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5 things you need to know about sleeping under the stars of Wadi Rum

sleeping under the stars with wadi rum nomads

We are Bedouin. So we were born and raised in the desert. And we grew up sleeping under the stars. In our opinion, there is no place to sleep better than in the desert under the stars. We can imagine that leaving the safety of a bedroom or a tent to go and sleep under the stars is a big step for you. But it surely is one you should try. In this blog, we will share five things you want to know about sleeping under the stars. It will help you to decide whether sleeping outdoors, also known as bivouac camping is an experience you desire.

#1 Get as close to traditional Bedouin life as you can

Most visitors come to Wadi Rum with two primary desires. They want to see the stunningly beautiful landscape, and they want to learn about and experience Bedouin life. Seeing the scenery is easy. Book one of the tours with a Rum village-based company, and you will see the mesmerizing desert landscape. If you want to experience real Bedouin life, you have to choose your tour company carefully. Sleeping in a big camp with entertainment is a tourist version of Bedouin life. Staying overnight in a small desert camp in the protected area is close to the real deal. But the closest you can get to Bedouin life is go on a hiking and scrambling tour or do a camel ride and stay overnight in a ‘cave’. Just like the Bedouin did in the past when they traveled around the area with their camels.

#2 Enjoy the beauty of nature and Bedouin traditions

Sleeping outside brings you as close to nature as possible. After sunset, we drive to a ‘cave’. Most ‘caves’ are more overhanging rocks or rock walls offering protection from the wind and sun. Once we are there, we put mattresses out for you to sit and relax. And we start a small fire for you to enjoy. We also use it to prepare our famous sweet Bedouin tea. And afterward, we use the same fire to make you a Bedouin dinner. After dinner, we share stories about Bedouin life and culture with you. Sometimes we will play traditional Bedouin music for you. You can also enjoy the bright starry night sky. And the absolute silence of the desert night.

#3 Wake up by the light of the rising sun

In the early morning, the intense darkness of the night starts to fade as the sun begins to rise. The light sound of birds in their morning chirp is the only thing breaking the desert silence. And then the most magical moment of the day: the moment that the sun rises above the horizon and casts its light on the sandstone mountains of Wadi Rum. The refreshed air slowly will be warmed by the rising sun. If you wake up in time, you can find yourself a place to enjoy this magic.

#4 Sleeping under the stars is possible most of the year

Wadi Rum’s desert climate is perfect for sleeping outdoors. There is no early morning dew, and temperatures are high enough almost year-round. Only the cold winter and early spring nights, rain, and sand storms make sleeping under the stars impossible. So, from late spring until early autumn, we can sleep outside almost every night.

#5 We take care of everything you need

We provide you with everything that you need during your overnight stay. We cook you a Bedouin dinner and serve you a traditional Bedouin breakfast. Water and tea to drink are available. And we provide sleeping equipment: a mattress, sleeping bag, and sheet. For the colder nights, we also have extra blankets ready.

We care about the future of our homeland

As explained in this blog, sleeping outdoors under the billions of stars is a unique experience. We love to offer it to all our guests. Still, we also have to think about the future of our desert. Too much sleeping in a ‘cave’ will seriously harm our desert. Therefore we decided to limit sleeping outdoors in our ‘cave’ to July, August, and September. Mainly to limit the impact that this kind of overnight stay has on the desert in terms of used firewood (collected from the desert) and pollution. In our camp, we can use the same amount of wood for all our guests, which we otherwise use for a few guests in our ‘cave’. And as the camp has bathroom facilities, we also limit pollution due to human waste, etc. The good news is that we have a couple of fantastic places to sleep outdoors near our camp. So, unless you visit during the cold months (then you will sleep in a tent), you can sleep under the stars, after all.

You can book sleeping under the stars in our ‘cave’ in combination with all our tours, except the camel ride trip. And if you want to know more about our ‘cave’, you can read our page bivouac camping.

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