Staying at Wadi Rum Quiet Village was an absolutely amazing end to a fantastic holiday in Jordan. I hope the words in this review will be useful to others and the photos will help bring it to life.
We chose to stay within the Wadi Rum Protected Area because we wanted an authentic experience away from the lights of Rum town - however, because access is restricted to the Protected Area we were uncertain about the practicalities of getting there! We neednāt have worried because from the moment of booking, communication was responsive and clear. Jose, the reservation manager, contacted us in perfect English describing how the pick-up worked, the range of jeep/camel tours and activities that were available and providing contact details for himself and Saleem (the Quiet Village Manager). During our visit, absolutely everything we planned in advance or decided last minute happened easily and with legendary smiling Jordanian hospitality. The Quiet Village Bedouins are a happy team who run a smooth operation - and somehow manage to share their experiences without compromising them.
Our tent was substantial and spacious and included an ensuite shower room with flushing toilet. Everything was immaculately clean. Additional warm rugs were provided and the traditional furnishings kept the wind and sand out. Fellow guests were aged 8-75 ish and included a family with young children, sand boarders, a group of rock climbers, backpackers - as well as regular tourists (like us) wanting to see the sights.
It is appropriately called the Quiet Village and is set in the most stunning landscape. There was a full moon on our first night, but the location of the Quiet Village at the base of a huge rock formation meant the moonlight was blocked and after a substantial evening meal we sat around the fire, sipping tea, listening to traditional music and enjoying the stars. Magic.
We slept like babes and after breakfast the following day we took our jeep tour. Our guide Hussein clearly explained the history of the sites we visited and adjusted the trip to meet our interests. The rock art has survived centuries of wind erosion and it was memorable to see it in its original location rather than removed to a museum. Our guide conjured up lunch in the desert while we watched a group of snow boarders race down a huge dune.
On our second evening we enjoyed a Zarb, a spectacular traditional meal cooked under the sand. That evening was cooler and a fire was lit in one of the two large rooms and tea, traditional music, singing and dancing rounded off the evening.
A special "thank you" must go people who made our visit so memorable: Rami, who ensured our transfers were carefree and showed us places we would not have otherwise seen; the chef who prepared a wide range of delicious traditional dishes every evening; Hussein, a talented musician and an excellent guide, and the young(er) Bedouin who transferred us in the jeep from the Quiet Village to Rum Town when we left - and who detoured to show us a family of camels, and pointing out the school in Rum, quickly explained the kids milling around werenāt bunking off but were on an authorised ābreakā!
I am really not sure what we expected when we booked, but absolutely everything exceeded our expectations. Wadi Rum is spectacular in itself, but our stay at the Quiet Village brought the experience to life. We felt part of it - and...
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