TRAVELING TO JORDAN: SUNSET IN WADI RUM DESERT

A trip to Jordan requires that you would be fully ready to experience a cinematic-like scenery, be romantic enough to watch the beautiful sunsets, be open to a whole new culture that is full of a highly authentic hospitality, be ready to feel oriental flavors and sounds that will travel you in time as well as keep your heart open to be filled with a lot of memories in a such an amazing land!

This destination has been in my list since…forever.

It was twenty years ago when my uncle Nick was talking about a unique land, a magic place which can offer you a real life experience. And now, I have been there. I visited Jordan and its Golden triangle as well: Aqaba, Wadi Rum, Petra. My trip started with a visit to Aqaba, a city which shines and is surrounded by the sea. My next stop was at Wadi Rum, Petra and finally the Dead Sea.

Wadi Rum is around 60 miles east of Aqaba and less than 2 hours away from Petra by car. The name “Wadi” means Valley while the “Rum” means Elevated; an Elevated Valley. Wadi Rum has been home to various civilizations in the ancient times as well as to the British officer Lawrence of Arabia who lived there during the Arab Revolt in 1917 – 1918. A long time ago, the Nabataeans inhabited this desert, leaving their scars everywhere; in many temples, in different inscriptions and carved stones. The Khazali canyon though, is the most well-known carved spot by the Nabataeans as well as the lost city of Petra which is considered as the Nabataean Kingdom.

Wadi Rum proved to be the “star” of my trip in Jordan.

It is a well-protected desert in the south part of Jordan which is also named as “The Valley of The Moon” because of its red and pink sand hills as well as the primitive rocks which literally turn the whole place into a card-postal-like scenery!

Today, the Bedouins are the permanent inhabitants of Wadi Rum and they are quite familiar with technology and tourism. This is why they had managed to offer excellent travelling experiences to the visitors; camping, climbing, hiking, camel safari and ATV (All Terrain Vehicles) explorations. Wadi Rum has also hosted many cinematic movies such as the Lawrence of Arabia and more recently, The Martian.

Wadi Rum looks like what you are exactly thinking of a desert: extremely hot temperatures in summer and extremely low in winter. It is a very hospitable desert to the Bedouin that live there and a real challenge for those who visit it.

t was early in the afternoon when I arrived in Wadi Rum, enjoying an ATV Safari with a local Bedouin driver who of course, knew the area. The camp which was right where Lawrence of Arabia lived, was one of the most interesting stops we made.

I was so lucky to enjoy the most hospitable tea-time of my whole trip there! Literally Like A Local!

This experience in Wadi Rum became even more spectacular with the beautiful sunset at the Valley of The Moon – another check at my #bucketlist! I shared my trip with you on my INSTAGRAM account; something I always do, you know me!

Wadi Rum is famous for its stunning sunsets, in a scenery surrounded by mountains and rocks that look wonderful from every view point, creating in this way one of the best photographic sceneries I have ever seen! The feeling was just epic!

I spent the night at an amazing Luxury Camp, the Sun City Camp and I had the best wake-up! In the morning, I was wandering on a camel with the company of a Bedouin and I finally enjoyed the sunrise from the beautiful Valley!

This trip has been organized in co-operation with Ryanair, which has a twice-a-week flight from Athens to Aqaba as well as the Jordan Tourism Board. I would like to thank from the bottom of my heart our guide Issa and our driver Fatem for the unique moments we shared! All opinions are my own, as always.

Translation: Adrianna Argyropoulou

Maria Kalymnou

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