Wadi Rum · Where to stay

Camps out on the reserve side, reached only by 4x4 from the visitor centre. No road noise, no light and no walking anywhere without a guide — you are committed to your camp's vehicle for everything you do.

The settlement itself, where the guides and camp families live. Shops, a phone signal and the fee gate are all here, and beds are cheaper — the trade is that you are looking at the desert rather than sleeping in it.

Several large camps sit out this way and market themselves as Wadi Rum. Some are a long way from the jebels the photographs are of, so check exactly where your camp is on a map before you book rather than after.

Almost everyone arrives at midday, does the standard jeep circuit and leaves after breakfast. A second night buys a walking day and a second sunrise, and costs less than the first because the transport is already paid.