4x4 Desert Tour & Al Hash Hiking

Khazali Canyon: This canyon lies in Jebel Khazali, a stunning mountain with imposing sheer cliffs that seem to sprout from the desert sands to more than the height of the Empire State Building. This cave-like canyon has been moulded by the elements over millenia and provides cool air and shelter tucked away between massive monolithic rocks. You can easily imagine how it would have looked with Bedouin tents, families resting, drinking tea, and children playing. You will also find numerous Nabatean, Islamic (Kufic), and Thamudic inscriptions and petroglyph rock drawings on the canyon walls dating back thousands of years.

The red dunes nearby are great fun to scramble around, although climbing up is tough. You will, however, be rewarded with a stunning view of the varying colours of the sand. Afterwards, you can run (or roll) down the slope - whichever way you prefer to descend!

We continue to a beautiful rock bridge. This is another chance to climb these stunning and entirely natural rock formations. Climbing is at your own risk (some parts can be quite steep), but as it is sandstone, most people don't have any problems and greatly enjoy the experience. This is a beautiful photo opportunity, with the natural stone bridge lying in front of a vast expanse of desert as far as the eye can see, and you, standing aloft, arms spread as wide as your smile.

We will visit the Anfashieh inscriptions only a little further, which are at least 2000 years old. These ancient rock drawings depict camel riders and huntsmen. Another ancient sight is Lawrence's House, which is an old Nabatean temple. In contrast to Petra, however, this temple was not hewn out of the rock but built with bricks. This is a very remote location and - except during low season - you will be able to glimpse the loneliness of the deep desert. You will have an opportunity here to try rock climbing and take in an unforgettable view of the vast desert that lies before you.

We will then have a break for a picnic, including Bedouin tea and refreshments and some traditional Bedouin cuisine, with options for vegetarians and vegans. The picnic will be in the shade, with a cool breeze and a picturesque view, where you can rest, relax and prepare yourself for the next stages of your tour

Our next stop is the famous Wadi Rum mushroom stone. This is a bizarre and unique rock formation that seems to defy logic. Over the centuries, this completely natural formation was formed by the soft rock at the bottom being eroded by the elements much faster than the hard rock on top, resulting in an almost comical mushroom-shaped stone. This large formation is a firm guest favourite and provides a great photo opportunity.

Next on your itinerary is the spectacular rock bridge at Burdah. This unique geological structure is situated at the top of a large mountain, so, unfortunately, we will not get a close-up view as the climb takes a few hours. However, the view from the foot of the mountain is still striking and provides one of the most iconic views in all of Wadi Rum.

The next part of the tour will give you a chance to stretch your legs as you stroll through a magnificent canyon. The walls on either side reach improbable heights while the sandy floor and occasional vegetation make for a pleasant amble through the cooling shade. The jeep will leave you at the entrance to the canyon and pick you up when you emerge on the other side about half an hour later.

For many visitors the high point of the tour, both literally and figuratively, is the Umm Fruth rock bridge. This stunning rock bridge is 15m (50ft) above the ground, and if you are brave enough to scramble up, it will provide you with the best photo opportunity of the day. If you don't like heights, you can be the designated photographer capturing an unforgettable memory for those on top of the bridge. A Bedouin tent shop is nearby where you can take refreshments or even peruse the local handicrafts on sale.

After another short drive we reach the camp, where you are free to do as you choose - maybe to climb the surrounding rocks and watch the camels wander by, or go for a walk through a nearby valley. As the camp is located on the edge of the wilderness zone, this is an excellent opportunity to stroll in the almost untouched desert landscape. The area around the camp is also one of the significant sunset viewing points in Wadi Rum, and you can enjoy this over a glass of hot sage tea. Having eaten a traditional dinner in time-honoured Bedouin style, you can experience the desert at night. The following day, you will be treated to a hearty breakfast before beginning your next day of adventure.

Jebel Al-Hash's peak extends to 1,700 meters, offering hikers and climbers a moderate challenge. The hike starts with a light climb, and once we reach the top, we will walk across the ridge, where you'll be gifted with some of the most spectacular views across the desert. We will then break for lunch and retreat from the heat to a nice shady spot where lunch will be served fresh and hot.

It's time to go off the beaten track and discover the authenticity of our desert away from the tourist attractions. We will lead you to unique isolated spots deep in the desert near Saudi Arabia.

We will begin with a drive through the Al Kashkasheh valley, surrounded by mountains. At the end of the valley, we will reach a high spot with fantastic views. You will see Um Sabatah and the surrounding area where the red and white desert meet.

We then drive past Um Mugur to reach Wadi Nuqra. After a 15-minute hike through the dunes, you will get a fantastic view of Al Qatar mountain. Afterwards, you will explore a colourful canyon for 1 hour to meet some nomadic Bedouin families and their camels.

Once rested, we continued to Wadi Sabet, a long valley near the Saudi border—the area, full of shrubs, blooms into a beautiful display of flowers in springtime. Nomadic Bedouins and their camels come to enjoy this place year-round. This area also offers you a view of Um Ad Dami, the highest mountain in Jordan.

We drive you to Al Daghdagh’s canyon. At the canyon's end, you will quickly climb to arrive at an open view of the desert from the top of the mountain.

To finish the day, as we drive through the red and white desert, we will show you where the Bedouins collected and saved water.

We will take you back to the camp at the end of the tour. Having eaten a traditional dinner in time-honoured Bedouin style, you can experience the desert at night. Around the time of the full moon, you can see all the surroundings painted in surreal colours, and the moon shines brightly enough to walk around the camp without a flashlight (it's even bright enough to cast a Moonshadow!). If there is no moon, and without all light pollution, the starry night sky is filled with myriad stars, sparkling constellations, the Milky Way, and often dozens of shooting stars. Some nights, you can listen to traditional Bedouin music, and (temperature permitting) you can even take a mattress and blanket and sleep outside amidst nothing but rolling sands, silence, and the stars above.

If you are an early riser the following day, you can watch a glorious sunrise from one of the prime vantage points near the camp. The colours of the dawn are breathtaking as the sun rises from behind the mountains. Then, you will be treated to a hearty breakfast before we take you to town for the morning bus or on to your next port of call.