The Valley of the Moon

Wadi Rum is a valley in southern Jordan near Aqaba, about 100 km (62.1 mi) long and 60 km (37.3 mi) wide. It is also known as the ‘Valley of the Moon’ (Arabic: ‘Wādī al-Qamar’) and is famous for its spectacular desert landscape. Some of the granite and sandstone formations rise almost vertically into the air. These include the highest mountain in Jordan at 1,854 m (6,083 ft), Jabal Umm ad Dami, as well as some unique rock arches. 

UNESCO World Heritage Site

In 2011, Wadi Rum was declared a mixed UNESCO World Heritage Site, which is protected for both its natural and cultural value. There are numerous prehistoric rock carvings on the formations. Some of them are at least 12,000 years old and contain various writings by the Thamud, the Nabataeans and the Arab Bedouins. 

Tourist attraction and film location

Wadi Rum is one of the most visited tourist destinations in Jordan. The local Bedouins run restaurants and accommodation in traditional camps and offer a range of different activities for tourists, such as camel, horse and 4x4 tours, sleeping under the stars and rock climbing. In addition, Wadi Rum hosts an annual marathon. Due to its impressive nature and resemblance to the surface of Mars, the valley has been the backdrop for many successful film productions, including Dune, The Martian, Prometheus, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

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