Wondering what to expect from a Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp?
When I was planning my trip to Jordan, I was solely focused on seeing Petra and checking off my Wonders of the World checklist. But little did I know of a magical place called Wadi Rum. Wadi Rum was unlike anything I’ve ever seen due to its Mars-like landscape and the beautiful vast rock formation backdrop. Not only that, staying at a Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp makes it an astonishing once-in-a-lifetime experience!
This local Bedouin tribe is your one-stop shop for a Bedouin camp filled with a full day of jeep tour, all-inclusive food and camping in your private tent – with bathrooms, running water and electricity. They will come pick you up from Wadi Rum village and bring you back to the next day. Super easy and affordable! What’s unique about them is that they provide evening entertainment under the stars with singing and music next to the fire.
➡️ Book My Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp Experience here: Full Day Jeep Tour + Overnight Stay at Wadi Rum
10 Things To Know When Booking a Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp
Staying at a Wadi Rum Bedouin camp was the most unique experience of Wadi Rum in my opinion. When I was there, I felt like I was getting the most authentic local experience by staying at a camp! When looking online you may see there are so many different camps to stay at, so you’re probably wondering what are the differences and how should you choose? Here are some tips to help you figure it out!
1. The Wadi Rum Bedouin camps are all-inclusive.
All the Wadi Rum Bedouin camps will provide transportation, buffet style Zarb food and activities. Think of it like being on an all inclusive desert glamping trip! Unlike hotels in other areas you’ve traveled to, part of the Bedouin Camp experience is that the Bedouin locals take care of everything for you. In that sense, the main thing to consider when booking a bedouin camp is more about how luxurious you want to be. A lot of it will be about the type of accommodation, how much you want to spend, and the activities the camp provides.
2. You can’t drive yourself around Wadi Rum.
Wadi Rum is a protected area so you can’t drive yourself at Wadi Rum since there are no roads. You have to go everywhere by 4 x 4 jeep, so your bedouin camp will provide your transportation for you. You’ll be shuttled around on these jeeps, and it’s perfectly safe. You are chauffeured by the local Bedouin people, an experience I loved so much as you get to really be immersed in the Bedouin culture.
3. How luxurious do you want the Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp experience?
Decide if you want a luxury vs. mid-tier Wadi Rum Bedouin camp. Luxury camps will often be the Martian domes where you can directly see the sky from inside your bubble. Luxury camps will obviously have nicer beddings, decor, and even outside lounges to hang out at during the day and night.
Otherwise all other camps will be in tents that can be quite spacious inside with multiple beds, even porches and patios, and bathrooms with running water. Some camps will have better WiFi access but that just depends on the location. No matter where you stay, you have a nice bed and bathrooms. It is a pretty luxurious glamping style regardless of where you are in the desert. I had 3 beds in my tent- all to myself!
4. Each Bedouin camp will have the same but slightly different variety of activities.
All of the Wadi Rum Bedouin camps will do the camel rides, 4 x 4 jeep tours and hiking in various locations at Wadi Rum. A few will do hot air balloon rides and stargazing tours. You can also book skygazing tours with a company called Rum Sky directly.
When deciding a camp, look to see what kind of tours and activities they provide and how it aligns with your interest. Some camps do 3 hour jeep tours and some can go up to 6 hours. Some will go to all the rock bridges while others will skip the Khalid Canyon completely. See my blog post about things to do in Wadi Rum and pick out your top 5 things you want to do, then find the camp that can provide those.
Personally, the sunrise AND sunset camel rides were my favorite part of the trip. Oh, and stargazing!
5. Book early.
Book at least 3-4 months in advance if you are going between November-April. High season can be very popular for tourists and if you want one of the luxury Martian domes, best to book your Bedouin camp early. I booked my Jordan trip 3 months out and I traveled in April.
You can book my Wadi Rum Bedouin experience here!
6. The Bedouin staff will come pick you up.
The bedouin camp staff will come pick you up at the Wadi Rum Visitor Center or Wadi Rum Village. There is parking for tourist cars at Wadi Rum Village for guests if you drive yourself. When you book your camp, they will tell you exactly where to meet.
Everything is inclusive, including all your transportation once you get to Wadi Rum.
7. You must pay to enter Wadi Rum.
However you choose to get to Wadi Rum, you have to pay to enter through the visitor center first, which is 5 JOD or free with Jordan pass. You can pay in cash or credit card. Most places in Jordan accepts credit cards. Once you get to Wadi Rum visitor center, your work will be done!
8. The Wadi Rum Bedouin camps’ foods are usually traditional Zarb food.
Zarb is a Bedouin style of cooking where they bury the veggies and meat in an oven in the ground, covered in sand. They cook it for several hours so the meat and veggies can soak up in the juices! Typical Zarb meal will be marinated lamb, sheep or chicken, salad and rice. Your Wadi Rum Bedouin camp will most likely be using this technique to cook your dinners. Ask your local Bedouin to make sure you can see the unrevealing of the food when it’s time to take it out of the ground!
9. You can easily get to Wadi Rum via a bus or taxi.
From your hotel, you can hire a private taxi to take you to Wadi Rum. A taxi from Amman to Wadi Rum will cost about 90 JOD.
If you want to go via bus, JETT Company provides buses between a variety of cities like Amman, Aqada or Petra to Wadi Rum. https://www.jett.com.jo/en
Car rentals can also be picked up from Queen Alia airport with global companies like Hertz, Avis, Enterprise or Europcar.
10. Don’t take just a day trip. You WANT to stay overnight at a Wadi Rum Bedouin camp!
It is possible to get tours without camping overnight, and those will usually leave from Wadi Rum village. That being said, one of the best parts of visiting Wadi Rum is to stay in a Bedouin camp tent or bubble and hang out with the local bedouins under the stars!
Book my all inclusive Bedouin Camp experience here!
Best Time To Visit
Between November and April are the best months to visit Wadi Rum. I personally recommend April since the temperatures are between 50 degree F at night in your Bedouin camp and closer to upper 80s during the day, which is pretty moderate for Jordan. A nice breeze during the day when riding the 4 x 4s!
In terms of packing, Wadi Rum temperatures can swing very extreme between night and day so pack both T-shirts and long layers! I personally brought sweatpants, a hoodie, my “Middle Eastern pants” which are these lightweight harem-like pants that are great for both protecting yourself from heat AND the cold. You need clothes that don’t stick to your skin from the heat but also protect you from the sun. I would recommend a tank top with a light breathable kimono over it. Believe it or not, a hijab was the best for Wadi Rum desert, since it protected you from the sun and sand but didn’t make you sweat.
Camel riding got windy and cold both at sunset and sunrise, so you want some layers for those! In fact, we had people who didn’t bring enough layers and was cold.
Sandals would be best for walking around in the sand. Sneakers are okay but you will get sand in them!
FAQs
The logistics for getting to your Wadi Rum Bedouin camps can seem tricky, but it’s actually not! Your top questions are answered below.
How do I get to Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp?
You can take a taxi or a bus – or rent a car and drive. Or get on a tour company that plans your whole trip to Jordan for you!
What is the Bedouin tribe in Wadi Rum?
When you stay at a Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp, the local bedouin tribes are the ones who take you around. The largest tribe is the Zalabia tribe which resides most of the villagers at Rum village. The Zalabia tribe operates most of the jeep and camel tours and splits their time between tourism and their sustaining agricultural lifestyle.
Is 1 day enough for Wadi Rum?
It depends what hikes and areas you want to see and the activities that follow. The desert is huge and even one four hour 4 x 4 tour, you don’t see every single rock and arch. Decide which main attractions you want to visit on your jeep tour, then ask your Bedouin camp if they can customize it to your liking. Do you want to do hikes? Then you may need two days and save the big hiking for day 2. Also, the day of arrival you may be tired and I think it’s nice to get two nights in your Bedouin for stargazing!
That being said, if you only have one full day and night, you could see a lot of the major sites on day 1 with the 4 x 4 tour, sleep in the camps, and then leave next day.
Looking for ideas of what to do? Check out my post on 15 Extraordinary Things to Do in Wadi Rum
Is Wadi Rum worth it?
No doubt the answer is YES!!! When I was planning my trip to Jordan, all I could think about was visiting Petra and someone told me to not miss Wadi Rum. I had never even heard of the place and I am SO glad I got to go there, as it may be one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site!
It’s unlike any other desert I’ve been to, although it did remind me a little bit of the Red Rocks in Vegas or Colorado. But prettier and bigger! Also the way the moon is so clear once the sunset goes down but it’s still completely bright outside is astounding. DO NOT MISS IT! The Jordan Tourism board calls Wadi Rum an “Arabian fairy-take waiting to be discovered.”
Conclusion
Staying at an all-inclusive Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp is a necessary stop on your way to Petra! Not only will you see one of the most beautiful deserts in the world, but seeing the Bedouin life will make you feel connected to the locals and have a shared cultural experience.