Jordanian marvels (I): Wadi Rum

The first week of April, my wife and I got holidays, so we took the chance to finally travel together, in this case to Jordan. It was an amazing time, with a lot of good moments to remember. Our general impression was very positive. Moreover, the weather was awesome, sunny everyday and not hot at all. In the next three posts I will be posting some summaries of the experiences we lives and the places we visited, starting with the impressive desert of Wadi Rum.

The following day after landing in Amman, the capital of the country, we went by bus to Aqaba, a city in the South, on the banks of Red Sea. We stayed here just a few hours before leaving for Wadi Rum. The main points in Aqaba are close to each other and we could visit them comfortably by foot. The best area is, without a doubt, the seafront promenade in Al Ghandour beach, which ends near Aqaba fort, built during the time of the Crusades. Unfortunately, we couldn’t visit it because it was closed for renovation. Near the Jett bus station you can find the roots of a fourth century old church.

After the walk, we went back to Jett bus station. From here there is only one daily bus to Wadi Rum. To take a minibus (leaving every hour) you must go to the stop right behind the downtown police office. There are buses from there at least until 3pm. I tell you this because probably you will find taxi drivers telling you that the only transportation to Wadi Rum is their taxis. Ignore them completely.

Fort entrance

Before arriving to Reception Center in Wadi Rum, one can realize the majesty of the area and its spectacular landscapes. In this desert, with an extension of 700 square kilometers, and inhabited only for some Bedouins, have been filmed “Lawrence of Arabia”, “The Hurt Locker” and the recent “The Martian” among others. There are diverse interesting landmarks, in both historical and landscape level, which it is possible to reach in different ways, although the best option is driving on 4X4 jeep. We booked a two hours tour at sunset through our camp (Hasan Zawaideh Camp, highly recommended) and we were very satisfied with the experience.

Once we were back at the camp, we enjoyed a great Bedouin style dinner, the “zarb”, which is a kind of barbeque with lamb, chicken and grilled vegetables cooked in a recipient under the sand. A delight for all senses.

The next morning, after enjoying (finally) a starry night, we left for a walk around our camp in direction to a rocky formation called “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom” as a tribute to the book written by Thomas Edward Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia. There are many references to this historical figure, who placed this part of the World on the map during the Arab Revolt in 1917. We were amazed again with the colors and the shapes of the desert. It is incredible how an empty and inert place can be so atractive for everyone. 

The experience in Wadi Rum was marvelous. We would have liked to stay one more day but we still had some other Jordan jewels ahead to visit, the mythical Petra among them, our next destination.