My name is Eid Salman Al-Zalabieh. I was born in Wadi Rum and I grew up in this desert. When you come to the desert with us, you do not only see landscapes: you share a little of our life. Here is who we are.
Who are the Bedouins of Wadi Rum?
The Bedouins are the people of the desert. In Wadi Rum, most families belong to the Zalabieh tribe. For generations we lived with our goats and camels, moving with the seasons, the rain and the grass.
We know every valley, every well and every rock by its name. That knowledge passes from father to son, around the fire, and it is what makes a Bedouin guide different: for us, the desert is not a playground, it is home.
From the tent to the village
Today most families live in Wadi Rum Village, with a school, a mosque and the guides’ houses. But the desert is never far. Many families still put up the traditional black tent, woven from goat hair, and spend time out in the sand with the animals.
Tourism has changed our life: many young men are guides, drivers or cooks at camp. It allows us to stay in Wadi Rum and to share our desert instead of leaving it.
Bedouin hospitality
For a Bedouin, a guest is sacred. Whoever arrives at the tent is welcomed, given tea and food, without being asked where they come from. It is an old rule of the desert, where nobody survives alone.
That is the spirit we try to keep with our travellers: you are not clients in a camp, you are guests of the family.
Bedouin tea and coffee
Tea is the heart of every meeting. We make it on the fire, very sweet, often with desert herbs like sage. You will drink a lot of it: in the morning, after lunch, at sunset, around the fire.
Arabic coffee is more ceremonial. It is light, flavoured with cardamom and served in small cups. When you have had enough, gently shake your empty cup from side to side: your host will understand. How we make Bedouin tea.
Zarb, the dinner cooked under the sand
Zarb is our festive dish: meat and vegetables placed on a metal rack, lowered into an oven dug in the sand and covered with hot embers. A few hours later, everything comes out tender and smoky. With it, we bake arbood, bread cooked directly in the ashes.
Cook zarb with us
Dig the oven, prepare the bread and share the dinner at sunset: join our Bedouin cooking workshop, or enjoy tea and stories at a Bedouin night fire.
Visiting with respect
- Dress modestly in the village: shoulders and knees covered
- Always ask before taking a photo of someone, especially women
- Accept the tea you are offered: refusing can feel rude
- Eat and give with your right hand
- Take your rubbish back with you: the desert is our home
If you want to know more about my family and our team, read Eid & us. And when you come, ask me anything around the fire: that is how we share.
— Eid, your Bedouin guide at Wadi Rum Best Tours
