Treks & Climbs in Wadi Rum Jordan

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Information Sheet

Availability

Reprinted

Cover

Paperback - Laminated

Published

19 Jan 2010

Edition

Fourth

ISBN

9781852842543

ISBN (10)

1852842547

Size

21.0 x 14.8 x 1.5cm

Weight

470g

Pages

240

Originally Published

1 May 1997

Treks and Climbs in Wadi Rum, Jordan

by Tony Howard

A guide to treks and climbs in Wadi Rum, Jordan, one of the world’s leading desert climbing and trekking areas. The book includes thorough visiting information and an extensive selection of explorations, treks and climbs both trad and sport at all grades. Includes all massifs in Rum plus outlying areas. More...

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Printed Book

£20.00

Seasons

Spring and autumn are the norm, with pleasant weather. Summer is for masochists who don’t need Read More... water; winter can be very cold and sometimes wet.

Centres

Aqaba is closest. Amman is far to the north. No hotels in Rum; these are outside in the Aqaba and Read More... Petra areas. Campsite, plus villages of Rum, Rashdiya and Quweirah.

Difficulty

Treks, camel and 4WD journeys, plus trad and sports climbs throughout the grade range.

Must See

Rum is stunning with its enormous red cliffs and canyons - 'vast, echoing and godlike' said TE Read More... Lawrence. Petra makes a rather brilliant rest day.

Update from Author, June 2011

Jordan in general

Jordan was relatively quiet this year, but problem free despite Mid East and North African turmoil. There were a few marches in downtown Amman for increased democracy (the King selects the government) and some in the wealthier uptown in support of King Abdullah. And that was about it. Jordan was, as always, a good place to be in the spring even if the weather was a little cooler than usual.

The northern hills

This area is still very much untouched by trekkers though it is becoming to be visited by Jordanian walking groups and climbers who have now discovered what a marvellous country they live in, full of adventure opportunities.

Amman

The capital now has its own climbing wall, see http://www.climbat.com/

Dead Sea Canyons

As elsewhere in Jordan, these superb canyons are becoming increasingly popular with Jordanians. They usually visit the canyons with Jordanian adventure travel specialists such as Sarha http://www.sarha.jo Terhaal http://www.terhaal.com/ and Tropical Desert http://tropicaldeserttrips.com who take regular canyoning and trekking trips. All canyons are equipped with fixed abseil points, though the canyons themselves sometimes change due to flash floods. Wadi ibn Hammad (R53) now has a 3m drop in it’s upper section where none existed before.

Petra

In Jan 2011, Petra fees rose considerably. A day pass is now 50JD (about £45). There have beena number of complaints in the Jordan Times newspaper about this (including one from us), but it seems unlikely things will change. In fact they may even be increased again later this year.

See http://www.your-guide-to-aqaba-jordan.com/petra_tickets.html for more information. There is also talk of requiring all trekkers passing through Petra to hire a local guide, but we have no firm news on this.

Jebel Mas’uda

South of Petra, following years of discussions with the local Saidiyin Bedouin, RSCN proposals to create the Jebel Mas’uda Reserve (see map on page 215) have been dropped. This is good news for trekkers and climbers as the area will remain open, but maybe not so good for the area as collecting wood for fires and hunting for ibex and other game will continue. It’s a great area well worth a visit.

Rum

Nothing to report here, except to say that more Bedouin are offering homestays in the village, and there are more Bedouin-style and upmarket tourist camps in the desert. The best place to ask is around the Rest House.

For update notes, please visit the author's website:

www.nomadstravel.co.uk or go directly to: www.nomadstravel.co.uk/Jordan.update.html and follow the links.

June 2007

The caption missing under the top photograph opposite page 145 reads:

'Climbs on Jebel um Ishrin Massif
Above: Jolly Joker, N. Nassrani.The big traverse, first ascent - photo Haupolter'

January 2006

A huge number of new climbs have been done. Details will be found in the New Routes Book at Wadi Rum rest House. These include the discovery of more classic Bedouin Climbs, many by our friends, Gilles Rappeneau and local Bedoiun Guide Talat Awad. Gilles has done a pocket guide to these routes, details on his website. Talal has a copy and knows the rotes if you need a guide. In Nov 2005, Gilles also found the long-forgotten Bedouin Route to the top of Rum's second highest summit, Jebel um Ishrin, giving it three stars.