Wadi Rum
Lawrence of Arabia's desert is a maze of rose-coloured sandstone mountains rising sheer from red sand, and the way in is a Bedouin-driven 4x4 with tea stops at rock arches and canyon petroglyphs.
- Best forAdventure seekers · Photographers · Couples
- In April26°C · barely any rain
- Ideal stay1–2 nights
- Approx. flying time~15h 20m from Los Angeles
- CurrencyJODJordanian dinar
- LanguageArabic
- Local time12:242h ahead of the UK
- PlugsType C / D / F / GUK plugs fit
- Drive on theRightOpposite to the UK
- Dialling code+962
Why go
A protected desert in southern Jordan where sandstone and granite mountains rise straight out of red sand, split by wide flat valleys and narrow canyons. The Bedouin community runs the tourism, and almost everything happens from the back of a pickup: rock arches, inscriptions, dunes and camps set against the base of a cliff. The silence after the engines stop is the real event.
One night is the minimum and two are better, usually slotted between Petra, an hour and a half north, and Aqaba on the Red Sea an hour south. Spring and autumn are comfortable, summer days pass 40°C and winter nights fall close to freezing. Book directly with a camp rather than a city agency, and be clear whether the vehicle is shared or private.
- Ideal stay
- 1–2 nights
- The vibe
- Vast, red, silent after dark
From our guides
Stay overnight — day-trippers from Petra miss the main event, which is the sky. Camps range from goat-hair traditional to transparent bubbles for the full Mars effect. Book directly with a Rum village family; spring and autumn have the kindest temperatures.
Featured in Ten desert adventures worth the sand in your boots
Things to do
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Umm Fruth and Burdah arches
Two natural rock bridges, one scrambled in a few minutes and the other a properly guided climb high above the valley floor.
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Khazali canyon
A narrow cleft in the rock with Nabataean and Thamudic inscriptions carved into the walls, a short walk in from the sand.
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Lawrence's Spring and Seven Pillars
Sites tied to the Arab Revolt and to Lawrence's account of it, close to the village and usually the first stop on any tour.
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Camping under the sky
Camps range from goat-hair Bedouin tents to transparent domes, and the desert has almost no light pollution in any direction.
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Zarb dinner
Meat and vegetables cooked in a sand oven and dug out at the table, the standard evening meal at the camps and better than that sounds.
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Jebel Umm ad Dami
Jordan's highest peak, near the Saudi border, climbed in a few hours with a guide for a view across both countries.
Getting there
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Fly to
Aqaba (AQJ)
Nearest airport to Wadi Rum, about 33km away as the crow flies.
-
Then
To Rum Village
About an hour by car north from Aqaba (AQJ) to the Wadi Rum visitor centre, with taxis and transfers easily arranged.
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On the ground
Getting around
Beyond the village you travel by Bedouin 4x4 or camel. Camps sit deep in the protected area and your hosts collect you from the visitor centre car park.
Public transport: Sparse. A daily minibus links Aqaba and Petra with Rum village, but most visitors arrive on a camp transfer.
Flights
Los Angeles Wadi Rum, Jordan
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Roughly 15h 20m in the air from Los Angeles (LAX), estimated from the distance — check for a direct route. Pick a month to see every available flight with live prices.
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When to go
Daytime highs run from about 15°C in January to 34°C in August. Rain is rare in any month.
The year at a glance — pick a month for detail
April26° · rain 1 dayWarm and dry.
Monthly figures averaged from daily records for 2020–2024 at this location (ERA5 reanalysis). Highlighted months are warm and mostly dry — April to June and September to November. Live conditions from MET Norway, CC BY 4.0.
Where to stay
Bedouin camps in goat-hair tents, mid-range camps with private bathrooms, and transparent bubble domes for stargazing. Hotels proper exist only outside the reserve.
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Best base overall
Rum Village
The settlement inside the protected area, where the Bedouin families who run the camps and jeeps are based. Book direct with a village family rather than through a reseller.
Find stays in Rum Village -
Quietest
Deep desert camps
Sites an hour's drive beyond the village, out where there is no generator hum and the stars do the entertaining. Facilities are basic and the drive back is long.
Find stays in Deep desert camps -
Best with children
Diseh
On the northern edge, easier to reach by road and with slightly more comfortable camps and shorter transfers. The scenery is good rather than the very best.
Find stays in Diseh -
Best value
Aqaba
An hour south on the Red Sea, with hotels at every price and diving on the doorstep, if a desert night does not appeal. You miss the sunrise, which is the point.
Find stays in Aqaba
Worth knowing before you book: Rates should include the jeep tour, dinner and breakfast, so check what is bundled before comparing. Spring and autumn weekends sell out, and nights are cold year-round.
Search everything else in Rum Village by budget. These are indicative budget bands in GBP per night for two people, not live quotes or guarantees of hotel type. Check your dates, guests, taxes and final price on Booking.com.
Good to know
- Book direct
- Camps are run by local families and take bookings themselves. Confirm what the price includes: transfers, meals, tours and the reserve entry fee.
- Pack this
- A warm layer for the evening whatever the season, a scarf against the dust, closed shoes and a torch. Camps have limited power.
- Timing
- March to May and September to November are the workable months. Midday in high summer is genuinely dangerous for walking.
- Cash
- There is no bank in the village and card payment is unreliable. Bring dinars in cash, including for tips.
- Etiquette
- This is a conservative rural community. Cover shoulders and knees around the village, and ask before photographing anyone.
Similar places
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The White Desert
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Quick answers
When is the best time to visit Wadi Rum?
For warm, mostly dry days, April to June and September to November. That means highs of 20–34°C with rain on six days a month or fewer. Daytime highs run from about 15°C in January to 34°C in August. Rain is rare in any month.
How long should I spend in Wadi Rum?
Our suggestion: 1–2 nights.
How do I get to Wadi Rum?
About an hour by car north from Aqaba (AQJ) to the Wadi Rum visitor centre, with taxis and transfers easily arranged.
Do I need a car in Wadi Rum?
No. A daily minibus links Aqaba and Petra with Rum village, but most visitors arrive on a camp transfer.
What currency and language are used in Wadi Rum?
Currency: Jordanian dinar (JOD). Language: Arabic. Plugs: type C and D and F and G.
Who is Wadi Rum best for?
Best for adventure seekers, photographers and couples. In a phrase: vast, red, silent after dark.