Stepping out of an air-conditioned vehicle and onto the rust-colored sands of southern Jordan feels like crossing a threshold onto another planet. The towering sandstone monoliths, the vast open spaces, and the silence of the desert create an atmosphere that is both humbling and incredibly exciting for families. If you are planning a trip to the Middle East, figuring out the best things to do in Wadi Rum with kids is likely at the top of your itinerary, and for good reason. This is not a destination of manicured playgrounds or scheduled theme park shows; it is a giant, natural sandbox where imagination takes the lead.
Navigating a desert environment with children requires a bit of logistical planning, but the payoff is immense. The Bedouin culture is deeply family-oriented, meaning your children will be welcomed with open arms, endless cups of sweet tea, and genuine warmth. Whether you are racing down sand dunes, sleeping under a canopy of unpolluted stars, or learning about ancient petroglyphs carved into the canyon walls, Wadi Rum offers a grounding, awe-inspiring family adventure. For a broader overview of the region, you can check out our complete Wadi Rum city guide.
Why Wadi Rum is the Ultimate Family Adventure
Wadi Rum strips away the daily distractions of modern life. Wi-Fi is spotty at best, televisions are non-existent in the camps, and the itinerary is dictated by the rising and setting of the sun. For families, this forced disconnection is a rare gift. It is an environment that naturally encourages kids to climb, explore, and ask questions about the natural world.
The local Bedouin guides are the heartbeat of this experience. They have lived in these harsh conditions for generations and have a remarkable way of engaging with children. You will often find guides teaching kids how to track desert foxes in the sand, how to build a small fire using dry scrub, or how to properly tie a keffiyeh (traditional headscarf) to keep the sun off their necks. The desert serves as a magnificent outdoor classroom, teaching resilience, geology, and cultural appreciation without ever feeling like a school lesson.
Top Things to Do in Wadi Rum with Kids
Structuring your days in the desert usually revolves around avoiding the intense midday heat and maximizing the cooler morning and late afternoon hours. Here are the most engaging activities for families.
Discover the Desert by Jeep and Camel
The sheer scale of Wadi Rum means you cannot explore it on foot with children. The most thrilling way to see the landscape is via the back of an open-air 4x4. Operators like Bedouin Directions Tours specialize in making the rugged terrain accessible for families. Kids love the bumpy, wind-in-your-hair thrill of riding in the back of a truck as you zip between towering rock formations.
For a slower pace, a camel ride is a quintessential desert experience. While long treks are exhausting for little ones, a short 30-minute sunrise or sunset ride is usually the perfect duration. The rocking motion and the height of the camels are fascinating for kids. For older teenagers who already have significant equestrian experience, Wadi Rum Horse Riding offers an epic way to traverse the desert that feels straight out of an adventure film, though this is a serious athletic activity and not suitable for beginners.
Soar Above the Sand
If you want to truly grasp the Martian-like geography of the area, viewing it from above is unmatched. The Wadi Rum Hot Air Balloon Ride (Royal Aero Sports Club of Jordan) offers a sunrise flight that provides a bird's-eye view of the red sand and labyrinthine canyons. Yes, it requires waking up well before dawn, which can be tough on kids, but watching the burners inflate the massive balloon in the freezing morning air, followed by a silent, floating ascent as the sun hits the red rocks, is a core memory in the making.
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Stargazing Like Never Before
Because there is virtually no light pollution, the night sky in Wadi Rum is blindingly bright with stars. Simply walking a few dozen yards away from your camp will reveal the Milky Way. For a more structured educational evening, the Wadi Rum Stargazing Experience provides an awe-inspiring introduction to the cosmos. Guides use powerful telescopes and laser pointers to teach kids about constellations, planets, and how ancient caravans used the stars for navigation.
Rock Climbing and Sandboarding for Active Kids
Wadi Rum is a world-renowned destination for rock climbers. If you have older children or teens who are active, Wadi Rum Rock Climbing (with Bedouin Directions) is a world-class opportunity for kids to transition from indoor climbing gyms to real sandstone. Guides can set up top-ropes on beginner-friendly routes, ensuring safety while providing a massive confidence boost.
For younger kids, sandboarding is the ultimate desert thrill. Many guides keep old snowboards in the back of their jeeps. Hiking up a massive, soft red dune is exhausting work, but sliding down the steep face of the sand is endlessly entertaining. Expect sand to get into every single pocket, shoe, and ear, but the laughter makes the messy cleanup entirely worth it.
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Side Trips: Petra and the Red Sea
Wadi Rum is perfectly positioned between two other major Jordanian highlights. A trip to the desert pairs beautifully with exploring Petra (Al-Khazneh / The Treasury), the world-famous archaeological site carved into rose-colored sandstone just two hours north. Heading south to the coast, families can cool off in the Red Sea. The Deep Blue Dive Center (Aqaba) is an excellent, highly-safe PADI dive center for introducing older kids to scuba diving or taking younger ones snorkeling among vibrant coral reefs.
Where to Stay: The Best Desert Camps for Families
Choosing the right accommodation dictates the rhythm of your desert stay. Wadi Rum offers everything from basic goat-hair tents to futuristic luxury domes.
Authentic Bedouin Experiences
For families wanting a genuine cultural connection, traditional camps are the way to go. These camps swap high-end luxury for deep desert immersion. Wadi Rum Nomads Camp and Wadi Rum Bedouin Camp (Mohammed Mutlak Camp) are fantastic, family-run options that balance traditional living with comfortable beds and clean communal bathrooms.
Rum Stars Camp and Wadi Rum Candles Camp offer similarly intimate experiences deep within the protected area, far away from the noise of the village. For a quieter atmosphere away from large tour groups, Rum Magic Camp provides phenomenal Bedouin hospitality. The highlight of staying at these traditional camps is the evening meal, known as Zarb. Kids will be mesmerized watching the camp staff dig a multi-tiered metal rack of slow-roasted meats and vegetables out of an underground sand oven.
Futuristic Martian Glamping
If the idea of shared bathrooms and no air conditioning sounds too stressful with young children, Wadi Rum has a booming "glamping" scene. Sun City Camp Martian Domes offers high-end geodesic domes that look exactly like a space colony. These come with private en-suite bathrooms, panoramic windows, and crucial climate control.
Similarly, Wadi Rum Bubble Luxotel and Wadi Rum Night Luxury Camp allow families to sleep in transparent bubble tents. Kids can literally lay in bed and stare up at the stars while enjoying the comforts of a standard hotel room. These options are significantly more expensive but provide peace of mind for parents traveling with infants or toddlers who are sensitive to extreme temperature shifts.
Age-by-Age Guide to Things to Do in Wadi Rum with Kids
A successful desert trip looks very different depending on the age of your children. Here is how to tailor the experience to their developmental stage.
Toddlers (Ages 2-3)
The desert is essentially the world's largest sandbox, which toddlers love, but the environment can be harsh. Strollers are completely useless in the deep sand, so a high-quality, breathable baby carrier is a must. Keep activities very short. A 30-minute jeep ride is plenty before they need to get out and stretch. Focus on tactile experiences: letting them sift red sand through their fingers, pointing out camel tracks, and keeping them heavily shaded during the peak afternoon sun. Choose a camp with private bathrooms and climate control to make nap times and nighttime routines easier.
Preschoolers (Ages 3-5)
Preschoolers have the mobility to explore but still tire easily. Short, guided walks through narrow, shaded canyons (like the Siq at Khazali) are perfect. They will love spotting desert lizards, beetles, and the occasional mountain goat. A short camel ride where they sit securely with an adult is highly recommended. Bring plenty of familiar snacks from home, as the traditional Bedouin food (while delicious) might be too unfamiliar for picky eaters after a long day of travel.
School-Age Kids (Ages 6-10)
This is the golden age for Wadi Rum. Kids in this bracket have the stamina to hike up sand dunes for sandboarding and the attention span to sit around a campfire listening to Bedouin folklore. Book a full-day jeep tour that includes stops at the natural rock bridges (like Um Fruth) where they can do some light, supervised scrambling. They will also be fascinated by the ancient petroglyphs carved into the rocks, turning the trip into a real-life treasure hunt.
Tweens and Teens (Ages 11-14)
Teenagers thrive on the independence and mild adrenaline that Wadi Rum offers. This is the time to book an introductory rock climbing session, allow them to ride horses if they are experienced, or negotiate a longer, more rugged hiking route. Teens also deeply appreciate the stargazing experiences and the opportunity to disconnect from social media in a profoundly beautiful setting. Encourage them to engage with the younger Bedouin guides, who often speak excellent English and can share fascinating perspectives on balancing traditional desert life with modern technology.
What to Skip in Wadi Rum with Kids
Not every attraction in the desert is worth your time or safe for your family. Here is what you should avoid to keep the trip enjoyable.
Tourist Traps and Underwhelming Sights
Do not waste your time requesting a stop at Lawrence's House. Despite the legendary name associated with T.E. Lawrence, the site is essentially a pile of rubble and a few crumbling stone walls. Kids will be instantly bored, and there are far more impressive natural rock formations just a few minutes away.
If you are passing through the coastal city nearby, skip the Aqaba Duty Free Shops. These shops cater almost exclusively to adults looking for tax-free alcohol, cigarettes, and high-end perfumes, offering absolutely nothing of interest for children. Likewise, avoid Deep Sea Fishing Tours (Aqaba); these tours are notoriously expensive and often result in hours of waiting in the intense Red Sea sun with restless, seasick kids.
Dangerous or Overly Strenuous Activities
Avoid Wadi Rum Quad Biking / ATV Tours. These tours are genuinely dangerous for children due to powerful vehicles, uneven desert terrain with hidden drop-offs, and a general lack of strict safety regulations. Stick to the 4x4 jeeps driven by experienced locals.
For hiking, skip Jebel Um ad Dami and the Wadi Rum Trail (Jordan Trail section through Wadi Rum). As the highest peak in Jordan and a multi-day long-distance trek, respectively, these require advanced navigation, heavy water logistics, and serious stamina that kids simply do not possess. Additionally, avoid Wadi Rum Scrambling to Jebel Khazali Summit. This is a high-consequence rock scramble on crumbly, exposed sandstone that requires technical footwork and a head for heights.
Finally, never attempt a Wadi Rum Night Walk Without Guide. Desert navigation is deceptively difficult after dark, and the risk of disorientation or injury from unseen rocks or wildlife is far too high when you have children in tow.
Practical Tips for a Successful Desert Trip
Understanding the logistics of the desert will make your family trip infinitely smoother.
Costs, Cash, and Currency
Wadi Rum operates almost entirely on cash. There are no ATMs in the desert or at the camps. The local currency is the Jordanian Dinar (JOD), with 1 JOD equaling roughly 1.40 USD. A traditional camp will typically cost between 40-60 JOD ($56-$85 USD) per adult per night, often including dinner and breakfast. Kids are usually charged half price, and infants are free. Luxury domes can run anywhere from 150-300 JOD ($210-$420 USD) per night. Jeep tours are priced per vehicle, not per person, usually ranging from 50-80 JOD ($70-$113 USD) for a half or full day. Withdraw all the cash you need in Amman or Aqaba before arriving at the Wadi Rum Visitor Center.
What to Pack and Wear
The desert is a land of extremes. In the spring and fall (the best times to visit), daytime temperatures can sit comfortably around 75°F to 85°F (24°C to 29°C), but as soon as the sun dips below the horizon, temperatures plummet rapidly, often dropping into the 40s°F (5°C to 9°C).
Pack in layers. Kids will need lightweight, breathable, long-sleeved shirts and pants during the day to protect against the relentless sun. Sunscreen, wide-brimmed hats, and sunglasses are mandatory. For the evening, bring warm fleece jackets, beanies, and long pants. Closed-toe shoes are essential; the sand gets incredibly hot during the day, and desert scrub is prickly. Leave the heavy hiking boots at home and opt for comfortable, lightweight sneakers.
Food and Amenities
Your camp will provide the vast majority of your meals. Breakfast usually consists of flatbreads, hummus, eggs, labneh (strained yogurt), and fresh vegetables. Dinner is typically the hearty Zarb BBQ, rice, and salads. The food is fresh and delicious, but the options are fixed. If your kids are picky eaters, you must bring your own snacks from outside the desert. Granola bars, crackers, and fruit are great to have on hand during long jeep rides. Bottled water is provided by the camps, but always bring a few extra large bottles in your luggage just in case.
Pro Tips from Parents
- Bring an abundance of wet wipes: The red sand of Wadi Rum is incredibly fine and gets into everything. Having a massive pack of wet wipes is the only way to clean hands and faces before meals, as running water is a precious commodity in the camps.
- Embrace the early mornings: The desert is most magical (and coolest) between 6:00 AM and 9:00 AM. Shift your kids' sleep schedules so you can be out exploring early, and use the hot mid-afternoon hours for resting in the shade back at camp.
- Download offline maps and entertainment: You will lose cell service shortly after passing the visitor center. Download any necessary maps, white noise tracks for sleeping, or a movie on a tablet for the flight home before you enter the desert.
- Communicate car seat needs in advance: If you are booking a jeep tour and have an infant or small toddler, email the camp ahead of time. Traditional jeeps have bench seating in the back, but guides can usually arrange for a vehicle with standard rear seats where you can strap in a travel car seat.
Traveling to a remote desert environment with children might sound intimidating, but it is one of the most rewarding travel experiences you can offer your family. By slowing down, embracing the dust, and allowing the incredible landscape to dictate your schedule, you will find that figuring out things to do in wadi rum with kids is surprisingly effortless. The desert has a unique way of bringing families closer together beneath a sky full of stars.