Wadi Rum Desert: A Waterless Oasis

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This post is about our favorite place on this special family trip!  I think you’ll enjoy reading it as much as I loved reliving it!  I hope that it makes you smile and your day is fun, full of relaxation, laughter, and delicious food.  Can’t wait to celebrate with you soon!  xoxo

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That blue dot is us!

You know how you can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find you get what you need? Well Petra = not what we wanted, and Wadi Rum = what we wanted + what we needed. Mick Jagger, you can get both sometimes.

Anyway, let me set the scene for you. Worn out, tired, and still overwhelmed from drowning in a sea of people at Petra, my parents and I arrived in Wadi Rum desert. And what did I hear? Was that…silence? And did my eyes deceive me? Was this a mirage, or were there really no people out here? Had we just hit the tourism jackpot? Yes. The answer was yes.

Once we got out of the taxi, we were greeted by Awed, our tour leader. He saw our taxi and came driving up on his jeep with over 300,000 miles on it (they really take care of things out here in the desert).  Before coming on the trip, my mom and I had found out about Awed and his business, Wadi Rum Tour Styles (check him out; he’s great!). We poured over hundreds and hundreds of TripAdvisor reviews (because that’s just what you do when you’re about to go camping in a remote desert miles away from civilization with someone you don’t know), and felt confident enough to book him.

Photo Credit: Andrew Travis

Our fearless leader and his trusty steed.

From the get-go, we knew that booking our tour with Awed had been a sandsational decision (*wink*). He brought us to a secluded, sheltered area and set up camp. He made us some tea while we relaxed, and if we weren’t already feeling like complete winners, I kid you not, he made us the best chicken dinner any of us had ever eaten.

We slept here, in the open air.  My parents snuggled.

Awed cooked dinner.

Morning views.

Breakfast spreads. Hummus, spices, and oils.

Hellooooo perfect day.

My mom, the teacher.

A friendly face.

Please, let us touch you.

Solving world problems, together.

Hiking.

True love.

We did a lot of awesome stuff in Wadi Rum including fraternizing with some friendly camels, stretching and meditating in the sand, hiking through the landscape, and restoring a sense of peace we might’ve lost in the commotion of city life.  Awed took us to some really magical, incredible places, and the weather obliged; it never got too hot, and the sand stayed cool long into the day.  Poking a toe or two into the sand was downright delightful.  

I had traded in my Indiana Jones hat for Aladdin’s magic carpet, and I really enjoyed the change of pace. The consensus was reached: no matter where else we ended up on the trip, this would most likely be the favorite. And although we were sad to leave and dreading the hassle of taxis and border crossings that were waiting for us on the other side, we felt rejuvenated and ready for more adventure.

The Wadi Rum desert might not be an oasis, but it sure is refreshing.

Wadi Rum desert, cooler — in every sense of the word — than we thought,
‘mi