Wadi Rum Hiking Tour
Jabal Umm Ad Dami - One Day & One Night
Are you searching for a full-day hiking tour on your trip to Jordan?
You’ve come to the right place.
Did you know that Jordan’s highest mountain, Jabal Umm ad Dami, is located in Wadi Rum?
On this page, we will tell you all about our Wadi Rum Hiking Tour: Jabal Umm ad Dami - One Day and One Night.
Continue reading to learn more about this tour to the summit of Jordan’s tallest peak including the tour itinerary, accommodation in the Wadi Rum desert, prices, our fast and simple booking process, and more…
From the summit you have a great view over Wadi Rum to the north and Saudi Arabia to the south.
“My wife and me had an amazing experience climbing the highest mountain and exploring Wadi Rum. Our guide even introduced us to his Bedouin family. Overall, it was a truly authentic experience and we can highly recommend Wadi Rum Nature Tours.”
- Alexander S on TripAdvisor
When you go hiking in Wadi Rum with Wadi Rum Nature Tours the landscapes, panoramic views, and photography opportunities will take your breath away.
Itinerary - Jabal Umm ad Dami Hiking Tour
On your way to the base of the mountain, you can admire the magnificent and diverse desert landscapes of the Wadi Rum Protected Area.
Arrival in the Wadi Rum Village
This Wadi Rum Hiking Tour starts in the morning from the Wadi Rum Rest House. It is the first building and parking lot on your right when you reach the Wadi Rum Village.
If you have a rental car, you can park it here during the tour. Click here to see the location of the Wadi Rum Rest House on Open Street Maps.
The Wadi Rum Rest House is a few kilometres past the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre where you must pay the entrance fees to Wadi Rum (5 JOD per person or free with the Jordan Pass).
We recommend that you arrive between 9:00 and 10:00.
From the top of Jabal Umm ad Dami, you will have a fantastic panoramic view.
Full-Day Hiking Tour - Summit Jabal Umm ad Dami
Once you meet your Bedouin guide in the Wadi Rum Village, you will head south by 4x4 to the base of Jabal Umm ad Dami, Jordan’s tallest mountain.
South Wadi Rum is much less visited than the northern parts of Wadi Rum. The village and the camps are located in the north. Further, most of the sites visited on the Jeep Tours are located in the northern half of Wadi Rum.
Jabal Umm ad Dami is located at the southern extreme of Wadi Rum, close to the border with Saudi Arabia. This area is remote and not often visited by tourists.
The people you will see in this area are mostly local Bedouins who continue to lead a nomadic lifestyle for at least part of the year. Often they bring their animals into the desert to graze on the desert grass after rainfall.
Jabal Umm ad Dami is located more than 25 km south of the Wadi Rum Village by 4x4 and the journey reaches about 40 km considering you will need to zigzag between the many interesting geological features of Wadi Rum. In total, the journey by 4x4 takes about 1 hour with plenty of beautiful desert scenery along the way.
The sunset in Wadi Rum is special, the perfect way to end your day in the desert.
If you click here you can see the exact location of Jabal Umm ad Dami on Google Maps.
Once you reach the base of the mountain, you will begin your ascent to the top of Jordan’s highest peak, 1 854m above sea level. The entire hike takes approximately five hours to complete. From the mountain’s peak, you will have a phenomenal view of rugged Wadi Rum to the north and the vast desert of Saudi Arabia to the south.
Depending on the time that you arrive in Wadi Rum, your guide will either prepare lunch on the mountain or wait until you return to the base and the 4x4.
For the remainder of the day, your guide will take you to explore new areas of Wadi Rum. You can continue to explore remote southern Wadi Rum or return to the north to see some of the more famous sites of the Wadi Rum desert. Your guide can take you for some short walks in interesting areas or if you are tired, you can simply explore by 4x4.
Anytime you want to stop to explore or take photos, do not hesitate to tell your guides. Our guides are extremely flexible and want you to enjoy your time with us in the desert to the fullest extent.
The last stop on the tour will be a fantastic place to view the sunset.
Each night at our desert camp we prepare zarb for dinner; a traditional meal cooked under the sand.
EVENING AND OVERNIGHT in the Desert
After the Wadi Rum Hiking Tour, we will drive you to the place where you will stay overnight.
You can choose between sleeping at our fixed camp or sleeping under the stars.
At our fixed camp, we have tents for 2, 3, and 4 people. We have standard tents as well as new tents with en-suite bathrooms.
For dinner, we will serve a traditional meal made with local ingredients. Our dinner is served as a buffet with many dishes suitable for guests with dietary restrictions.
If you have a bit of luck, you will be able to see the Milky Way at night in Wadi Rum.
After dinner, you can enjoy a relaxing evening drinking Bedouin tea and learning about life in the desert before going to sleep.
At night, many of our guests enjoy going for a short walk in the desert. If you walk 5-10 minutes away from the camp you will have an amazing view of the starry desert sky.
When the moon isn’t too bright, it is sometimes possible to see the Milky Way.
In the next section, we will provide more information about our accommodation options with plenty of photos.
The Wadi Rum Nature Tours camp is perfectly located in the heart of the Wadi Rum Protected Area.
BREAKFAST AND RETURN TO THE WADI RUM VILLAGE
We serve breakfast in the morning around 7:30 AM. Breakfast is served as a buffet including coffee, Bedouin tea, eggs, pita, jam, cheese, zaatar, halva, and more.
After breakfast, we will drive you back to the Wadi Rum Village between 8:00 AM and 9:00 AM.
The scenery in Wadi Rum is incredible. The colors change throughout the day as the sun moves across the sky.
Accommodation - Jabal Umm ad Dami Hiking Tour
In this section, we provide a quick overview of our accommodation options. If you are interested in reading more about our accommodation options, please click here.
We offer two accommodation options with our tours.
The Wadi Rum Nature Tours camp is one of the smaller camps in Wadi Rum, perfect for a restful night’s sleep after a long day of hiking.
OPTION 1: SLEEPING AT OUR DESERT CAMP
At our camp, we have private tents for sleeping with proper beds so that you can have a comfortable sleep.
We serve dinner and breakfast in a large central tent where you can relax during the evening before going to sleep.
Our camp has two types of tents: standard tents and upgraded tents with en-suite bathrooms.
The standard tents come in four different sizes: one double bed, two single beds, three single beds, and four single beds. With the standard tents, you will have access to our shared bathroom facility with western toilets and warm showers.
The upgraded tents with en-suite bathrooms have a king-sized bed and a private bathroom. You can see some photos of these tents by clicking here. It is possible to replace the king-sized bed in these tents with two single beds or three single beds.
Please let us know which beds you would like when making your reservation.
Here are three of our new tents with private bathrooms. These tents were built in 2022.
This is the bedroom area of one of our new tents, built in 2022.
When sleeping under the stars, you will have a great view of the starry desert sky.
OPTION 2: SLEEP UNDER THE STARS
When you decide to sleep under the stars, after sunset your guide will take you to an isolated area deep in Wadi Rum away from the camps.
The location is not the same each time. Each guide has his own favourite locations and he will select the best place for your group according to the time of year and the weather. If it is windy, your guide will take you to a sheltered area to ensure a comfortable night in the desert.
Once you arrive at your sleeping destination, your guide will prepare dinner and tasty Bedouin tea over the campfire.
After dinner, you can relax around the fire and hear stories about the desert or simply sit back and enjoy the starry night sky and the silence of the desert.
For sleeping, we will provide you with a mattress and warm, heavy blankets. You will sleep in the open air beneath the stars.
It is possible to sleep under the stars all year round, even in winter when the temperature can be between 0-5°C at night. We will provide you with plenty of warm and heavy blankets for sleeping and we always have more available in case you are cold.
When you arrive at the place where you will sleep under the stars, your guide will light a campfire and begin preparing a pot of tasty Bedouin tea.
For sleeping, we will provide you with a mat, mattress, and plenty of heavy blankets. You will not be cold while you sleep.
The Sites - Jabal Umm ad Dami Hiking Tour
As you drive from north to south in Wadi Rum, you will see a variety of beautiful desert landscapes.
On this Wadi Rum Hiking Tour - Jabal Umm ad Dami, you will visit:
Jabal Umm ad Dami, Jordan’s highest peak
It takes 5 hours on average to summit the mountain and return to the 4x4.
A 40km drive through the Wadi Rum desert by 4x4, from the Wadi Rum Village to the southern border with Saudi Arabia.
A fantastic spot to view the sunset
Depending on your arrival time and how long it takes you to complete the hike, your guide may also take you to see a variety of interesting areas and scenic views in the afternoon before sunset.
The Price - Jabal Umm ad Dami Hiking Tour
The prices for our Wadi Rum Hiking Tour: Jabal Umm ad Dami - One Day and One Night are as follows:
2 People: 85 JOD per person
3-4 People: 80 JOD per person
5+ People: 75 JOD per person
The price includes the full-day hiking tour to Jordan’s tallest peak, one night of accommodation in the Wadi Rum desert, 3 meals, bottled drinking water and Bedouin tea, and an English-speaking guide.
There is an additional cost of 10 JOD per person to stay in a tent with a king-size bed and an en suite bathroom.
There is an additional cost of 15 JOD per person when sleeping under the stars.
There is an increased price for guests travelling alone.
We offer discounts for groups travelling with children 13 years old or younger. Please ask us about discounts when you are making a booking.
How to Make a Reservation
Reserving a Wadi Rum Hiking Tour with us could not be easier.
All you need to do is follow the three simple steps explained below:
STEP 1 - BOOKING FORM
Fill out the short form below with your name, e-mail address, the date you will visit Wadi Rum, and the number of people in your group.
STEP 2 - RECEIVE AN EMAIL FROM WADI RUM NATURE TOURS
We will respond to you quickly to confirm our availability and ask you to send us a small amount of additional information like your phone number, your arrival time in Wadi Rum, and the accommodation option that you’d like.
STEP 3 - CONFIRM YOUR RESERVATION
Once you send us your information, we will confirm your reservation with Wadi Rum Nature Tours for our Jabal Umm ad Dami Hiking Tour - One Day and One Night.
Upon confirmation, we will send you instructions about how to find us when you arrive in Wadi Rum and how to pay for your tour.
No pre-payment is needed and you are free to cancel your reservation at any time.
Booking Form - Wadi Rum Hiking Tour: Jabal Umm ad Dami
Don’t want to fill out our booking form? Please contact us by one of the three methods listed below instead:
Contact us by email at wadirumnaturetours@gmail.com
Contact us by phone or by WhatsApp at +962 7 7931 8561
Send us a message via our Contact Us page
Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT TIME DO YOU RECOMMEND THAT WE ARRIVE IN WADI RUM?
If you are arriving in the morning, we recommend that you arrive between 9:00 and 10:00 at the Wadi Rum Rest House. This way, you can spend the full day in the desert and see all of the sites without feeling rushed.
HOW LONG DOES THE TOUR LAST?
The tour lasts from morning until sunset. In the summer, the sunset is later, around 20:00. In the winter, the sunset can be earlier than 17:00. A nice view of the sunset is the last stop on the tour before heading to our fixed camp, or the location where you will sleep under the stars. It is also possible to arrive in the afternoon/evening, have dinner and stay overnight, and begin your Wadi Rum Hiking Tour the next morning after breakfast. In this case, your tour will finish the next day at sunset. If you need to return to the village earlier, this is not a problem for us. We can bring you back to the village at whatever time you need to depart to your next destination.
DO WE NEED TO BRING ANY SHEETS, TOWELS, PILLOWS, ETC.?
No. We will provide everything that you will need for your stay with us, whether sleeping at our fixed camp or sleeping under the stars. You do not need to bring anything with you.
If you are sleeping under the stars, some people prefer to bring their own sleeping bags, but this is not required. We have everything you need to have a comfortable stay with us in the desert.
IS THE TOUR PRIVATE? WILL WE BE JOINED BY OTHERS?
Our standard tours are not guaranteed as private. If we have groups arriving in Wadi Rum at the same time, usually we will combine the groups together into one jeep. The groups remain small. Usually, we have a maximum of six adults in one jeep. Sometimes, you will end up with a private tour simply based on the number of groups we are expected on the day you arrive in Wadi Rum, and the different arrival times.
If you are a group of four or more people, we offer a free upgrade to a fully private tour for no extra charge.
If you are interested in a private tour, this is also possible. We charge a small additional fee for a guaranteed private tour for a small group. This fee depends on the season and how busy we are. If you are interested in a guaranteed private tour, let us know when you are ready to contact us and make a booking.
WHAT IS THE FIXED CAMP LIKE? WILL WE SHARE TENTS WITH OTHER GUESTS?
Our fixed camp has a kitchen building for the chef, a large communal tent where we serve meals and chat during the evenings, a shared bathroom with toilets and hot showers, and private tents for sleeping. Our camp is tucked into a sheltered location next to Jebel Khazali.
For sleeping, we have tents that fit two, three, and four guests. Our tents have standard western beds with plenty of heavy blankets in case it gets cold during the night. The tents for sleeping are fully private. You will not share a tent with any people that you don’t know.
Additional Information
We've told you lots about our Jabal Umm ad Dami Hiking Tour already but you may have other questions about arranging your stay with us. We've provided some answers below to the most common questions we get from our guests. If you can't find the answer to your question, please contact us.
EVENING ARRIVAL
We have lots of requests from guests who would like to arrive in the evening, spend the night with us, and do their tour the following day. This is not a problem and we are happy to arrange our tours in this way in order to best suit your busy travel schedule. Please let us know if you would like to arrange your tour this way when you make a booking.
EXTRA CAMEL RIDE
Lots of our guests ask to add a short camel ride to their hiking tour. Our two most popular options are as follows:
ONE-HOUR CAMEL RIDE
This can be done at the beginning of your Wadi Rum Hiking Tour, before departing in the 4x4 to the southern extreme of the Wadi Rum Protected Area. For one hour, the price is 15 JOD per camel.
RIDE A CAMEL BACK TO THE VILLAGE IN THE MORNING
With this option, camels will be waiting for you after breakfast to take you back to the village. This is a great option because it takes place early in the morning before it gets too hot. The journey takes around two hours and costs 30 JD per camel.
If you want to do a full-day camel trek, please check out our Wadi Rum Camel Tour - One Day and One Night.
ACCOMMODATION ONLY
If you want to stay with us in Wadi Rum and you aren't interested in doing a tour, please visit Wadi Rum Nature Tours and Camp on Booking.com.
HOT AIR BALLOON RIDE IN WADI RUM
There are two organizations in Wadi Rum who organize hot air balloon rides each morning at sunrise.
The price is 165 JOD per adult and 120 JOD per child.
We charge a transfer fee of 20 JD to transport you to the meeting point before sunrise (total, not per person).
We do not organize these balloon rides but we can make a booking with them for you when you confirm your reservation with us.
The balloon ride lasts for one hour with the entire experience taking around 2.5 hours. The balloon has limited availability, so if this is something that you would like to do in Wadi Rum, it is best to book early!
Balloons Over Rum is a new hot air balloon operator in Wadi Rum that was founded in 2022. They run an excellent Instagram account with photos and videos of their hot-air balloon flights.
Rum Balloon is the older company that has been offering hot air balloon flights for years. You can visit their Facebook page by clicking here.
Getting to Wadi Rum
Most of our guests come to Wadi Rum from Aqaba, Petra (Wadi Musa), Amman, or the Wadi Araba Border Crossing (Eilat, Israel). Below we've written some information about how to reach us from each of these locations. If you need help reaching Wadi Rum from a different location, please contact us.
PETRA TO WADI RUM
Petra is not only one of the must-sees in Jordan, it is one of the New7 Wonders of the World. Read below to find out how to reach Wadi Rum from Petra.
Petra to Wadi Rum By Car: Take the Desert Highway south from Wadi Musa until you get to Rashidiyah and the turnoff for the Wadi Rum Road. Note that you will have to go slightly past the turnoff and make a U-turn. Follow the Wadi Rum Road for about 20 km until you reach the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre. Pay the entrance fees or show your Jordan Pass and then continue for another 7 km until you reach the Wadi Rum Rest House, the meeting point for our tours. The entire drive should take about 1.5 hours.
Petra to Wadi Rum By Bus: There is a bus for tourists that departs Wadi Musa for Wadi Rum every morning between 6:00 AM and 6:30 AM. You can reserve seats on this bus through your accommodation in Wadi Musa. The bus stops at the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre before making its final stop at the Wadi Rum Rest House, the meeting point for our tours, at around 8:30 AM. This bus costs 10 JOD per person (as of August 2023). After stopping in Wadi Rum, the bus returns to Petra so you can also take it in the opposite direction around 9:00 AM each day.
There is now a JETT bus service between Petra and Wadi Rum. As of August 2023, the bus departs Wadi Musa at 11:30 and arrives in Wadi Rum around 13:30. Click here to read more information about this bus service and verify their schedule. The price is 15 JOD per person. The JETT buses stop at the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre. They do not come all the way to the Wadi Rum Village and the Wadi Rum Rest House. In general, we recommend the morning mini-bus instead of the JETT bus as the arrival time for the JETT bus doesn’t allow you to enjoy a full day in the desert.
Petra to Wadi Rum By Taxi: We can arrange a taxi to bring you to Wadi Rum from Petra/Wadi Musa. The taxi will pick you up at your accommodation and bring you to the Wadi Rum Rest House, the meeting point for our tours. Let us know where and when you would like to be picked up. The cost of this taxi is 40 JD and the taxi can fit a maximum of four guests. It takes about 2 hours to reach Wadi Rum from Wadi Musa.
AQABA TO WADI RUM
Aqaba is the largest city in the south of Jordan and a great location to enjoy the Red Sea. Read below to find out how to reach us from Aqaba.
Aqaba to Wadi Rum By Car: Take the Desert Highway north until you reach Rashidiyah and the turnoff for the Wadi Rum Road. Follow the Wadi Rum Road for about 20 km until you reach the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre. Pay the entrance fees or show your Jordan Pass and then continue for another 7 km until you reach the Wadi Rum Rest House, the meeting point for our tours. The entire journey should take about 1 hour.
Aqaba to Wadi Rum By Bus: There are local buses that travel between Aqaba and Wadi Rum. There is usually at least one bus that leaves Aqaba for Wadi Rum each day in the afternoon. Sometimes there are more. The local buses prioritize the local people. It is only possible for a tourist to occupy a seat on the local buses if there are seats remaining after all of the local people have been served. The easiest thing to do is to go to the Aqaba Bus Station and ask them about departures to Wadi Rum the day before you intend to leave. The entire journey should take about 1 hour.
There is a daily JETT bus service to Wadi Rum, departing Aqaba in the morning around 7:30. The price is 15 JOD per person and the journey takes 1 - 1.5 hours. The JETT buses stop at the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre. They do not come all the way to the Wadi Rum Village and the Wadi Rum Rest House. Unless you are travelling alone, it is cheaper and more convenient for us to arrange a taxi for you from Aqaba to Wadi Rum.
Aqaba to Wadi Rum By Taxi: We can arrange a taxi to bring you to Wadi Rum from your accommodation in Aqaba.
If you are staying in the city center, the price is 25 JOD.
If you are staying in one of the resorts or hotels in the south beach area, the price is 30 JOD.
The price from the airport or the port is 35 JD. Each taxi can fit a maximum of four guests.
It will take approximately one hour to reach Wadi Rum from Aqaba by taxi.
AMMAN TO WADI RUM
Amman is Jordan's capital city and the entry point for most visitors to Jordan. Read below to find out how to reach us from Amman.
Amman to Wadi Rum By Car: Take the Desert Highway south from Amman until you get to Rashidiyah and the turnoff for the Wadi Rum Road. Note that you will have to go slightly past the turnoff and make a U-turn. Follow the Wadi Rum Road for about 20 km until you reach the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre. Pay the entrance fees or show your Jordan Pass and then continue for another 7 km until you reach the Wadi Rum Rest House, the meeting point for our tours. The entire drive should take about 3.5 - 4 hours.
Amman to Wadi Rum By Bus: There is a daily JETT bus service between between Amman and Wadi Rum, departing Amman at 7:30 AM. The journey takes four hours and costs 20 JOD per person. This JETT bus service is good value, compared to the JETT buses from Aqaba or Petra, which are expensive. The JETT buses stop at the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre. They do not come all the way to the Wadi Rum Village and the Wadi Rum Rest House.
Amman to Wadi Rum By Taxi: We do not organize taxis from Amman to Wadi Rum but there are plenty of drivers in Amman willing to do this trip. We do organize taxis from Wadi Rum to Amman. The price of this journey is 100 JD. Sometimes you can negotiate the price down to 90 JOD in the off-season. Keep this in mind if you are negotiating with a driver in Amman.
ISRAELI BORDER TO WADI RUM
The Wadi Araba Border Crossing connects Aqaba with the Israeli resort city Eilat. Read below to find out how to reach us from the border crossing.
Wadi Araba Border Crossing to Wadi Rum By Car: Take the Desert Highway north until you reach Rashidiyah and the turnoff for the Wadi Rum Road. Follow the Wadi Rum Road for about 20 km until you reach the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre. Pay the entrance fees or show your Jordan Pass and then continue for another 7 km until you reach the Wadi Rum Rest House, the meeting point for our tours. The entire journey should take about 1 hour.
Wadi Araba Border Crossing to Wadi Rum By Bus: There is no bus service between the Wadi Araba Border Crossing and Wadi Rum. If you want to take a bus to Wadi Rum, you need to get from the border crossing to the Aqaba Bus Station. Read our section on Aqaba to learn more about this route.
Wadi Araba Border Crossing to Wadi Rum By Taxi: We can arrange a taxi to pick you up at the Jordanian side of the border crossing and bring you to Wadi Rum. The price of this taxi is 37.5 JD. This price is mandated by the government. One taxi can fit up to four guests.
About Wadi Rum Nature Tours
Wadi Rum Nature Tours is run by Radi Oudeh and his brother Khaled. They have been running Wadi Rum Nature Tours together for more than ten years and working in tourism in Wadi Rum since they were teenagers. Radi and Khaled were both born and grew up in Wadi Rum.
Wadi Rum Nature Tours offers tours and accommodation in the Wadi Rum Protected Area. The Wadi Rum Nature Tours camp is located in the heart of the Protected Area, on the eastern side of Jebel Khazali.
Wadi Rum Nature Tours has fantastic reviews across several different platforms.
Click here to read what our guests think of Wadi Rum Nature Tours on Google Maps.
Click here to read what our guests think of Wadi Rum Nature Tours on TripAdvisor.
