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Wadi Rum is a protected area managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN). This desert valley was established as a Nature Reserve in 1998. The name Wadi Rum means ‘high valley’ and is generally known as ‘the valley of the moon’. The desert village is so named because of the elevated ranges present in the area.
Wadi Rum is a valley cut into the sandstone and granite rock. Located south of Jordan, it is the largest wadi in the country. Mount Um Dami lies more than 1,800 m above sea level and hence, is the highest elevation in Wadi Rum. Wadi Rum is a UNESCO protected ecosystem.
Human cultures including the Nabataean inhabited Wadi Rum in the prehistoric times. To this day, rock paintings, graffiti, and temples highlight the heritage of this desert valley. Wadi Rum is also well-known for its association with British officer T. E. Lawrence, who resided here during the Arab Revolt of 1917 – 1918.
In his memory, one of the rock formations is named after his book, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Wadi Rum was discovered as a climbing and hiking spot by Tony Howard, Di Taylor, Mick Shaw, and Al Baker.
The valley is located 58 km north of Aqaba, 120 km south of Petra, and 320 km south-west of Amman. Tourists come here for climbing rocky terrains, trekking on the sandy expanse and for enjoying camel & horse safari.
Due to the presence of environmentally sensitive habitat and several species, desert conservation in Wadi Rum has ben planned. Established as a protected area by International Union for Conservation of Nature and World Wildlife Fund, Wadi Rum is spread across an expanse of 720 square kilometres.
The Rum Protected Area has been declared as one of the four sites in Jordan to receive financial and technical assistance from the World Bank Second Tourism Development Project.
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