Tips for Going to Wadi Rum
What you should bring (in addition to what you expect)
- Passport/e-comma - This may/may not be required at various police stops on the way to Wadi Rum and at the Visitor's Centre.
- Closed up shoes (each year, people get bitten by scorpions. Some species are quite poisonous), but I saw a lot of people wearing slippers/flip flops
- Usually in Jordan, people wear long trousers, but at this tourist destination, shorts are acceptable.
- Sunscreen, torch (the camps rely on solar panels for electricity, so lighting is not the best in the paths, in your tent, or toilet block etc)
- Tripod for night photos
- Extra water (if you don't want to pay)
- You need a permit to fly drones within Wadi Rum.
Transportation
- 22 Seater Bus cost 350 JD for 2 days from 8th Circle -> Wadi Rum Village. Call Al'aa 0786144280. Allegedly, he has 180 buses/vehicles. But make sure that you work out who pays for the driver's accommodation at the site. Otherwise, it causes complications. Feel free to tip the driver (even though he may put you off by asking you BEFORE he even drives you. He really shouldn't be doing that and they do it because you're foreigners). We gave 10 JD at the end of the trip (which he was happy with). Any fines they incur on the way is NOT your responsibility. Often they speed and may get fined by police on the way. Our bus was stopped 3 times and fined twice during the 410 km journey. Also make sure that they take you ALL the way to the Wadi Rum Village (and NOT just to the Wadi Rum visitors centre). Wadi Rum Village is 6 km PAST the Wadi Rum visitors centre. Some bus/taxi drivers will demand more money for bringing you to the Wadi Rum Village (which is usually where the pickup for accommodation is) but you shouldn't have to pay extra. P.S. I heard that Jett buses are also going to Wadi Rum now, leaving from 7th circle.
The Visitor's Centre - 2 stage process
1. Payment is at the back at "Reception". Cost for tourists is 5 JD per adult. Children < 12 yo free. E-comma/Jordanian citizens - 1 JD, 0.5 JD for Jordanian students. They will issue you a receipt.
- Cost if you bring your own vehicle to drive within Wadi Rum is 20 JD (for your own 4WD), or 35 JD (for a rental 4WD). I don't advise that you drive yourself around Wadi Rum unless you've been there before. It would be easy to get either bogged or lost and that could be a costly mistake. There is only very patchy mobile phone reception there.
- If you drive your own car, you can drive to Wadi Rum village and park there for free.
2. Once you have paid, on the left hand side just before you go into the carpark, is a door with tourist police who are checking who is coming in and out. You need to provide your name, country +/- passport and show your receipt. We just provided a list of names and nationalities. Your whole group doesn't need to disembark. One representative is enough. They speak English. Process takes about 5 minutes.
Wadi Rum Village
- There is a 6 km journey past the Visitor's centre to Wadi Rum Village. If you bring your own car, you don't have to pay to park your car in the only carpark there. This is also where the buses will drop you off for pickup by your hosts.
- There is a place to wait which has an indoor and outdoor area where you can buy food and snacks behind the carpark.
Wadi Rum Accommodation
- I booked for our group through Hamed. He is an excellent fellow and was a good communicator and easy to deal with. Speaks English and Arabic (and some French). WhatsApp - 0776536812 (be aware, mobile coverage within Wadi Rum is poor). He has relatives that run numerous different camps which have accomodation ranging from 5 tents to 40 tents in each camp and various prices. That's why if you book with him multiple times, he may send you to different camps.
- The camp we stayed with was the Milky Way Campsite (see pics) and it had pretty good toilets (compared to other sites) and shower facilities.
- Has a quite a few double, triple rooms, quadruple rooms and one double tent with 6 people.
- They don't charge for water at meal times (some other camps do). Food was pretty good. Dinner and breakfast is included. Towels and toilet paper is provided. I still suggest bringing your own water because outside of meals will cost you 2 JD for a large bottle.
- Dinner was "zarb" (cooked in the ground for several hours) and included roasted vegetables and meat (we had lamb and chicken, but no guarantee what meat you'll get). Definitely best meal of the day.
- Breakfast included flatbread, yoghurt, boiled eggs, zatar, tea and instant coffee. Turkish coffee is 1 JD per cup.
- Lunch is not included, but you can pay an extra 5 JD for a packed lunch - X2 flatbread, small can of tuna, cheese, a tomato, cucumber, small biscuit pack and cake pack.
- Cost 30 JD/adult/night. Children 3-12 yo 15 JD/night and 
<3 yo free. That includes transportation to and from the Wadi Rum Village. At this campsite, there is mobile phone reception for Zain and Orange, about 30 metres out of the camp. There is a large tent for meals. There is no head banging music at night and there are plenty of opportunities to take short walks if you wish.
- Hamed will also arrange Jeep tours. Cost is 60 JD per car (which can take 6 adults +/- 2 small children) for a 4 hour jeep tour. Camel rides are 10 JD/hour to multiple destinations.
- If you book elsewhere, make sure to check for "hidden" costs e.g. extra for water, showers, transport to and from camp, meals etc.
- You may have the experience where people ask you for tips, even before they offer a service. While I encourage you to be as generous as you can, bear in mind that they are optional extras and the people who do work at these camp (although isolated), are usually quite well paid compared to other Jordanians.
Front entrance to the Visitor Centre
Payment is at the back at "Reception". Cost for tourists is 5 JD per adult. Children < 12 yo free. E-comma/Jordanian citizens - 1 JD, 0.5 JD for Jordanian students. They will issue you a receipt.
- Cost if you bring your own vehicle to drive within Wadi Rum is 20 JD (for your own 4WD), or 35 JD (for a rental 4WD). I don't advise that you drive yourself around Wadi Rum unless you've been there before. It would be easy to get either bogged or lost and that could be a costly mistake. There is only very patchy mobile phone reception there.
Transportation to accommodation
Milky Way Camp site
Meal tent at the Wadi Rum Campsite. Don't worry, they turn on more lights at meal times!
View directly outside the Milky Way Campsite facing East
Milky Way Campsite at sunrise
P.S. That's red sand on the floor. It's not what you think it is!!!!
Toilets aren't too bad. That's just red sand on the floor. Toilet paper is provided. Make sure you don't flush it down the toilet!!
Meal tent
Incredible views everywhere!
Milky Way campsite. You can climb onto the mountain next to it!
A few of the sites on the 4 hour jeep tour
What you should bring (in addition to what you expect)
- Passport/e-comma - This may/may not be required at various police stops on the way to Wadi Rum and at the Visitor's Centre.
- Closed up shoes (each year, people get bitten by scorpions. Some species are quite poisonous), but I saw a lot of people wearing slippers/flip flops
- Usually in Jordan, people wear long trousers, but at this tourist destination, shorts are acceptable.
- Sunscreen, torch (the camps rely on solar panels for electricity, so lighting is not the best in the paths, in your tent, or toilet block etc)
- Tripod for night photos
- Extra water (if you don't want to pay)
- You need a permit to fly drones within Wadi Rum.
Transportation
- 22 Seater Bus cost 350 JD for 2 days from 8th Circle -> Wadi Rum Village. Call Al'aa 0786144280. Allegedly, he has 180 buses/vehicles. But make sure that you work out who pays for the driver's accommodation at the site. Otherwise, it causes complications. Feel free to tip the driver (even though he may put you off by asking you BEFORE he even drives you. He really shouldn't be doing that and they do it because you're foreigners). We gave 10 JD at the end of the trip (which he was happy with). Any fines they incur on the way is NOT your responsibility. Often they speed and may get fined by police on the way. Our bus was stopped 3 times and fined twice during the 410 km journey. Also make sure that they take you ALL the way to the Wadi Rum Village (and NOT just to the Wadi Rum visitors centre). Wadi Rum Village is 6 km PAST the Wadi Rum visitors centre. Some bus/taxi drivers will demand more money for bringing you to the Wadi Rum Village (which is usually where the pickup for accommodation is) but you shouldn't have to pay extra. P.S. I heard that Jett buses are also going to Wadi Rum now, leaving from 7th circle.
The Visitor's Centre - 2 stage process
1. Payment is at the back at "Reception". Cost for tourists is 5 JD per adult. Children < 12 yo free. E-comma/Jordanian citizens - 1 JD, 0.5 JD for Jordanian students. They will issue you a receipt.
- Cost if you bring your own vehicle to drive within Wadi Rum is 20 JD (for your own 4WD), or 35 JD (for a rental 4WD). I don't advise that you drive yourself around Wadi Rum unless you've been there before. It would be easy to get either bogged or lost and that could be a costly mistake. There is only very patchy mobile phone reception there.
- If you drive your own car, you can drive to Wadi Rum village and park there for free.
2. Once you have paid, on the left hand side just before you go into the carpark, is a door with tourist police who are checking who is coming in and out. You need to provide your name, country +/- passport and show your receipt. We just provided a list of names and nationalities. Your whole group doesn't need to disembark. One representative is enough. They speak English. Process takes about 5 minutes.
Wadi Rum Village
- There is a 6 km journey past the Visitor's centre to Wadi Rum Village. If you bring your own car, you don't have to pay to park your car in the only carpark there. This is also where the buses will drop you off for pickup by your hosts.
- There is a place to wait which has an indoor and outdoor area where you can buy food and snacks behind the carpark.
Wadi Rum Accommodation
- I booked for our group through Hamed. He is an excellent fellow and was a good communicator and easy to deal with. Speaks English and Arabic (and some French). WhatsApp - 0776536812 (be aware, mobile coverage within Wadi Rum is poor). He has relatives that run numerous different camps which have accomodation ranging from 5 tents to 40 tents in each camp and various prices. That's why if you book with him multiple times, he may send you to different camps.
- The camp we stayed with was the Milky Way Campsite (see pics) and it had pretty good toilets (compared to other sites) and shower facilities.
- Has a quite a few double, triple rooms, quadruple rooms and one double tent with 6 people.
- They don't charge for water at meal times (some other camps do). Food was pretty good. Dinner and breakfast is included. Towels and toilet paper is provided. I still suggest bringing your own water because outside of meals will cost you 2 JD for a large bottle.
- Dinner was "zarb" (cooked in the ground for several hours) and included roasted vegetables and meat (we had lamb and chicken, but no guarantee what meat you'll get). Definitely best meal of the day.
- Breakfast included flatbread, yoghurt, boiled eggs, zatar, tea and instant coffee. Turkish coffee is 1 JD per cup.
- Lunch is not included, but you can pay an extra 5 JD for a packed lunch - X2 flatbread, small can of tuna, cheese, a tomato, cucumber, small biscuit pack and cake pack.
- Cost 30 JD/adult/night. Children 3-12 yo 15 JD/night and
- Hamed will also arrange Jeep tours. Cost is 60 JD per car (which can take 6 adults +/- 2 small children) for a 4 hour jeep tour. Camel rides are 10 JD/hour to multiple destinations.
- If you book elsewhere, make sure to check for "hidden" costs e.g. extra for water, showers, transport to and from camp, meals etc.
- You may have the experience where people ask you for tips, even before they offer a service. While I encourage you to be as generous as you can, bear in mind that they are optional extras and the people who do work at these camp (although isolated), are usually quite well paid compared to other Jordanians.
Front entrance to the Visitor Centre
Payment is at the back at "Reception". Cost for tourists is 5 JD per adult. Children < 12 yo free. E-comma/Jordanian citizens - 1 JD, 0.5 JD for Jordanian students. They will issue you a receipt.
- Cost if you bring your own vehicle to drive within Wadi Rum is 20 JD (for your own 4WD), or 35 JD (for a rental 4WD). I don't advise that you drive yourself around Wadi Rum unless you've been there before. It would be easy to get either bogged or lost and that could be a costly mistake. There is only very patchy mobile phone reception there.
Transportation to accommodation
Milky Way Camp site
Meal tent at the Wadi Rum Campsite. Don't worry, they turn on more lights at meal times!
View directly outside the Milky Way Campsite facing East
Milky Way Campsite at sunrise
P.S. That's red sand on the floor. It's not what you think it is!!!!
Toilets aren't too bad. That's just red sand on the floor. Toilet paper is provided. Make sure you don't flush it down the toilet!!
Meal tent
Incredible views everywhere!
Milky Way campsite. You can climb onto the mountain next to it!
A few of the sites on the 4 hour jeep tour
