Wadi Rum, Jordan: I Never Thought I’d Call a Desert Beautiful

I never thought I’d use the phrase “beautiful desert.”

Then I visited Wadi Rum.

The red sand, enormous sandstone mountains, dramatic shadows and changing light made this one of the most beautiful landscapes I saw in Jordan. The sunset was spectacular, but the sunrise the next morning may have been even better.

I was actually debating whether to spend the night in Wadi Rum or just visit as a day trip. I’m so glad I stayed.

Wadi Rum Looks Like Another Planet

Wadi Rum is a vast desert landscape in southern Jordan, filled with towering sandstone and granite mountains, narrow valleys, arches and enormous open spaces.

Standing there, it felt almost like I’d landed on Mars.

That’s fitting because Wadi Rum has been used as a filming location for movies, including The Martian. The landscape really does look otherworldly.

I had first heard about Wadi Rum through Lawrence of Arabia, which was filmed partly in the area. My father loved that movie, and I really need to finally watch it.

Even without the Hollywood connection, Wadi Rum is an extraordinary place.

Sunset in Wadi Rum

The desert really came alive as the sun began to set.

The sandstone and red sand changed color as the light moved across the landscape, creating completely different views from one moment to the next.

As someone who loves travel photography, this was exactly the kind of place I wanted to explore with a camera.

The sunset was beautiful.

But I didn’t realize the best part was still coming.

I’m So Glad I Stayed Overnight

There are so many places to see in Jordan that I seriously considered making Wadi Rum a day trip.

That would have been a mistake.

Staying overnight meant I got to experience both sunset and sunrise — and the sunrise was one of the best I’ve ever seen.

The desert was quiet, the light was incredible and the landscape seemed completely different from the evening before.

If you’re trying to decide between a quick visit and spending the night, I’d choose the overnight experience.

Camping — Or Maybe Glamping?

This was only the second time I’d ever camped.

I’m not sure whether what I did technically counts as camping or borderline glamping. We stayed in a somewhat permanent structure in a Bedouin village rather than setting up a tent in the middle of nowhere.

It certainly wasn’t one of those fancy desert camps I’ve seen since.

And honestly, I wouldn’t have wanted anything fancier.

It was perfect.

The experience of spending the night in the desert, away from the lights and noise of a city, was exactly what I wanted.

A Night Full of Stars

One of the other memorable parts of staying overnight was looking up at the sky.

I live in New York City, so I’m used to having a lot of light pollution. Seeing the enormous number of stars visible from the desert was a reminder of just how much of the night sky we miss in cities.

If I return to Wadi Rum, I’d bring a tripod and try some night photography.

Photographing Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum is almost unfairly photogenic.

The landscape looks dramatically different depending on the time of day, and the combination of red sand, sandstone cliffs and changing light gives you endless opportunities for photographs.

The sunrise was especially spectacular.

I also enjoyed photographing the camels.

Many visitors take camel rides through Wadi Rum. I mostly wanted to photograph other people’s camels, which was perfectly fine with me.

The combination of the animals and the desert landscape made for some of my favorite photographs from Jordan.

Wadi Rum Is More Than a Pretty Desert

It’s easy to focus on the scenery because Wadi Rum is so visually spectacular.

But the area is also historically and culturally significant.

Wadi Rum is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its combination of dramatic natural landscapes and evidence of thousands of years of human occupation. Rock carvings, inscriptions and archaeological remains show how people interacted with this landscape over a very long period of time.

So while the red sand and mountains may be what initially grab your attention, there’s much more to Wadi Rum than taking beautiful photographs.

Wadi Rum Travel Tips

Stay overnight if you can

This is my biggest recommendation.

I considered visiting Wadi Rum as a day trip, but staying overnight allowed me to experience both sunset and sunrise. The sunrise alone made the overnight stay worthwhile.

Bring sunscreen

It is a desert, after all. You’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors with relatively little shade.

Bring a hat and sunglasses

You’ll appreciate both when you’re out exploring the desert.

Bring plenty of water

Don’t underestimate how much you’ll want to drink in the heat.

Carry some Jordanian dinars or cash

It’s always useful to have some local currency with you when traveling, particularly when you’re away from larger cities.

Bring hand sanitizer

You’ll be spending time outdoors and in more remote areas, so this is one of those small things you’ll be happy to have.

Bring your camera or camera phone

Obviously.

Wadi Rum is one of the most photogenic places I’ve visited.

If I went back, I’d also bring a tripod for night photography.

Bring Pepto tablets (Travelers sickness is the worst!)

That’s my most underrated recommendation. It only takes one person not washing their hands thoroughly to ruin an entire day of your trip. Please learn from my mistake!

Petra, the Dead Sea, and Wadi Rum were high points. But travelers sickness was a low point. Reminder that there’s no bathrooms in the desert! I somehow made it 3 months traveling Asia without getting sick like this. Then following breakfast in the desert, was my most brutal drive. There’s no place to pull over. No rest stops. Oof. i think i was crying.

Wadi Rum was a great experience. Travelers sickness was not. I rate it zero stars. Not recommended!

When Should You Visit Wadi Rum?

Wadi Rum is a desert, so temperatures and sun exposure are important considerations when planning your visit.

Early morning and late afternoon are particularly rewarding because of the changing light.

And if you’re interested in photography, staying overnight gives you something you simply can’t experience on a day trip: the transition from sunset to a star-filled desert sky to sunrise.

Would I Go Back to Wadi Rum?

Absolutely.

I went to Wadi Rum expecting an interesting desert landscape.

I left wondering why I hadn’t realized a desert could be this beautiful.

The sunset was spectacular. The sunrise was even better. The landscape looked like another planet, and spending the night gave me an experience I would have missed if I’d rushed through as a day trip.

Jordan has plenty of famous attractions, and Petra was the reason I came to the country in the first place.

But Wadi Rum was one of the places that made me want to come back.

More Jordan Travel

Wadi Rum was just one part of my Jordan adventure.

Petra, Jordan

Jordan has so many spectacular places to explore, but Petra was the reason I finally traveled to Jordan after dreaming about it for years. The ancient city carved into the sandstone somehow lived up to the hype. You need to see this place.

Floating in the Dead Sea

Yes, you really can float in the Dead Sea. I also learned the hard way that getting the incredibly salty water in your eyes is a terrible idea.

Dead Sea Mud

My experience covering myself in Dead Sea mud — and meeting some travelers who were particularly enthusiastic about it.

The Road to Petra: Getting Lost Driving in Jordan

If you’re planning a Jordan road trip, you may also want to read about my very questionable shortcut to Petra. A supposed shortcut turned into one of my wildest Jordan travel adventures, involving fog, dwindling fuel, closed gas stations and an unexpected encounter with the Jordanian military.

Jordan Travel

Explore all of my Jordan travel stories and experiences.

We went hiking and camping in the desert of Wadi Rum in Jordan. I never thought a desert could be beautiful until visiting Wadi Rum desert.