While you are buying your ticket to enter Wadi Rum, spare half an hour to visit the informative museum (next to the restaurant), which helps to give a human context to the desert. The displays also explain environmental issues through information panels in English and natural history exhibits. Ask to see the 10-minute film on some of the highlights of Wadi Rum, shown in the purpose-built cinema.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
Hai-Bar Yotvata Nature Reserve
28.41 MILES
Established in 1968 to reintroduce animals that had died out in Israel, this 32-sq-km reserve on the Yotvata salt flats is home to a wide variety of…
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12.61 MILES
The largest of Rum's three arches is the Burdah Rock Bridge, precariously perched about 80m above surrounding rock. There’s a precipitous hike to the…
7.94 MILES
An easy siq to explore is the narrow fissure that cuts into Jebel Khazali. You can explore on foot for about 150m, far enough to appreciate the cool shade…
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5.65 MILES
While there are dunes in several places around Wadi Rum, the most striking are the red sands that bank up against Jebel Umm Ulaydiyya. If you are on a 4WD…
28.84 MILES
The site of some of the world's earliest copper mines (c 5000 BCE), the Timna Valley offers an awe-inspiring desert landscape of cliffs and rock…
International Birding & Research Center in Eilat
28.26 MILES
Hundreds of millions of migrating birds pass through Eilat twice a year as they fly between Europe and Africa. The best place to spot them is this…
27.32 MILES
The fort (currently closed for renovation with no set reopening date) was built between 1510 and 1517, as attested by the Arabic inscriptions inside the…
4.58 MILES
The western flank of Wadi Rum is formed by Jebel Rum (1754m), which towers over Rum village. It is a popular destination for scramblers and climbers who…
Nearby Wadi Rum attractions
0.78 MILES
Named in honour of Lawrence’s book, this large rock formation, with seven fluted turrets, is easy to see from the road near the Wadi Rum visitor centre…
1.7 MILES
This attractive canyon threads through the rock massive known as Seven Pillars of Wisdom and makes for an interesting hike from the visitor centre.
2.86 MILES
Thamudic and Nabataean inscriptions, depicting camel caravans, hunting warriors and various animals, are common throughout the Wadi Rum area. The Alameleh…
2.87 MILES
Adorning the west-facing vertical rock face of Jebel Umm Al Ishrin, this wonderful set of petroglyphs is worth the detour on a 4WD excursion. While the…
3.21 MILES
The deeply crevassed ‘Mother of Twenty’, a 20-domed mountain forming the east flank of Wadi Rum, is connected to the Seven Pillars of Wisdom formation…
3.54 MILES
A popular destination by 4WD is Siq Umm Tawaqi, a beautiful area with mature trees sprouting apparently from the rock face. Locals have carved the…
4.15 MILES
Kharazeh Canyon, one of the mighty incisions in Jebel Umm Al Ishrin, is a popular hiking destination. Guides and agencies offer a day hike (around seven…
4.44 MILES
Close to Rum village, the labyrinthine siqs of Rakhabat Canyon give access to the heart of Jebel Umm Al Ishrin.