Wadi Rum · With kids

Most of the day is spent on benches in an open pickup on sand tracks. Small children usually love it; it is also dusty, unshaded and unbelted, so bring sunglasses, a scarf and a realistic view of how long they will last.

The tourist board lists rides on refurbished Hijaz Railway locomotives in the Wadi Rum area. It is short, you sit down, and it is a complete change of pace from a day of sand — book it through your camp.

Professional stargazing operators run telescope sessions from the camps, which the board lists among Wadi Rum's main experiences. An hour with someone who can name things beats standing in the dark with a phone.

Pottery and traditional kohl-making workshops run by local families, again listed on the board's own Wadi Rum page. About an hour, hands-on, and they happen under cover, which matters more than you expect at midday.

Camps run on solar with limited charging, coverage is patchy to absent out in the reserve, and the nearest towns are an hour away in either direction. Whatever a child might need has to come in with you.