March 23, 2023 | TRIPS
ROCK CLIMBING IN JORDAN
Wadi Rum is undoubtedly a place we will return to. It has captivated us. Adventure climbing on good rock with extraordinary cracks.
Wadi Rum is undoubtedly a place we will return to. It has captivated us. Adventure climbing on good rock with extraordinary cracks.
We arrived at Wadi Rum around 3am. The night is dark and the sky is cloudy. It had been raining all day, and the sand is wet. We rang the bell, and a few minutes later, Alia opened the door for us. Despite the early hour, she greeted us with a smile. One of her seven children accompanies us to our room, and without many questions, we go to sleep. In the morning, we will have time to get our bearings. We have been traveling for over 24 hours, dealing with canceled flights, delays, layovers, and taxis! This is our first trip to Wadi Rum, and we are definitely paying the price for being novices.
Wadi Rum is a special place. Hundreds of tourists visit this iconic landscape of Jordan every day, but few stay overnight. They hop on a 4x4 taxi to head towards the desert camps and then continue their journey to other attractions in Jordan, such as Petra, the Red Sea, or the Dead Sea. I dare say that only climbers, trekkers, and a few adventurous tourists decide to stay in Wadi Rum.
The guest houses are simple but offer sufficient amenities to stay as long as you want while climbing in the area. Generally, they provide private rooms with a shared kitchen and bathrooms. All the guest houses include half-board or full-board rates in their offerings.
If you have a passport from the European Union, you can obtain a visa at the airports of Amman or Aqaba. The visa fee is 40 JD. Please note that if you fly to Aqaba, you may not be asked for a visa. This is quite random, so you should be prepared to pay the 40 JD upon arrival (credit cards are accepted). Alternatively, you have the option to get the Jordan Pass before your trip, which costs 70 JD. Theoretically, this includes the visa and entry to sites such as Petra, Wadi Rum, etc.
You can fly to Aqaba or Amman. If you choose to fly to Amman, you'll need to take a taxi to Wadi Rum, which takes about 4 hours. The taxi fare from Amman to Wadi Rum is around 100 JD. If you decide to fly to Aqaba, the taxi to Wadi Rum costs 40 JD and takes approximately 1 hour.
We exchanged €300 upon arrival at Amman airport, before getting the visa, so we had some cash to pay for the taxi and have extra for the first few days in Wadi Rum. However, the exchange rate at the airport is not favorable. Once you're in Wadi Rum, you can ask Alia to exchange money for you (they usually go to Aqaba every two or three days), and the exchange rate there is better.
There are several places to stay in Wadi Rum, and they all cost roughly the same, but the comments and experiences can vary greatly. Without a doubt, we are convinced that the best place is Wadi Rum Sunrise Guest House. You can contact Alia on WhatsApp at the following number: +962 7 956 75327.
Alia and her entire family will make your stay unique. Her eldest son, Walid, can take you into the desert and knows where all the climbing routes are. Additionally, Alia's husband, Ali, runs a desert camp where you can spend the night and have a unique experience.
Sunrise offers private rooms for each group. The price is 25 JD per person and includes dinner and breakfast. There is a kitchen area available if you need it, although we didn't use it at all. They also have communal bathrooms and showers.
There are other places to stay, and we have heard all sorts of comments about them, but we haven't personally experienced them. We can only say that where we stayed, we felt at home, and it was essential to our overall experience.
Within a short walking distance from the village of Wadi Rum, there are numerous climbing routes available. There is even a sport climbing area. The large wall near the village offers some classic routes, such as Inferno, Goldfinger, Queen of Desert, or Fight of Fancy.
If you walk a bit further, you can go and climb the fantastic Pillar of Wisdom or The Beauty, the latter being a must-do route during your visit to Jordan.
To climb in the desert, you'll need to book a taxi (70 JD round trip) that can take you to places like Barrah Canyon, where you'll find iconic routes such as Merlin's Wand or Star of Abu Judahia.
Please note that climbing on these walls requires a lot of experience. The routes are generally not equipped, and it is essential to know how to place traditional protection, build anchors, and especially manage rappels, which in many cases may be in poor condition and require careful evaluation. It is an absolute adventure terrain, not suitable for beginners.
Also, keep in mind that if it rains, you should wait at least 48 to 72 hours before climbing. The sandstone is very soft, and when it gets wet, it literally crumbles.
✓ The Beauty, 6b, 185m.
✓ Merlin's Wand, 6b, 235m.
✓ Star of Abu Judahia, 6C, 220m.
✓ Queen of Desert, 7a+, 470m.
✓ Inferno, 6a+, 150m.
✓ Troubador, 6c+, 150m.
✓ Fight of Fancy, 6b+, 130m.
✓ Black Magic, 6a, 365m.
✓ Guerra Santa, 7b, 400m.
✓ Pillar of Wisdom, 6a, 330m.
✓ Lionheart, 6b, 350m.
There are hundreds of routes. This is just a selection of the classics. You can find all the route descriptions at Wadi Rum Sunrise Guest House or online (through an extensive search).
Each route requires specific gear, but generally, the necessary equipment will include:
Wadi Rum is undoubtedly a place we will return to. It has captivated us. Adventure climbing on good rock with extraordinary cracks, and the people of Wadi Rum are incredible! It is a place you must visit at least once in your life if you enjoy climbing on big walls.
The province of Tarragona has some of the best areas in the world for sport climbing. Discover our selection.
LEARN MOREIf you’ve ever found yourself clinging to a rock wall with sweaty hands, shaky muscles, and a racing heart, you’ve probably asked yourself: why on earth am I doing this? What is it about rock climbing that draws us in? What’s the point of all this effort to scale rocks and mountains?
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Great experience!!! Santi is a professional guide, he has a lot of experience and explains very well, patient. The course was very complete and great as a new experience,..
(Translated by Google) Fantastic people who teach you calmly and most importantly having fun. Thank you!!! To repeat
(Original) Gente fantástica que te enseña con calma y lo más importante disfrutando. Merci!!! Para repetir
(Translated by Google) Spectacular day, incredible treatment! Very happy with the experience and everything I learned. Thank you Santi and see you next time!
(Original) Dia espectacular, tracte increïble! Molt contenta de l'experiència i de tot el que he aprés. Mil gràcies Santi i fins la pròxima!
(Translated by Google) Super good experience with a super monitor, Santi, with a lot of patience, a lot of attention and good vibes. Highly recommended.
(Original) Súper buena experiencia con un súper monitor, Santi, con mucha paciencia, mucha atención y buen rollo. Muy recomendable.
(Translated by Google) With Santi and SouthClimb, you don't just learn how to do figure eights, how to do the gri-gri, how to be the first... You also learn what it means to be a good climber and especially accompanied by a beautiful person. Lots of love and looking forward to seeing you again soon!! // With Santi and SouthClimb you don't just learn to tie knots, use the gri-gri or go first... You learn what it means to be a good climber and above all accompanied by a beautiful person. Much love and waiting for the reunion soon!!
(Original) Amb el Santi i amb SouthClimb no només aprens a fer vuits, a fer anar el gri-gri, a fer de primer... Si no que aprens el que és ser un bon escalador i sobretot acompanyat d'una persona preciosa. Molt d'amor i amb ganes de retrobar-nos ben aviat!! // Con Santi y con SouthClimb no solo aprendes a hacer nudos, a usar el gri-gri o a ir de primero... Si no que aprendes el que es ser un buen escalador y sobre todo acompañado de una persona preciosa. Mucho amor y esperando el re-encuentro pronto!!
(Translated by Google) Very professional, we had a great day thanks to southclimb with the climbing baptism course, we will surely do the advanced course! This sport is the cane and on top of that it allows you to travel to meet new places and new people! 200% recommended 🙏 Thank you Santi and Sara! 🤘⚡
(Original) Muy profesionals, pasamos un dia genial gracias a southclimb con el curso de bautizo en escalada seguro vamos a hacer el curso avanzado! Este deporte es la caña y encima te permite viajar para conocer nuevos sitios I nueva gente! 200% recomendable 🙏 Gracias Santi y Sara! 🤘⚡
(Translated by Google) Super experience! We have spent a fantastic morning and very comfortable with Santi. Without having any experience it has been very profitable and fun, we have loved it. Great Santi, thank you very much!! A pleasure to have shared this moment with you! Just great!! Highly recommended!!
(Original) Súper experiencia! Hemos pasado una mañana fantástica y muy a gusto con Santi. Sin tener nada de experiencia ha sido muy provechoso y divertido, nos ha encantado. Gran Santi, muchas gracias!! Un placer haber compartido este momento contigo! Simplemente Genial!! Muy recomendable!!
(Translated by Google) Introductory ladder course highly recommended and great! Our guide Sara is a crack and very professional! A very pleasant atmosphere and environment! To repeat this or other courses!! Thanks team!!
(Original) Curs d'inici d'escala més que recomanable i genial! La nostra guia Sara una crack i molt professional! Un ambient i entorn molt agradable! Per repetir aquest o altres cursos!! Gràcies equip!!
Santi is the best climbing guide you can imagine. As a reference, we two are 6a-7a climbers, but we wanted a local guide to help maximize efficiency in a foreign area. He was highly recommended to us by a friend who Santi guided a few months back, and he was as wonderful as described. He takes his role as Guide seriously and comprehensively, from helping you plan ideas for areas to concentrate on, considerations of weather and season, logistics for where to stay and how to get there (he picked us up one day, and we met him in our car another), as well as making himself available to help with any other questions or needs for the trip as a whole (not just the climbing part). Our long chain of detailed texts show how dedicated and sincere he is in wanting to help plan the best trip possible for you. This was highly unique, unexpected, above and beyond, and much appreciated. Before you've even met, he treats you more like a friend coming to visit Spain than a client that he is just doing business with, and that warmth goes a long way and sets him apart from most any other guide I've experienced (i've had great guides in my life, so this just reinforces Santi's particularly special character). Like I really felt like we were friends, and still feel like we are, as he reaches out and keeps in touch still and I really appreciate that relationship. Humanity, sincerity, and kindness in business--what a crazy (wonderful) concept! As a climbing guide specifically: he is consummately professional, impressively knowledgable and safe, as well as comfortingly sensitive to your climbing abilities and needs, and tailors each day with climbs that are perfect for you--if you want to be comfortable or if you want a little/big challenge, if you want to experience highlights of an area by switching up crags in the same day. He knows the areas so well and of course knows how to choose the walls that are in the shade or in the sun for whatever time of day or season you are climbing. There is so much variety and fun for either multi or single pitch too. In addition, when we were all climbed out for the day, he took the opportunity to show us the beauty of the local areas, playing also a photographer and travel guide. He also went home to let us borrow his guide book to other areas that we were headed to later, and kept in touch to make sure the rest of our trip went smoothly. So nice! Here is a person who treats his job as a climbing guide and ambassador for the area with such deep consideration and earnestness, and who treats his role as a human being with exceptional kindness and faith. We are so grateful that he came into our lives as a climbing guide and as a friend. Thank you Santi for being you, and please everyone call him now for any guiding adventures (he travels to guide too!) Also, his rates are so fair and reasonable. And you will be so happy if he is available to take you on an adventure with him! Cheers!
Messaged Santi to teach us lead climbing outside as it was our first time. He was very responsive with his communication and we sorted out a day to climb. We climbed at a really scenic location. Santi tought us most of the aspects required to perform lead climbing and was very patient, effective and an all round down to earth person. By the end of the day we were almost competent lead climbers. I would definitely recommend him if you want it learn how to climb or need a challenging route to climb with assistance.
