Wadi Rum

Getting to Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum is a short detour from the Desert Highway between Amman and Aqaba. A side road, 1 40 km north of Aqaba, leads 21 km to the entrance where you will find the

Worth seeing

1. 01
   Abu Kashaba Canyon

   Sandy Canyon with desert tree, guided tours will drop visitors at one end and they can walk through the canyon to be collected at the other side.

2. 02
   Anfashieh Inscriptions

   Not far from the red Sand Dune area this mountain has depictions of a camel caravan from the Nabatean and Thaumadic period.

3. 03
   Burdah Rock Bridge

   The highest rock arch in the Protected Area at 80 m, it can be seen at a distance from the valley below or a multi hour walk to see it up close and walk across the 'bridge'.

4. 04
   Jabal al Kharaz

   White sandstone natural rock bridge formation that spans 34 m high.

5. 05
   Khaz'ali Canyon

   Arguably Wadi Rums best stand alone site, this narrow canyon contains numerous ancient inscriptions and petroglyphs—rock carvings of animals and humans.

6. 06
   Lawrence's House

   Nobody is certain that this was Lawrence's house, although there are stories that he both stayed and/or stored weapons here.

Things to do

The genuine attraction of Wadi Rum is the desert itself, best seen by 4x4, on camel or foot. Some visitors only spend a few hours in the Wadi, but it's definitely worth staying overnight in Bedouin camps in the desert and taking a guided trip. The quality 4-wheel-drive tour depends on Bedouin driver who serves as a guide, but often do not have much knowledge and poor English.

Getting around Wadi Rum the local way

Everything into Wadi Rum funnels off the Desert Highway: a signed side road about 40 km north of Aqaba runs 21 km to the visitor centre where you pay the protected-area fee, then 7 km more to Rum Village. JETT runs a morning coach from Aqaba to the visitor centre, a local bus leaves Aqaba most afternoons when full, a door-to-door minibus comes down from Petra at dawn, and buses between Aqaba and Amman will drop you at the junction to hitch the rest. Past the village the desert is closed to private cars, so a licensed Bedouin 4x4 or a camel is the only way on, and almost every camp includes or sells the pickup.

1. 01
   JETT coach, Aqaba to Wadi Rum Visitor Centreminibus

   JETT Office Aqaba (also picks up at Movenpick Tala Bay and Divers Village) to Wadi Rum Visitor Centre, returning from the visitor centre

   Where

   JETT's own terminal in Aqaba, not the main local bus station. JETT lists Wadi Rum as one of its six popular destinations and the return leg boards at the pickup point named 'Wadi Rum - Visitor Center'. Book on jett.com.jo or at the Aqaba office the day before; camps will usually reserve a seat for you. The visitor centre is still 7-8 km short of Rum Village, so tell your camp which bus you are on.

   When

   Daily, departing Aqaba 08:00 and arriving about 09:30

   Fare (2026)

   Wadi Rum Nomads quotes 15 JOD per person for this bus; JETT's own live-schedule data lists the Aqaba to Wadi Rum adult fare as 5 JD, so confirm at the counter

   Takes

   About 1h 30m

   Season

   Year-round. Spring and autumn are peak; in high summer take the morning bus and avoid arriving in the afternoon heat.

   Booking

   jett.com.jo, the JETT app, or the Aqaba JETT office; camps book seats for guests

   Sources: jett.com.jo (2026-09) · jett.com.jo (2026-09) · wadirumnomads.com (2026-09) · confidence medium

2. 02
   JETT coach from Amman to Aqaba or Petra, then onwardminibus

   JETT Abdali Office or JETT 7th Circle Office in Amman to Aqaba, or Abdali to Petra (Wadi Musa)

   Where

   No JETT service runs Amman to Wadi Rum direct. Take the Amman to Aqaba coach and pick up the 08:00 Aqaba bus or a taxi the next morning, or take the Amman to Petra coach and use the dawn Rum Bus from Wadi Musa the following day. JETT's Amman terminals are the Abdali office and the 7th Circle office; Tabarbour is a pickup point on the Aqaba run.

   When

   Several departures daily on Amman to Aqaba; early morning on Amman to Petra

   Fare (2026)

   Amman (Abdali or 7th Circle) to Aqaba 10 JD adult, 7.60 JD child; Abdali to Petra 11 JD adult, 7.70 JD child

   Takes

   Amman to Aqaba about 4 hours; Amman to Petra about 3 hours

   Season

   Year-round

   Booking

   jett.com.jo or a JETT office; buy ahead in spring and autumn

   Sources: jett.com.jo (2026-09) · jett.com.jo (2026-09) · wadirumnomads.com (2026-09) · confidence high

3. 03
   Drop off at the Wadi Rum junction, then hitch or catch a passing minibushitchhiking

   Desert Highway junction about 40 km north of Aqaba (29.7248, 35.2827) to the visitor centre, 21 km, then 7 km more to Rum Village

   Where

   Take any Aqaba bus or minibus heading for Amman, Ma'an or Petra and tell the driver you want the Wadi Rum turnoff; the junction is well signed. JETT coaches will not do this, so use the local buses from Aqaba's main bus station. At the junction, wait at the side road: passing minibuses turn up fairly regularly, and hitching is normal here and reported as fine for women travelling alone. There is no shade and no shop, so carry water.

   When

   Aqaba northbound buses roughly hourly 07:00-15:00, with one operator (Afana) running later into the evening; minibuses from the junction turn up irregularly

   Fare (2023)

   1-3 JD Aqaba to the junction; 1-2 JD junction to the visitor centre; another 1-3 JD on to Rum Village

   Takes

   About 40 minutes Aqaba to the junction, then 20-30 minutes in to the visitor centre

   Season

   Year-round, but a bad idea in the middle of a summer day

   Booking

   none, pay the driver

   Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence medium

4. 04
   Local bus, Aqaba bus station to Rum Villageminibus

   Aqaba main (local) bus station to Wadi Rum Village, and the early return from the village

   Where

   The main Aqaba bus station, where all the non-JETT buses and minibuses go from. Ask the drivers for Rum. It leaves when full, so turn up early and expect to wait. It does not run on Fridays, so check with the drivers the day before. Going back, the village minibus leaves from the car park in Rum Village at about 06:30 and reaches Aqaba around 07:30; your camp can book you a seat.

   When

   Daily except Friday, leaving Aqaba between 13:00 and 15:00 when full; one return at about 06:30 from Rum Village

   Fare (2023)

   Around 3 JD per person on the village-to-Aqaba minibus

   Takes

   About 1 hour

   Season

   Year-round; in low season (summer and midwinter) the Aqaba service can drop to one a day

   Booking

   none, pay the driver; ask your camp to reserve a seat on the morning return

   Sources: wadirumnomads.com (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence medium

5. 05
   Rum Bus, door to door from Wadi Musa (Petra)minibus

   Wadi Musa hotels to Rum Village, and a morning return to Wadi Musa

   Where

   Booked through your Petra hotel or your Wadi Rum camp the day before. It collects you from your accommodation in Wadi Musa between 06:00 and 06:30 and drops you in Rum Village around 09:00, which lines up with camp check-in. The return leaves Wadi Rum in the morning, roughly 08:00-09:00, and stops at the visitor centre and the village.

   When

   Once daily in each direction

   Fare (2026)

   10 JD per person; Wikivoyage's older figures for the same run are 7 JD southbound and 7.50-10 JD northbound

   Takes

   About 2 to 2h 30m

   Season

   Year-round; most reliable in spring and autumn

   Booking

   through your Petra hotel or your Wadi Rum camp; pay the driver

   Sources: wadirumnomads.com (2026-09) · wadirumnomads.com (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence high

6. 06
   Taxi from Aqaba, Petra, Amman or the Wadi Araba borderprivate hire

   Aqaba city, Tala Bay, Aqaba airport, Wadi Musa, Amman or the Israeli border crossing to Rum Village or the visitor centre

   Where

   Taxis wait outside the Aqaba bus station and at the ferry port, airport and border; in Rum Village they wait in the car park. Camps will book a partner driver for you at no markup and you pay the driver. Prices are per car, up to four passengers, so this beats the bus for a group of three or four.

   When

   On demand, any time of day

   Fare (2026)

   Aqaba city 25 JOD per car; Tala Bay or South Beach 30 JOD; Aqaba airport 45 JOD; Wadi Araba border 40 JOD; Wadi Musa 40 JOD; Amman 110 JOD. Wikivoyage's independently negotiated figures are 25-35 JD from Aqaba and 30-40 JD from Petra.

   Takes

   Aqaba city 1 hour; Aqaba airport 1h 10m; Wadi Musa 2 hours; Amman 4 hours

   Season

   Year-round

   Booking

   none needed, or ask your camp to arrange it

   Sources: wadirumnomads.com (2026-09) · wadirumnomads.com (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence high

7. 07
   Bedouin 4x4, camp pickup and tours beyond the villageoffroad 4x4

   Wadi Rum Visitor Centre or Rum Village into the Wadi Rum Protected Area

   Where

   Every camp sits in the desert past Rum Village and is reachable only by 4x4, so the pickup from the visitor centre or the village is part of the booking; most camps include it or charge a small extra fee, and some will collect you in Aqaba for 20-30 JD one way. Arrange it before you travel and tell the camp your arrival time. Picking up a driver at the gate is a gamble on English and knowledge, so the better guides are booked ahead through camp websites. Bringing your own 4x4 into the protected area costs 35 JOD and there is no fuel station in Rum Village.

   When

   On demand; day tours run daily, check-in typically 09:30

   Fare (2026)

   Wadi Rum Nomads full-day jeep tour 60 JOD per person alone, 55 for two, 50 for three, 45 for four, max six per car, lunch and water included. Independently negotiated village rates are 50-75 JD per jeep for 3-5 hours. Camp pickup from Aqaba 20-30 JD one way. Private 4x4 entry to the protected area 35 JOD.

   Takes

   Half-day 3-5 hours; a full-day tour runs from 09:30 until 30-45 minutes after sunset

   Season

   Year-round. August averages 34 C and heat waves pass 40 C, so summer tours start early and pause at midday; January averages 14 C and it occasionally snows.

   Booking

   direct with the camp or guide by phone, email or their own site; several do not sell through booking platforms

   Sources: wadirumnomads.com (2026-09) · wadirumnomads.com (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence high

8. 08
   Camel out to a desert campcamel

   Rum Village or the camel station near the visitor centre out to camps in the protected area

   Where

   Camel handlers wait near the visitor centre and in Rum Village, and every camp can put a camel on your booking instead of the jeep transfer. It is a walking pace, so it works as the way in to a camp or as an add-on to a jeep tour, not as a way to see the whole reserve in a day.

   When

   Daily, on demand, usually starting late morning or mid-afternoon to reach camp by sunset

   Fare (2026)

   Wadi Rum Nomads one day and one night camel ride 100 JOD per person alone, 90 for two, 85 for three, 80 for four, all meals and the overnight included. Short rides negotiated in the village run about 20 JD per camel per hour.

   Takes

   A camp transfer is typically 2-3 hours; a full day and night ride returns to the village by 08:00-08:30 the next morning

   Season

   Best October to April. Avoid midday rides in July and August.

   Booking

   direct with the camp; walk-up rides can be negotiated at the village

   Sources: wadirumnomads.com (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence high

Not yet confirmed: Entrance fee, corrected: the brief and Wikivoyage both say 5 JD for the Wadi Rum Protected Area. Wadi Rum Nomads, writing in 2026, gives 7 JOD for international visitors, 1 JOD for Jordanians and residents, 0.5 JOD for Jordanian students, free under 12, and free with the Jordan Pass, although Jordan Pass holders still have to register at the visitor centre. The visitor centre is open 08:00-16:00. Treat 7 JOD as current and 5 JD as the older figure. Source: https://www.wadirumnomads.com/how-to-get-to-wadi-rum/; Jordan Pass prices as bought in 2026 are 70 JD (Jordan Wanderer, one day at Petra), 75 JD (Explorer, two days) and 80 JD (Expert, three days); all three include over 40 sites and waive the tourist visa fee if bought before arrival with a stay of at least two nights. The official site confirms Wadi Rum is covered but does not publish the individual site fee. Source: https://www.jordanpass.jo/Contents/Prices.aspx; JETT Aqaba to Wadi Rum fare is contradictory. JETT's own live-schedule API returns an adult price of 5 JD for the Aqaba to Wadi Rum track, while Wadi Rum Nomads quotes 15 JOD per person for the same 08:00 departure. One of the two may include the return, since JETT flags this track as round_trip and shows a note on another route that the ticket price includes a round trip. Confirm at the JETT Aqaba counter.; The rule that only Bedouin 4x4s licensed by the protected area may go past Rum Village could not be confirmed from an official Jordanian source. Wikivoyage states the opposite, that private vehicles are not prohibited past the village, while Wadi Rum Nomads charges a 35 JOD entry fee for 4x4 vehicles entering the protected area and says all camps are 4x4 access only. In practice every camp and tour is run by Bedouin owner-drivers. The ASEZA site (aseza.jo) and the official wadirum.jo site were both unreachable during this research, so the licensing regulation itself is unverified.; The Aqaba - Wadi Rum - Petra day-trip vehicle that the brief mentions was not found as a scheduled product. What exists is the Rum Bus from Wadi Musa, JETT's Aqaba to Petra and Petra to Aqaba coaches, and per-car taxi transfers; Wikivoyage records an older 130 JD Petra taxi plus four hours in Wadi Rum plus border transfer package, which is a private hire rather than a shared day trip.; Wikivoyage's tourist minibus from Wadi Rum to Amman at 20 JD is dated December 2018 and was not re-confirmed against any 2023 or later source. The reliable 2026 route to Amman is JETT via Aqaba or via Petra.; Desert night cold is well documented in general terms (Wikivoyage: it gets very cold at night even in summer) but no camp or official source was found giving actual overnight temperatures by month, only the daily averages of 34 C in August and 14 C in January.; A scam worth flagging to users: some Aqaba taxi drivers take passengers to Shakariya village just outside the reserve and call it Wadi Rum. You have only entered the protected area if you bought a ticket at the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre..

The field note on Wadi Rum reads this entry in full, one option at a time, with every source beside it.