Dead Sea

At 430 metres below sea level, the Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth. As the name implies, nothing lives here. The Dead Sea is ten times saltier than the ocean which prevents any plant or sea life from flourishing. The higher density also makes objects extremely buoyant. You can try to sink as hard as you want but the water just pushes you back up. It was a strange feeling to simply lay back and float, bobbing up and down with the waves.

On the Jordanian side, there is a stretch of resorts with direct entry to the Dead Sea. We visited the Marriott with a day pass which gave us access to their facilities. There was also Dead Sea mud available to slather on before washing off in the sea. The minerals in the mud are purported to be beneficial for the skin so we took huge slabs and covered ourselves from head to toe.

We stayed south of the resorts and across from the Wadi Mujib at Mujib Chalets, another property run by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature in Jordan. The chalets are basic but have amazing views of the Dead Sea. It was also close to areas where we could walk down to the water to see the salt formations.

We finished our trip in Jordan with a relaxing stay at the Ma’in Hot Springs. Located between Madaba and the Dead Sea, the road leading to the resort takes you up the mountains and into a valley. Upon arrival, we found a series of hot mineral springs and waterfalls. They were very hot but soothing after a week of long drives and hiking.

STAY

Mujib Chalets
Ma’in Hot Springs

Wadi Rum

We arrived at the entrance of Wadi Rum and left our vehicle at the car park for the next two days. We would be staying at a camp in the middle of the red desert valley that is still inhabited by some Bedouins. Our guide met us in his Jeep and we started a two-hour tour of the desert on our way to the camp.

Our first stop was at Lawrence’s Spring, where T.E. Lawrence had once stayed. We did not climb up to the spring so we took a look at the inscriptions and went on our way to the next destination. We took off our shoes and climbed up a red sand dune to a rock cliff with incredible views over the desert. Nearby is the Khazali Canyon, where we saw many ancient inscriptions and drawings on the rocks.

We finally arrived at our camp, consisting of six tents in the middle of Wadi Rum. We were greeted with Arabic coffee, a drink reserved for special occasions, and dates. Then we were shown our luxurious tent, complete with a shower and private bathroom. The best part of the camp was watching the sunset and having drinks and snacks from the couches and daybeds. The dinner on our first night was served in a traditional goat-hair tent with other guests. We had a Zarb, a traditional Bedouin barbecue consisting of trays layered with meats and vegetables that are steamed underground in the sand for hours.

The next morning we enjoyed breakfast from a cliff overlooking the valley before heading back into the Jeep to explore more of the desert. We stopped at the Um Fruth rock bridge, which is 15 metres from the desert floor. It was a steep climb up to cross the bridge and see the red valley from above. Next our guide dropped us off at Abu Khashaba canyon. We hiked through the narrow gorge and met him on the other side. Lastly, we visited Lawrence’s House. Although there is little left of the building there are good views from the surrounding rocks.

Next we visited a Bedouin family where we had lunch in their tent. They had prepared Mansaf, Jordan’s national dish which consists of steamed goat on rice served with bread and soup. Our final activity was a 4x4 motorbike tour through the desert at the edge of Wadi Rum.

After another beautiful sunset, the camp had arranged a private dinner for us under the stars with fires and blankets to keep us warm. They had prepared a mixed grill of various meats and vegetables. We did some stargazing with Abedullah who pointed out many constellations.

It was an amazing two nights at the camp and we were sad to leave. Our guide came to pick us up in the morning and we left in the Jeep for our last ride through the desert.

STAY

Discovery Bedu Camp