Away a Wile: Wadi Rum - Our Favourite Slice of Jordan

With our small Intrepid group and our guide Usama, we depart early from Amman, driving south to Wadi Rum down the desert highway, a massive straight line through the desert.

First stretch in the desert after a LONG ride

Along the way we see the multiple phosphorus mines which make up one of Jordans top exports. After 4ish hours we start to see the most incredible rock formations appear as we arrive at Wadi Rum. We say goodbye to our air-conditioned comfy van and load into the 4x4s that take us around the area. Our Land Cruiser has seen MUCH better days but it’s fun and it’s our driver’s actual car not a tourist vehicle. Our driver is from the local Bedouin community, and we are staying at one of the local Sheikhs many campsites, the panorama camp.

View from our 4x4

This 4x4 has seen better days

The local Sheikh enjoying a sit, a tea and a cigarette at our campsite

We head into this stunning landscape with its hot sand and red cliff formations that look like they have melted chocolate running down the cliff faces. Apparently the rock climbing here is meant to be something special.

Lunch is a picnic in the desert, made up of whatever we can bring. We stop at the local market in the middle of nowhere for supplies, you just pick and buy whatever you like that you think you can eat with your hands on top of sand. We choose some bananas, water, chips, pita bread and a can (yes a can) of hummus.

Not the biggest range of lunch options at this shop

We traverse the desert and visit a few places made famous by Lawrence of Arabia. The scenery is absolutely breathtaking and similar to what we imagine parts of the US desert to look like. We see ancient carvings and inscriptions from 800BC embedded deep into the red rocks.

This is then followed by climbing the Mount Everest of a sand dunes. It doesn’t look that big when you look at it, but then you start to climb and things get a little trickier as your feet sink and slip down making ground hard to cover quickly. The view from the top is awesome, with desert as far as the eye can see. The descent was a lot easier and a lot more fun.

The dune

Simon looking down on those of us not yet to the top

The view that makes it worth it!

We stop at a Bedouin tea at a camp to enjoy some spice infused tea and some shade. Simon and Arup buy a traditional Jordanian head wrap and Usama gives them a lesson on how to wear it, the locals make the wrapping look easy, but it takes some practice.

Our guide Usame giving Arap his first wrapping lesson

Next on the list is a visit to a naturally formed rock bridge. The ascent and descent is via a steep rock face – guess who wore a skirt? No one said rock climbing was involved and I was trying to be modest which turned out to be the least modest thing I could have worn… Again the views were worth it.

Our shadow from the bridge

Our desert camp is picture perfect surrounded by some of Gods finest work. We are sleeping in simple bungalows and a there is a communal tent for meals, it’s all basic but absolutely perfect.

To cap off a brilliant day we watch the sunset over the desert from a cliff.

Dinner is baked chicken and vegies which have been cooked in the ground, the traditional way. Yummo!

After dinner we sit around a fire and share many laughs, the Bedouins perform a traditional song and dance, not much of a dance but still very entertaining. Amy gets up and joins in. The only concerning part of this experience was learning what the lyrics are in English. The song tells the story of a man finding a pretty pigeon (representing a girl), capturing it, tying it by one leg and keeping it locked up until she loves him. Hmmmmm. The stars are amazing even with a half moon illuminating the sky.

We wake ridiculously early and as I wander around our tent I am greeted with just the most incredible feast for the eyes. We drive back to the visitors centre and thank the Sheikh for his hospitality and having us on his land.