Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum — the "Valley of the Moon" — is southern Jordan's great desert wilderness, a UNESCO-listed landscape of towering sandstone and granite mountains rising from rust-red sand, carved into arches, canyons and natural bridges. T. E. Lawrence rode through here in the Arab Revolt, and its otherworldly scenery has stood in for Mars in films like The Martian and Dune. Home to the Zalabia Bedouin, who run the camps and 4×4 tours, it offers one of the most accessible and atmospheric desert experiences anywhere: jeep safaris between the monoliths, scrambles up to rock arches, mint tea round a fire, and nights in everything from simple goat-hair tents to the famous transparent "bubble" domes that let you watch the stars from bed. It pairs perfectly with Petra, just up the road, as the centrepiece of any Jordan trip.

The best months are spring (March–May) and autumn (September–November), when daytime temperatures are warm and pleasant and the nights are cool but comfortable — ideal for jeep tours, hikes and camping. Summer (June–August) brings fierce heat, often topping 40°C by day (though desert nights still cool sharply), so activity is limited to early mornings and evenings. Winter (December–February) has crisp, sunny days but genuinely cold nights that can drop near or below freezing, with the occasional rare rain or even snow flurry — atmospheric, but pack serious warm layers. Whenever you come, remember the desert's huge day-to-night temperature swing and pack accordingly.