp at night. For Jordan, the temperatures in April are mild as it’s not summer yet, between 65-86 degrees Fahrenheit. You actually need layers at night or at dawn! That being said, November-April will be great months to visit Wadi Rum and the rest of Jordan.
How do you get to Wadi Rum?
Taxi, Bus, Private Tour or Rent a Car. Check out my post 10 Things to Know When Booking a Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp
No matter what, you will need to stop first at the visitor center to get your ticket into Wadi Rum and then hop onto a 4 x 4 to your camp/hotel site. If you rent a car, you have to park it at the visitors center as only 4 x 4 are allowed inside Wadi Rum.
Wadi Rum Visitor Center is located at Wadi Rum Rd, Wadi Rum Village, Jordan. It is open 8am-4pm daily. The entry fee is 5 JOD for non-residents. Entry is free for children under the age of 12. It is included in Jordan Pass.
Can you explore Wadi Rum on your own?
No! You will need to be shuttle around by a local Bedouin via a 4 x 4. Your camp will be able to take care of your transportation, activities, and accommodations together. Since you can’t drive on your own and do need a 4 x 4 to get around, most of your activities and set up will be up to the camp you choose.
Is Wadi Rum Worth Seeing?
Wadi Rum is a magnificent place that showcases ancient human history. With 20,000 petroglyphs and inscriptions in the mountains, the 12,000 years of human history alone makes Wadi Rum worth visiting!
Not only that, Wadi Rum also has some of the most beautiful stargazing skies you’ll ever see. With little light pollution, you can see 5 major constellations at night inside your Martian dome camp. You can also see the Milky Way.
All in all, Wadi Rum has some of the most beautiful sunrise and sunsets I’ve ever seen. The stars are so clear at night you can see the constellations. Also part of the novelty of being there is sleeping in a bedouin camp in the desert under the stars!
Summary
Best 15 Things to Do in Wadi Rum in 2024
Although it seems like it’s just the desert in the middle of nowhere, Wadi Rum provides so many once-in-a-lifetime activities for you to explore! It may be the top 5 favorite places I’ve ever been. Wadi Rum is an UNESCO World Heritage site averaging 20,000 visitors a month.
You can hike, rock climb, ride hot air balloons and camels and jeeps, see all the stars in a Martian bubble while eating delicious Zarb food. And it’s only 2 hours from Petra!