ECO & NATURE
This is a nature-lovers paradise; a unique ecosystem where rare plants and herbs, long known by the Bedouin for their curative powers, can be discovered.
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The sure-footed Nubiani are at home among
the precarious cliffs. | At first glance there does not appear to be a great deal of wildlife but more observant visitors will soon discover there is more to Wadi Rum than sand and rocks. Hyrax, hares, jerboas and gerbils appear, as if from nowhere, as the sun goes down. This is also the time for the desert hunters, the foxes and Arabian sand cats, to make their appearance. Their footprints can often be seen in the sand in the early morning around the Bedouin campsites – evidence, no doubt, of their night time scavenging.
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Do not pick the wild flowers and plants. A much better way to record your find is to take a photograph of it – this way it will keep forever, both for you and for Wadi Rum. It is very important that you follow the rules and regulations of the protected area. |
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Though not as many as in the past, there are still Nubian Ibex and gazelle to be seen. These are highly protected by the Jordanian Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), as are the Arabian Oryx recently reintroduced to the area from the Shawmari Reserve.
Birdlife includes Desert Larks and Crested Larks, Wheatears Rock Sparrows, bright pink Sinai Rosefinches (Jordan’s National Bird) and Chukar Partridges. Overhead, Vultures, Buzzards and Eagles soar the towering cliffs
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If you want a souvenir of your trip to Wadi Rum, check out the Nature Shop at the Visitors Centre. |
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Wadi Rum Protected Area
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Local Bedouin handicrafts
make excellent souvenirs. | The Aqaba Special Economic Zone Authority (ASEZA) represented by the management of Wadi Rum Protected Area is determined to protect this precious area with its unique flora and fauna and is making great efforts to minimize the environmental impact of modern-day tourism on the site. They have enlisted the help of the local Bedouin tribes by giving them new opportunities to benefit from its protection by sharing entrance fees, supporting and encouraging local tourism and by creating alternative sources of income through Bedouin crafts and souvenirs.
For more information on the Wadi Rum Protected Area, contact the Wadi Rum Protected Area Management:
Tel: 03 -2090600, Fax: 03 -2032586 or visit their website www.wadirum.jo
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A Traditional Bedouin Coffee ceremony involves 3 cups of coffee; one for the soul, one for the sword and one because you are a guest...if you ask for a fourth you’re being greedy!
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At Wadi Rum Rest House, you can hire a local Bedouin guide who will offer you either a 4WD vehicle, or for the more adventurous a camel ride, to explore the area. Prices are displayed at the Visitors' Centre.
Tel: +962 3 2090600
Fax: +962 3 2032586
www.WadiRum.jo
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The Wadi Rum Desert Patrolmen wear what is perhaps the most attractive uniform in the Middle East. It consists of a long khaki dish-dash held by a bright red bandolier, a holster with a dagger around the waist and a rifle. On their heads they wear the traditional red and white kouffieh, worn by the Bedouins of Jordan. The Desert Patrol operates out of an old police fort built in the 1930s.
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The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) has set up a local enclosure for the Oryx. The RSCN Visitors' Centre has a souvenir shop with handicraft products located in historical train wagons next to the Rest House.
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