Wadi Rum New Year’s Eve Jeep Party: Overnight Zarb Dinner, Fireworks & Bedouin Music
Difficulty
easy
Duration
24 hours
Fitness Level
Suitable for all fitness levels—short, easy walks and vehicle transport; some standing during the evening celebrations.
Overview
Spend New Year’s Eve under Wadi Rum’s starry vault: a 4-hour jeep tour to Nabatean ruins and canyons, a traditional Zarb feast, Bedouin music, fireworks and an overnight camp. It’s an accessible, atmospheric desert celebration for travelers who want history, food and sky.
Wadi Rum New Year’s Eve Jeep Party: Overnight Zarb Dinner, Fireworks & Bedouin Music
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A cough of desert air and a sky full of stars greet you before the jeeps do. By late afternoon the sandstone ridges of Wadi Rum begin to glow; the light slides down red rock like warm tea. You ride in an open-bed jeep across a plain where wind has carved cliffs into ribs and arches. The driver points at Thamudic carvings and then at a shallow spring—Lawrence’s Spring—where the desert seems to remember travelers who passed through centuries ago.
Adventure Photos
Adventure Tips
Layer for big temperature swings
Desert nights drop sharply—pack a warm midlayer and a windproof shell even if the afternoon is hot.
Bring a headlamp
Camp areas and canyon paths are dim; a headlamp keeps your hands free during walks and late-night tasks.
Protect electronics from sand
Use ziplock bags or a camera rain cover—sand is fine and abrasive and can quickly ruin lenses and charging ports.
Respect local customs during the meal
When eating the shared Zarb dinner and during musical performances, follow the lead of your hosts to show appreciation.
Local Insights
Wildlife
- Nubian ibex (seen on distant ridges)
- desert larks and occasional fox tracks at dawn
History
Wadi Rum has layers of history: Nabatean ruins and Thamudic inscriptions mark it as an ancient travel and ritual landscape, while T.E. Lawrence’s wartime accounts brought it to Western attention.
Conservation
Wadi Rum is a protected reserve; stick to marked tracks, avoid lighting stray fires and use established camps to limit impact on fragile desert soils.
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Adventure Hotspots in Aqaba
Recommended Gear
Sturdy hiking shoes
Grip for short canyon walks and rocky ledges; sand will get into footwear so choose comfortable, broken-in shoes.
Warm midlayer and wind shell
Nights can become cold and windy; an insulated layer keeps you comfortable around the campfire.
winter specific
Headlamp with spare batteries
Hands-free light for walking to/from camp, reading inscriptions in Khazali Canyon and late-night restroom trips.
Water bottle (1–2L) with filter
Bottled water is provided, but carrying extra water and a filter is useful in hot months or if you plan extra exploring.
summer specific