Middle East - Anthony Ham [320]
To Karak, a minibus sometimes leaves at around 8am (JD3), but demand is low so it doesn’t leave every day. Alternatively, travel via Ma’an.
Getting Around
The standard, non-negotiable taxi fare from Petra to central Wadi Musa is JD1.
WADI RUM
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Western visitors have been fascinated by the magnificent desert and mountain landscape of Wadi Rum ever since TE Lawrence wrote so evocatively about its sculpted rocks, dunes and Bedouin encampments in Seven Pillars of Wisdom in the early 20th century. Lean’s film, Lawrence of Arabia, which was party filmed here, not only contributed to the myth of the man who took part in the Arab Revolt but also gave epic status to Wadi Rum itself.
Wadi Rum is everything you’d expect of a quintessential desert: its extreme of summer heat and winter cold; violent and moody as the sun slices through chiselled siqs in the early morning or melts the division between rock and sand at sunset; exacting on the Bedouin who live in it, and vengeful on those who ignore its dangers. For most visitors, on half- or whole-day trips from Aqaba or Petra, Wadi Rum offers one of the easiest and safest glimpses of the desert afforded in the region. For those who can afford a day or two to sleep over at one of the desert camps, it can be an unforgettable way of stripping the soul back to basics.
Information
Admission to Wadi Rum Protected Area (per person JD2) is strictly controlled and all vehicles, camels and guides must be arranged either through or with the approval of the visitor centre ( 2090600; www.wadirum.jo; 7am-7pm), 7km before Rum Village.
Most people visit the desert as part of a 4WD trip arranged on arrival at the visitor centre; half-/full-day excursions cost around JD67/80. Prices are regulated, but do not include overnight stays in a Bedouin camp (around JD30 extra).
Baggy trousers or skirts and modest shirts or blouses, besides preventing serious sunburn, will earn you more respect from the conservative Bedouin, especially out in the desert.
Sights
Named in honour of Lawrence’s book, the Seven Pillars of Wisdom is the large rock formation, with seven fluted turrets, easy to spot from the visitor centre. Farther along Wadi Rum, the enormous, dramatic Jebel Rum (1754m) towers above Rum Village. Of the sites closest to Rum Village (distances from the Rest House in brackets), there’s a 1st-century BC Nabataean temple (400m) and good views from Lawrence’s Spring (3km), named after Lawrence because he wrote so invitingly of it in Seven Pillars of Wisdom.
Further afield, the main highlights accessible by 4WD include:
Barrah Siq (14km) A long, picturesque canyon accessible on foot or by camel.
Burdah Rock Bridge (19km) This impressive 80m-high bridge can be viewed from the desert floor or, better still, you can scramble up to it with a guide (one hour).
Jebel Khazali (7km) Narrow siq with rock inscriptions.
Lawrence’s House/Al-Qsair (9km) Legend has it that Lawrence stayed here during the Desert Revolt. The remote location and supreme views of the red sands are the main attraction.
Sand Dunes/Red Sands (6km) Superb red sand dunes on the slopes of Jebel Umm Ulaydiyya that seem to catch alight at sunset.
Sunset & Sunrise Points (11km) The places to be at dawn and dusk if you want to see the desert at its most colourful.
Umm Fruth Rock Bridge (13km) Smaller and more visited than Burdah, this bridge is tucked into an intimate corner of the desert.
Wadak Rock Bridge (9km) Easy to climb, this little rock bridge offers magnificent views across the valley.
Activities
If you don’t fancy a 4x4 tour, there are several rewarding hikes in the