This lunar landscape is the UNESCO world heritage site of Wadi Rum and a visit to this spectacular wonder of nature is well worth the extra drive. Home to the Wadi Rum Bedouin, the area has been immortalized through the infamous stories of T.E Lawrence during the Arab Revolt and also boasts the second-highest peak in Jordan – Um Dami. Our Bedouin guide will take you off-road tours by 4x4 cars where you’ll be led to some of the sites of temples, and beautiful natural sites and visit (the Red Sand Dun - khazali Canyon - Lawrence House & ViewPoint - Um Fruth Rock Bridge - the Nabataean inscriptions - Seven pillars - Mushroom Rock). Bedouin food and desert tea make sure you have a cup of tea with a Bedouin and ask to be shown how to make Lafa / Arboud, their bread which you will taste during the Wadi Rum tour. Water and soft drinks are free during the trip. You will not feel how the time has gone with us and you promise that you will request to stay more.

A peak situated in the center of Wadi Rum Protected Area opens up in a narrow fissure of about 100 m length. Its inner walls are covered with Thamudic, Nabatean, and Islamic inscriptions, as well as petroglyphs depicting humans and animals. Remarkable are the soles of feet petroglyphs, which probably had religious significance. In 1932 the French epigraphist Savignac noted the engravings in the cleft and published some of them in 1934.

One of the most photographed places in Wadi Rum. The bridge is about 15 meters up from the desert floor. With directions and maybe some assistance from your tour guide, the steep climb is easy. Still, for people with some degree of vertigo or minor limitations, the scramble can be quite a challenge. The narrow bridge can be challenging too. But the beautiful views over the yellow mountains of Um Fruth make up for this big time. And if you decide not to climb the bridge, it is still well worth it to visit it.

Named after the famous book of T. E. Lawrence “Seven Pillars of Wisdom” (1926). The peak makes visible the two geological formations that prevail in Wadi Rum: a granitic basement of Precambrian age (4.6 billion years), with a thick Early Paleozoic quartz sandstone formation (500 million years) on top.

It’s easy to see how this landmark gets its name — Mushroom Rock stands boldly out against the flat sandy valley surrounding it. A favourite photo opportunity of visitors to Wadi Rum. The rounded head is perched on top of a stone stem. Its odd formation is completely natural. Over centuries of wind and rain, the softer layers of sedimentary rock at the base of the structure eroded much faster than the hardened layer above. This spot also signifies something other than an amazing photo opportunity. It also provides a sheltered area where you can find respite from the desert heat. In past times this drew Bedouin herders to this rock.

The Martian mystique that makes Jordan's Wadi Rum a moviemakers' favourite With its ochre vastness and dramatic sandstone heights, Jordan's Wadi Rum, also known as the Valley of the Moon, has long been a favourite among Hollywood filmmakers scouting for otherworldly vistas. The desert has doubled for Mars in several blockbusters including The Martian and Red Planet. It has been the site for fictional desert planets in films from the Star Wars franchise and Dune. This is where Rey confronted Kylo Ren, where Paul Atreides had his fevered visions, and where Dr Mark Watney grew Martian potatoes. It is also where Aladdin found the Cave of Wonders and befriended the Genie. And this is just the tip of the iceberg, a few cracks on the cliff face or a palmful of sand from a dune — whichever the topographic-specific metaphor fits best here. In other words, it’s hard to find a desert on this side of the globe with a more expansive cinematic history than Wadi Rum.

Produced through 20th Century Fox, The Martian is a coproduction of the United Kingdom and the United States. Producer Simon Kinberg began developing the film after Fox optioned the novel in March 2013, which Goddard adapted into a screenplay and was initially attached to direct, but the film did not move forward. Scott replaced Goddard as director, and with Damon cast as the main character, production was approved. Filming began in November 2014 and lasted approximately 70 days. Twenty sets were built on one of the largest sound stages in the world in Budapest, Hungary. WADI RUM in Jordan was also used for exterior filming.

TE Lawrence reportedly slept here during his time in the desert. But actually the place has a much older history than its namesake. The British general who united Arab tribes to fight against the Ottoman Empire would have sheltered in this structure around 1917. But the house itself was erected on top of a pre-existing structure built by Nabataeans more than two thousand years ago. The structure was used as a station for passing caravans. As such, the Bedouin people have a different name for this place which translates as “The Small Palace”. Whichever name you use, it is clearly a site steeped in history that continues to fascinate people to this day. Rising behind the house, a cliff stands dotted with towers of small stones precariously balanced one atop the other. In past times, these structures were used as waymarkers, built by Bedouins to show the safest route along the mountain. But in past years, tourists have flooded the area and started to build their own statues.

3 reasons why you should hike up Burdah rock bridge - The drive to Jabal Burdah: a present itself - Jabal Burdah, the mountain of the cool breezes - Hiking and scrambling Jebel Burdah Burdah rock bridge is absolutely amazing. If you are up for an adventure, you can create desert memories for life on this tour. More information about our Jabal Burdah trip you can find on our Wadi Rum desert tour Burdah rock bridge page.