Jordan – Wadi Rum – Seven Pillars of Wisdom. The photographer wrote, “Seven Pillars of Wisdom: A Triumph is the autobiographical account of the experiences of British soldier T. E. Lawrence while serving as a liaison officer with rebel forces during the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Turks of 1916 to 1918.”
“The title comes from the Book of Proverbs, 9:1: ‘Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars’ (KJV). Prior to the First World War, Lawrence had begun work on a scholarly book about seven great cities of the Middle East, to be titled Seven Pillars of Wisdom. When war broke out, it was still incomplete and Lawrence stated that he ultimately destroyed the manuscript. Later, during the Arab Revolt of 1917–18, Lawrence based his operations in Wadi Rum (now a part of Jordan), and one of the more impressive rock formations in the area was named by Lawrence “The Seven Pillars of Wisdom”. In the end, Lawrence decided to use this evocative title for the memoirs he penned in the aftermath.” Photo #1 by Salim Al-Harthy

Jabal Peak at Wadi Rum. It stands 1,734 meters (over 5,688 feet) above sea level. Photo #2 by Alexander Lurye

“Come closer,” said the camel, “so I can spit upon you.” Photo #3 by Guillaume Baviere

Storming the big dome at Wadi Rum. This is part of the Red Sand Dunes. Wadi Rum is a protected area covering 720 square kilometers (more than 447 miles) of dramatic desert wilderness in the south of Jordan. Photo #4 by Guillaume Baviere

Now this looks like a dry and parched place. Wadi Rum is becoming an important tourist destination, particularly to trekkers and climbers. But some people swear by the camel and horse safaris, while tourists are simply ‘day-trippers’ from Aqaba or Petra. Photo #5 by Vyacheslav Argenberg

This natural arch is called Jabal “Umm Fruth Rock Bridge” and is one of several rock bridges in Jordan’s Wadi Rum. Photo #6 by Guillaume Baviere

Kingdom of Jordan – End of Wadi Rum. Photo #7 by Dennis Jarvis

The camels on the first day when riding through Wadi Rum, including angry camel and slow camel. Photo #8 by Neil and Kathy Carey

Dawn at Wadi Rum. This desert has sands valleys, Red Sands Dunes and huge mountains of sandstone and granite. Visitors need to bring plenty of water. You may not be able to see it from here, but there are many narrow canyons and fissures cut deep into the mountains. Those hideouts conceal ancient rock drawings etched by the peoples of the desert over the last millennia. Photo #9 by craigfinlay

Some people believe areas of Wadi Rum are like a moonscape. Photo #10 by Effi Schweizer

Wadi Rum Bedouin goat in the foreground, sandstone formations in the background. Bedouin tribes still live among the mountains of Rum. They live in large goat-hair tents. Photo #11 by C. Chou

A panoramic view of Jordan’s Wadi Rum. Photo #12 by David Bjorgen

Many movies have been shot in the desert of Wadi Rum. Besides Lawrence of Arabia, this has been the filming location for other famous films like Red Planet – as the surface of Mars in this 2000 film, and in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Wadi Rum was used to represented Egypt. Photo #13 by Guillaume Baviere

Wadi Rum from the top of Rum mountain, Jordan. Photo #14 by Ester Inbar

Petroglyphs at Wadi Rum. Another place to visit is beautiful Jebel Khaz’ali which is a narrow canyon contains numerous Nabataean rock carvings of people and animals. Photo #15 by Etan J. Tal

The gathering of people and camels in the desrt of Wadi Rum. Photo #16 by kudumomo

You too could ride a camel just like this at Wadi Rum. Photo #17 by Didier Baertschiger

Wadi Rum, ruins of a Nabataean Temple. This area is covered in Thamudic and Kufic rock art. Photo #18 by Berthold Werner

Staring out at Wadi Rum which also known as “The Valley of the Moon.” Photo #19 by Paul Stocker

Many human cultures have lived in the desert of Wadi Rum since prehistoric times. Photo #20 by Effi Schweizer

Camel and campfire in the Wadi Rum desert. Photo #21 by Xavi Talleda

Those aren’t camel tracks. Last riders drove through the desert sand at Wadi Rum. Photo #22 by Effi Schweizer

Mount Rum in Wadi Rum stands at 1734 m above sea level. The mountain was named the Seven Pillars of Wisdom – for its shape as seven pillars – by Lawrence of Arabia. Many people can only count 5 of the pillars, but there are 7. Photo #23 by Tomobe03

Wadi Rum, near Rum Station. There is no real infrastructure here, yet that allows the protected areas to remain unspoiled. Other than the Bedouin goat hair tents, about the only others structures at Wadi Rum are a few concrete shops, houses, and the fort headquarters of the Desert Patrol Corps. Photo #24 by Berthold Werner

Sparse vegetation at Wadi Rum. This is a land that is very isolated and largely inhospitable to settled life. Photo #25 by Stefan Volk

Spectacular Red Sand Dunes at Wadi Rum. Photo #26 by Mappo

Pools of water in the gorges of Wadi Rum. It might not look like much more than stagnant-like water, but in the desert, all water is precious. Photo #27 by Mappo

Blessed shade in the desert Wadi Rum, Jebel Khazali. Photo #28 by Berthold Werner

Activity below in the desert sands of Wadi Rum. Photo #29 by Djiezes

3 trucks – What are they carrying across the desert of Wadi Rum? Most likely tourists. Photo #30 by Berthold Werner

Lonely riders in a truck at wadi rum. Photo #31 by Berthold Werner

Climbers love the sheer granite and sandstone cliffs at Wadi Rum. Photo #32 by Guillaume Baviere

Rock climbing in the desert of Jordan’s Wadi Rum. Photo #33 by Guillaume Baviere

Hot red desert sands of wadi rum. Photo #34 by dave watts

Rippled sand at Wadi Rum. To protect the unique desert landscape, Wadi Rum was declared a protected area in 1998. Photo #35 by Effi Schweizer

Most folks need to hire desert tour guides when seeing Wadi Rum. Most adventure tourists stay in small organized groups around the protected area from 2 to 12 nights. Photo #36 by Guillaume Baviere

Only really true adventurers test their skills and endurance by climbing Jordan’s highest mountain, Jebal Rum. It is the highest peak in Jordan, close to the Saudi border, The highest peak in Jordan is south of Rum close to the Saudi borderand stand is 1,840 meters high. The climb is a grueling and treacherous challenge. It is advised by some that it should be attempted only by those of stout heart and with an indomitable will. Round trip to summit takes 10 hours! These adventures are beginning their Jebel Rum descent. Photo #37 by Andrew (polandeze)

Eye of allah at Jabel Rum. Photo #38 by Andrew (polandeze)

Jebel Rum domes – between the domes are huge chasms, or siqs. Photo #39 by Andrew (polandeze)

Wadi Rum – Lawrence of Arabia’s House. Photo #40 by Niels Elgaard Larsen

Smoke break in Wadi Rum. Photo #41 by Guillaume Baviere