TRAVEL AGENCY IN JORDAN - AMMAN:
This is a stupendous, timeless place, virtually untouched by humanity and its destructive forces. Here, it is the weather and winds that have carved the imposing, towering skyscrapers, so elegantly described by T.E. Lawrence as “vast, echoing and god-like”..
A maze of monolithic rockscapes rise up from the desert floor to heights of 1,750 metres creating a natural challenge for serious mountaineers. Hikers can enjoy the tranquility of the boundless empty spaces, explore the canyons and water holes to discover 4000 year old rock drawings and the many other spectacular treasures this vast wilderness holds in store.
Also known as ‘The Valley of the Moon’, this is the place where Prince Faisal Bin Hussein and T.E. Lawrence based their headquarters during the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans in World War 1, and their exploits are intrinsically woven into the history of this amazing area.
There are several options for exploring Wadi Rum. Visitors should head for the Visitors Centre where, apart from visitors’ facilities, they can hire a 4x4 vehicle, together with driver/guide, and then drive for two or three hours into the Wadi system to explore some of the best known sites. Alternatively they can hire a camel and guide. The duration of the trip can be arranged beforehand through the Visitors Centre, as can a stay under the stars in a Bedouin tent, where they can enjoy a traditional campfire meal accompanied by Arabic music.
Once transport has been arranged, there are various excursions available - for example, a trip to Burdah Rock Bridge, the highest in Wadi Rum, via the Seven Pillars of Wisdom and many other interesting sights, is a full day by car or an overnight trip by camel. There are many alternative routes and information on these is available from your tour operator or from the Visitors Centre on-site.
The Bedouin people that inhabit the area still maintain their semi-nomadic lifestyle. They are hospitable and offer a friendly welcome to visitors, often inviting them to sit and enjoy a coffee or even a meal.
ECO & NATURE
This is a nature-lovers paradise; a unique ecosystem where rare plants and herbs, long known by the Bedouin for their curative powers, can be discovered.
At first glance there does not appear to be a great deal of wildlife but more observant visitors will soon discover there is more to Wadi Rum than sand and rocks. Hyrax, hares, jerboas and gerbils appear, as if from nowhere, as the sun goes down. This is also the time for the desert hunters, the foxes and Arabian sand cats, to make their appearance. Their footprints can often be seen in the sand in the early morning around the Bedouin campsites – evidence, no doubt, of their night time scavenging.
Though not as many as in the past, there are still Nubian Ibex and gazelle to be seen. These are highly protected by the Jordanian Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature(RSCN), as are the Arabian Oryx recently reintroduced to the area from the Shawmari Reserve.
Birdlife includes Desert Larks and Crested Larks, Wheatears Rock Sparrows, bright pink Sinai Rosefinches (Jordan’s National Bird) and Chukar Partridges. Overhead, Vultures, Buzzards and Eagles soar the towering cliffs
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Local Bedouin handicrafts
make excellent souvenirs.
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Wadi Rum Protected Area
The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) represented by the management of Wadi Rum Protected Area is determined to protect this precious area with its unique flora and fauna and is making great efforts to minimize the environmental impact of modern-day tourism on the site.
They have enlisted the help of the local Bedouin tribes by giving them new opportunities to benefit from its protection by sharing entrance fees, supporting and encouraging local tourism and by creating alternative sources of income through Bedouin crafts and souvenirs.
A Traditional Bedouin Coffee ceremony involves 3 cups of coffee; one for the soul, one for the sword and one because you are a guest...if you ask for a fourth you’re being greedy!
The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) has set up a local enclosure for the Oryx. The RSCN Visitors' Centre has a souvenir shop with handicraft products located in historical train wagons next to the Rest House.
Jordan rocks
Every year, Wadi Rum and the Seven Pillars of Wisdom reverberate to the sound of pop music. The event, ‘Distant Heat’, now in its fourth year, has firmly established Jordan on the international music scene. Last year over 1,200 people attended, proving that the heat was not too distant to travel into the deserts of Jordan for an outrageously cool event.
