One of the more beautiful and unique landscapes in the world: Wadi Rum, Jordan. Most famous in the Western world for its use in the cinematic masterpiece Lawrence of Arabia, it has since been used in numerous films including recent movies such as Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Prometheus, The Martian, and Rouge One. Some think Lawrence of Arabia is one of the most beautifully filmed movies in cinematic history.

Wadi Rum is also steeped in history, from ancient petroglyphs, to Nabatean temples, T. E. Lawrence’s adventures there, to current environmental research and experiments. It is a very delicate area. Wadi Rum is the home of the Zalabia Bedouin, who without tourism, live quite simple. Tourism is of course challenging this. I highly suggest if you go, camp with the Bedouin in their tents, eat their food, travel with them, and listen to them. Try to experience the culture there. Please don’t just barge in, climb a cliff, dune bash, and leave. Don’t even do it if the tour operators try to encourage you to do so. It’s a magnificent and historical place of unparalleled beauty; do try to experience that. This is the first of many of my images from here.

http://wadirum.jo/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wadi_Rum

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1377

T. E. Lawrence is still very much revered in the area for fighting for the freedom of the Bedouin against the Ottoman Turks and then politically championing, to a significant degree, their independence from British imperialism. The movie is a long drama but is beautifully filmed, with most of the desert scenes shot in Wadi Rum.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3tuBFHuYV4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9YXuvLfECk