In December 2022, my girlfriend and I embarked on a grand trip spanning 5 countries and 1 city-state. In a series of posts, I’ll take you through our 28-days trip across Jordan, Egypt, The Maldives, Malaysia, Singapore, and Dubai. Jordan was the was the first stop. This is day 2 – visited the Amman Citadel and headed to our bubble hotel in the Wadi Rum Desert.
Day 2 Itinerary:
- 8am – 10am: Amman Citadel and Roman Temple of Hercules, check out of lodging
- 10am – 3pm: Drive to Wadi Rum desert (ran into some difficulty that turned a 4.5 hour drive into 6 hours)
- 4pm: Wadi Rum desert 4×4 jeep ride
- 7pm: Dinner at camp and night entertainment
You can also choose to skip the Amman Roman Theater like us if seeing it in Jerash was enough. The amphitheater will be visible from the Amman Citadel. However, both can be done in 2 hours with a bit of pace. One hour and 15 min at the citadel, 15 min walk from the citadel to the amphitheater, and 30 min at the amphitheater.
Most of this will read like a personal travel journal. My tips for this day:
- Stop by Salloura Sweets on the way to or back from Amman Citadel
- Book the bubble hotel early – my top choice was booked two months out
- Inquire ahead about the jeep tours and know your meeting area
- Oddly enough, there are mosquitos in the desert
Breakfast
We got up at 7am to find breakfast and explore the Amman Citadel and Roman Theater. We’re not usually morning people but jet lag helped. A few steps from the front door of the hostel, we came across a vendor selling some kind of sandwich to a local. His teal metal and wood bike cart had a tray of tan-stained hard-boiled eggs, sesame bread, tomatoes, a big jar of chili, leafy greens, and a small cutting board and knife. “1 [JD] dollar”, the vendor motioned to us. I look at Grace and the grinning local, “okay just 1,” I reply. “No 2?” the vendor pointed separately at Grace and I. “No thank you, just 1,” I raise my index finger to the sky.
He sliced into the sesame bread lengthwise, forming a pocked. He peeled two hard boiled eggs, mashed the eggs in the bread, and distributed the egg mash. Freshly-sliced tomatos went in next, followed by the leafy greens that resembled water cress. “Spicy?”, he asked. “Yes spicy,” I replied. He dripped on the chili with a small metal spoon and finished with salt and pepper. The final product was wrapped in paper then plastic. I was surprised that the sandwich was hot. His kitchen/bakery must’ve been nearby. We paid the man and bid farewell. I ate the sandwich at the Amman Citadel looking over the city.
I still think about that sandwich.
Amman Citadel
The Amman Citadel area sits the top of a hill and is a lot bigger than expected. Smaller in footprint than Jerash, it also felt like an archaeological site, complete with the ruins of an open air market, a place of worship, a guard post, and living quarters. However, unlike Jerash, the Amman Citadel had a museum of artifacts that were organized in chronological order. It was intriguing comparing what materials existed in what time periods.
With our Turkish coffees from the cafe, we wandered the towering columns looking for cool video angles, admired the geometry, soaked in the Amman city below, and spied the Roman Theater. We saw that time it was and made the executive decision to skip the Roman Theater to make our way to the Wadi Rum Reserve.
Food Stop: Salloura Sweets
On our way back to the hostel, we stopped by a sweets shop – Salloura Sweets. Our hostel had a box of these in the common area so we were curious. The clerk spoke no English so we communicated by pointing at the sweets and left with well-wrapped sampler plates. Some chocolate pudding, pistachio in what I assume was phyllo dough, and various baked sweet in shredded phyllo dough (also known as filo dough). The items on the left plate may be called “Kataifi” – sweets with nuts and syrups or honey. Let me know in the comments if I got that right.
Wadi Rum Desert and Camp
Google Maps indicated it’d be a 4 hour 20 min drive to our Wadi Rum lodging. The highways were nearly empty, but watch the speed bumps near small outposts and towns.
Driving to Wadi Rum is a feast for the eyes, particularly if you like landscapes and rock formations. In the middle of Jordan, yellow sand desert as far as the eye can see. Closer to Wadi Rum, the sand turns into pebbles and rocks. Soon, rock formations as high as an adult jut out next to small dunes. Those formations get bigger the further south. Next will be the color change, from yellow to orange, then orange to rust. The formations are gigantic now, mountains far away and colossal cliffs up close, covering the road with their shadow. You’ll make out the horizontal layering. The elements have carved the rock face to resemble melting ice cream.
Even in the winter, the daytime temperature hovered at 60°F. With the sun and no wind it felt warm enough to wear just a t-shirt and pants. Pack a jacket, or better yet a down jacket, for the nighttime.
Be Ready for this Detour
At the split between the Hasan Zawaideh camp and the Wadi Rum visitor center, a police officer motioned for us to drive to the Wadi Rum visitor center first, get our Jordan pass stamped, and detour back to make the right turn. We complied and drove another 3KM to the visitor center. In the parking lot, we’re greeted by a Bedouin gentleman, let’s call him Omar, at the parking lot – “what camp?”
“Hasan Zawaideh,” I replied. “I work for them, follow me” he says. He led us out of the parking lot and to the visitor center, taking our Jordan passes to get stamped. This is where things turned. He walked us over to the map and started telling us about the 4×4 jeep tours. “I thought the jeep tours would be organized once I checked in,” I stated.
“Oh, those jeep tours don’t go inside the Wadi Rum protected area. If you go now you can do 3 hours and catch the sunset.” It was 3pm already and the sun set at 5:30pm. We discussed back and forth. Alarmed and irritated, I contacted the camp and explained the situation. “We will send someone to get you” – the message I got back. Omar doesn’t actually work for the camp and the jeep tours organized by the camp do go into the protected area. 30 min wasted, we quickly depart and double back to the camp.
On the positive note, while there was misinformation about what the jeep tours do and don’t do, the prices were consistent with what the camp’s prices. Also, while we communicated our intent to do a jeep tour, the camp ensured us we could book during check-in; so there would not have been a penalty to go with a different jeep operator.
I’ve read other blogs that have the jeep tours all departing from the visitors center – make sure price is by car, that the jeep operator speaks English, and can describe the sights you’ll see. Some camps may not operate their own jeep tours as well.
In the above map, point A is the police station checkpoint. point B is the Wadi Rum Visitor Center, and point C was our camp for the night.
Which Bubble Hotel Should I stay In?
The top bubble hotels on my list:
- Memories Aicha Luxury Camp – $200+. Consistently rated as the best food place and prices. Unlike the next two camps, Memories Aicha is located inside the Wadi Rum Reserve. However, camps inside the Wadi Rum Reserve require you to park near the road and take a camp-provided 4×4 car across the desert to the final stop. This was my number one choice but they were fully booked two months out. Price includes breakfast and dinner.
- Hasan Zawaideh camp – $170 a night on the outskirt of the Wadi Rum Reserve boundaries. Easy to drive to and park on premise. Breakfast was included and upon check-in, the management upgraded our stay to include dinner. What drew me to this camp were the evening activities. There was a campfire with tea and live music, followed by a DJ and dancing. As for the bubble, the tops of the domes are covered but a third of the side is clear, allowing a nearly 180° view of the Wadi Rum landscape.
- Bubble Luxotel or UFO Luxotel – the priciest at nearly $400 a night located outside the Wadi Rum Reserve boundaries. Easy to drive to and park on premise. Easily the most luxurious with a personal hot tub on your porch and bubble tents with separate living and sleeping spaces. The ceiling above the bed is clear, allowing you to drift off to sleep under the night stars. Common areas like the mess hall are shared between the Bubble Luxotel and UFO Luxotel. I had originally booked this place but switched to Hasan Zawaideh camp due to cost. Price includes breakfast and dinner.
Sun City camp was another that made my list but was also fully booked. For a more budget-friendly option, each camp listed has tent options. We stayed at the Hasan Zawaideh camp.
Arrival and check-in
Wow wow wow. Parked underneath a red sandstone cliff, the camp resembled an oasis. Plants and herbs lined the walkways, palm trees provided shade where an attendant was sweeping, keeping things tidy for guest arrivals. There was one person at the check-in desk, or rather, check-in shack. A name plaque sat on his desk: Hasan Zawaideh.
Another couple was checking in so we wandered the common areas and took photos and fun videos. At check-in, we recounted the earlier story at the Wadi Rum visitor center. He apologized for the experience and ensured us we could have come directly to the camp to stamp our Jordan Pass, reiterating that the jeep tours left from the camp. He upgraded our stay to include dinner, took payment for the lodging and the 2-hour jeep tour, said that towels would be distributed later, and sent us on our way with a staff member to our room. We got 15 min to get situated and found our way to the jeep tour.
Top left: camp sign. Top right: cliff faces resembling melting ice cream. Bottom left: Waiting for check-in. Bottom right: the bubble tents
Jeep tour
First, the term jeep in jeep tour is a misnomer. We sat in the back of a pickup truck on a set of cushioned benches, with backrest, adorned in Bedouin cloth. The benches face each other and can comfortably sit 6 adults. All the vehicles at the visitor’s center were the same. We stopped by a Bedouin teahouse, saw some some camel cave paintings, visited the Siq Um Al Tawaqi, a narrow canyon with inscriptions of Lawrence of Arabia and Prince Faisal, kissed a natural sphinx head, drew sand art, zoomed on foot and by car, and watched the sun set over the desert.
For timing, note that the jeep tours don’t run when it’s dark. Frankly, you won’t see much. So if you plan on doing a 4 hour jeep tour, arrive by 1pm. We started at 4pm and had to do the 2-hour tour. The last stop was the sunset and we returned to camp at dusk. The jeep tours range from 2 hours to 6 hours, prices below. The longer tours have more stops in the Wadi Rum Reserve, but at a price. Prices were quoted by car.
- 2 hours: 35 JD
- 3 hours: 50 JD
- 4 hours: 65 JD
- 6 hours: 80 JD
Other excursions included sunrise camel ride and stargazing; both departed from the camp. Dress-wise, I wore pants and a t-shirt. Grace wore pants and had a light jacket. It got a bit chilly for me on the ride back after the sun set.
The Bubble, Shower, and Facilities
A whoosh of hot stuffy air clubbed my face when I opened the door. The AC was off in Martian tent #15 and only one of the two triangular windows was open. While it was a pleasant 65°F outside, the bubble was a greenhouse. We quickly turned on the AC and opened the second window and door to let the heat out.
Hot water was not an issue for us. Other blogs have reported that hot water is lacking in this camp. The water pressure was great and the bathroom was clean. Some rust and discoloration here or there but you’re in the middle of the desert.
There are two large inside dining areas. We had dinner in one and breakfast in the other. There’s a shaded patio area in front of the check-in counter with astroturf, an open-air lounge with wooden chairs and tables (pictured below), a fire pit and round open space, and a giant tent beyond the fire pit. This giant tent looked like a Bedouin living room with the hearth inside and was open to guests, but also learned that this is where the staff slept.
Sweetened and unsweetened black tea, and water were available at all times in the dining area.
Image from booking.com.
Food and Entertainment
Roasted chicken, potatoes, and rice were pulled out of the ground oven at 7pm and served by 7:30pm with other delectable hot and cold items. I was impressed by the number and quality of dishes at the dinner buffet. One chef cranked out fresh pita on a charcoal drum while another grilled lamb kofta and stuffed meat patties on the outside grill. Live music played outside. Zero alcohol beers and sodas were available for purchase. Hookah was available for purchase in the evening around the campfire. The inside dining area was boisterous as no one wanted to suffer the cold desert chill. Everyone sat on firm sofas adorned with more Bedouin cloths, hunched over coffee tables.
The breakfast buffet was served from 8am to 11am, another large array of hot and cold items to get guests ready for the day, plus a live omelette station. I absolutely fell in love with hardboiled eggs dipped in zaatar. Another item worth mentioning is the tahini halva – a rich sesame confection that resembles a fudge bar. Maybe I’ll try to make this one day.
Mosquitos
We weren’t ready for this one. We had left the windows and doors ajar to let in the cool desert evening breeze. While getting ready for bed, I heard a familiar buzzing near my ear. Mosquito…no way. I find and eliminate it. Mosquitos in the desert, who knew? We closed the windows and door. I sat in bed to wind down…more buzzing. I killed 5 more mosquitos and set their corpses on the floor near my shoes. Grace smashed 6 more, adding decorations to the walls. I pass out. I fuzzily remember Grace on a rampage, she reported killing 20+ more mosquitoes between the room and bathroom.
I woke up at 1am to more buzzing. I looked over to see that Grace had barricaded herself under the covers. I did the same with the top sheet.
Drowsy and mosquito bitten, we downed coffees at breakfast. To the future guests of Martian tent #15, I brought up the mosquito situation to the camp. They apologized for the inconvenience but didn’t make an indication that they’d investigate nor remediate. I hope something will have changed. I was sure the desert landscape doesn’t have standing water, so I deduced that they lived under the bathroom. I was completely surprised that a complete stranger replied to my story – that he had stayed in the same tent and this happened to him too. A smear on an otherwise perfect stay.
Day 2 Final Thoughts
On day 2, we drove to the furthest point on our Jordan itinerary. The rest of the Jordan itinerary had us traveling North to Petra, the Dead Sea, and finally back to AMM airport. To close out day 2, I’ll leave you with these 3 do’s and don’ts.
- Do go to the Wadi Rum Desert. It was surreal seeing the rust-colored sand and layered mountains, and so much fun glamping in a bubble.
- Do consider the trip priorities. If we insisted on going to the Roman Theater in the morning, we would have missed the jeep tour completely.
- Do prepare for a drastic temperature difference between day and night in the desert. There was a difference of almost 20° F, which in the summer means brutal hot to hot, but in the winter means cool to cold.
- Don’t spend too much time with vendors. It’ll be okay to walk away and get on with the things you actually want to do.
If you have an extra day, check out Aqaba and its beach resorts, another 50 min drive from Wadi Rum.
Stay tuned for more – recaps of Petra and the Dead Sea coming soon!
Yummy Treks 
One thought on “Ruins & A Near-Lux Bubble Hotel”