Isabella Miller The Wadi Rum desert in Jordan, often called the “Valley of the Moon,” has become a global hotspot for travelers seeking a celestial experience without leaving Earth. The Martian surface has been perfectly imitated by the red sands and jagged rock formations which serve as the main setting for high-profile space movies. The current desert area functions as a luxury space simulation which attracts high-end tourists who want to experience an alien environment.
The “Martian Dome” Experience
The geodesic domes at Sun City and Bubble Luxotel provide guests with clear views through their transparent walls. The “Martian” tents provide visitors with the experience of living in a space station while they receive premium hotel services.
Stargazing Without Light Pollution
The desert’s remote location offers some of the clearest skies on the planet. Astronauts can observe the Milky Way through professional-grade telescopes which travelers can use to experience the view from a lunar base.
Futuristic “Bubble” Suites
Modern suites provide separate areas for living and sleeping through their design of interconnected bubbles. The structures use the design of pressurized modules which space agencies have developed for Mars colonization as their architectural concept.
Astronaut-Style Isolation
The vast desert provides a complete peacefulness which creates a feeling of deep isolation. The luxury travelers consider the “quiet” as a valuable premium feature which recreates the experience of being far away from all human activities.
Space-Themed Hospitality
The camp staff use the space theme to treat their customers to traditional Bedouin tea when they arrive at “Mars.” The combination brings together two distinct elements: ancient desert traditions and futuristic fantasy.
4×4 “Rover” Expeditions
Visitors to the area must use specialized 4×4 vehicles to drive through the rough landscape instead of regular vehicles. The guides conduct area tours which function as “surface missions” to show visitors the area’s special geological features.
Sunset on the “Red Planet”
The iron-oxide sand turns a deep, fiery crimson as the sun goes down and the travelers assemble on rock bridges to see the sunset which closely resembles the view from a rover’s camera.
High-Tech Comfort in the Wild
The “space pods” provide users with high-speed internet service and air conditioning and luxurious restrooms even though they work in a harsh environment. The demonstration shows how technology enables people to enjoy comfort in extremely tough outdoor environments.
Traditional “Underground” Dining
Guests at the restaurant experience Zarb, a traditional Bedouin dish which cooks through an underground cooking method. The earth-oven cooking method uses ancient techniques which allow for cooking without necessary resources, similar to the cooking methods seen in survivalist science fiction movies.
Zero-Gravity Wellness
A few luxury camps offer yoga and meditation classes which teach guests about the experience of “weightlessness.” The program uses this method to assist travelers in achieving mental distance from their daily life “weight.”
Sustainable Living Lessons
Visitors to the desert camp learn about water conservation and solar power because they must live in that environment. The skills required for real-life lunar and Martian outpost survival are the same critical skills needed for these activities.
