Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the junction for the small village of Diseh and continues towards the
visitor centre
Offline map
(
/fax
2090600;
www.wadirum.jo
;
7am-7pm)
. This is where all visitors to Wadi Rum must report before venturing
further into the valley.
Even if you don't have time to spend a whole day at Wadi Rum, it is worth coming as far as the visitor centre.
From this attractive complex you can see Lawrence's
Seven Pillars of Wisdom
(a striking rock formation at the
head of the valley), visit the museum, watch a short film about the desert, have lunch and get an idea of what Rum is
all about. This is also where you pay the admission fee if you want to proceed further into the valley.
Visitor Centre to Rum Village
Beyond the visitor centre, the road is initially lined by a battered set of 4WDs, accompanied by their Bedouin
drivers awaiting the next fare in strict rotation. The tarmac road continues for 7km to the village of Rum. The vil-
lage, wedged between the towering dome-capped pillars of Wadi Rum, has a few concrete houses, a school, some
shops and the Beau Geste-style fort, headquarters of the much-photographed Desert Patrol.
Again, if you don't have much time or can't afford one of the 4WD tours, consider at least reaching the village
(you can drive in your own car, hitch or walk). In the village, there's a pleasant rest house with an outside terrace
and camping facilities.
Rum Village to Desert Interior
To penetrate the desert beyond the village of Rum, you must either have organised a 4WD trip from the visitor
centre, booked a camel or be prepared for an exhausting hike through soft sand. With your own 4WD you can make
your own way in, provided you know how to drive off-road.
Beyond the village of Rum, the tarmac runs out and numerous tracks take over, slithering through the soft sand of
Wadi Rum to an open area of converging valleys. From here, tracks lead to various points of interest such as rock
bridges, desert mushrooms and yardangs. Most 4WD and camel tours make a circular route through the intersecting
wadis of the area before returning to the visitor centre.
Outside this heavily visited area is a portion of desert known as the
Wilderness Area
. It is forbidden to take a
4WD into this protected zone but you can hike there with a guide.
For overnight stays, there are several Bedouin campsites with rudimentary facilities within Wadi Rum and the
neighbouring Diseh area, on the rim of the reserve.
Books & Maps
If you are planning any hikes and scrambles, bring a detailed guidebook and map; if you plan to do some serious
hiking and rock climbing, it's vital to organise a guide in advance.
British climber Tony Howard has spent a lot of time exploring Wadi Rum, and has co-written with Di Taylor the
excellent and detailed
Treks & Climbs in Wadi Rum, Jordan
and a pocket-sized version called
Walks & Scrambles
in Wadi Rum
. Treks and climbs around Wadi Rum are also mentioned in Howard and Taylor's
Walking in Jordan
.
Buy these books before arriving in Wadi Rum.
The free Wadi Rum brochure has a map showing the major sites and is available from the visitor centre. The 1997
Map of Rum
is contoured and detailed for a small section of northern Wadi Rum (ie around Rum village). The most
detailed and informative map is
Wadi Rum Tourist Plan,
published by International Traditional Services Corp, but
it's not widely available.
