Rahayeb Desert Camp

Location: Situated in a secluded, scenic area between rocky mountains and a sand dune, offering breathtaking views and easy access to sunrise/sunset spots via stairs.

We stayed here for 1 night as part of a Jordan tour. I’m told it replaced The Captains Cabin camp, as the tour operators choice. Upon arrival in Wadi Rum, you are swept up in the magic of the place, from the initial crazy 4 wheel drive from the outer car park to the camp, to the weird, mystical atmosphere of the camp, nestled between the hills. The accommodation resembles cloth tents, but underneath is of brick construction, not a problem, as it looks the part. Inside, I had a bed with curtains around, traditional furniture & en-suite facilities, also efficient air conditioning. All very rustic. I was concerned there was no mattress protector and felt the en-suite would benefit from a deep clean. The evening meal under the stars was really good. Meat cooked underground was ceremoniously uncovered by the staff, to the delight of onlookers. We are vegetarian but still appreciated the ambiance. The rest of the meal consisted of a huge buffet, with enough food for our dietary requirements. It was delicious & the manager looked after us well by personally ensuring we had plenty of extra rice. Negative - It was impossible to get any sleep until well after 11:00, as there was very loud music from the outside communal area, this wasn’t traditional dancing etc, as suggested, simply music from a massive speaker. I’m informed, this happens in most Wadi Rum camps though, which is a shame and does rather detract from the amazing desert experience. Breakfast was a disappointment, I feel great emphasis is put into dinner, so breakfast is just an afterthought. No bread except pieces of flatbread, possibly from the night before. No milk for tea & coffee, so no cereals either and no fruit juice. Fortunately we weren’t hungry from the meal last night. On the whole this was an amazing experience and not something I would have missed, made amazing & breathtaking by Wadi Rum. But this camp could just up its game a bit.

The location of the camp at the entrance to a gorge with its own small sand dune is beautiful. However, the service was not particularly good, it took a long time to even get a coffee/tea on arrival. The food in the evening, although traditionally prepared, was served carelessly. Breakfast in the morning was opened very late and was very basic. On the jeep tour offered, some of the usual sightseeing points were missing (large dune, rock paintings). The price/performance ratio was not right.