Sometimes the Wadi Rum camels get to have a bit of a tour...
...but, no, we don't mean this :-)
Have you ever ridden a camel?
Wadi Rum desert is the perfect opportunity to give this bucketlist item a try.
A camel can travel up to 25 miles (40km) in a day. and it can survive for 10 days without water. Camels are prized by bedouin in Jordan and their health and well-being is a priority for the trainers.
Lonely Planet advises that camel rides are "ecologically sound" and enable you to "appreciate the silent gravitas of the desert.”
It's eco-friendly!
Camel riding is actually preferable to using vehicles which can cause damage to the fragile desert environment.
Camels have been used here for thousands of years
Ancient rock art depicts camels throughout the area and you can see some of these inscriptions during a desert tour.
The Anafishieh Inscriptions
Only a cooperative camel will allow someone to ride. They are naturally curious and gregarious. Gently trained camels are calm and even-tempered.
“Only a young animal, male or ill bred, would grumble on the road, ... self‐respecting Bedouins did not ride such since noise might give them away by night or in surprise attacks.”
T.E. Lawrence
Shorter rides
If you want to try this in combination with a jeep or hiking tour, opt for a 1, 2 or 3 hour ride at the beginning or end of your tour.
How much does a camel ridein Wadi Rumcost?
The going rate for camel rides is from 15 to 20 Jordanian Dinar per person per hour. That’s between 22 to 28 US dollars.
Is Camel riding okay for kids?
Small children can sit with the parent during a ride. But try to keep the ride short, because an extended camel tour will be too much for most young ones.