Wadi Rum is tucked away in the south of Jordan, close to the Red Sea port of Aqaba, remote and splendid in both landscape and culture, yet only a five-hour flight and a short onward journey from Europe. It was brought to the worlds attention by Lawrence of Arabia, and the subsequent film of that name was responsible for the authors visit with a team of climbing friends in 1984. Thus began the exploration of Wadi Rum for rock climbing and trekking, with the approval and encouragement of the local Bedouin who have lived and climbed in this desert and mountain region for generations. The first edition of this guide published in 1987 contained about 140 routes. Since then the number of climbs has doubled. Here are detailed descriptions and topos of all the known routes to date, from short walks, camel treks and 4 WD journeys through to sports climbs and major big walls of the highest technical difficulty. Additionally the author gives information on sites of antiquity, flora and fauna and life with the Bedouin. It is their roguish humour and warm hospitality as much as the magnificence of these deserts and mountains that make a visit to Rum a unique experience.

This book tells you everything you need to know. Most of the peaks in the region have been climbed by the Bedouin, often by more than one route, during hunting expeditions or whilst collecting edible or medicinal plants and herbs. Although originally climbed and reversed solo in barefeet and without any equipment, some of these routes are quite serious undertakings with complex route finding. The Bedouin are proud of them and rightly so! There are however a number of possibly unclimbed peaks in the area, as well as many new routes to be done on the various walls, ridges, slabs and crack systems, not to mention easier routes and scrambles through canyons with magnificent scenery. It is a remote and spectacular landscape, offering unlimited rock for the pioneer, as well as many superb existing routes of all grades of difficulty, whilst the desert and numerous siqs or canyons offer a wilderness experience not to be found anywhere else in the world. The wealth of experience is further increased by the Bedouin whose homeland this is, and by the variety of wildlife to be found in the area. It is hoped that this book will allow others to savour the solitude and mystical magic of these deserts and mountains.