"Vast, echoing and God-like" - these are the words T. E. Lawrence used in describing Wadi Rum. It is the largest and most magnificent of Jordan's desert landscapes, but by no means the only one. Jordan is crisscrossed with countless valleys of stunning beauty, from the knife-edged dunes of Wadi Araba to the Wadi Mujib, a wildlife reserve and Jordan's answer to the Grand Canyon.

There are many ways to experience Wadi Rum's fragile, unspoiled desert retreats. Serious trekkers will be drawn to Wadi Rum, with challenging climbs some up to heights of 1750 metres, while casual hikers can also enjoy an easy course through the colourful sandstone jabals (hills) and canyons. Tourists with a high sense of adventure will want to try hiking and cliff climbing on Jabal Rum (Ramm), Jordan's second highest mountain. Those of a calm disposition will probably prefer a camel ride or a night under the stars in a Bedouin tent.

Relatively few of Jordan's Bedouin still follow the ways of their ancestors. Most have settled in cities and towns and are found in every walk of life. Yet low-slung black tents and pack camels have not vanished from the landscape, and many travellers find a shared meal or coffee with traditional desert Bedouin to be their most memorable experience. Naturalists will be drawn to the desert in springtime, when rains bring the greening of the hills and an explosion of hundreds of species of wild flowers. Red anemones, poppies and the striking Black Iris, Jordan's national flower, grow at will by the roadside and in more quiet reaches.

WHAT TO SEE
First and foremost, come to Wadi Rum to experience the desert itself. Wadi Rum is the classic picture of sandy desert, with sandstone jabals (hills) rising sheer out of the valley floor. They tower over a small Bedouin village, which includes the Desert Patrol Fort (now a Badiya or Desert police station). The men of the Desert Police are a spectacle in themselves, traditionally dressed or in khaki uniform, many still riding camels.

The ruins of the 1st century Nabataean Temple are a fine example of this fascinating people's architecture.

The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) has set up an enclosure for the Oryx. The RSCN Visitors' Centre has a souvenir shop with handicraft products of excellent design placed in the historical train wagons next to the Rest House.

TOURS INSIDE WADI RUM

At Wadi Rum Rest House, you can hire a local Bedouin guide who will offer you either a 4WD vehicle, or for the more adventurous a camel ride, to explore the area. Prices are displayed at the RSCN Visitors' Centre.

WHERE TO EAT & STAY
Preserving the pristine wilderness, there are no hotels in Wadi Rum itself, but Aqaba and Petra make good bases from which to explore it.

For more adventurous tourists there are further accommodations in the Wadi Rum area, and please note that desert nights can be cold even in summer:

Bedouin Camp: many local Bedouin offer tourists an overnight stay in their tents in the middle of the desert.

Captain's Desert Camp in Ad-Disi: tel. (03) 2016905, mobile (079) 4410432. An (almost) genuine Bedouin camp in the desert, with traditional food, accommodation in tents and entertainment around a well lit bonfire.

Wadi Rum Rest House: tel. (03) 2018867. You can rent one of the tents standing the grounds of the Rest House, or pitch there your own tent for a minimal fee. Showers and luggage storage for the guests are provided.

The Rest House is where most tourists would go for a good meal. Further down the road there are other smaller restaurants and food shops, and there is a small general store beyond the Desert Patrol Fort.

HOW TO GET THERE
Wadi Rum makes a perfect combination before or after a visit to Dana, Petra or Aqaba.

By car or taxi: From Amman, head south on the Desert Highway or the more-scenic King's Highway. Allow around four hours for the journey. From Aqaba, head north - the journey time is less than one hour.

By minibus: There are few minibus rides per day from Aqaba and Wadi Musa (Petra). For further information enquire at the local minibus station.