The massive sandstone formation that greets you at the entrance to Wadi Rum is impossible to miss. Seven distinct pillars of weathered rock rise side by side, glowing orange and red in the afternoon light. The visitor centre sits directly below, so every arrival to the desert begins with this view.
A marked hiking trail circumnavigates the formation, taking about two hours at a comfortable pace. The path is rocky and exposed, so bring water and start early in summer. The reward is seeing the pillars from every angle and getting a sense of the sheer scale — from below, they tower hundreds of metres overhead and the erosion patterns in the sandstone look like abstract paintings.
At sunset, the pillars turn deep crimson and the shadows between them go almost purple. If you are staying near the village, walk back out here in the evening. You will have it largely to yourself — the jeep tours have all headed deeper into the desert by then.