Visiting the desert of Wadi Rum is one of the best experiences you can do in Jordan. Spend a night under the light of the thousand stars (hello Ed!) in a traditional Bedouin camp. Ride in a back of a jeep across the desert to see the most impressive canyons and try traditional food Zarb which is cooked underground! 

In this guide, we will tell you how to plan your trip to Wadi Rum, what to expect and how to find the best campsite.

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How many nights should you stay in Wadi Rum

We didn’t expect Wadi Rum in Jordan to be so packed with interesting places. Especially after spending a night in the Sahara Desert in Morocco, where it was more about the Nomadic experience than some top places to see.

Therefore, we recommend you to stay two nights in the desert. Yes, it is doable to visit the most interesting places in just one day. However, after our experience, we think it is better to stay two nights and let us tell you why. 

If you choose just one day tour with overnight, your day will be packed with activities, and you won’t have time to enjoy the campsite and its surroundings fully. You basically finish exploring after sunset, followed by dinner and some relaxation in camp. The next day after breakfast, they drive you back to your car. We did just one night, and we could easily spend another day by just chilling and exploring the dunes and rocks around the camp. 

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Read more from Jordan:

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What to expect from an overnight tour

Firstly, we want to mention that it is possible to organise the tour to your liking. If you order a jeep, you will have a personal driver only for you, which means you can always discuss beforehand with your provider what places you want to visit. Of course, they have some prepared itineraries for 2, 4 or 5 hours or full-day trip which we think most companies have the same and cover most of the exciting places you can see in Wadi Rum. 

In our case, we had a 5-hour tour, with overnight with Joy of life and the price for 2 people was 90 JD for everything (jeep tour, tent, lunch, dinner and breakfast, transport). It is a small family-run company that runs a traditional Bedouin campsite. This was number one what we were looking for, to actually stay with a local family. 

The tour starts at 11 o’clock from Wadi Rum village. There is a big car park where you park your car and leave it there until you’re back. It is safe. We were met there by our driver & guide Zyan, who run the campsite. After putting all of our staff for the next 24 hours into the car, we jumped in the back of the jeep, and the adventure began. 

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TOP PLACES TO SEE IN WADI RUM

Lawrence Spring

The first stop after a 2 km ride is Lawrence’s Spring. Animals come here to drink because here you find the most water in the area. There is also old writing carved in the rock.

Red Sand Dune

Then you continue to see the Red Sand Dune, which dominates the area. The dune is not actually that huge, and you can quickly climb to the top as the view is stunning. The dune is very photogenic, and frankly, most of the sand dunes photos from Wadi Rum you see online usually comes from here.

Khazali Canyon

The next stop was Khazali Canyon which is very narrow, but the walls are full of Ancient inscriptions. After the canyon, Zyan stopped the car in the middle of nowhere picked up some shrubs to make a fire to prepare lunch and tea for all of us. 

Lawrence House

After we relaxed a bit, we continued our way towards Lawrence’s house, which is primarily essential from a historical perspective as today it is mostly ruins left. Once again, you can admire a Nabatean inscription.

Little Rock Bridge

The next stop is Little Rock Bridge which is supposed to be the most famous attraction because of its shape. It is a stone bridge made by nature. We didn’t find the bridge as impressive as the view from the top, which by the way, is amazing.

Abu Khashaba Canyon

Another canyon we visited was Abu Khashaba. Zyan dropped us off on one side, we then walked through the canyon alone, and he picked us up on the other side.

Um Frouth Rock Bridge

Then we went to Um Frouth Rock Bridge but just to look as we found it quite dangerous to climb to the top, but many people did that. The last stop is sunset watching, and this place is different for everyone, and it all depends on your guide. Zyan took us to his favourite spot, and we hadn’t seen anyone else around us. Again, he made a fire and prepared tea. We talked and enjoyed the most epic sunset you can imagine. Then he drove us to the campsite. 

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Our experience – Overnight in traditional Bedouine Campsite

We arrived at the campsite when it was almost dark. Therefore, we didn’t have a chance to explore the surrounding. This is why we told you to plan your trip for 2 nights because otherwise, you won’t enjoy the camp itself that much. 

Zyan’s family made Zarb, which is traditional food consisting of chicken, potatoes, and vegetables cooked underground. After dinner, together with fellow travellers, we played cards, learned how to dance traditional Arabic dances and went to bed. We chose Joy of Life because it is in the middle of nowhere, far from the village, and you don’t see any light pollution. It is the perfect spot for watching or taking photos of the night sky. 

The next day in the morning, we got breakfast, and then we had maybe 45 minutes to actually see the campsite in daylight before they drove us back to the village where we parked our car the day before. 

We can highly recommend you Joy of life if you are interested in staying with a local family and experiencing the Bedouin style of life. This is not a luxury experience. But if you search for the realness, this is a place to be. 

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Insurance

Don’t forget insurance with good coverage of activities. For Jordan, we chose IATI insurance. As always, they provide excellent coverage and customer service in case of emergency. 

Readers of Broken Navigation get an exclusive 5% discount.

Get your 5% discount with IATI insurance here.

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Food & water

At our campsite, we got lunch, breakfast and dinner. The portions were huge, so we didn’t need any extra snacks. We also got unlimited drinkable water, and most places provide the same service. 

Make sure you contact your host before you go. You must know all the details before as once you set off your journey, there are zero options to buy food, drinks whatsoever. 

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Money

Bring enough cash as there are no ATMs around, and everything is paid only by cash. Also, it is a good idea to have a Jordanian sim card as it makes communication with your campsite much easier. 

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Entry to Wadi Rum

Before you arrive in Wadi Rum village, you need to go through the checkpoint in the visitor centre. Here you either pay an entry fee of 5 JD or if you have a Jordan Pass, it is included. 

In the visitor centre, you can visit the museum which gives you some historical context of the desert. Still, there is also a restaurant and toilets. 

Then continue another 6 km to the Wadi Rum village, a gateway to the desert. Most campsites will pick you up from the car park, where you leave the car when you are in the desert. There is a small store in the village, and if you need to buy some snacks or water, this is your last option. We would not rely on this store as it is tiny and you never know if they have what you need. 

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Wadi Rum in winter

We stayed in Wadi Rum in December, and the weather was perfect. During the day it was so warm that you can wear a short sleeve t-shirt and after sunset, it gets cold quite quickly, so a down jacket is a must. Our host gave us extra 2 warm blankets, so during the night, we were warm. 

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How to choose the campsite & What to consider before you go

There are many kinds of accommodations in the Wadi Rum desert. From luxurious campsites to traditional Bedouine camps, there is something for everyone. But how to choose the best one for you? When deciding what accommodation is the best fit, don’t worry about the jeep tour – all the accommodations provide a jeep tour/transfer. They all have the same itinerary, so you won’t miss anything. It doesn’t matter if you choose the luxury or budget option. 

But there are other things more important to consider to avoid disappointment: 

• Do you want luxury or traditional tents? 

Luxurious camps are usually owned by foreigners and provide the comfort you are used to from home. On the other hand, a traditional campsite offers real-life, and you actually stay with a local family. You get to spend time with them and learn some helpful information. 

• Deep in the desert or closer to the village? 

Some campsites are not even located in the main Wadi Rum protected area, which may not be the experience you are looking for. We think it is much better to choose the campsite further in the desert. It is a fantastic feeling to be outside at night, stargazing without light pollution from inhabited areas. 

• How many nights do you plan on staying? 

One night is surely enough, but there are more things to experience. Take a camel trek or hike in the desert. 

• What exactly is included in the price? (Jeep tour, what places, food, water, blankets etc.) 

This is essential information as you want to know what to bring with you in case they don’t provide it. How many hours of jeep tour do you want, and what places do you visit? Is there drinkable water, and is the food included? We recommend you to choose the food included – lunch, dinner and breakfast. 

• What time do they drive you back?

Some tours will take you back to the village as early as 7:30am, so you basically have breakfast and don’t have enough time to enjoy a campsite. Discuss this before to avoid confusion

• Do you want to explore or rather relax? 

Maybe you want to just relax outside of your tent and read a book? Or do you prefer another day trip? 

• Optionally, what are the hiking options, camel trips or other jeep adventures in the area? 

Once you have an answer to those questions and others which are important for your preference, we can choose a suitable campsite. We did all the research and share with you the best campsites we found for every category. But since this topic is quite extensive, we created another post with the best camps in Wadi Rum.  

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Our favourite campsites

Budget I Joy of Life – This is where we stayed and we tried to write as much useful information about the stay as possible. Basically, this article covers everything that we experienced in Joy of Life.

Mid-range I Zeina Desert Lodge – is a perfect equivalent for the more luxurious Bubble Luxotel as for a much better price you get almost the same luxurious experience. Tents with a panoramic view, with a private terrace. If the luxury stay was our aim we would choose this lodge.

Luxury I Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel – This is a truly luxurious experience. Panoramic glass Bubble accommodation with a private jacuzzi, dramatic view over the mountains and desert and luxury restaurant. If you come in the winter season, the prices can be quite affordable.

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How much does it cost

As we already mentioned, we paid 90 JD for 2 in winter, with everything included. And we think this is where the prices start for overnight in Wadi Rum depends on what campsite you choose.

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Driving on your own in the desert

We also met travellers exploring Wadi Rum by themselves. Still, you need to make sure you have a good map and know how to navigate the desert for this kind of adventure. Not only that. But also to have an experience with being stuck in the sand and know what to do about it. You can get easily disorientated, and even the maps are not 100% accurate in the desert. Obviously, the 4WD car is a must. 

We have a lot of experience driving off-road and crossing rivers since we lived five years in Iceland, but we didn’t feel like driving in the desert. There is a thin line between having an adventure of a lifetime and being silly. 

Hope we provide you with some helpful insight into travelling to Wadi Rum. If you need any more information, don’t hesitate to drop a comment below so the answer will be helpful for fellow travellers.

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