Starting in Amman not so long ago, my trip through Jordan continued further south. After hiking in Petra and swimming in the Dead Sea, Wadi Rum was another experience I had really been looking forward to. After reading about the amazing stars, the storytelling by locals and the Jeep tours, I couldn’t wait to visit the desert. One thing I knew for sure: it had to be glamping in Wadi Rum. But is it really the ultimate desert experience?
A few years earlier, I had skipped a desert trip in Oman (you can read about my Oman road trip here), hoping that one day I would experience the desert in Jordan instead. And now, here I was.
Wadi Rum Desert
Wadi Rum is a valley carved into the sandstone and granite rock of southern Jordan, near the border with Saudi Arabia. Also known as the “Valley of the Moon”, it has long been a favourite filming location for Hollywood movies, from Lawrence of Arabia to The Martian and Red Planet. Apparently, Wadi Rum is as close as you can get to Mars without leaving Earth.
Finding cheap accommodation in Wadi Rum is very easy, especially if you’re happy to share a tent with other travellers. Most camps make their money by selling Jeep tours and camel rides, which are among the main reasons to visit Wadi Rum, along with seeing the stars, of course.
Personally, I like to be comfortable, so I paid extra and went glamping in Wadi Rum. Having my own bed and bathroom is very important to me these days.
…
Glamping in Wadi Rum
You only sleep in the desert once in your lifetime – well, some of us do – so I knew that glamping in Wadi Rum would be special for me. Somehow, I had a feeling I wouldn’t be returning to Jordan, at least not in the near future. Staying in a luxurious private tent, with my own bathroom and a large window overlooking the landscape, sounded perfect. I was excited about both glamping and exploring the Valley of the Moon.
Of course, I was also looking forward to seeing the stars at night. It all sounded amazing when I read about it and planned my trip. But is glamping in Wadi Rum really the ultimate desert experience in this seemingly dreamy destination?
Or does it overpromise the experience simply to attract tourists? And how many visitors are actually glamping in Wadi Rum? And what about the tours that cost extra and one needs to do when in the desert?
…
The jeep tour
Originally, I booked three nights of glamping in Wadi Rum. However, for personal reasons, I changed my booking to just one night. As soon as I arrived at the accommodation, I was keen to check out the Wadi Rum tours. I didn’t have to wait long, as selling tours was part of the check-in process. All I had to do was choose the duration and the mode of transport: Jeep or camel.
I chose the three-hour Wadi Rum Jeep tour in the afternoon, which ended with a sunset view. I figured three hours would be enough to explore the desert. Sitting in the back of a Jeep, with the wind and sand blowing in my face while I was thrown around by the bumpy, sandy tracks, wasn’t something I wanted to do all day.
And so, the three-hour Jeep tour was definitely long enough, and the driver stopped at various spots along the way. From climbing rock bridges to running up a steep, sandy hill, it quickly became clear that all the tourists were heading to the same locations. It was simply a question of who would get there first.
Nevertheless, it was a fun tour and an enjoyable afternoon. Maybe even the ultimate experience. And the weather was definitely perfect for taking some amazing photos. It is certainly a unique part of the world.
…
The evening
After sunset, I was keen to return to my tent, put on some warm clothes – the nights were still cool in March – and enjoy dinner, a campfire and the stars. Except there was no campfire and there were hardly any stars.
We did get a delicious, locally cooked dinner. However, the promised gathering around the campfire, listening to local stories and seeing the stars in Wadi Rum, didn’t happen. The sky was almost completely starless.
Even the other guests didn’t seem keen to talk to anyone. Everyone was looking at their phones rather than engaging in conversation. It was a shame. Feeling a little disappointed, I went to bed shortly after dinner. After all, what else can you do in the desert without a TV or internet?
I spoke to the camp manager about it the following day, but all he could do was apologise and explain that the weather hadn’t been suitable for a campfire. There was no explanation for the lack of stars. It seems there may be a particular time of year when stargazing in Wadi Rum is at its best.
Sadly, this wasn’t quite the evening I had imagined when I booked my glamping experience in Wadi Rum.
…
And so..
Although I got neither the campfire nor the bright stars I had hoped for, glamping in Wadi Rum was still a unique experience, and I’m glad I did it. However, I don’t think I’ll be returning. In a way, I’m also glad I stayed for only one night. I think it is long enough in Wadi Rum, especially if you’re travelling on a tight schedule.
Unless you want to do a Wadi Rum Jeep tour every day. There isn’t much else to do in the desert, apart from walking across the sand into the vast nothingness. And I did plenty of that.
As I was leaving Wadi Rum the following morning, a huge sandstorm and heavy rain hit at the same time. I was lucky that I hadn’t extended my stay. Knowing that other travellers were heading to Petra that day also made me realise how fortunate I had been to enjoy such great weather in Jordan.
I later heard that Petra had been evacuated because of the storm.
So, is glamping in Wadi Rum the ultimate desert experience? For me, it was memorable and worth doing once. But unfortunately it didn’t quite live up to the promise.
…
My Jordan trip summary
All in all, I really enjoyed my trip to Jordan. The country has beautiful landscapes, fascinating history and some incredible tourist attractions. From Petra and the Dead Sea to glamping in Wadi Rum, Jordan has so much to offer.
When you see road signs pointing towards the Syrian border, Saudi Arabia or Iraq, you suddenly realise where you are in the world. Despite Jordan’s location, I felt safe throughout my trip and encountered many friendly, welcoming locals.
What did I enjoy most? Swimming in the Dead Sea of course! It was unique, amazing and, for me, the ultimate experience in Jordan!
(post 188)
