Nowhere in the world can quite match the unique natural beauty of Wadi Rum. This vast uninterrupted lunar landscape is home only to the seminomadic Bedouin tribes who have roamed this arid expanse of dessert with their camels since the 14th century.
The seminomadic Bedouin tribes are the beating heart and evocative soul of Jordan, and live by an ancient code of honour that places the utmost importance on hospitality, loyalty, family and connectedness with the Earth and nature. Many of the Bedouin still live in traditional black goat-hair tents known as beit al-sha’ar, and have set up camps in the desert, where adventurous travellers can visit, stay the night and experience the genuine warmth and cultural eccentricities of the Bedu hospitality first-hand – undoubtedly one of the most unique, once-in-a-lifetime travel encounters that can be had in Jordan.
In accordance with the Bedouin creed that no traveller should be turned away, guests at these tented camps can join the Bedouin on guided excursions out into the desert, sample the traditional Bedouin technique of cooking in deep holes dug into the sand, listen to the hauntingly evocative sounds of the Bedu music, listen to the enchanting poems and stories of the tribal history and sit outside as darkness envelops the desert, and a million twinkling stars cover the night’s sky.
The evocative magic of the wild untouched desert can also experience on a jeep or camel tour of the area. An icon of the Middle East, the humble camel is a notoriously grumpy, short-tempered and temperamental creature; however once you get the hand of it, a camel ride through the desert is a uniquely authentic Jordanian experience and can be surprisingly relaxingly and rhythmic.
