Every camp in Wadi Rum sells the same sky. What changes is what's between you and it: a canvas tent and a shared bathroom, or a dome with a bed and a private shower. Neither is the wrong choice, but they're different trips, and the right one depends on how you feel about cold nights, generators and who you want to spend the evening with.
We're a tour company in Wadi Musa, the town at Petra's gate, and we arrange Wadi Rum nights with Bedouin guides. This is how we'd choose.
Short version
Pick a small Bedouin-run camp if you want the dinner, the fire and the company, and you're fine with a shared bathroom and a cold night in winter. Pick a luxury or bubble-tent camp if a private bathroom, air conditioning and a bed under clear panels matter more. Either way, ask what the price includes before you pay. Checked November 2026.
What a Bedouin camp feels like
Expect a row of goat-hair or black-and-white tents with mattresses and blankets, shared washrooms and a central fire. The evening is the point: tea on arrival, a dinner that is often a zarb (meat and vegetables slow-cooked in an underground sand oven and dug up in front of you), then tea and music by the fire. In the morning there is breakfast, then your jeep or camel ride.
Traditional camps are usually small, with no air conditioning, and run by people who grew up in the desert. "Bedouin camp" isn't a regulated label, so ask who actually owns and runs the camp you're booking.
What a luxury camp feels like
Luxury camps sell comfort: private bathrooms with hot water, air conditioning, Wi-Fi and, at some, a pool. Bubble tents (also sold as domes, pods or "Martian" tents) have transparent panels or a clear roof for stargazing and are usually spaced apart for privacy.
There is a trade-off that the booking page rarely shows. Air conditioning in the desert runs on generators, and larger camps can be noisy at night. It's a fair question to put to any camp: how many guests do you host, and what powers the air conditioning?
Side by side
- Size:
Bedouin camps are small. Luxury and bubble camps range from small to very large, so ask.
- Bathrooms:
Bedouin camps are usually shared, often without toiletries or hairdryers. Luxury camps give you a private bathroom and plenty of hot water.
- Heating and cooling:
Bedouin camps have little or none, so nights can be very cold. Luxury camps often have air conditioning.
- Meals:
Bedouin camps almost always include breakfast, and often a zarb or buffet dinner. Luxury camps often include breakfast and dinner.
- The evening:
at a Bedouin camp, the fire, music and stargazing. At a luxury camp, your own terrace or dome and a restaurant.
- Who it suits:
Bedouin camps suit budget travellers, solo travellers and anyone who wants the people as much as the scenery. Luxury camps suit couples, honeymooners and anyone who wants a private bathroom and a good mattress.
What it costs
There is no official price list for Wadi Rum camps, and prices move with the season and what's included, so we don't print a figure that would be out of date by the time you book. Tell us your dates and group size on our contact page
and we'll quote the camp, the jeep day and the transfers together. For reference, the entry fee is 5 JD per person at the Visitor Centre, and free with a Jordan Pass (see our Jordan Pass guide). Our own jeep tour prices are in our Wadi Rum jeep guide.
What to check is included
Camp prices look similar on the page and very different on the day. Before you pay, ask for these in writing:
- Dinner and breakfast, and whether drinking water is free.
- Transfer from the Visitor Centre or the village, and back again.
- Whether a jeep tour is included, how many hours and how many people share the vehicle.
- Bedding: how many blankets, and whether there is heating in winter.
- Bathroom: private or shared, and whether hot water is guaranteed.
- The 5 JD entry fee, if you aren't using a Jordan Pass.
Inside the Protected Area, or not?
This is the question most travellers never think to ask. Book with a named guide, ask if the camp is inside the Wadi Rum Protected Area, and expect to be met at the Visitor Centre. UNESCO inscribed the area in 2011 as a mixed natural and cultural site, so a camp inside it should feel like that.
Cold nights and hot days
Budget camps have little or no climate control. Winter nights can be very cold, so warm clothing matters, and daytime heat in summer is hard on people who aren't prepared. If you're going in winter, ask about blankets and heating. If you're going in summer, ask where you can find shade and whether the tent has a fan. Bring water, a hat and sunscreen. Our month-by-month notes are in Best times to visit Jordan.
Which should you choose?
- Choose a Bedouin camp if you're on a budget, travelling alone, or want the conversation and the fire as much as the view.
- Choose a luxury camp if it's a honeymoon or a special occasion, if you need a private bathroom, or if you sleep badly when it's cold.
- Do both if you have two nights: one in a small camp for the dinner, one in a dome for the sky. It costs more than either alone, but you'll know which you prefer.
- Stay at least one night. A day trip from Aqaba or Petra shows you the rock. A night shows you sunset, the stars and sunrise.
FAQ
How much does a night in a Wadi Rum camp cost?
It depends on the camp, the season and what's included, and there is no official price list. Ask the camp for a current, written price that says whether dinner, breakfast, transfers and a jeep tour are in it.
Do I need to book a Wadi Rum camp in advance?
Yes, it's safer. Book ahead with a named local guide who meets you at the Visitor Centre. Walk-ins can sometimes arrange something, but you have less choice and less chance to check what's included.
Are bubble tents worth it?
If you want a private bathroom, air conditioning and the stars from your bed, yes. The trade-offs are the price and, at larger camps, generators and air conditioning running overnight. Ask how many guests the camp hosts.
Does the Jordan Pass cover a Wadi Rum camp?
No. It covers the 5 JD visitor entry fee only. Camps, jeep tours and meals are paid separately.
Is a Bedouin camp comfortable?
It's simple. Expect mattresses and blankets, shared bathrooms and little or no heating or cooling. Bring warm layers in winter and enjoy the evening around the fire.
How many nights should I stay in Wadi Rum?
One night is the minimum to get sunset, stars and sunrise. Two nights lets you do a longer jeep day without rushing, and we think it's worth it if you have the time.
Planning Wadi Rum
We can arrange the camp, the jeep day and the transfers around your dates. See our Wadi Rum tours, read the Exploring Wadi Rum
page, or tell us your dates on the contact page. If you're also taking the railway, our Al Hijaz steam train guide
shows how it fits.
Last updated: 2 November 2026. Camps change their prices and services, so confirm with the camp.
