Worldwide 2024-25

MIDDLE EAST • JORDAN
Wadi Rum
Stunning natural scenery • Luxury desert
camps
Vast, echoing and god-like: that’s how
Lawrence of Arabia described Wadi Rum
during his passage through the Mars-like
valley. Its cinematic sandscapes are stars of
the big screen – featured most recently in the
films Dune, Star Wars: Episode IX, The Martian,
and Aladdin. This area of southern Jordan
is also prized for its archaeological finds;
thousands of petroglyphs, rock carvings and
temple remains testify to at least 12,000 years
of human presence, adding to UNESCO’s
reasons for listing it as a World Heritage Site
in 2011.
You can explore Wadi Rum by 4x4, or – in true
Bedouin fashion – by camel. Camp overnight
to see how ‘the crimson sunset burns on its
stupendous cliffs’, as T.E. Lawrence put it.
You shan’t forget the stark contrast of the day’s
golden sun, blue skies and red sands with the
ink-black night, as it’s draped in the Milky Way
and strafed by shooting stars.
Desert Camps in Wadi Rum
Wadi Rum
Memories Aicha Luxury Camp
Wadi Rum
At first glance, this luxury camp is redolent of a
Martian base, complete with striking geometric
domes fringed by pink sandstone massifs. The
interior spaces are delightfully unsci-fi, however,
evoking instead traditional Berber design,
with sumptuous soft furnishings and intricate
patterns. Guests are accommodated in airconditioned,
en-suite tented rooms, some glassfronted
affording panoramas of the desert and
stars. There is also a large domed restaurant
and dining area. Activities include hiking, horse
riding, culture tours, and archery. Despite its
sense of seclusion, Memories Aicha is just 12
kilometres from the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre.
Discovery Bedu Camp
Wadi Rum
Run by local Bedouins, this solar-powered,
eco-friendly camp features just six en-suite
tented rooms – positioned to maximise views
of the sunset over the desert sands. Each of
Discovery Bedu’s suites boasts a private deck
with seating, as well as understated décor to
better blend in with the natural surrounds.
Guests can enjoy a menu of local dishes,
either served in the dining area – a traditional
Bedouin tent – or out overlooking Wadi Rum’s
dramatic landscape. Guest activities available
include dune and canyon hikes, camel rides,
sandboarding, hot-air ballooning, stargazing,
and 4x4 drives.
Saraya Rum Private Luxury Camp
Wadi Rum
Saraya Rum is set in the shadow of Umm
Ishreen mountain, famed for its ‘Seven Pillars
of Wisdom’ rock formation. This modern
desert camp features air-conditioned tented
suites with bold patterns, sleek bathrooms
and private terraces. A large, regal dining
tent hosts daily buffets of local delicacies and
fresh pastries. There is an outdoor communal
seating area, a 24-hour front desk, and free Wi-
Fi to keep you connected – even as you revel in
the splendid isolation of Wadi Rum. Guests can
experience the desert landscape with hikes,
camel and horse riding, 4×4 drives, hot-air
ballooning, and guided stargazing.
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