The promise of a devastatingly beautiful desert and nights punctuated by millions of stars is attracting more and more tourists to Wadi Rum.
Bedouin camps follow one another, symbols of the alliance of the nomadic way of life with modern comfort.
Observing them on hotel reservation sites, nothing seems to distinguish them.
Everywhere, the same rows of bungalows covered in gray wool, the same photos by the fire and sometimes panoramic tents to plant your nose in the stars.
However, from the night in a sheltered cave to the camp with a swimming pool, from the small cabin without bathroom to the panoramic tent, the accommodation options are multiple.
And the benefits not always clear.
We tell you everything you need to know to offer you the
To discover
Stay Jordan |
7 days |
The treasures of Jordan
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travel guide
What to start with ?
Explore the pink desert in a 4x4, follow in the footsteps of Lawrence of Arabia on a camel, cross canyons on foot, climb to the top of Jordan, take a photo of yourself above a natural arch, Wadi Rum offers all these highly photogenic possibilities.
If it is possible to book a guide during his visit to the Wadi Rum Visitors Center, in practice, it is the camps themselves that organize the excursions in the desert.
These are preferably carried out on board a pick-up which drops off its passengers from one natural site to another, for a period of a few hours or a full day.
The vast majority of camps are set up in the heart of the reserve and its major attractions, allowing you to get a good overview of Wadi Rum in three hours.
To discover this desert in a more original way, you can opt for a trek between the mountains, a hike, climbing with abseiling or a night in a bivouac to the sound of silence.
This requires organizing in advance, by contacting the camp directly or a local travel agency.
They will call on a camel driver or a native Wadi Rum guide.
Once installed in your camp, you will have no more alternative.
The excursions will be organized by him and the meals not included in the stay will be invoiced to you, sometimes at high prices.
In all cases, it is advisable to specify your expectations in detail, in order to avoid unpleasant surprises and to negotiate the service as well as possible.
The local agency allows you to have an interlocutor in the event of a glitch or dispute.
Does location matter?
The most recent camps are moving upmarket with individual bathrooms and reversible air conditioning.
Adobe Stock / dudlajzov
The first camps took up residence south of the small village of Rum, in the hollow of the rocky bars that streak the reserve.
The intense development of tourism since the 2000s has seen more and more camps flourish, progressing ever further.
From now on, the new camps are set up on the outskirts of the Natural Park, around the village of Ad-Disah.
With the exception of a few XXL camps placed on the edge of the road and intended for groups led by tour operators, the Bedouins seek above all sites sheltered from the wind.
The camps nestle in the crevices of the mountains, on the edge of wide valleys or in sandy coves, always offering spectacular views.
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What level of comfort should you expect?
From a simple sleeping bag placed on a mattress to a panoramic tent with terrace and hot tub, there is something for every adventure and every budget.
The vast majority of the camps are equipped with bungalows with two or three single beds, hung with thick goat's wool blankets to block the wind and rain.
Many offer a shared toilet block, which has the merit of reducing the environmental impact but is less practical for nighttime emergencies.
Each camp has a dining room, often set up in the style of Bedouin tents, an open campfire for evening gatherings and one or more outdoor spaces for relaxing.
The Bedouins have understood that not all travelers dream of returning to the Scout years and the most recent camps are moving upmarket with individual bathrooms and reversible air conditioning.
A new trend seems to be taking hold of this piece of desert with the appearance of “bubble” tents.
Is the “
bubble ”
tent
really a good option?
The layout of the tents is crucial: make sure you face it!
Adobe Stock / zephyr_p
These plastic geodes allow you to enjoy sumptuous starry nights from your bed.
However, the hefty surcharge doesn't always justify this augmented desert experience.
Some bubbles have only a limited transparent surface, placed in front of the bed and not above it.
The layout of the tents is crucial.
Make sure they are not facing each other, at the risk of observing your neighbors rather than the Milky Way.
The starry web stretches more intensely from an overhanging position than from the floor of the goats.
Read alsoPetra: six activities to relax between two visits
Address Book
ASK ABOUT
Visitor Center.
Such.
: +962 3 209 0600. Admission to the Reserve: €6.50.
Possibility to book a 4x4 or camel excursion for the same day or the following days.
TRAVEL AGENCY
Enjoy Jordan.
Al Gardens Street, Amman.
Such.
: +962 5 553 4544. This French-speaking travel agency works with several camps and local guides in Wadi Rum and adapts to your desires to organize your stay in classic mode, hiking or climbing.
OR SLEEP
The Bubble Luxotel has taken possession of a little-exploited stretch of desert near the village of Ad-Disah.
Bubble Luxotel / Photo press
Enjoy Desert Camp.
Such.
: +962 77 777 0520. A reasonable number of tents with bathroom and air conditioning, a wonderful welcome, a guide dedicated to hiking, good meals and above all a spectacular terrace opening onto a wide wadi and the mountains of sandstone.
From €45.
Wadi Rum Nomads.
Such.
: +962 79 546 71 90. This welcoming camp with basic tents is sheltered between the red cliffs of Wadi Rum.
It offers a formula with no bad surprises including excursions, meals and the possibility of sleeping under the stars for the more adventurous.
From €180.
Bubble Luxotel Wadi Rum.
Such.
: +962 3 215 6600. The most luxurious option in Wadi Rum has taken possession of a stretch of desert that is still little exploited near the village of Ad-Disah.
The panoramic geodes with terrace and hot tub provide a feeling of exclusivity.
From €360 half-board.
GET GUIDED
Salam Abdallah Zalabieh.
Such.
: +962 79 213 8841. ENSM certified mountain guide, Salam takes novice or experienced climbers to the assault of the sandstone and limestone mountains.
He speaks a few words of French.
