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WADI
RUM (RAMM) & THE DESERT VISTAS
"Vast,
echoing and God-like" - these are
the words T. E. Lawrence used in describing
Wadi Rum. It is the largest and most magnificent
of Jordan's desert landscapes, but by
no means the only one. Jordan is crisscrossed
with countless valleys of stunning beauty,
from the knife-edged dunes of Wadi Araba
to the Wadi Mujib, a wildlife reserve
and Jordan's answer to the Grand Canyon.
There
are many ways to experience Wadi Rum's
fragile, unspoiled desert retreats. Serious
trekkers will be drawn to Wadi Rum, with
challenging climbs some up to heights
of 1750 metres, while casual hikers can
also enjoy an easy course through the
colourful sandstone jabals (hills) and
canyons. Tourists with a high sense of
adventure will want to try hiking and
cliff climbing on Jabal Rum (Ramm), Jordan's
second highest mountain. Those of a calm
disposition will probably prefer a camel
ride or a night under the stars in a Bedouin
tent.
Relatively
few of Jordan's Bedouin still follow the
ways of their ancestors. Most have settled
in cities and towns and are found in every
walk of life. Yet low-slung black tents
and pack camels have not vanished from
the landscape, and many travellers find
a shared meal or coffee with traditional
desert Bedouin to be their most memorable
experience. Naturalists will be drawn
to the desert in springtime, when rains
bring the greening of the hills and an
explosion of hundreds of species of wild
flowers. Red anemones, poppies and the
striking Black Iris, Jordan's national
flower, grow at will by the roadside and
in more quiet reaches.
WHAT
TO SEE
First and foremost, come to Wadi Rum to
experience the desert itself. Wadi Rum
is the classic picture of sandy desert,
with sandstone jabals (hills) rising sheer
out of the valley floor. They tower over
a small Bedouin village, which includes
the Desert Patrol Fort
(now a Badiya or Desert police station).
The men of the Desert Police are a spectacle
in themselves, traditionally dressed or
in khaki uniform, many still riding camels.
The ruins of the 1st century Nabataean
Temple are a fine example of
this fascinating people's architecture.
The Royal Society for the Conservation
of Nature (RSCN) has set up an enclosure
for the Oryx. The
RSCN Visitors' Centre has a souvenir
shop with handicraft products
of excellent design placed in the historical
train wagons next to the Rest House.
TOURS
INSIDE WADI RUM
At
Wadi Rum Rest House,
you can hire a local Bedouin guide who
will offer you either a 4WD vehicle, or
for the more adventurous a camel ride,
to explore the area. Prices are displayed
at the RSCN Visitors' Centre.
WHERE
TO EAT & STAY
Preserving the pristine wilderness, there
are no hotels in Wadi Rum itself, but
Aqaba and Petra make good bases from which
to explore it.
For more
adventurous tourists there are further
accommodations in the Wadi Rum area, and
please note that desert nights can be
cold even in summer:
Bedouin
Camp: many local Bedouin offer
tourists an overnight stay in their tents
in the middle of the desert.
Captain's
Desert Camp in Ad-Disi: tel.
(03) 2016905, mobile (079) 4410432. An
(almost) genuine Bedouin camp in the desert,
with traditional food, accommodation in
tents and entertainment around a well
lit bonfire.
Wadi
Rum Rest House: tel. (03) 2018867.
You can rent one of the tents standing
the grounds of the Rest House, or pitch
there your own tent for a minimal fee.
Showers and luggage storage for the guests
are provided.
The Rest House is where most tourists
would go for a good meal. Further down
the road there are other smaller restaurants
and food shops, and there is
a small general store beyond the Desert
Patrol Fort.
HOW
TO GET THERE
Wadi Rum makes a perfect combination before
or after a visit to Dana, Petra or Aqaba.
By
car or taxi: From Amman, head
south on the Desert Highway or the more-scenic
King's Highway. Allow around four hours
for the journey. From Aqaba, head north
- the journey time is less than one hour.
By
minibus: There are few minibus
rides per day from Aqaba and Wadi Musa
(Petra). For further information enquire
at the local minibus station.
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