Today, we travel to my favorite place on the planet: the desert of Wadi Rum in southern Jordan, to meet Ahmad Mara'yeh, a Bedouin man and co-founder of Rum Planet Camp.

We are returning to Jordan next June!

Join us June 5-14, 2026 on a 10-day trip to this country we love so much. We'll visit the Dead Sea, Petra, Wadi Rum, Amman, and many off-beaten spots in between. And yes, we will also stay with Ahmad at Rum Planet Camp in the desert.

Go to https://goingplacesmedia.com/jordan for details on early-bird booking, which ends on Jan 4, 2026.

Going Places is an audience-supported platform. You can become a member for as little as $6 a month. Visit us at goingplacesmedia.com to learn more.

Thanks to our Founding Members:

RISE Travel Institute, a nonprofit with a mission to create a more just and equitable world through travel education
Radostina Boseva, a film wedding photographer with an editorial flair based in San Francisco

What you’ll learn in this episode:

What it's like growing up in the desert
What is Bedouin culture?
What Bedouin hospitality looks like
How tourism impacted Bedouin communities
The disappearance of traditional Bedouin lifestyle
What it was like for Ahmad to meet Matt Damon during the actor's "Martian" filming
How Ahmad thinks about some of the stereotypes about Arabs and Muslims
Women in Bedouin culture
What Ahmad is doing to make his eco-camp truly sustainable
Rum Panet Camp’s efforts to showcase the real Bedouin identity

Featured on the show:

Join me in Jordan next June
Follow Rum Planet Camp on Instagram @rum.planet.camp
Read my article in AFAR Magazine, Heading to Jordan? Skip the Bubble Tent and Stay Here Instead.

Original Air Date: Oct 3, 2023.

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Going Places with Yulia Denisyuk is a show that sparks a better understanding of people and places near and far by fostering a space for real conversations to occur. Each week, we sit down with travelers, journalists, creators, and people living and working in destinations around the world. Hosted by Yulia Denisyuk, an award-winning travel journalist, photographer, and writer who's worked with National Geographic, The New York Times, BBC Travel, and more.

Learn more about our show at goingplacesmedia.com.