Rum Magic Nights — Hotel in Aqaba

We were picked up by Ahmed at the Wadi Rum Visitor Centre. It was during a quieter season (due to the war period), so prices were lower than usual.

Since it was winter, the sun set around 6 PM. When we decided to go with Ahmed for the sunset tour, it was already 5:30 PM. The tour was supposed to include stops at Khazali Canyon, Lawrence Spring, the sand dunes, and the sunset spot. We knew there wasn’t enough time to see everything, so we asked if we could just focus on the sunset that evening and visit the other attractions the next day.

Initially, Ahmed insisted that we “trust him” and said there was enough time for everything, but we weren’t convinced. After some back and forth, he finally agreed. We arrived at the sunset spot around 5:45 PM, just in time for the sunset at 6 PM.

That evening, Ahmed took us to Magic Camp, which he said was owned by his uncle. We paid 57 JOD for two people, including dinner and breakfast. The camp was very comfortable, with working heaters, WiFi, and hot showers. The Yemen staff member was particularly helpful and hardworking. However, people were smoking in the dining tent, which was a downside.

Ahmed also collected the Wadi Rum entrance fee (7 JOD per person) from us, but we later found out that this fee is supposed to be paid directly at the Visitor Centre. We’re unsure if this was eventually handed over.

The Tour Experience

The next morning, Ahmed took us to Khazali Canyon, where he let us explore on our own. We expected at least some explanations, as we weren’t sure what we were looking at. While wandering, we noticed other guides explaining the area to their groups, which made us feel like we were missing out.

After about 40 minutes, we came out and found Ahmed wasn’t there. We had to text him to return, and when he did, he seemed unhappy, saying we’d taken too long. When we asked why he didn’t come into the canyon with us or explain anything, he said he was just the driver.

For the rest of the tour, the experience felt rushed. At the sand dunes, he gave us just a few minutes to snap a photo before telling us to move on. At Lawrence Spring, he tried to give a short explanation, but there wasn’t much to see, and we spent only five minutes there.

Final Thoughts

The Magic Camp itself was a highlight – clean, comfortable, and with helpful staff. However, the tour experience with Ahmed left us feeling disappointed. The rushed pace and lack of explanations made it hard to fully appreciate the beauty of Wadi Rum.

If you’re visiting, we’d recommend clarifying expectations with your guide beforehand to ensure a better experience. Alternatively, consider seeking a tour guide who offers more than just driving, especially if you’re interested in learning...

I booked this place over the official website in order to get a special deal including jeep ride for me and 8 colleagues. In the end I paid 35JD per person for transfer from and to Wadi Rum village, dinner, accommodation, breakfast and a 3 hours jeep tour. This may sound reasonable but I would certainly never go there again!! I'm writing this post because I feel cheated by the manager and want to send a message to everyone intending to go there: don't go to this place!! You'll avoid a negative surprise! This terrible stay started when arriving at Wadi Rum village we were verbally harassed by one of the workers. After arriving at the camp it turned out the camp was much larger than the one on the pictures on tripadvisor, booking and the official website (at least 30 tents). So if you expect a quiet or familiar evening, forget it! There were whole families and about 50 persons. So, I realised they had sent us to a different camp!! Calling the guy with the number on the official website I had made the deal with, he said I was at the right place. It continued with a dinner that was not enough for all visitors and by the time I got it it was cold. In general, the food was really bad and consisted of very little variety. Also, they didn't even have enough nor clean forks and plates and I had to insist to get some cups. The price is affordable yes, but you'll have to pay for everything else, even water or shisha. In general, the workers were very unfriendly and didn't care about us at all. On the top of that, the toilets were in a aweful condition! Also, there was only cold water and no soap. Hygene, not an issue! Btw, the night is really cold and the tents only contain matress with a cover, pillow and cover which are reused by every new guest. My matress was still sandy from the previous guy! After a rough night with little sleep (I want to mention that I'm ex-military and have little expectations and certainly slept under worse conditions), we had a terrible breakfast that on top was not enough! By that time we were just happy to leave the camp for the jeep ride. This ride was fine although again, the guides were not at all friendly or trying to accommodate us as some of...

This camp is run by young Madallah and his family. Madallah speaks English (which is a big plus) and runs the camp smoothly. He transferred us for free from the Wadi Rum Visiter Center to the camp. The camp is about 10 km away from Wadi Rum Rest House and next to a cliff. Normally, you need to arrange your own transportation to the Wadi Rum Rest House to be collected to go to your camp. But Madallah was kind enough to help us.

The camp has a convenient layout. On the top side is the central dining hall, below that all the tents and on the right the restrooms and shower. These are clean and have warm water! The tent we had was clean too. The beds were comfortable. I would just recommend you bring a travel pillow if you are not into hard pillows. There is light in the tent and you can close the door from the inside. Phones etc can be charged in the central dining hall and they have WIFI too. Which is great for a WhatsApp or making your next booking.

We checked in earlier then normal but it was no problem at all. They put out a bench for us to sit, observe the dessert and read till the sun went down. Just before dinner, the family provided information about the bedouin way of preparing a meal and they put it straight into practice. The dinner was lovely and tasty. Please note you need to book the dinner in advance! Tea and coffee is provided for free on the spot, just like a glass of water. Madallah had conveniently informed us earlier when we made the booking to bring enough water. Since they do not sell in the camp. Also good to know; everything is cash based! Bring enough cash money!

We slept great and the breakfast was equally nice as the dinner. We did a Jeep safari after that, which was a lovely experience. After that Madallah was kind enough to transfer us back to Wadi Rum Visiter Centre. All in all, it was a wonderful experience. I would certainly...