720 square kilometers of dramatic desert wilderness. A valley of mesmerizing beauty cut into the sandstone and granite rock in south Jordan at 60 Km to the east of Aqaba

Wadi Rum has been inhabited by many human cultures since prehistoric times, with many cultures; including the Nabateans; leaving their mark in the form of rock paintings, graffiti, and temples. Whilst, the Khaz'ali Canyon, he site of petroglyphs etched into the cave walls depicting humans and antelopes dating back to the Thamudic times.

It is the largest Wadi in Jordan, with its' huge mountains of sandstone and granite emerge, sheer-sided, from wide sandy valleys to reach heights of 1700 meters and more. Narrow canyons and fissures cut deep into the mountains and many conceal ancient rock drawings etched by the peoples of the desert over millennia. Bedouin tribes still live among the mountains of Rum and their large goat-hair tents are a special feature of the landscape.

The village of Wadi Rum consists of several hundred Bedouin inhabitants with their goat-hair tents and concrete houses, a school, a few shops, and the headquarters of the Desert Patrol.

In the West, Wadi Rum is known for its connection with British officer T.E Lawrence, who based his operations here during the Arab Revolt of 1917–1918.

In the 1980s one of the impressive rock formations in Wadi Rum was named "The Seven Pillars of Wisdom" in memory of Lawrence's book penned in the aftermath of the war, though the 'Seven Pillars' referred to in the book actually have no connection with Rum

The area was discovered as a climbing area in 1984 by Tony Howard, Di Taylor, Mick Shaw, and Al Baker.

Howard and Taylor have since written two guidebooks: Treks & Climbs in Wadi Rum and Jordan - Walks, Treks, Caves, Climbs & Canyons

In1998 Wadi Rum was declared a protected area to safeguard its' unique desert landscape