Jordan Attractions

Venue: Jordan    When: Daily

Lawrence of Arabia developed a huge thirst for lemonade there and Bedouins make it their home. The magnificent lunar landscape of Wadi Rum is an eerie yet truly magical corner of the Arab world.

Two miles wide and 12 miles long, the valley of Wadi Rum is an extraordinary, silent landscape of ancient riverbeds and pastel-coloured stretches of sandy desert, interrupted by towering sandstone, granite mountains and sheer cliff faces. As the sun journeys through the sky each day, its colours and hues change through subtle varieties of pink, red, brown and more. Walk it, climb it, jump on a camel there - but don't miss it if you have a chance.

The unspoilt natural beauty has been forged by millions of years of geological formation, erosion and evolution. It is still home for the semi-nomadic Bedouin, who live in goat's hair tents, tend sheep and goat, and preserve an ancient lifestyle that has been practiced in the Arabian desert for thousands of years. If you are lucky, you may be invited to share a cup of tea or cardamon coffee with them.

Wadi Rum houses loads of clues from the past - almost every valley, mountainside or boulder has some hint of human activity that took place during the past several thousand years. You could stumble accross evidence of Thamudic, Safaitic, Nabataean, Greek and Arabic graffiti, as well as more formal inscriptions - hunting scenes, religious symbols and fanciful creations of a passing shepherd or soldier.

There are stone burial sites, remains of homes, rudimentary Stone Age rock shelters and even an elaborate Nabataean temple. More recently, Rum was the scene of the exploits of Lawrence of Arabia during the First World War, and indeed, the famous setting for the epic film that carried his name. Just imagine following in the steps of Omar Sharif and Peter O'Toole!

A Beau Geste-style police post, at the end of the paved road into Rum, houses a small garrison of Jordanian desert police. They perform their duties on a camel. The small Tourism Ministry rest house next door has basic facilities for climbers and day visitors. There are no sleeping facilities at Wadi Rum, which is usually (easily) visited from Petra or Aqaba.

Although open throughout the year, the months of April to October are considered the best time to visit.