Wadi Rum Places to Visit
So, you want to get a better idea of what a Wadi Rum tour might have to show you in the desert? Well, on this page you will get a bit of info on some of our favorite Wadi Rum places along with some pictures.
At Rakan Wadi Rum Tours we offer a variety of Jeep tours (4×4 tours), camel rides, rock climbing in Wadi Rum, overnight stays in a traditional Bedouin camp or under the stars, and we can tailor each tour to your liking.
Wadi Rum Information
- Location: Wadi Rum is located in the Wadi Rum Protected Area (Jordan)
- Wadi Rum size: Roughly 74,000-hectare
- Length of human occupation in the desert: Evidence suggests a history of over 12,000 years
- Ancient inscriptions: We have thousands of ancient rock carvings and inscriptions (over 25,000 combined)
- UNESCO recognition: The Wadi Rum Protected Area gained UNESCO World Heritage status in 2011
Here are the best Wadi Rum Places to visit
The place is often simply called “Lawrence Spring” due to some historic interactions with Lawrance of Arabia, but the truth of the site is that is has a much more ancient history, even featuring Thamudic inscriptions that far predate this modern naming convention.
This is a great starting place to visit on short trips as it is not far from the Wadi Rum Village, yet features some of the most incredible views of the desert basin. It’s also an amazing place to watch the sun set.
This fascinating place holds the last standing walls for the desert home of Thomas Edward Lawrenc. He was a British soldier who lived among the Bedouin people around the turn of the century and fought in several notable wars that made up the Arab expanse of the First World War.
His story is told in the renowned film Lawrence of Arabia which is well worth watching to see some of Wadi Rum before visiting it for real.
Khazali Canyon
This is an incredibly interesting place both for the natural features which includes a 100 meter long canyon that was once used for water collection and storage, but even more so for the incredible petroglyphs and inscriptions that line some of the canyon walls.
While exact ages for the engravings on the stone walls of Khazali Canyon are not known, some research suggests that the first ones might be around 12,000 old.
This is the big one. Standing at roughly 35 meters tall, Burdah Rock Bridge is one of the most amazing of all the Wadi Rum places.
The hike to the top is not recommended for children or anyone that is not in a very fit state of health as the trek to up generally takes over 2 hours and involves some difficult sections that require hands and feet. Not to worry, as seeing this wonder from the desert floor is just as amazing.
At the end of a long adventure filled Wadi Rum desert experience, nothing feels quite as good as sitting at Um Sabatah and watching the mighty desert sun fade into darkness, giving way to the most beautiful starry skies you can imagine.
We offer star gazing experiences at Rakan Wadi Rum Tours, but something not to miss is spending a night at our half cave which gives you a full 180 degree of the night sky as you drift off to sleep by the fire.
Mushroom Rock
There isn’t much to tell about the aptly named Mushroom Rock, except that it is along some of the routes and always makes for a fun quick stop to take a few pictures at.
It might surprise you, but in some Wadi Rum places there are several species of mushrooms that have been found to grow in the desert sand. If you do see any mushrooms on your visit, please do not pick them as some species might be endangered and Wadi Rum is a protected area so just take pictures and leave nature to do its thing.
For those familiar with T. E. Lawrence (“Lawrence of Arabia”) the name “Seven Pillars of Wisdom” might sound familiar as it was the name of his autobiography.
With that legacy this breathtaking natural pillar formation is one of the Wadi Rum places that have more meaning than just the breathtaking nature of the place.
Thanks to the thousands of photos that visitors love taking at Um Fruth Rock Bridge, it is probably one of the most well known Wadi Rum places.
This incredible natural bridge formation stands 15 meters above the ground and can be climbed on top of for some incredibly cool photos.
At around 1700 meters above sea, Al Hash Mountain stands close to the Saudi Arabia border with amazing views in every direction.
The hike to the top takes around 3 to 5 hours, depending on your level of fitness. It is not the most difficult hike and the views from the top are incredible.
This is the highest place in Jordan and stands at the edge of Wadi Rum nearly on the border of Saudi Arabia. At 1,854 meters tall, Um Addami is the perfect vantage point to get a 360 view of the entire desert.
We have Wadi Rum tours that include a climb of Um Addami which takes roughly 2 hours to climb with a moderate difficulty.
Barrah Canyon
This area oozes oozes with ancientness. The giant sandstone cliffs of Barrah Canyon towers out over the expansive desert, with unique wind carved patters having formed over thousands of years.
This canyon is also a favorite for rock climbing in Wadi Rum. You can find out more about rock climbing here.
Abu Khashaba Canyon
This canyon is narrow, with richly colored and strangely shaped stones that have been cut out of the rocks through thousands of years as wind and sand turned this place into something incredible to behold.
It is one of the few places where you will find some greenery and even a rare desert tree or two.
It might not sound super exciting, as it is a sand dune in the Wadi Rum protected area with red sand, but it is a beautiful place and has proven to be a favorite for all our visitors who enjoy taking pictures and for having fun rolling or running down the dune.
Do not be fooled by the name, because while not as big as some of the other rock formations, the Small Arch is still incredibly cool for taking pictures at. Located in the Red Desert this is a place not to miss during your Wadi Rum Jeep Tour.
Come and Join Us for the Best Wadi Rum Tours
These Wadi Rum tours are to give you an idea of what we offer, but if you would like to tailor make your tour, just contact us and we will help to put the perfect package together.
If you would like to get some more info on the places to see in Wadi Rum, the movies that have been made here, or getting to grips with traveling to the desert, please check out our info section as it is jam packed with useful info about Wadi Rum.
Also check out our Wadi Rum Rock Climbing experiences and our overnight packages where you can even book a night Sleeping Under the Stars.