my_trip_report

                                                 A month in wadi rum

                                                    Rock climbing trip report

Wadi Rum, Jordan.
Sandstone.
Stars.
Bedouin tea.

How can I possibly describe a month in Wadi Rum, where many of the local
people climb, and show a magnificent hospitality to visiting climbers ?

One of the most memorable experiences was when we did Sheik Hamdan's route
(one of the traditional Bedouin routes to the summit of Jebel Rum). We
bivvied on the summit plateau with millions of stars. A bit cold in spite of
sleeping bag (Rab, another story...) i got up at 5 and re-animated the
juniper-wood fire to make tea. Later we found the way to the summit (complex
but well-marked) and took loads of photos of the brilliant views, then set
off down.....fairly slowly, searching out the way. Back down on the
plateau, we met two Bedouin, Hassan and Saud. Theyinvited us to share their tea.....
strong and sweet, with condensed milk,
just like building site tea.....wonderful. Then they offered to show us the
way down, and give us a lift back to the village (otherwise a 2-hour walk)
in their jeep. At first we tried to decline, as we knew we (I) would slow them down.
They insisted, and we gave in. I will always have a mental image of Hassan,
looking like a pirate, with his red kuffiya ("tea towel") on his head, seeming
to move in a slow, measured way and yet
covering ground really fast, helping me down the grade 3 chimneys. We had
planned on needing 5 or 6 hours for the descent ; with Hassan we did it in 2
hours. When we got to the jeep, Saud had been waiting an hour !

The Bedouin have been climbing for hundreds of years (without ropes etc,
obviously), mostly for hunting and herding goats etc, but also for sport.
Their traditional routes, which go up to grade 5, are masterpieces of
fiendishly complicated routefinding, akin to alpine routes in their length
and seriousness. I thought them the essence of Rum climbing, better than
the "modern style" routes.
Although a few of the Bedouin are now fully qualified mountain guides ( eg
Atieeq Auda, Sabbah Atieeq, Sabbah Eid...) who climb modern style routes up
to 6c, the old-style routes are very much alive...

Many other memorable experiences didn't even involve climbing...
The Ramadan feast at Dayfallah's house, eating from the communal pot with
Eid and his 2 wives and 7 kids, being invited to someone's tent on Xmas eve
to hear Said sing, Hassan coming in with a bloody haunch of mutton/goat and
insisting that we eat with him....
The Bedouin people are hospitable, generous, and aristocratic.

But you want to know about the routes....
Well, the rock is often fragile and sometimes loose and chossy, though on
some routes it's good.
I would recommend virtually ANY of the bedouin routes....but they are long
and complex. Take a lighter in case of unplanned bivvies
.....there's usually wood to be found. Some of the modern routes also use
the bedouin routes as descents...don't underestimate the time needed to find
them, take a headtorch !
If you can afford it (and they're not cheap - European prices) consider
taking a Bedouin guide for the more complex routes.

Recommended "modern" routes....

Pillar of Wisdom    ( 3-star route ; mostly easy climbing on good
                                    but fragile rock, long descent )
The Beauty       ( but watch out for the unprotected 5th pitch.....
                             5+ haha )

I thought the routes on the east face towers a bit over-rated...and didn't
like the fact that you have to scramble up 50 to 100m of choss to get to the
starts.

Barrah Canyon.....lots of good rock and classic routes. (Merlin's Wand
wasn't my cup of tea but might be yours. I preferred Ocean Slabs.)
Definately worth getting dropped here by jeep and staying 3 days or so,
arranging a time to be picked up. ( We spent new yrears eve here, alone)

Burdah, the rock bridge......another place to spend a bit of time.
The easy scramble up the north ridge to the bridge is an absolute classic,
and it's worth carrying on to the summit for the views.

Some practical info for those considering a trip :
Eating at the resthouse is rather expensive. Instead, you should go to Ata's
café.....the Grindleford of the Middle East. This is the Bedouin café on the
other side of the road from the resthouse.
We didn't cook once....ate there whenever we weren't eating at people's houses.
Copious food and wonderful service, endless tea.
("Wahed shai kebir" we shouted, as we came down off Pillar of Wisdom in the
dark, glad to be heading for tea and dinner rather than an unplanned night out.)
Big breakfasts with hummous, eggs, falafel...
You don't have to camp at the resthouse either, you can camp in the desert
behind for free. You may or may not be charged (2JD) to use the resthouse
showers. And Ata the Palestinian chef is really kind to climbers, whether
you're staying there or not.If you don't take a tent, you can hire one at
the resthouse or sleep on the roof. I would take one though, it means you're
more independant.   It's also possible to stay in a Bedouin tent at Abu
Aina, (right below Lionheart) and have your dinner cooked by the lovely
Mohammed Faisal.......about 6JD including bedding, dinner, and all the tea
you can drink.

And PLEASE......local people distinguish climbers from tourists, help them
to keep a good opinion of us. Don't flaunt your underwear, don't leave
litter, don't be a know-it-all.

And don't be surprised if the tent in which you're drinking tea made over an
open fire, has satellite TV, and the Bedouin has his mobile phone in the
pocket of his robe. The people are taking what they want from the modern
world, while still living in quite traditional ways.

I'll be going back as soon, and as often, as i can.........it's not too far
from Cairo....

Kate

NOTE this describes my first trip to Wadi Rum, in December1999 / January 2000.
A few details have changed since, so if you want more up-to-date info, e-mail me,
or follow the links to some of the more recent trip reports.

Trip report by Michele

Trip report by Steve and Judy

Trip report by Matt

Trip report by Richard

Wadi Rum Rock Page