A day dedicated to the contemplation of nature.
Our visit in the Wadi Rum, the Jordanian desert, is the only thing that we didn't plan in advance. The road from Petra is a spectacular panoramic way to prepare you to an absolutely unique landscape on Earth.
Once arrived at the Tourism Centre right before the Wadi Rum gate, we planned our 4x4 trip itinerary to see the main attractions of the site. A 8h tour is about 100euros per vehicle and allows you to visit the major attractions with a stop any time to climb on the rocks, enjoy the view, take pictures, have a picnic etc. In fact, visitors are not allow to enter the site all by themselves.
We also booked our night in a camp (about 32euros per person) so the 4x4 tour could end directly at the camp to have a real desert experience. We were assigned a local guide to accompany us and to give us information about the place.
On a sunny and warm day the colours of this magic desert left us without words. It takes the name of The Valley of the Moon for its layout: orange flat sand desert where the 4x4 and the camels circulate and then, huge rocks all around you, as you were literally on the Moon.
Maybe from these pictures you will recognise the set of the movies Star Wars and The Martian!
The funniest part was absolutely the exploration of the canyon which was accessible through a narrow pathway stopped by several paddles that made it so hard to cross! I really felt like Indiana Jones during an expedition and I couldn't stop laughing! Once at the camp, Wild Wadi Rum, we enjoyed a stunning sunset on the desert that highlighted all its shades and shapes.
I've never seen something similar in my life. Even if I visited Sahara desert while in Morocco, this one has a totally different configuration.
The owners of the camp were amazing people. Mohammed lives in the village with his family and we met his little Bedouin child, a smily active boy that wanted us to play traditional instruments with him, he definitely conquered me with his sweet eyes!
Dinner was served in the shared tent: Jordanian bread, fresh salads, hummus and the main dish that they called Upside down because it was literally put into a platter while turning the cooking pot directly! Such a delicious meal made of chicken, rice and various vegetables cooked with tasty spices.
We enjoyed this special moment in front of a fire, drinking tea and chatting with a couple of Polish adventurers and just before going to bed, a little walk to admire the stars in the shiny desert sky, the perfect way to end this special day immersed in the beauty of nature.
For more information about Jordan click here! There are articles about the Petra, sleeping in a cave, our itinerary and a lot more!