There is water cress growing in Wadi Rum! and other Wadi Rum, Jordan Things to Do Tips

The usual tours take you past "Lawrence's Spring", but the "Lawrence's Spring" that is shown in the tour is at Abu Aina; this is where the water from the spring actually comes out into the desert.

If you want to see the spring exactly as described in "Seven Pillars of Wisdom" you need to take the path behind the Resthouse which climbs to Wadi Shelaala. On the credit side, you don't need a guide for this, the walk takes about 20 minutes and Shelaala is very attractive and cool, even in the heat of summer.

Take along a plastic goblet to taste the water that comes down from above (not the water below in which people often follow Lawrence's example of bathing). The well is covered over to help prevent evaporation.

Besides the water cress growing in the flowing water, there is a plant there which has the most wonderful smell! The whole air up there is perfumed by it, and it is wonderful to sit there in the cool and look down at the village.

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Directions: The path is about 100 meters behind the Rest House and is marked by a big white water tank high on supporting legs. Anybody would point it out to you.

The rock bridge formation is pretty common in Wadi Rum (like the Arches National Park in the US)

Um Fruth is a rock bridge which is very easily climbed. It is quite different from the bridge at Burdah which is over 300 meters up from the desert floor. As you see here, Um Fruth must be about 12 or 15 meters up, and there is a gully giving easy access to the top. On the other hand the bridge is pretty narrow, so people who don't like heights are advised to be careful and/or have a sympathetic companion who is willing to lend a hand.

This is a popular tourist destination and is sometimes called the "Middle Arch" by locals not wanting to confuse tourists by the real name. It is called this because it is neither big (like the Burdah Arch) nor small like half a dozen others.

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Directions: Posted by Lulu
Other Contact: www.jordanjubilee.com

Jebel Khazali is the fourth highest mountain in Wadi Rum and indeed in all of Jordan. Jebel Rum, Jebel Um Ishrin and Jebel Khazali have only about 20 meters difference in their height.

Khazali is a very stately mountain, and one that keeps to itself. Climbing it is not easy, either by the "Bedouin Roads" used since antiquity or by the modern routes. Some of the hardest routes in Wadi Rum are on its black rock ("Al Uzza" - grade 7C and "Fata Morgana 7C+ up to grade 8).

It is popular with the ibex, the mountain goat. The population is much diminished, but under the protection of the Nature Reserve they are coming back and several small groups of them have been seen on Khazali in the last year.

For most tourists, the chief attraction is the Canyon which you can just see in the photo in the middle left. There is more about the canyon in the next tip.

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Directions: This is the mountain that lies directly in front of you when you drive south from Rum Village. Most of the tours of the area begin with visiting it.

Posted by Lulu
Other Contact: www.jordanjubilee.com

The main attraction for visitors to Jebel Khazali is the cleft in the rock on the northern side. This is a great split which you enter on a rock ledge. It is possible, if you are determined, to scramble back several hundred yards/meters, although not everybody does so. The walls of this ravine are covered with drawings of people, horses and pairs of feet.

There is also a peculiar set of carvings that look a bit like protruding thumbs: archaeologists are not sure what they are meant to be, but it has been suggested that they were used for a game.

The price for a drive here from the Visitors' Centre is 15JD.

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Directions: Jebel Khazali is directly in front of you when you drive south down Wadi Rum from Rum village.

Posted by Lulu

This is the traditional way of seeing the desert. You can't go as fast or as far as with a jeep, but you experience the complete silence of the desert much better.

If you go for several hours, it is far better to pay a little bit more and take a guide riding his own camel with you. Like this you are not limited to the speed of somebody walking on foot. After a short time you are controlling your camel with great confidence!

Count on about 40JD/person for the day if there are at least two of you. This is not including sleeping in a camp

Posted by Lulu

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Website: www.bedouinroads.com

When you start off the on the standard tour in Wadi Rum one of the first stops is at the huge sand dunes just off Wadi Um Ishrin. They are over 50 meters high, and a lot of people like climbing them. Many even get to the top, from which there is a great view!

They featured a lot as background in the film "Lawrence of Arabia" which was filmed here.

Posted by Lulu

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Directions: Go straight south from Rum Village and turn left at the end into Wadi Um Ishrin. Then the first valley on the right and you will see the sand dunes.

After the sand dunes, you continue for a short drive (5 minutes or so) and you are shown the Thamudic drawings at Annafishiya. These are very impressive, and were probably hunting stories! Many people suspect them of being drawn by the Bedouin, but while I wouldn't put it past the locals to touch them up a bit, they are unquestionaby originally from the Thamudic/Nabatean period.

There are literally thousands of other rock drawings around Wadi Rum - see the "off the beaten track" pages.

Posted by Lulu

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