Wadi Rum general information

When is the best time to visit Wadi Rum ?

The best time to visit Wadi Rum is when the number of tourists is not too high, and weather is pleasant. Wadi Rum weather is best for travel in autumn and spring. Summer and winter are the best time to visit Wadi Rum if you want to avoid touristic seasons. Read more… 

How many days in Wadi Rum ?

One day and one night in Wadi Rum is the minimum to have an overview of the desert and the bedouin culture. If you have more time, 2 days 2 nights it is the perfect balance. 

What to wear in Wadi Rum ?

In general, it is most important to wear clothes which make you feel comfortable and free to move. 

Keep in mind that your clothes will protect you from the sun, the sand and the weather. About the shoes, we advise you to have sneakers, trainers or walking shoes for the jeep tour, and to wear flip flop for your evening in the desert. 

Spring & Summer (April to October)  : 

  • It is very hot during the day , it is recommended to wear light clothes and covers your body & shoulders.
  • Hat / cap / scarf, something to cover your head.
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
  • During the night, after sunset the weather sometimes become a little bit cold , so, it is recommended to bring light jackets or sweaters.
  • Comfortable sandals or sport shoes.

In Winter (October to March)  : 

  • Heavy jackets and sweaters as it is cold during the day and becomes super cold at night.
  • Hat / cap / scarf, something to cover your head (against the sun and the wind)
  • Sunglasses
  • Sun cream
  • Comfortable sandals or sport shoes.

What to bring in Wadi Rum ?

At what time is the sunsrise and the sunset ?

In summer sunrise is at 5:30am and sunset is 7:30pm.

In winter sunrise is 6:30am and sunset is 4:30pm.

Are there snakes in Wadi Rum ?

Yes! There are snakes in wadi rum. 

As Wadi Rum is a natural and wild place, we obviously find diverse kind of insects. 
We have ants, beetlescockroaches, and other small insects which are harmless. We find scorpions, snakes and spiders (the camel spider for example), especially during summer season. We also find other animals like mice, hedgehogs, wild cats, desert foxes… It is challenging to observe them as they are fast and show themselves only during the night. But don’t worry about it, our guides take care of you!  They systematically check the environment around them, to make sure there is any danger. They well know all indices about the presence of any of these insects. They know how to cure bites. 

Is Wadi Rum safe ?

Yes trips in Wadi Rum are safe as they are supervised by our professional guides. However, to be safe we recommend you to not take risk while you are exploring the spots. Archs in the desert are high, be careful to not go to close to the edges. Be careful where you walk and always look around you. The closest hospital is located in Aqaba, around 60km from the village. If you want to be 100% safe we recommend you to subscribe to a travel health insurance before travelling to Jordan. 

Is Wadi Rum is safe for women travelling alone ?

Yes Wadi Rum is safe for women. We understand that women can be worried to travel alone in wadi rum desert. We already hosted many ladies alone and group during our tours. Our team is very respectful regarding women and take care of them as their daughters.
The local population is very respectful and understanding with travelers. As women alone, bedouin caring even more, they make sure you are secure and that nothing unpleasant would happen to you.
If you are traveling aloneyou join another group of travelers during the tour and same if you sleep under the stars. If you sleep in the campyou share the evening with other travelers who spend the night there also.
Jordan is safe in general. Wadi rum is even more safe, just enjoy! 

Is Wadi Rum suitable for children ?

Yes children are welcome in Wadi Rum,we love welcoming them. 

Our visitors were sometimes even still in their mother‘s womb, and the oldest were over 70!

If you are traveling with a baby, we recommend a baby backpack, many more practical in the desert in Jordan in general, it is a country not very suitable for strollers. For the nightknow the babies of our village always sleep on mattresses, of course we make every effort to install secure and comfortable cocoons for the babies and young children that we receive. You can also, according to your wishesbring your own cot, there is space in the tents to install it.
Regarding routes and walking times, we of course adapt to the rhythm of your family.

All you need to know before your trip

How to get to Wadi Rum ?

You can reach Wadi Rum by car, bus or taxi. 

If you need more info regarding itinerary please check our blog article dedicated to this topic.

If you need any transport information please feel free to contact us, we will be glad to help you and communicate you  available travel options. 

Where do we meet and how ?

Our meeting point is my house, which is also my office. It is located in the heart of Wadi Rum Village. 

If we have time before leaving for the tour, we sit and enjoy a bedouin tea together to get to know each other. 

We also give you all details you need to know about the tour. 

You can also prepare your stuff, backpack there and leave things you do not need for the tour. 

Where is the office located ?

Our office is located in the heart of Wadi Rum Village. 

You can find the exact location on Google Maps 

What time our tours start ?

Winter time (From September to March) : 9.00am

Summer time (From April to August) : 10.00am 

We can adapt our timetable to your needs. So depending guides availabilities and other reservations we can start tours at different times. 

If your itinerary constrains you to start the tour at another time than the morning, please let us know about it in your reservation. We would do our best to arrange this with you.

For example, if you prefer to arrive for the overnight first, plan to be here between 4.00-5.00pm in winter or 5.00-6.00pm in summer, and then you can have your tour the next day.

Where to park a car in Rum Village ?

You can park and leave your car in front of the Wadi Rum Stillness office in Rum Village during your stay. It’s free and safe.

There are also a large parking at the Rest House, located in the entrance of the village.

What to do with my luggage ?

During your stay, if you do not want to take all of your luggage with you, we can keep them safe at our office. Just put what you need for the desert into a smaller pack.

Is it possible to organize taxi tranfer ?

Yes, we do organize taxi transfers from and to anywhere you want. We work with experienced and safe taxi drivers. 

Just let us know about it in your reservation.  

Wadi Rum Stillness tour information

What to expect from our tours ?

We do our best to offer real bedouin experience and authentic tours. 

We constitue groups of maximum 6 persons, small groups only to keep the spirit of the desert, and our camp is limited to 6 tents.

We love to welcome people, to share and to talk about our culture, we love to transmit our knowledges and the passion we have for our desert and way of life.

Which type of food do we serve ?

We serve many different dishes during a tour…​

For breakfast we serve traditional arabic breakfast with cheese, hummus, halva, eggs, tea, coffee and more…

For lunch the guide prepares chicken, salads, rice, potatoes, bread, gallayah bandora (traditional bedouin meal) and more…

For dinner, most of time we cook a « zarb », which is the bedouin barbecue cooked in the sand for few hours. We accompany it with some other Jordanian mezze, salads and dishes.

Of course our meals are always accompanied with a bedouin tea, during the tour you will do many « shay-break », a small break enjoying black tea, maybe with sage.

Please do not hesitate to let us know about your dietary requirements or food allergies. We respect your needs very much, and in this way we can organize our meals the best way for you.

Who are our guides and which languages do they speak ?

Our guides are local bedouins from the village, all from Al Zalabieh tribe. They were all born in the desert and know every corner and secret of Wadi Rum. Our guides are not only drivers, they are real guides who share their best knowledge of the desert with you. They are the best to drive you during the day and night. Bedouins gave a name to each mountain, so in this way they never get lost. To drive in the night, they help themselves with the moon which lights the mountains.

They speak their native language which is Arabic, but all of them also speak English fluently. They have some basic vocabulary in many languages (German, French, Chinese, Russian and more…) learned from  travelers visiting from around the world, but do not expect a tour in these languages. In every way, they do their best to communicate with you, breaking the language barrier, you should always be understood.

Can I drive in Wadi Rum ?

If you plan to come with your car, be sure it is a 4×4 or a jeep. This experience is not recomended if you don’t have any experience driving in the sand. Also remember that there is no internet connection in the desert, and without a map you could get lost easily.

If you book with us and you want to try driving a jeep in the desert, just ask your guide. We have the best bedouin instructors.

Our policy info

How can I pay ?

Payment can only be done in cash – Jordanian Dinars. No other currencies are accepted. Please be reminded that Rum village has no ATM and credit card facilities.

 

The Jordan Islamic Bank ATM at the Total gas station in Qwairah -the closest ATM to Wadi Rum- is not a reliable option for withdrawing money.

 

Many banks don’t have an agreement with Jordan Islamic Bank which makes it impossible to withdraw money from their ATM’s. Make sure to bring enough money from a city with many ATM’s like Aqaba, Petra or Amman.

How is working our cancelation policy ?

Cancelation is possible and free but your booking is essential to us. If your travel plans change or for any other reason you need to cancel your booking with us, let us know this as soon as possible.

 

We serve our guests in any way possible from the first moment of contact until well after your departure from Wadi Rum. We want to make your stay with us both unique and memorable. And we do everything possible to make things easy. We consider the fact that we don’t ask for prepayment a kind service to our guests as it saves them the costs of international money wiring. In return, we trust our guests to be kind to us too. The sooner we know, the more time we have to try and re-book your tour and/or overnight stay, the better the chances are of filling your spots.

How do I make a reservation ?

To make a reservation, you can contact us by email or WhatsApp, but you can also book online via our booking form. 

After receiving your reservation, we send you a confirmation which contains all the details about your trip.
In addition, we support you in the organization of your experience. We can advise about the bus services and help you with car or taxi transfers, just let us know in the reservation.

Can I book a last-minute tour ?

Yes you can, we will try do our best to welcome you depending the availability we have in the camp.